Two Of These “10 Best Front-Wheel Drive Cars” Were Built By GM
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Most folk wouldn’t expect to see a classic Cadillac on a top-10 list of “Best Front Wheel Drive Cars Ever”, but the folks at Donut Media have, somewhat puzzlingly, included the 1970 Cadillac Eldorado in their selection. A second GM vehicle managed to make the cut, too: the 2008-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt SS.
Now, it’s no secret that yours truly is completely, utterly biased with regard to the turbocharged Cobalt SS being perhaps the best front-wheel drive car GM ever produced; I do own one, after all. But this isn’t about what I think; it’s a collective look at the history of front-wheel drive offerings. There are plenty of other vehicles that could’ve made the list, so we think this says something about the record-setting Cobalt Super Sport.
The 1970 Eldorado, on the other hand, was not something we expected to see here. Then again, how many other front-wheel-drive cars have ever offered a V8, let alone three: a 7.0-liter, 7.7-liter, or a mammoth 8.2-liter? The latter engine was the largest American production V8 ever made, and it produced 400 horsepower and 550 lb-ft of torque. Click here for four more lesser-known Eldorado facts.
To hear what else made Donut Media’s top 10 list of “Best Front Wheel Drive Cars Ever”, hit play on the video above.
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Somewhat a joke of a list and made the Eldorado an outcast. Not what I was expecting. The video should of been called “10 Best Front Wheel Drive Small Cars”.
I would have really expected the 1966 Toronado to be on the list as it was really the car that pioneered that FWD system used starting in 1967 by the Eldorado up until their 1979 redesign. It was a wonderful system and nobody at the time thought a large powerful V8 car could be made FWD. Chief engineer on that project was Bob Stemple, who was later made a scapegoat by GM in the early 90’s reorg that pretty much broomed most of the car guys from the upper ranks of the company in favor of money men. Well we know where that led!
The Oldsmobile Toronado was not the first American branded FWD vehicle. It was the 1929 Cord.
OK let me spell it out and speak very slowly. The Toronado was the first MODERN and MASS PRODUCED American V8 powered FWD vehicle. The Cord while a great car was very low production and one of the classic era.
Apparently the list was some sort of joke or poor list from some who didn’t know very much. The FWD used in the 1966 Toronado was indeed a breakthrough technology and powered by a whopping 7.0L or 7.5 L V8 of approx 400HP.
The same FWD system was used in the 1967 Eldorado, which became an icon for Cadillac, not only due to the FWD (which GM trumpeted for its improved bad-weather traction and lack of a legroom robbing drive shaft) but also for its bold angular styling, which has carried forward to some extent today.
Johan had planned to round off the classic Cadillac angular styling for more of a Euro-look, but now that he’s gone perhaps the Cadillac look will survive.
If the listicle was going to surprise us, they could have used the GMC motorhome.
“Best FWD Car” is like “Tallest of the Seven Dwarves”
Those were the days of genuine engineers at GM that took chances and produced one-of-a-kind automobiles . The Eldorado was the best personal luxury car you could buy , and the Toronado the best from Oldsmobile .
My father had a ’76 Toronado and put snow tires on the front wheels and that thing would plow through the snow , no TC , anti-lock brakes or all of these safety features or AWD . It was luxury to the nines .
People these days think you have to have AWD to survive out on the roads but that is what the automakers want you to believe so they can charge you that extra $1800.00 .
Zach – you are so right. And that AWD not only cost the extra $1800 or so, but given that it adds significant weight to the car, you have to buy the engine upgrade just to get the same effective power as without AWD. AND you lose legroom when going from FWD to AWD.
Of course I can hear that “if you want luxury, you don’t care what you pay crowd”, but people do want value for their money even in luxury cars. I hate seeing FWD derided here, since it works so well in snow, but some people are so committed to the idea of RWD that I think they’ve lost sight of the reality.