The original "win-on-Sunday-sell-on-Monday" car, the Olds 88 was a late 1940's precursor of American muscle cars: lightweight, big V-8 engine, distinctive styling. The Rocket 88, so named for the chrome nose-cone in the center of its grille, took the majority of the early NASCAR grand national races and attracted a following among bootleggers and G-men alike. The song "Rocket 88" is often cited as the first rock 'n' roll song.
But after the initial burst, the Olds couldn't keep up with the younger competition, and since the '70s, an aging customer base has steered late-model Delta 88s exclusively into the slow lanes. GM ended production of Oldsmobiles in 2004.
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