The Sloan Ladder (“the ladder of success” or “a car for every purse”) was created by GM President Alfred P. Sloan in the 1920s when income and automobile price stratification were much greater than today. Prior to that there was no coherent and consistent price structure among the many GM entities, so he created the “ladder” resulting in little or no overlap. The Great Depression forced a compression of the ladder and the 1950s and ’60s saw increasing erosion and overlap due to a wider range of sizes, types and models. But certain key aspects of the ladder still held, especially the prices of the high end models of each division.
That is, until 1963, when Oldsmobile came out with its Ninety Eight Luxury Sedan, priced above the top tier Buick Electra 225 sedan. In the decade to come, these two luxury sedans would duke it out for the #2 spot below Cadillac until late in model year 1972, when Olds upped the ante again, even more significantly.
Obviously the gap between the 98 and Electra 225 wasn’t exactly very big prior to 1963; 8% in 1962. It had varied a bit in the previous decade or so; generally the gap had been somewhat greater in earlier years. But Buick always maintained its place above Olds and below Cadillac with its top tier sedans. The gap between Buick to the Cadillac DeVille was more significant, around 25%, and some 18-20% below the low-end Cadillac Series 62/Calais, whose sales numbers were withering away rapidly during this time until the Calais was eventually dropped in 1976. Folks just weren’t interested in a “stripper” Cadillac.
Meanwhile, sales of these top-end 98s and Electras grew very steadily throughout the ’60s and into the ’70s. There were at least four good reasons: incomes were rising, Cadillac was somewhat production constrained and demand was always high, some buyers simply didn’t see that a Cadillac was worth 25% more, and some just felt more comfortable with the image that a Buick or Olds exuded.
It’s a bit curious to see the prices of these cars did not increase regularly each year, but actually dropped in some years. 1965 and 1966 DeVille prices were lower than all the previous years of this chart, back to 1962. A reflection of cost cutting? Trying to stimulate higher volumes?
As to the big jump in the 98’s price in 1973 and the Electra’s in 1974, we’ll get to that part of the story further down.
Those of you with a good eye may point out that the top end Buick Electra 225 sedan (pillarless 6-window) actually dropped almost $200 in price in 1963, and that alone would account for the Olds 98 being more expensive. A bit of digging brought up an explanation: The 2-way power seat and power windows were standard on the top end 1962 Electra 225 Riviera (6-window) hardtop sedan, but were not in 1963; that required an optional interior package. That’s a bit curious, as the restyled 1963 Electra (above) clearly exuded a more upscale image than the somewhat plain ’62. And it looked more upscale and exclusive than the Olds 98 too; in fact it gave off a decided Cadillac vibe, with its clean flanks and rear finlets.
But there’s no question that the new-for-1963 Ninety Eight Luxury Sedan was a clear move up the ladder in both its name and amenities, especially its very Cadillac-esque interior. It was $214 more expensive than the top-end 98 had been in 1962. And it did have standard front power seat and windows. So it’s a somewhat curious coincidence that Buick reduced the content and price of its top Electra the same year Olds upped both on the 98.
Yes, I say “coincidence” as there’s absolutely nothing to suggest that these and similar moves by the divisions were either initiated, controlled or needed approval by the corporate execs. In fact, just by virtue of this coincidence, it proves otherwise, as this clearly was not coordinated.
I couldn’t find any images of a ’63 98 Luxury Sedan rear passenger compartment other than this brochure rendering. If I told you it was for a DeVille, I doubt anyone would object, except of course for the details of the fabrics and such.
I did find shots of a ’65 version, and although it has those clear plastic seat covers that trigger PTSD symptoms, it does show the front seat back with its various amenities including twin tissue dispensers flanking the center mirror and the twin grab handles.
Here’s the ’65 interior from the brochure.
As a point of comparison, here’s the back seat in a ’63 Electra 225. The differences in the front seat backs, upholstery and door trim are quite apparent. I searched for some other year Electra 225 interiors but could not find comparable amenities (seat back and door trim) to the 98 LS. Buick was apparently willing to be outdone in this regard.
Here’s the front door from that ’65 98 LS. Genuine luxury car details for the times.
I should say “Luxury Sedan”. Interestingly, there was no coupe version; both Buick and Olds lavished their finest on the hardtop sedans, although the even more expensive convertibles did sport exclusive upholstery and typically also standard power seats and windows even if the top sedan version didn’t. But then those were quite uncommon, and anyone buying one wasn’t going to expect less.
Here’s a profile comparison of the ’63s, the 98 Luxury Sedan on top, and the Electra 225 on the bottom. To me, the more expensive 98 does not exude quite the same level of prestige and exclusivity that the Buick Electra 225 does. It’s just a matter of certain key styling elements: the flatter sides, subtler bright trim and the cleaner but more prominent rear fender extensions.
Olds’ move upmarket with the LS in 1963 most likely inspired Pontiac’s 1964 Bonneville Brougham. That was a $151 option package on the Bonneville Vista (hardtop) sedan, increasing its base price some 4.3% to $3584, almost 20% less than the 98 LS. The Bonneville Brougham came standard with a vinyl top and an upgraded interior with higher quality fabrics.
Both the 98 LS and the Bonneville Brougham undoubtedly played a key role in the birth of the 1965 Ford LTD. Lee Iaccoca was always looking closely at GM, his nemesis. He was of course vastly jealous of GM’s successes, especially the sporty Corvair Monza and the mid-price brands, and his Mustang and LTD were his very successful responses. But Ford would never really field any significant competition to Pontiac, Olds and Buick, and it took quite a while yet before Lincoln finally had some real success against Cadillac.
The Great Brougham Epoch was now in full bloom and it’s fair to say that the Olds 98 Luxury Sedan played a significant role in it.
So how did the 98 Luxury Sedan sell? Quite well; in 1963 it sold 19k units, but by 1965 (above), it was the best selling version of the 98 line, with 33k units. It was now a genuine sedan, not a true hardtop, but the side window glass was frameless; a “pillared hardtop” in other words. By 1968, it was 41k, and by 1969, 57k, now available as either a sedan or true hardtop. Sales continued to grow; by 1971, it was 95k.
The top tier Buick Electra had a somewhat similar trajectory, although its sales were pretty consistently about 10-15% higher than the 98 LS.
In April of 1972, Olds upped the ante again, even more decisively than in 1963. In commemoration of the brand’s 75th anniversary, a limited production (5,000 units) Regency appeared with a whole new concept in upholstery: the loose-pillow look, in tufted velour no less. This was conceived by long-time GM interior designer and color expert Blaine Jenkins, who in his stints at various GM divisions pioneered a number of interior firsts, including the first all-black interior on the 1962 Monza. I had a ’63 with that interior and had no idea that it was such a pioneering undertaking; the GM brass had a hard rule against an all-black interior but he convinced them otherwise. Now you know who to blame. There’s a nice tribute to him here.
He also pioneered the introduction of color mixed with silver, resulting in the superb “Evening Orchid” first seen on the 1965 Chevrolet, as on this Caprice, which was of course Chevrolet’s response to the LTD and the general push upwards.
As to how the Regency interior came about, here’s the section from that Automobile interview:
John Beltz, soon-to-be general manager of Oldsmobile, asked Jenkins to come up with some way to create an extreme 98, a model beyond the then-top-of-the-line luxury 98 for the oldest American car company’s seventy-fifth anniversary in 1972. “What could you do if I gave you another hundred dollars per car?” asked Beltz. “What couldn’t I do with that much budget?” was Jenkins’s immediate reply. His basic answer was to include a great deal more labor in the upholstery, allowing for individual tuffets of stitched velour.
On the offhand suggestion of his immediate boss, he also tossed in loose pillows, as one might find on a living-room couch — except the pillows were stitched into the rear-seat upholstery, so they only looked like separate elements. The anything-but-restrained limited-edition Oldsmobile 98 Regency four-door hardtop was advertised as “Quite a Substantial Car,” and indeed it was. Its front seats looked like an expensive and very comfortable sofa, stretching across an improbably wide cabin. It was a big sales success, and the 98 Regency became a new trim level for sedans in ’73, was extended to coupes the following year, and went on to become the popular flagship of the Oldsmobile brand for two decades.
So how much more did Olds charge for that “another hundred dollars per car” interior? $254. Therein is the secret sauce that fueled the profits of the car companies’ ever upward march in trim levels, options and interiors.
Since I don’t have a price handy for the limited production ’72 Regency, it does not show up in the chart for that year. But the 1973 price, $5,418, does, and that was just about $300 more (or 6%) than the Electra 225 Custom, the highest trim level at the time. This would be the biggest percentage gap between these two.
But this time Buick wasn’t just going to take it laying down. In 1974, they responded with the Electra 225 Limited, “The Ultimate Buick”. Well, for one year anyway.
Not exactly a loose pillow interior, but certainly a rather opulent bit of upholstery, in soft leather in this case. There were other choices too.
By 1975, Buick upped the ante again, topping “The Ultimate Buick” with the Park Avenue version, featuring available 40/40 spit seats with a console between them. And the upholstery is now of the loose-pillow persuasion.
Now we’re sinking deep into the heart of the Brougham Epoch.
Only the 1974-1976 Cadillac Talisman could top that, with its crushed Medici velour . That all took a wee bit of setback with the downsized 1977 GM full-size cars. Not that there wasn’t plenty of brougham sauce to last for quite a few years yet, and enough loose-pillow cushions to give everyone in the LA Coliseum a soft seat. Even the little X-car Buick Skylark had them, as I know quite well.
Somewhat ironically, the 1976 Olds 98 Luxury Sedan’s upholstery looks almost a bit reserved in comparison to the Buick’s. Everything is relative.
It’s time to check out of this deep dive into the beginnings and middle of the Great Brougham Epoch. And the beginning was really still very much in the Mid-century-Googie-Space Age era, before ankle-deep shag carpeting swallowed up every suburban living room (and even bathrooms). But change was underfoot, even if it wasn’t quite apparent yet, and the 1963 Olds 98 Luxury Sedan played its role in it.
Related CC reading:
Curbside Classic: 1965 Ford LTD – It Launched The Great Brougham Epoch
Curbside Classic: 1965 Chevrolet Caprice – The LTD Reaction
Curbside Classic: 1973 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Regency – Nice Car, Fabulous Seats
Curbside Classic: 1972 Oldsmobile 98 – Back When Folks Drove Big Cars Instead of Big Trucks
An informative and most enjoyable read. I particularly like the ‘6 window’ 4 door hardtop styling used by GM from 1961 through to 1964 on Cadillac, Buick & Oldsmobile.
A minor correction however, the simply stunning black ‘64 Buick Electra 225 ‘6 window’ four door pillarless hardtop featured in this article is not a “1963” model. But otherwise, a great article covering a high time in GM history.
Pour manure on me – but I love that blue interior of the ’75 Buick Park Avenue.
Eeek!
I really enjoyed this.
Great read here, grew up with them all back in the day. A friend who passed away was a huge Buick guy. Had a 63 225 4dr hardtop special ordered by a Dr with two fours and four on the floor. Classy badass boat… Had about 20 cars, left no will… Sweet guy
Thanks a million for this post! The evolution into OTT excessive luxury LAND YACHTS has always held my interest. My mantra TOO MUCH is NEVER ENOUGH is fully achieved. Interesting how most of these interiors were in luxury fabrics, rather than leather. The ultimate interior panache was IMO my 83 and 85 Chrysler Fifth Avenues, as well as my 89 Cadillac Brougham deElegance. I never understood why leather interiors became so popular, while velvet, velour and jacquard became unavailable. My current Town Car Signature Limited is the last gasp of traditional American Luxury sedans, but it (like most) has a leather interior. NOW, even LINCOLN offers only bloated glorified trucks masquerading as Luxury vehicles at bloated prices. As Archie and Edith sang, Those WERE the days! 👏
God I hate loose pillow velour seats. Maybe it’s because by the time I was around, the cars I experienced with them were a little older, but they disgust me. All the dirt trapped in their crevices, the matted velour, how the “pillows” sag and look droopy. That leather Buick interior looks 1000x more appealing.
Those 1960s luxury interiors though, love them. They look great
Great essay! You bring to the fore times in which I lived and with cars that I much admired for their cushy elegance.
Thanks for writing this, Paul! You and I, along with others, have been discussing this in the comments sections for many years. It definitely deserved its own post, and I’m glad you wrote it!
In some ways, it’s hard to understand why GM kept both brands alive together, especially after the introduction of the FWD B/C bodies in the mid 80s, when both brands very much overlapped. On the other hand, both brands were still selling and there wasn’t much point in shuttering either brand.
I think Oldsmobile sales started collapsing around 1987, and the talk of dropping Oldsmobile became louder in the early 1990’s after the H body Delta 88 and W body Cutlass Supreme turned out to be flops and GM was near bankruptcy. Only the ancient A body Cutlass Ciera was still selling respectably to budget minded older adults.
Very interesting! Every car, even those I never cared about, has a story and this was fun to read. A bit of trivia: over the years, this car was officially the 98, the Ninety-Eight (with hyphen), and Ninety Eight (without hyphen). I guess somebody in Lansing needed a job.
Never thought I’d see the car I learned to drive in, posted here on CC.
A skinny 16-yr-old Me, lost in the voluminous ’63 98 4-dr. boat (4-windowed, not 6 as in the photos). Luxurious at the time, but AM radio & no AC.
That was 1969, but little did my folks know that for 2 years prior, I’d been snagging the keys when they were out on date nights. Heart pounding, I’d drive 15 feet up & down the driveway, expecting to be hauled off to The Pokey, any minute.
Dad was an Olds guy, ranging from a ’53 98, up thru an ’80 Omega.
Then, jumped ship & went for Camrys.
Excellent and fascinating article, Paul!
So I wasn’t offbase in the 5th grade (corresponding to the 1963 model year) when I thought Olds was more prestigious as a brand than Buick. This was well before I learned of the term “Sloan ladder.” As I recall, several years passed before I finally discovered that Buick was supposed to occupy the 2nd highest rung in GM’s hierarchy.
I regard this whole Sloan-ladder thing with skepticism.
It may have been understandable from a marketing point of view and in this respect it may have had a certain justification.
From a technical point of view, however, it was capable of slowing down or even preventing innovations in the divisions (especially in the “lower ones”). And therefore it was also suitable for demotivating employees in the divisions.
The evidence certainly doesn’t support that. Chevrolet innovated the Corvair and the Corvette was a highly respected sports car. And its engines were always at or near the top n various parameters. And Pontiac was innovative too, with IRS, rear transaxle, OHC six, GTO, etc.
The divisions had quite a lot of autonomy back then.
Well, tellingly, all three of the examples you mentioned fall into the same period: the early 1960s.
Perhaps the weaknesses of “Sloanism” were recognized at this point (on a clear day?) and the reins were loosened a little bit.
But it also could be that these are just the famous exceptions to the rule.
The “On A Clear Day You Can See GM” wasn’t written until 1972 and published in 1979. And after about 1980 or so, the reins were actually much tightened, due to GM’s declining market share.
GM was one company, so it made perfect sense to have a “Sloan Ladder”, especially in the 1920s. Why actually compete with yourself? Makes no sense.
In later years, the divisions did compete with themselves, but it didn’t really matter anymore.
What would you have imagined? Chevrolet taking on Cadillac? It wouldn’t have worked anyway, for many reasons. Are you truly familiar with the American car industry, as it was?
“Are you truly familiar with the American car industry, as it was?”
Not at all. I’m just trying to question seemingly self-evident things. One of these things is the meaningfulness of Sloanism
The meaningfulness of “Sloanism” is that he took a somewhat random collection of car companies that Durant had bought (many of which overlapped in price) but had gone almost bankrupt twice and turned them into the biggest and most profitable corporation in the world.
As you may know, scale is everything in the car business, unless you’re a Ferrari or such. America had hundreds of car companies in the first two decades of the 20th century. Sloan saw that most would never succeed without scale (high volume). Ford had shown that with his Model T. Sloan took Ford’s basic concept of scale and adapted it to GM’s collection of car companies, the key being massive synergies by sharing their expensive body shells and thus being able to compete more effectively against the many competitors in the respective price classes.
It was only after GM, Ford and Chrysler effectively eliminated most of the competition and the pricing structure of the market began to collapse after the depression that this model made increasingly less sense, and had to adopt by sharing engines, transmissions and most other components. But once GM’s brand were so strongly established, it still made sense to keep it until GM’s market share began to collapse in the 1980s.
If the divisions had been able to create totally new and different cars on their own, it would have been a financial disaster for GM, as the cars would not have been profitable due to huge investment in development and having to build unique body shells. The whole key to making American cars so affordable and yet so large and capable was keeping costs down by sharing key components and bodies, at GM as well as at Ford and Chrysler. Keep in mind that the Corvair shared its body shell with the Buick Special, Olds F-85 and Pontiac Tempest. This was a key element to make these new compacts profitable.
This was all very different in Europe back before the more modern consolidation. There were many more companies, and buyers were willing ot pay a relatively high price for them, even if they were very small and with modest performance and such. But eventually they all had to consolidate too, and as you can see, as in the case of Volkswagen and such, their various brands share key platforms, drive trains and such. VW is modern “Sloanism”.
There was an Electra Limited 4 door hardtop beginning in ’67 with fancy brocade seats and a vinyl roof, but they were slow to respond to the 98 LS. Cadillac didn’t offer a fancier deVille interior (d’Elegance) with the loose cushion look until ’75 or 6, I guess to preserve the Fleetwood’s specialness, but they must have lost some sales to Olds before that.
I remember the “LS” badges on 98s from the late 60s, but just assumed it was mere badge nonsense. Thanks for showing me that at least earlier versions had a lot of interior substance to go with the badge.
As for the 72, I sat in those seats in a showroom and never forgot them. That was the most decadent interior I had ever seen – and I was on familiar terms with my father’s 70 Mark III and 72 Mark IV, cars that were significantly more expensive.
Good article. Let me put my memory cap on. In the 40s and 50s Buick was the Doctors Car. Doctor’s made house calls and a Cadillac would not look right. Oldsmobile had the distinction of being the leep frog to Cadillac. People who bought Buick’s stayed with Buick. People who bought Oldsmobile offen would skip Buick and get a Cadillac. In the 60’s a Duce and a Quarter was just like having a Cadillac..
Dad was an Olds guy. His stepdad had been a small-town doctor on the Iowa Minn border who made housecalls to remote farms and he had always driven Olds. “They started in freezing winter and didn’t overheat in August” as Dad said. In 63 he was still a Rocket 88 man but in 69 when he “made VP” he moved up to the 98.
My mom’s parents were Olds people: my grandfather was a physician and drove coupes (never drive anything better than your patients, mom told me about him) and my grandmother drove in big cars, and I remember her ’64 robin’s egg blue Ninety Eight and her last car, the dark blue ’69 Ninety Eight hardtop with frameless windows, no vent windows, and that Rocket 455 4 bbl engine–this was the interstate car for long trips away from home. Though I learned to drive in mom’s ’65 Dodge Dart, I really liked driving Gannie’s car more because it reeked of power (and it had A/C unlike the Dart), but premium in 1976 was .61/gallon and it drank. The interior was really well done with velour and stiff shiny cloth, interior lights everywhere, and ashtrays in the rear doors. Mom sold Gannie’s car after she died in 1976 and it was gone by the end of 1977 after I went interviewing for college. Later mom got a downsided New Yorker (nice interior but it was like a midsize) and dad fell in love with Lexus LS 400 sedans (really nice cars, comfortable, reliable, didn’t have the sizzle of a GM brougham), but neither seemed as awe-inspiring and as muscular as a fully decked out Ninety Eight. Once upon a time….
I remember the day when my sister-in-law’s grandfather parked his brand, new top of the line ’63 Olds 98 in front of MY house. OOF! What a car! When I saw the sticker price I couldn’t believe there was that much money in the world. Grandpa Life saw what a kick this 12 year old was getting out of it so he let me explore it to my heart’s content.
I really enjoyed this article, especially the coverage of the seats. I remember seeing them when they were brand new and wondered, who in their right mind would want those horribly dated, gaudy seats? Let alone cleaning them? Some remind me of the Velvet Elvis series of fine art. Me? I preferred seating and interiors something akin to cast iron when we had rug rats.
Great research, analysis, and writing, Paul! Always fascinating to see Buick and Olds try to outdo each other on interiors in these years!
Paul, I really enjoyed reading this article. What I find interesting is how the much more expensive DeVille routinely outsold its C Body stablemates, the Buick Electra 225 and the Oldsmobile 98.
This was an era of rising incomes and Cadillac sales sure illustrate that.
“the GM brass had a hard rule against an all-black interior but he convinced them otherwise.”
Maybe for BOP, but my grandmother’s ’70 Calais was all black inside. Even with the courtesy lights on, inside her carport, it was difficult to see stuff on the floor.
Did you read where I said this happened in 1962? After that all-black was allowed and became common.
Now it should be outlawed as too common, and too easy for salesmen. “All we have is black.” I was rereading from the bottom up on black button-tufted velour when it caught my eye.
Excellent piece, Paul. Well researched and informative.
I’ll join the party and speak of an older relative and his love of both of these brands. My great uncle, basically my grandfather to me, as my actual grandfather died before I was born, would go back and forth between Oldsmobile and Buick. I vaguely recall how nice these interiors were compared to my Dad’s Impalas.
Speaking of occupations, my great uncle was a crane operator for Bethlehem Steel back in the day, and while quite the blue collar occupation, it apparently paid very well, because the man always had nice cars, and travelled frequently on nice vacations.
Enjoyed the article. Love looking at the classic old land yachts. You might want to double check one thing I do know for certain. When I was eight years old in 1972, my father bought my mother a new Electra 225 and it most definitely was a limited…had the script on the rear side roof panels.
Yeah, and the pic is a ’75 Limited interior, not ’74. ’74 was the first Limited with velour, but in stripes, not diamonds. It had brocade ’67-’73.
Now all we can get in expensive cars is leather. Progress!
The Sloan ladder, gotta love the American class system!
I had a 63 Dynamic 88, so 63 Oldsmobiles are a favorite of mine. The 98 Holiday hardtop is a way better looking car than the L.S. In my opinion.
To me the ’63 Electra sure was imitating the ’61/62 Continental, particularly it’s rear-fender/tailight design and clean sides. ’61 to ’64 GM C bodies were the very peak for materials and quality imo. Make mine a ’61 Olds 98 6-window in pale lavender metallic and a silver interior!
The new big ’65s may have had significantly more design panache compared to the almost sleep-inducing 63/64 bodies, and better transmissions, but otherwise the cost cutting had begun to show.
Mid ’70s models had their bordello-inspired shirred velour interiors, but the gorgeous brocades of earlier 98s and 225s far surpassed them for true elegance.
After reading this article I remembered seeing one of these in the neighborhood. It has a For Sale sign in the dash, but it doesn’t seem like there is a serious effort.
Pic 1
I guess the images are too big. I’ll put them up on the cohort. Though I’ll try one more time.
Here is the first of the series of Pics
https://www.flickr.com/photos/187726402@N04/54222080245/in/pool-curbsideclassic/
Paul, what a great article. You’ve digitally written the book on the shift to mass luxury, which the Olds Luxury Sedan really epitomizes.
I’ve long been fascinated by these, but didn’t realize they debuted the same year as their closest comparison, the Chrysler New Yorker Salon*. The front seatback topper was a nice, limousine-style addition, and not unlike that found on earlier town limousines like the ones offered by Imperial and later Lincoln in the 50s.
It also has echoes of better British sedans, minus only the folding picnic tables – and real wood. Fleetwood Sixty Specials and Broughams would get those in ’66.
By contrast that ’63 Electra interior looks almost spartan.
And thus the Sloan ladder crumbles.
*My dad had a Salon. Unfortunately it was a ’76 Fury sedan. 😉