A couple of years ago, I had written about a pair of Lincolns parked curbside near one of my favorite, then-newly discovered destinations, Rogers Beach, in the Chicago neighborhood just north of mine. What I had loved about the chain of little, separate, side-street beaches in this city’s northeasternmost district was that they seemed private, secluded, and exclusively populated by the diverse residents in the immediate area. My first trip to Rogers Beach was on the evening of Wednesday, July 4th, 2018. I had to work the next day, but I didn’t feel like just sitting at home, so I headed north on foot that evening with my camera to get out of the house in the hope of catching some fireworks and exploring some of that area which was unfamiliar to me despite having lived in this area for over a decade.
Nearby Loyola Beach. Rogers Park, Chicago, Illinois. Wednesday, July 4th, 2018.
I was met with what seemed like such a joyous celebration of life in these multicultural United States. The smell of barbeque grills and the sounds of music from many speakers complemented the brightly-dotted panorama in front of me, inclusive of Brown, Black, and White people all getting ready for the fireworks. I had been newly single for about a month following the end of a five-year relationship and had really needed to get outside of my own head. Simply being among other people, even if I wasn’t interacting with any of them outside of snapping a few photographs, seemed to be exactly what I had needed in that moment. It was Independence Day for me in more ways than one, and this specific Wednesday evening was perhaps the catalyst for the still-blossoming affection I will probably always hold for Rogers Park.
Rogers Beach. Rogers Park, Chicago, Illinois. Wednesday, July 4th, 2018.
Rogers Beach itself, when I had discovered it in 2018, was a fascinating, little stretch of waterfront. Backed by a rectangular park with lush, leafy trees, it was also framed on dry land by a tennis court on its south side and beautiful, old, four-story residential buildings to its north. I remember looking up at the windows of these homes and wondering what it would be like to wake up on a Saturday morning, throw on my flannel pajamas, and saunter outside with a hot cup of coffee to the concrete ledge that separated the beach of sand and pebbles from the grass behind. This beach seemed so cozy and personal that I wondered, if I had lived there, how often I would be tempted to leave my residential block to go to the “party beach” further south in Edgewater where larger numbers of people gather, socialize, and engage in festive shenanigans.
A series of devastating storms at the end of 2019 and beginning of 2020 left Rogers Beach, and a couple other beaches in this area, partially destroyed. Water levels during the summer of 2019 had been at their second-highest on record since 1986, and combined with erosion of these waterfront areas and residential flooding, it was decided that something drastic had to be done. The precautions I had taken last year amid the (still not yet over) COVID-19 pandemic had kept me from venturing that far north by foot, as I also realized that I couldn’t just stop into a convenience store to use the washroom when nature called. The shoreline fix that was implemented was the addition of barrier rocks, called riprap, to three of these local beaches, including Rogers Beach, Howard Beach, and Juneway Beach at Chicago’s northernmost edge.
It was against this backdrop that I had spotted our featured ’91 Olds Toronado almost exactly one month ago, while walking north from the Rogers Park neighborhood to the adjacent city of Evanston. What immediately struck me was how I couldn’t remember the last time I had seen one of the final-edition, 1990 – ’92 Toronados up close and in person. It has previously been documented at Curbside how the Toronado’s extreme downsizing for 1986 was not successful, so instead of retreading that territory, I’ll just state that I loved the 1990 restyle, which would last through this model’s swan song model year. What’s interesting about the lengthening of this car, with most of that at the rear, was that the redesigned ’90 Toronado’s overall measurement from bumper-to-bumper made the new car just four-inches shy of the 204″ length of the larger ’85 models. Just over a foot was added to the ’86 model’s 187.5″ length to get there, which also increased trunk space by 2.5 cubic feet.
I had forgotten how relatively rare Olds’ E-Bodies of this vintage were between the Toronado and its companion, the upmarket Troféo which was introduced for ’88. I couldn’t find a breakout of ’88 production figures between the base-model Toronado and the Troféo, but the latter had outsold the former going back at least as far as ’89 right up until the end. The 1990 redesign was effective insofar as demand and overall production increased by 50%, to about 15,000 units from 1989’s 10,000 figure. After that, though, things were back to the previous, dismal normal, with Olds E-Body sales falling to 8,000 units for ’91 (including only 2,705 base Toronados, like our featured car), and then only 6,400 total units before this storied nameplate, and the Troféo, were given the axe.
The 3,500-pound, ’91 Toronado was powered by a 170-horsepower 3.8L V6, which was the only engine available, paired with a four-speed automatic transmission. I couldn’t find a definitive 0-60 time for this car from a period test, but one source listed that number as being in the 10-second range. With prices starting at $23,795 thirty years ago (over $46,000 today), this was an expensive car, from which I would have expected better off-the-line performance, even if it was a personal luxury car not marketed with any serious sporting pretensions.
When I saw this penultimate-year Toronado, I realized that there were a few parallels between it and Rogers Beach. During the lockdown that had taken place for most of 2020, I had sorely missed being able to sit on that concrete wall facing Lake Michigan amid the sparkling fireflies, and hearing crickets chirp and waves lapping at the nearby breakwater. Last year, I grew to accept that I would have to forego many things I had previously enjoyed in years past until a later, undetermined time, while I tried to give attention to things in my life that needed it. While 2020 was far from a wasted year from me, it did feel like lost time in some respects. The disastrous ’86 restyle of the Toronado, which lasted another three, official model years in that form, made it seem to me like the flagship Olds was running on much lower energy levels than in years past and “absent” in some intangible way. The truth is that I think the ’86 Toro is a great-looking car, taken on its own merits, but just not necessarily the best in the line of memorable Olds E-Bodies that had come before it.
By the time the 1990 restyle arrived to give the Toronado (and Troféo) a renewed sense of flair and good looks, the personal luxury car market had shriveled to next-to-nothing. This felt a lot like my eventual, anticipatory return to Rogers Beach for the first time in two years only to discover I could no longer sit on that ancient, concrete ledge, dangle my legs over it, and walk up to Lake Michigan’s edge amid the beautiful mosaic of people sharing this stretch of shore with me. The personal luxury market had been covered with riprap, and Olds’ own, new Aurora sports sedan, considered by many to be the Toronado’s spritual successor, was not set to hit showrooms until the 1995 model year. Erosion of demand for this kind of car by the late 1980s was just one piece of evidence that the automotive landscape had forever been changed by the time the last Toronado rolled off the line. The riprap may eventually be removed from Rogers Beach, but there will never be another Toronado, nor another new Oldsmobile.
Rogers Park, Chicago, Illinois.
Sunday, May 30, 2021.
Wow Joseph, I have to say that this was an amazing essay to wake up to. I really am impressed how you captured the soul of this generation Toronado with Rogers Avenue Beach. I’ve never been to that beach, or owned a Toronado, but it all came together perfectly.
I too, actually liked the 1986 edition of the Toronado. I felt out of the three losers (Eldorado, Riviera, and Toronado), that the Toronado had the most originality of the bunch. . And if you count that other loser, the 1986 Seville with the group, that had to be the worst. I always felt there was something off with the location of the rear wheels and the C pillar on these cars. From the side it looked like the rear wheels were too far back from the roof. IDK, it’s hard to explain!
I do have to say that the Toronado did have the best interior design of the bunch. The Riviera was probably second, and the Eldo/Seville were just plain horrible.
The 1990 redo of these cars did make them look somewhat better, but I always felt that Oldsmobile got it somewhat right with their edition.’
There is a car dealer here in New Jersey, close to the famous Jersey Shore, that restores and sells classics. I often find myself there on a Sunday when the are closed, looking at, admiring, and dreaming about some of the classics they have outside the shop. On occasion, they have a beautiful silver 1990ish Torondao there, that looks pretty original. I’ve also seen it parked at some of the local antique car shows. Unfortunately, I have never seen the owner near it, as I would love to talk to him about it.
OK, it’s gonna be really hot here in NJ today. I’m gonna go “down the shore” as we say.
Looking forward to your next essay!
Thank you so much! I’ll always root for Buick, as I’m originally from Flint, and I did like the restyle to the Riv. The modifications to the Eldorado, though effective, were subtle. The redesigned Toronado, though, was a legitimately good looking car to me.
I always thought that the 86-89 Toronado looked ” wrong ” with its too short trunk. Then the 90 model hit the showrooms and the car looked ” right “. Tho, I must admit that the wish I was car designer in me is less than crazy about the way they drew the rear side windows.
I doubt it would have improved sales much, but for the $2,500 premium Olds charged for the Trofeo they should have given it the supercharged V6 that optional on the 98.
BTW, sales numbers are available in The Encyclopedia of American Cars and for the years 89 through 91 the Trofeo outsold the base car 2 to 1. In the final year, the Trofeo outsold the base car nearly 4 to 1.
Probably one of the few cars where the design looks quite handsome no matter the FACTORY color chosen.
I do kind of like how Oldsmobile “owned” the rounded lower rear corner window, kind of like their Hofmeister Kink, from the ’78 Cutlass coupe through the ’79 Toro and even into the Ciera and later Toros. Granted, by the time this one came out, the gimmick was probably getting a bit stale.
I did like the smaller rear side windows versus the larger ones from the 1986 – ’89 models, and they did something, combined with the added overall length of the car, to make the cars look much more substantial in profile. Less Calais, more actual Toronado.
As long as I can help it, I’ll never be without my Encyclopedia of American Cars. My 2003 edition didn’t have a breakout of ’88 Toronado vs. Trofeo figures, but as you referenced above, there was quite a gap in the ratio between the two nameplates.
Thanks for this thought-provoking look at change and loss. The angle that struck me is how this car came just one day after the 1964 Cutlass Holiday that Aaron65 wrote up yesterday. As one who lived (not always willingly) in an Oldsmobile-centric world in the 60s and 70s, looking at the Division’s offerings of around 1990 evoked the same feelings you describe.
When I was a kid I rebelled against Oldsmobile because 1) it was the choice of my parents and other relatives (normal youthful rebellion) and 2) because it was so successful (my generally contrarian nature). But as time went on I came to disdain Oldsmobile because it had become a pitiful shadow of its former self. The Oldsmobiles of the mid 60s did almost everything well, those of 1990 did very few things well. Fortunately, the basic drivetrains were good – but they had nothing to do with Oldsmobile. They were just generic GM parts bin stuff that had come from here or there.
The rip rap on the beach is depressing. The 1990 Toronado is depressing too.
This included some thoughtful, insightful commentary on a younger generation’s perception of things an older generation values, like in your example, the Oldsmobile brand itself. I think many people are prone to select adversely against things we come to associate with authority figures in our lives.
Also, the riprap left me in a certain mood the first time I saw it a month ago at Rogers Beach. It wasn’t until I found a few articles that mentioned that it wasn’t necessarily a “forever fix” that I started to calm down. In the beginning, though, I had the same feeling in the pit of my stomach as when I first viewed footage of the former site of Geauga Lake Amusement Park as completely leveled acreage. Depressing doesn’t describe it. Hopefully, the Rogers Park beaches will at some point be returned back to sand.
These always have looked, to me, like someone attempted to recreate the vibe of the movie Tron, at home, and with a minimal budget.
Never been up to Rogers Beach, but when photos started coming across of the major damage caused by the rising waters- asphalt paths broken up as from an earthquake, yards of shoreline land just gone- it was heartbreaking. I hope the city can soon repair it back to its former self. The northeastern edge of the city has always seemed like one of the most vibrant, multicultural areas in this region, and I hope for the best. It also reminds me I don’t get up there nearly as often as I should, even pre-COVID.
As for the car, I’ve joked that the 1986 E-Bodies were the beginning of the end of my childhood innocence, but the post-facelift Toronado is not only the best facelift of the 3, it’s a darn nice looking car in its own right and I’d rock one now if I found one in good shape. The Riv and Eldo restyles tried to turn back the clock to ’79-’85 and just kind of looked like Shriners versions of the old models, where the Toro went in a more modern, cleaner direction.
I share your opinion of the genuinely nice-looking 1990 Toronado. There’s really no comparison, actually, between which one I’d rather take between the ’77 I wrote about earlier this month (in good condition) and this ’90. I was thinking earlier today that I would want a 1990 – ’92 over even a 1979 – ’85 model. With the right wheels and from some angles, it has a vaguely Avanti-esque thing going for it.
Whoa, I never thought about it, but genius, Joseph. In fact I’d say this car is more Avanti-ish than the later Firebird based Avantis.
Great article Joseph!
Thanks, Dave!
Although these are not my cup of tea, you’ve put them into perspective in your usual creative style.
Thank you, Paul, and welcome back! We didn’t burn down the store!
What made an Oldsmobile worthy of price was the perception of a higher quality, exclusivity, faithful customers, and authenticity. By the time 1991 rolled around, GM had become so cookie-cutter and mass produced that there was no reason to choose an Oldsmobile over the other GM brands. When GM had nearly 60% of the market in 1979, there was room for an Oldsmobile division. By 1989, there wasn’t.
So after Chevrolet engines, Oldsmobile diesels, Delta 88s that could have passed for a cheaper full size GM car, Omega, Firenza and other “me-too” vehicles, Toronado was the last of the real Oldsmobile, yet the market for a large personal luxury coupe was also gone.
GM tried though. It sunk billions into keeping Oldsmobile on life support. What was once the world’s most popular auto brand twenty years earlier – was gone.
Rogers Park lakefront is really quite unique on the city’s north shore. There’s no barrier of (JP DuSable) Lake Shore Drive, as the neighborhood runs directly up to (and now sometimes, into) the lake.
Had a friend living in the neighborhood in the early 2000’s, and was impressed with how tucked away it felt, how local. Great variety of people and vibe, would liken it to the audience you’d find at a Santana concert. It can be a good place to be alone in the crowd and just enjoy the happy energy.
Of the three GM triplets, I’ve always preferred the Toro. Was aware of the coming downsize, but when I saw them in the flesh, it was jaw-dropping. Yet I think this was the best of them. In retrospect, I find them all far less alarming now, and actually feel the earlier, trimmer Toro slightly edges out the fat-assed facelift.
On the other hand, I felt the Eldo’s butt implants were just what the doctor ordered. The Riv continued being weird.
Now the auto landscape has gone Bronco/Wrangler/bro-dozer, amazingly reflected in the beach’s current state.
VDubDave, you nailed it with your brief description of Rogers Park. 100%. It’s great to hear that even close to 20 years later, it has retained much of the kind of flavor you referenced. I don’t want to see it change too much like I have witnessed in other areas on the north side, even if change is inevitable.
Motorweek got a 0-60 time of 9.1 seconds out of a ’90 Trofeo. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=up3aIGqcuB0
Greg, thank you for finding and posting this. Watching this 8-minute video actually makes me want a Trofeo.
My father-in-law had a 91 Trofeo. Decent enough car. It had the built in engine diagnostics. You had to use the HVAC controls to extract the information. That was a bust. The car did hang together pretty good. It was passed down to my daughter. In its later years the buttons on the steering wheel started falling off and a few minor failures that required junkyard supplies as new pieces were not available. This was the last of a long line of GM vehicles that the father-in-law favored. He moved on to Toyota’s and then Lexus. He would buy a new car every 3-4 years so there was always a nice vehicle getting passed down thru the family.
I don’t think I’ll ever understand how Chrysler got this so right (flick the ignition key on-off-on-off-on and watch the Check Engine light) and everyone else got it so wrong: use a scan tool, use a special little keychain dingus you have to buy every time because you probably lost it after last time, dig out a connector buried in an awkward place and figure out how to jumper one tiny pin to another, futz with the HVAC controls, etc.
Well, to be fair, the Riviera with the touchscreen CRT actually functions as a built-in scan tool all by itself.
The Cadillac system (and the few non CAD vehicles that got it) was the best OBD system out there hands down. If you knew the right buttons to push it gave you the codes for both the ECM and BCM and most importantly you could also look at PIDs (even if they weren’t called that at the time) right there on the display. Yes they were fairly limited but it gave you the big ones and that are what you actually need to fix a problem. You could monitor them while driving, even if it was only one at a time. No one else gave you access to live data like that system w/o a scan tool.
Stop reading now to skip a boring Trofeo story.
Mostly on opportunity I bought a Trofeo as a near new wreck; rear hit. What I recall mostly is that a replacement tail lamp assembly was almost impossible to locate. I believe it was going to be $800 for a used one in ’90 dollars. That broke all previous records. lol As I recall one was located for about $350, but still.
On principal, as they aged I continued to watch the tail lamps like a hawk. Eventually a whole Trofeo wasn’t worth as much as the lamp assembly had been. lol
Once repaired, although like-new nice, it just didn’t do anything for myself, wife, nor the usual line of vehicle consuming family and friends, so it was sold off. Seems like the buyer had an 80ish Caprice was mixed into the deal.
The purchaser loved it. It stayed nice for years. Whenever we met he raved about what a great car it was. I believe it ended up being the ol’ feller’s last car.
The rear taillamps are one of my favorite styling features of these cars! Your account reminds me of things I had read about the Lincoln Mark VIII rear lights.
Olds ad: “this unique”
Almost as irritating as “very unique.”
I ran across a youtuber who had 3 or 4 of these in his stable. Does he really believe they’ll go up in value?
More to the point, does he really believe all four of them are that unique?
E-bodies for an E-list celebrity?
“Does he really believe they’ll go up in value?”
We don’t know.
After being blindsided by ’59 Cad, Micro Bus, IH Scout and Ford Bronco, all bets are off. LoL
>>[ A P P L A U S E ]<< I dig your you-are-there painting here, Joseph
Thanks, Daniel. Way to keep things running smoothly last week! Well done, Sir.
Much obliged!
+1. Thanks, Daniel. I was going to message you about photoshopping a smiling Paul in all of the 70s Fords, though.
This generation of Toranado was a dying beast when it was introduced. Strangely Lexus now has its LC coupe even Mercedes dropped its long time S classic Coupe. After driving sedan, SUV, van and CUV for a while, now i want to drive a coupe like E class and 3 series coupe
I just loved the way the ’86 Toronado looked. The longer, flabbier restyle ruined it for me.
Mind you, I was not happy that Olds called it a “Toronado”. Toronados have V-8s; preferably large ones. The car wasn’t a “Toronado”, but it seemed to be an interesting, nice-looking mid-size car with cool headlights and tremendous (sadly, unrealized) potential.
Once they bloated the thing, everything I liked about the car was destroyed; although lots of stuff I tolerated remained.