| Oldsmobile Division
General Motors Corporation Lansing, Michigan |
| Engine |
350-hp, 400
cu. in. V-8 |
| Transmission |
4-speed manual |
| Steering |
Power-assisted |
| Suspension |
Heavy-duty |
| Brakes |
Disc F, Drum R |
Check
list |
| Engine |
| Throttle Response |
Excellent |
| Noise Insulation |
Fair |
| Drive
train |
| Shift Linkage |
Good |
| Synchro Action |
Very
Good |
| Steering |
| Effort |
Very
Good |
| Response |
Very
Good |
| Handling |
| Predictability |
Excellent |
| Evasive Maneuverability |
Very
Good |
| Brakes |
| Directional Stability |
Very
Good |
| Fade Resistance |
Very
Good |
| Interior |
| Ease of Entry/Exit |
Very
Good |
| Driving Position |
Good |
| Front Seating Comfort |
Good |
| Rear Seating Comfort |
Fair |
| General |
| Vision |
Fair |
| Heater/ Defroster |
Excellent |
| Weather Sealing |
Very
Good |
| Trunk Space |
Good |
|
OIdsmobile's 4-4-2,
never attaining the dedicated following of Pontiac's GTO, is
still the best balanced Super Car around. Its handling is noticeably
more predictable and more precise than the other lightbodied/
big-engined street racers, performance is on a par with most,
and for overall comfort and enjoyment, the 4-4-2 is a standout
... in its own subtle way. Not
wanting to lose our driver's license, we tested the 4-4-2
with the standard 350-hp, 400 cu. in. engine. A "select-fit"
version (presumably one step down from a blue-printed engine)
comes with the optional Ram Air package, but this borders
on being a strictly-for-the-strip combination that was a little
too rich for our blood. Rather than encountering the pronounced
understeer that is present with most cars made in this country,
we found the 4-4-2 to be a neutral handling car. This is mostly
due to the use of a rear anti-sway bar (which also helps control
axle hop under both heavy acceleration and hard braking).
Unless you are a dedicated drag
racer committed to eliminating weight and drag at almost any
cost, you'll be happier with the optional front disc brakes.
The drums are adequate, but since the 4-4-2 can be driven
like a sports car, we found the fadefree discs to be more
in keeping with the car's capabilities. |
