1977 Oldsmobile Omega SX: Favourite Automobile Adverts | The Each day Drive

June 14, 2025

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A lot of Present, Very Little Go.

1977 Oldsmobile Omega SX, Coupe, — 1977 Oldsmobile Omega SX

Would you purchase low cost tickets to see the Rolling Stone carry out reside, if the worth discount meant the band would play very quietly? Wouldn’t it be sufficient to only see Mick and Keith, or would you need to hear them as nicely?

Whereas this query could seem absurd, Oldsmobile determined to ask clients roughly the identical query again in 1977. The Seventies have been a darkish time for auto followers, what with low-lead fuel cramping efficiency, excessive gas costs, and inflation-inflated sticker costs, automotive possession was by no means much less enjoyable.

1977 Oldsmobile Omega

Diminished Expectations

Worse, carmakers have been underneath stress from the federal authorities to enhance gas economic systemthis at a time when People had not but totally embraced downsized, or small-displacement engines.

So, in a mild—and maybe misguided—try and lure sporty-car intenders away from fuel-thirsty enginesOldsmobile provided buyers free sporty stuff—however provided that they went with the bottom V6 engine. Let’s name the entire fiasco an experiment.

One 12 months Solely

We’re speaking concerning the compact Olds Omegaa likable clone of the Chevrolet Novaand doubtlessly sporty when correctly geared up. And the “free” stuff was really fairly compelling.

For 1977—and solely 1977—Oldsmobile provided for free of charge the SX Options Group when buyers bought 4 different enjoyable gadgets. That’s “9 gadgets for the worth of 4” as famous within the advert seen right here.

Right here’s what you needed to buy:

V6-Sports activities Pack

Sport Gauge Group

Tremendous Inventory Wheels

Raised white-letter tires

Bucket seats

Right here’s what you bought without spending a dime:

SX Options Group

SX decor

Customized Sport Steering Wheel

Twin Outdoors Sport Mirrors

“Open Highway” FE2 Suspension

Rocker-panel/wheel-opening molding trim

Good, however Sluggish

What this acquired you, as an Omega proprietor, was a very nice, handsome automotive with a succesful sport suspension that couldn’t get out of its personal manner. The automotive appeared nice, and the game suspension actually did enhance dealing with. However underneath the hood…nothing however remorse and unhappiness.

Engines

As famous above, to get the free SX Options Group, clients needed to keep on with the bottom engine. And that engine was the 105-horsepower Buick-sourced 3.8-liter V6. And whereas most have been hooked to a 3-speed computerized transmission, a 3-speed guide is also had.

Now, a 145-horsepower Chevy-built 5.0-liter V8 was additionally obtainable, however ordering it forfeited the SX Group low cost. Notice that California residents may additionally order a 170-horsepower 5.7-liter V8, which got here solely with an computerized. Both V8 would have been a dramatic step up from the V6, and would have made this sporty-looking Oldsmobile enjoyable to drive, as nicely. One overview had the Omega with V6 and computerized transmission reaching 60 mph from a cease in 14.5 seconds, whereas the same Omega fitted with the obtainable 5.0-liter made the run in about 10.0 seconds.

Value

And what was that the free bundle value? For 1977, the SX Options Group retailed for $187, that’s about $1000, inflation adjusted.

No phrase on what number of buyers availed themselves of the promotion, nevertheless it’s value noting the free-package deal disappeared for 1978. We suspect most SX-group-equipped Omegas have been ordered with one of many V8 choices, making for a great-looking, moderately sporty—by 1977 requirements—compact coupe.

“Rugged” V6

We hope the copywriter accountable for this sentence by no means discovered advert work once more:

“To make it go, there’s a rugged 231 V-6 that’s acquired loads of muscle…”

Undecided what’s meant right here by rugged, however we’re positive nobody conversant in the automotive ever described the V6’s output utilizing the phrase “lots.” The man who wrote that line would in all probability purchase low cost Rolling Stones tickets.