It’s an odd feeling for some of us to reflect on, that we’ve been living in a world that hasn’t produced an Oldsmobile in nearly 14 years. Killed off by GM in the spring of 2004, the shortfall of sales and critical hits the company was taking due to failing models would be the last nail in the coffin of the long-running brand. The very last car to leave the production line is heading to a public auction in a few days to help make you feel the pain of no longer being able to buy a new Olds.
The 2004 Oldsmobile Alero, a 4-door sedan, was signed by all of the Olds assembly line workers at the plant. It spent some time on display at the R.E. Olds Transportation Museum in Lansing, MI, until GM retook possession of the car during their bankruptcy. Since then, it has been at the GM Heritage Center in Sterling Heights, MI. It is now being polished up to head to the State Line Auto Auction in Waverly, NY this Friday, December 15th.
Any automotive dealer who is registered with the State Line Auto Auction, a part of a group of independent auctions, will get access to the event and are eligible to bid on this car. So basically, you have to own a registered and licensed car dealership, or represent one, to have a chance at bidding and buying this piece of automotive history.
It makes it a little disappointing to know that a private collector won’t be able to take this home and care for it, but makes it a little more interesting to wonder what a car dealer would even do with it, we’ll find out soon enough. Along with the Alero, two more rare Oldsmobiles will be at the auction. Up for sale are a 1999 Cutless and a 1996 Ciera, these are also the last of their models to be made.
Shawn Henry is a Texas native who has spent the majority of his career building and selling F-Bodies and Corvettes. Now studying journalism, he is taking a new direction with his love of GM Performance vehicles.
