Orlando Sentinel's view

It seems strange that it is easier to change the shape of heavy metal than it is to alter outdated perceptions lingering in the minds of car buyers.

It’s probably going to take a lot of advertising money and many years of banging the drum loudly to convey to car buyers that Oldsmobile has transformed itself into a completely new car company.

Olds has changed its philosophy as well as its metal. No more big, boring sedans for senior citizens. No more badgering and pressuring of customers and treating them with disrespect.

The new Oldsmobile has recast its business practices to mimic those of the highly successful Saturn Corp., the small-car unit of General Motors. And now Olds vehicles are like American versions of Acuras and Audis.

The new Oldsmobiles, such as this week’s test car, the Intrigue Gl, are contemporary, stylish, sporty and sophisticated. No matter what shape Oldsmobiles come in from now on, it’s likely that some people never will be able to jettison their old, outdated ideas of what Oldsmobile used to be. But those who visit an Olds dealer today will see the new reality.

The 1998 Oldsmobiles aren’t anything like those your father drove. And owning one should be a pleasing experience. The die was cast for this big change in 1995 when the impressive $35,000 Aurora luxury/sports sedan was introduced. Olds officials knew the division would have to change its ways if it hoped to sell cars to a younger, more upscale crowd. The Aurora has proven that Olds can win over import-oriented buyers.

For a little more than the cost of an average car, you can own a loaded Intrigue and get a vehicle every bit as refined as an Acura TL, Mazda Millenia, Toyota Avalon and half a dozen other more expensive imports.

PERFORMANCE, HANDLING

The Intrigue uses GM’s highly rated 195-horsepower, 3.8-liter V-6 engine and a maintenance-free four-speed automatic transmission. (Sometime after the first of the year, Oldsplans to replace the 3.8-liter with a new high-performance V-6 engine that is based on the high-tech Cadillac Northstar V-8. Olds is being tight-lipped about the new V-6, but rumors abound that the new double-overhead cam, 24-valve motor will produce as much as 215 horsepower.)

The Intrigue already has more horsepower than most cars in its class. The new engine should make the Intrigue, well, intriguing. We’ll see if other automakers increase horsepower to catch up.

I found the 3.8-liter engine in our test car to be a fine powerplant. Acceleration is very strong and extremely smooth as well as quiet and effortless.

Like an expensive import, the Intrigue’s strong suit is refinement. Olds engineers really sweated the details with this car. Nowhere is that more true than in its four-wheel independent suspension system.

I can’t recall any GM vehicle with a similar feel or one that performs the same way. The ride is exceptionally quiet, even over bad roads. Yet the Intrigue is a bona fide sports sedan. The suspension is tuned rather stiffly, but it does an outstanding job of absorbing the energy from bumps and of keeping the body from leaning during cornering.

The power steering is excellent. It responds as if it were connected directly to the driver’s brain. Olds’ system – a magnetic-hydraulic system called Magna-Steer – has a very smooth, balanced feel.

All Intrigues come with four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes. They bite hard and stop the car fast and with ease.

The harder I drove the Intrigue, the better it felt, the more my confidence increased and the more I liked it. The Intrigue’s road manners enhance the car’s feeling of safety. In the event of an emergency maneuver, the responsive steering, powerful brakes and firm suspension system all combine to give the car lightning-quick response.

Despite some fairly spirited driving, our silver test car delivered a respectable 22 mpg in the city and 29 on the highway.

One test-drive of the Intrigue will forever shatter any lingering notions of what Oldsmobile used to be.

FIT AND FINISH

Oldsmobile did more research on the Intrigue than on any other car it has ever built. Some 5,000 owners of competitive vehicles had a chance to look at and critique the Intrigue as the designers were creating it. They told Oldsmobile what they wanted and what did and didn’t work.

Although the Intrigue doesn’t break any new ground in terms of styling and design, the car delivers a nice blend of luxury, style, and sportiness.

Let’s start on the inside.

A world-class set of seats, front and rear, coddle driver and passengers. BMW-like in feel, the leather-covered seats in our test car were firm and comfortable on long trips. The power front reclining seats are easy to configure. The rear bench seat is wide and firm, and there is plenty of room for three adult passengers.

The rear seat, by the way, splits and folds forward, an unusual feature for a sporty mid-size luxury car.

I especially liked the precise way that the shifter fit in my hand and the smooth, firm feel it has when I shifted from park to drive.

The layout of the controls for the air conditioner, radio and lights is user-friendly. A secondary set of switches on the steering wheel allow the driver to adjust the radio and air conditioner. Or you can set the dual zone air conditioning system on automatic.

Intrigue comes with analog gauges that are cleanly styled and easy to read. Our car, the GL model, came with a full menu of power accessories, including a powerful AM/FM cassette stereo and an electric sunroof. Except for a CD player, there’s really nothing else you could add.

The Intrigue’s size is what most endeared the car to me. It fit me better than most cars I have tested lately. At nearly six-feet tall, I need plenty of leg, head and shoulder room, and I found plenty.

Excellent visibility from all angles enhances the feeling of control and safety.

Although the front styling seems a little uninspired, overall the car is a handsome machine, especially from the rear. The highly polished taillights help give the Intrigue an expensive, foreign-car look. The interior could be a little warmer if tasteful wood trim were added in certain places.

So now the metal is bent and the car is built. But the tougher job may lie on the road ahead. With the Intrigue and other new models, Oldsmobile is on a mission to attract younger, import-oriented customers. And America’s oldest carmaker has to change an image that has been burnished into car buyers’ minds.

Oldsmobile has to start all over again – if that’s possible.

Specifications: Base price: $22,100. Safety: Dual air bags, anti-lock brakes, traction control, daytime running lights, side-impact protection, front and rear crumple zones. Price as tested: $24,635. EPA r ating: 19 mpg city/30 mpg highway. Incentives: None.

Truett’s tip: The mid-size Intrigue is a well-equipped, high-quality, performance-oriented sports sedan that offers excellent value.