The Morning Call and Mcall.com's view

I have a friend who would never buy an Oldsmobile, despite his admirationfor the one his father (ahem) owns. Why? “The very name says old.”

It’s exactly this attitude that Oldsmobile is trying to change.

Despite being the oldest American marque in production, the good Olds guyshave watched their cars tumble from the height of popularity in the early’80s, when the Cutlass Supreme was one of America’s favorite cars, to now,when it — um — isn’t. There are even rumors of the division’s demise. But GMisn’t going to walk away from a division selling more than 400,000 cars ayear. They’re just trying to get it life support.

So little more than a year and a half ago, it introduced the Aurora. Withthe once-proud name of Oldsmobile appearing only on the radio, this was thenew Olds corporate mission statement; a car priced in the mid-30s whose imageand style would filter down the line. Certainly this is not your father’sOldsmobile.

Start with the styling. For a car that does battle in the entry-levelluxury segment, this car’s styling is daring and delicious. Walk around thecar. Its shape shifts with your viewpoint, featuring a flare long thoughtextinguished at the rocket division.

Next, start her up. Underneath the hood you’ll find one of the mostadvanced engines in the world, GM’s Northstar V8. The only non-Cadillac car tofeature this engine, here it displaces only 4-litres and churns out 250horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. Power is instantaneous and comes onstrong at all speeds. The electronically controlled automatic transmissiongoes unnoticed as it clicks off the shifts. With platinum-tipped spark plugsand 100,000-mile tune-up intervals, this engine can safely go 50 miles atspeeds up to 45 mph without a drop of engine coolant. Suspension is fullyindependent, with GM’s magnetic speed/variable power steering helping youpoint in the right direction. The suspension is firm, yet there can be somefloat at times. There’s a little body lean in corners, but not much by typicalOldsmobile standards.

The steering is quick but light, providing little road feel. The four-wheeldisc brakes with anti-lock had a spongy feel, but were effective.

Overall, this car doesn’t feel as adept as a BMW, despite the presence ofan optional “Autobahn Package.” But it was a huge improvement over previousOldsmobiles.

Despite the Germanic tendencies of the suspension, the ride was extremelycomfortable and quiet. There’s no wind, road or tire noise to tire you.Rather, it allows you to concentrate on driving.

Inside, while the styling and handling make this car feel larger than itis, the interior feels cozy. Blame goes to the aerodynamic windshield andsmall rear window. The dash is one of GM’s best efforts, feeling somewhat likea Saab dashboard. Four very large gauges peer from under a shallow archedhousing. In the center, an on-board computer resides below a swing-out door.The automatic climate control is operated by two large knobs and a couple ofsmall buttons. It’s easy to use and worked quickly.

The seats were covered in a rich, soft leather that felt sumptuous. Thefront bucket seats are among the most comfortable I’ve sat in, allowing one todrive all day without fatigue. Back support is excellent, with a segmentedbackrest that’s individually adjustable.

The tilt steering wheel featured redundant controls for the climate controland audio system. It’s handy, easily missed when driving cars without them.The quality of the interior was excellent, even if the burl walnut trim wasshiny — it was hard to tell if it was real.

Out back the 16-cubic-foot trunk looks small and features a high smallopening. Pack carefully.

While not perfect, this car brings GM and its ailing Oldsmobile divisionwithin spitting distance of world class. This car points the future directionof Oldsmobile, proving to be the division’s automotive North Star. The Auroranot only shows Olds will be around for its 100th birthday, it will be aroundlong after that too.

Oldsmobile AuroraStandard: 4.0-litre DOHC 32-valve V8, automatic transmission with power andeconomy modes, variable effort power steering, 4-wheel independent suspensionwith automatic leveling, P235/60 R16 black-wall tires with aluminum wheels,4-wheel power disc brakes with anti-lock, traction control, security system,automatic power door locks, keyless entry, dual air bags, intermittent wipers,leather trim, power front seats with driver side memory, burl and walnut trim,AM/ FM/Cassette CD audio system, automatic climate control with driver andpassenger controls, auto-tinting rear view mirror, cruise control, powermirrors with memory, power windows with auto down, rear defogger, tilt wheel,universal garage door remote.Options: Autobahn Package (P235/60 R16 V-rated Michelin tires and 3.71axle ratio); heated front seats.Base price: $34,360.As tested: $35,690.EPA rating: 17 mpg city, 26 mpg highwayTest mileage: 19 mpg.