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AMBOY, Calif.-It was a town in the middle of nowhere, a forgotten stop on a forlorn stretch of old Route 66. And with the exception of Roy’s Motel/Cafe, a faded 1950s landmark, there appeared to be little history and no romance.

So on this sun-baked day, when the temperature hovered in the high 90s and the air was as still as the town itself, we just had to imagine what the place must have been like in the days when Route 66 was the “Mother Road,” the time before its grandeur and significance disappeared in the whir of the interstates.

We were lucky in that regard. The test car was the1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue, a car built to turn distance into adventure.

Clearly, Oldsmobile put a lot into this one. The thing ran so fast and so smoothly and handled so well, there were moments when we were filled with gratitude for the road’s vacancy (especially the absence of police).

We left here the way we came, at speed, and remained in that mode until we approached the outcroppings of civilization — signs advertising casinos in nearby Nevada and police lights flashing on the side of the road.

Background: Oldsmobile is in renewal, a considerably different condition from a time not too long ago when it appeared to be heading toward receivership and, perhaps, demise.

Much credit for the rebirth goes to John Rock, Oldsmobile’s former general manager, who not only made a case for the division’s continuation but also bullied GM’s muckety-mucks into giving Oldsmobile real products to sell.

And the Intrigue, folks, is for real. One of the most important models in the 100-year life of General Motors Corp.’s born-again Oldsmobile Division, it’s based on the same platform shared by the Pontiac Grand Prix and Buick Regal; but unless you were willing to spend time taking all three vehicles apart and laying their components side by side, you’d be hard put to tell that the Intrigue comes from the same family.

Certainly, in terms of sheet metal, there is little resemblance. The Grand Prix, with its flared nose and hunched backside, looks as if it’s ready to pounce on some unsuspecting victim. The Buick Regal, though now more consistent in design than previous versions, still looks confused enough to be a member of Britain’s royal family. But the Intrigue, with its tight waist, gently sloped front end and elegantly sculpted rear, is right on target.

The car is aimed at upper-middle-income buyers who want style without flash, and luxury and performance without an egregious outlay of cash.

The front-wheel-drive Intrigue, which looks a bit like the bigger and richer Oldsmobile Aurora, seats five adults without squeezing and has a respectable 16.3 cubic feet in cargo space to carry their baggage.

The engine is familiar — GM’s 3.8-liter Series II V-6. In this application, it’s rated 195 horsepower at 5,200 rpm with torque rated 220 pound-feet at 4,000 rpm. There is one transmission, an electronically controlled, four-speed automatic. Power four-wheel disc brakes (vented front) are standard, as are anti-locks.

The suspension work includes struts front and rear along with coil springs and anti-roll bars front and rear. That’s not exactly breakthrough technology, but it works quite well in eliminating body sway and keeping the Intrigue tight in the corners.

There are dual front air bags and lap belts and shoulder harnesses. They are designed to work together as a crash-protection system. Use the belts.

Complaints: The A-pillars, which frame the windshield, are fatter than I like.

Praise: A solidly competitive car in the mid-size segment, a vehicle with the added attraction of personality, which is something I can’t say about the rival Toyota Camry or Mazda 626. I reserve judgment on the 1998 Honda Accord until I’ve had a chance to spend time with the car.

Head-turning quotient: A certified neck-snapper. People in California and Nevada stopped to look at this car.

Ride, acceleration and handling Triple aces. It easily matches, and in some cases beats, the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Mazda 626. Think of the Intrigue as a softer version of the Audi A6. Excellent braking.

Mileage: About 24 miles per gallon (18-gallon tank, estimated 423-mile range on usable volume of regular unleaded), running mostly highway with three occupants and light cargo.

Sound system: Optional six-speaker AM/FM stereo radio and cassette with CD player. Delco/Bose Dimensional Sound System.

Price: Base price on the tested Intrigue GL is $22,100. Dealer invoice on base model is $20,222. Price as tested is $23,270, including $620 in options and a $550 destination charge.

Purse-strings note: An excellent value. Compare with anything in the mid-size segment.