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Founded in 1897 in Michigan, Oldsmobile was among the oldest automobile manufacturers in the world, as well as the oldest surviving American marque at the time of its closure. The company was founded by Ransom E. Olds and was named after his surname. The first mass-produced car, the Oldsmobile Curved Dash, was produced by Olds in 1901. Oldsmobile remained in production until 2004 and gained a cult following as an American muscle icon.

Ransom Olds originally founded Oldsmobile as Olds Motor Vehicle. In only a few years of its founding, Olds, who was now the company’s general manager, had managed to build steam, gasoline, and electric prototype car models. The first model to roll off the production line, the Curved Dash, was sold at a price of $650, equivalent to almost $20,000 today. Olds tried hard to reach a bulk purchase agreement with dealers, which he eventually would, concluding a contract for 1,000 Curved Dash models with a dealer at the New York Automobile Show. However, as his company assumed a new President, Ransom Olds was ousted as general manager and vice president due to frequent differences with the new President.

Under the new President, Frederic Latta Smith, Oldsmobile was soon sold to the automobile giant General Motors (GM). A new era would begin for the brand which would last for 94 years until its demise in 2004. During the muscle car era in the United States, Oldsmobile would act as a formidable player. Though it produced tens of models, it would be most noted for the Starfire, 442, and Tornado. However, as the muscle car era came to an end in the 1980s, Oldsmobile would struggle to attract customers. The brand would experience a brief period of success during the mids 90s, but its sales slumped following the turn of the century. This finally prompted GM to discontinue the brand, ending one of the longest-reigning American automobile icons.