Oldsmobile was founded in 1897 by Ransom E. Olds as the Olds Motor Vehicle Company in Lansing, Michigan. The company produced its first car, the Curved Dash, in 1901, which became a popular model and helped establish Oldsmobile's reputation for innovation and quality.
In 1908, General Motors (GM) was founded and acquired Oldsmobile, making it one of GM's original five divisions. Oldsmobile continued to innovate with features such as the first fully automatic transmission in 1940 and the Rocket V8 engine in 1949, which was a major factor in the development of the muscle car.
During the 1960s and 1970s, Oldsmobile produced popular models such as the Cutlass and 442, which helped establish the brand as a leading producer of mid-sized performance cars. However, by the 1990s, Oldsmobile faced growing competition from premium import brands, and sales declined.
In 2000, GM announced plans to phase out the Oldsmobile brand, and the last Oldsmobile, an Alero, rolled off the assembly line in 2004. At the time of its closure, Oldsmobile was the oldest surviving American automobile marque and one of the oldest in the world.
