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Oldsmobile Silhouette
Overview
Manufacturer	Oldsmobile (General Motors)
Production	August 1, 1989–March 31, 2004
Model years	1990–2004
Body and chassis
Class	Minivan
Platform	U-body
Related	Pontiac Montana Opel Sintra Chevrolet Venture
Chronology
Successor	Buick Terraza Saturn Relay

The Oldsmobile Silhouette was a minivan that was made by General Motors.

The Oldsmobile Silhouette was discontinued as a direct result of General Motors discontinuing the Oldsmobile brand in 2004 The Silhouette was replaced by the Buick Terraza in 2005

Background

General Motors' first attempt at producing a minivan to compete with the Chrysler minivans, the rear wheel drive, truck-based Chevrolet Astro and its twin, the GMC Safari failed to make a noticeable dent in Chrysler's near monopoly of the minivan market in the 1980s, so this second attempt was made. The 1990 Oldsmobile Silhouette and its sibling models, while more successful than the Astro/Safari due in terms of market share, had unconventional "dustbuster" styling that ultimately limited its appeal and sales.

Original concept

First shown to the public in 1986, the Pontiac Trans Sport concept car was well received. It featured futuristic styling, individually removable bucket seats with built-in stereo speakers, a gull-wing rear passenger door and extensive use of glass including a glass-paneled roof as well as many other "dream car" features.

Based on the warm reception the concept vehicle received, the Pontiac Trans Sport was approved for production, but as is often the case, the styling and features showcased on the concept did not make the translation to the mass-produced edition. The gullwing door was deemed too expensive to produce and would probably have impacted overhead doors in suburban garages. The glass roof was too heavy and expensive, so the resultant production vehicle made-do with high-gloss black painted panels for the roof to suggest the glass canopy of the concept.

Chevrolet and Oldsmobile were also given production vehicles based on the Trans Sport to cover the widest range of customers. It was intended that the Lumina APV would be the value-priced version, The Trans Sport would net the more "sport & style" oriented buyers, and the Silhouette would compete with the Chrysler Town & Country for the premium, luxury market.

First generation (1990–1996)

First generation
Overview
Production	1990–1996
Assembly	North Tarrytown Assembly, North Tarrytown, New York, United States
Body and chassis
Body style	3-door minivan
Layout	Transverse front-engine, front-wheel drive
Platform	U-body/GMT199
Related	Pontiac Trans Sport Chevrolet Lumina APV
Powertrain
Engine	3.1 L LG6 V6 3.4 L LA1 V6 3.8 L L27 V6
Transmission	3-speed 3T40 automatic 4-speed 4T60-E automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	109.8 in (2,789 mm)
Length	1990–93: 194.2 in (4,933 mm) 1994–96: 194.7 in (4,945 mm)
Width	1990–93: 73.9 in (1,877 mm)
Height	1990–91: 65.2 in (1,656 mm) 1992–96: 65.7 in (1,669 mm)
Curb weight	3,599 lb (1,632 kg)—3,899 lb (1,769 kg)

The very first 1990 Oldsmobile Silhouette rolled off the assembly line on August 1, 1989.^{[citation needed]} Assembled in General Motors' now-closed North Tarrytown Assembly assembly facility, these U platform vans consisted of a galvanized steel space frame wrapped in composite plastic body panels that were impervious to rust and minor dents and dings, a manufacturing technique developed on the Pontiac Fiero and also used extensively on General Motors' Saturn line of vehicles.

The Silhouette was available with seating for seven, with the five lightweight (34 lb (15 kg)) rear seats being individually reconfigurable and removable. In 1994 built-in child seats were added to the option list, which provided the ability to switch two of the rear seats between adult and child seating with the pull of a seat-mounted tab.

Included with the level ride package, which utilized a compressor and air-pressurized rear shock absorbers to maintain vehicle height regardless of load, was a control panel and air hose kit that allowed the vehicle to be used to inflate tires, air mattresses, sporting equipment and such.

In 1994, a remote-controlled power sliding door feature was added, a General Motors innovation.

For the 1994 and 1995 model years, traction control was available with the 3800 engine option.

The first generation Silhouette was not available in Canada.

Europe

Europeans grew accustomed to sleek minivans thanks to the Renault Espace and did not object to the futuristic styling. For the European market however, the Oldsmobile Silhouette was sold as the Pontiac Trans Sport by replacing the Oldsmobile badging with Pontiac badging, along with Pontiac wheels. Sales in Europe were good for an American import, but did not represent enough volume to make a fourth, distinct model economically feasible. The Pontiac Trans Sport of Europe was discontinued in 1997. Its successors were both the Chevrolet Trans Sport(Second gen Pontiac Trans Sport rebadged as a Chevrolet) (LWB), and the Opel Sintra (SWB). In the United Kingdom, it was sold as the Vauxhall Sintra.

Engines

• 1990–1995 LG6 3.1 (191 cu in (3.1 L)) V6
• 1992–1995 3800 (231 cu in (3.8 L)) V6 (optional)
• 1996 LA1 3400 (207 cu in (3.4 L)) V6

Modest sales success

The design of these minivans was controversial. At the time that the Oldsmobile Silhouette and its siblings were conceived, no one had tried to market a stylish or sporty minivan, and GM felt that this represented a potentially large market segment. They styled these minivans to be lower and sleeker than the competing brands. The extremely large, long and sloped windshield and the resultant long distance to the base of the windshield when sitting in the drivers seat made for a disconcerting driving experience until a person could adjust to the "different" proportions. Automotive magazines christened the new minivans "dustbuster" after a household appliance with a similar profile.

The first engine in these vans was a meager 3.1 L V6, that produced only 120 hp (89 kW), which was not up to the task of hauling these fairly heavy vehicles.

In 1992, the Silhouette and its siblings received the 170 hp (127 kW) 3.8 L 3800 V6 as an option, which provided better torque and acceleration, making them the most powerful as well as best handling minivans then in production.

Production of first generation Silhouettes and stablemates ended in 1996, at which time the Tarrytown, NY plant which produced them and which had been in operation since 1900, was shuttered and scheduled for demolition. The final 1st generation U-body Oldsmobile Silhouette rolled off the assembly line on June 28, 1996.^{[citation needed]}

Year to year changes

• 1990 - All new model- The Silhouette in keeping with its positioning as GM's luxury minivan offering is available with optional leather seating, a feature not available on its platform mates and available only on the Chrysler Town and Country among competing manufacturer's models.
• 1991 - Customer complaints regarding glare reflected on the interior of the windshield from the massive expanse of dash board lead to the addition of black carpeting in lieu of the more reflective plastic used in the previous year.
• 1992
  • Newly available for 1992 was GM's 3800 V6 engine coupled with a Hydra-Matic 4T60-E 4-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission.
  • The cowl-mounted fixed radio antenna was eliminated, and an integrated roof antenna was installed, sandwiched between the roof and the headliner.
  • Side view mirrors were changed to the folding type, and were enlarged to provide better rear visibility.
  • Brakes were enlarged and anti-lock brakes (ABS) were added as standard equipment.
  • A pop-up sunroof was added to the options list.
  • Steering wheel-mounted controls for the stereo system were added as an option.

• 1993
  • The Silhouette's exterior is facelifted, sporting wrap-around turnsignal/parking lamps in front, along with standard foglamps.
  • Tail lights' design is changed from a grid to a solid red color with black "dissolves" around the edges, a style that had been used exclusively on the Pontiac Trans Sport previously.
  • A remote controlled power sliding side door was announced for 1993, but failed to actually make it into production.
  • A redesigned center console was added this year with revamped, larger climate controls, a large storage cubby and a large storage bin at its base.
• 1994
  • In an effort to lessen the perceived distance to the base of the windshield, a ridge was added to the interior dash finishing panel.
  • A remote-controlled power sliding door became available as an option.
  • Built-in child seats for the second row became available as an option.
  • A traction control system became available as an option.
  • Rear deep-tinted windows now featured a darker tint than previously used.
  • A driver's side airbag became standard equipment.
  • A roof rack became standard on all Silhouettes and their subsequent model years, but remained optional on the Chevrolet and Pontiac.
• 1995
  • Automatic power door locks that engaged/disengaged with the transmission shifting into or out of "park" added as a standard feature of the power door lock option package.
• 1996
  • Final year of production. Replaced in 1997 by an all-new design carrying the same name.
  • Both 3.1 and 3.8 L V6 engines were dropped, the 3.4 L 3400 V6 engine became the only engine available.
  • Traction control dropped as an option.