1999 OLDSMOBILE Alero coupe 2.2L DOHC 4AT (140 HP)

Vehicle Overview

One hundred years after the birth of the Oldsmobile brand, the carmaker was part of General Motors and tried to impress the market with a car that aimed at younger generations: the Alero and the Alero Coupe.

Oldsmobile was not in great financial shape when it introduced the car based on the same platform as the Cutlass, Chevrolet Malibu, or Pontiac Grand Am. Unlike the sedan, which was mostly built for families, the coupe was the sportier-looking sibling.

While the front looked similar to the sedan, with slim, tear-shaped headlights and corner-mounted turn signals, the side was obviously changed. Its curved, ascending beltline followed the idea of biodesign, a trend that was already gone. But Oldsmobile still tried it. The oval-shaped taillights were split between the quarter panels and the trunk lid at the back. There was no straight line on any panel. Instead, everything was curved, bent, or waved.

The interior design was quite conservative, with the instrument cluster extended over the center stack. There were four air vents on the dahs, and they all looked different. There was only one helpful design idea: the tilted knob for the automatic transmission. On the other hand, despite all the looks and bold ideas, the car sported manual adjustable door mirrors, and the powered version was only an option.

Under the hood, the Alero started with a 2.2-liter four-pot engine that provided 139 hp (140 PS) from GM’s Ecotec family. The other option was a more potent 3.4-liter V6 that provided 168 hp (170 PS). Power went to the front wheels via a five-speed manual for the inline-four version or the standard four-speed auto. The latter was an option for the Ecotec powerplant as well.