Taking a look in the rearview at the Oldsmobile Rocket 88 – America’s first muscle car
- The Oldsmobile Rocket 88 was the first-ever muscle car
- It launched all the way back in 1949
- It was the first car to fit a powerful V8 into a lighter, smaller vehicle
Published on Dec 12, 2024 at 6:01 AM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Dec 16, 2024 at 8:33 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
If asked to think of a muscle car, most folks will name the Ford Mustang, the Chevrolet Camaro, or maybe a Dodge Charger – but it was the American-built Oldsmobile Rocket 88 that started it all.
Launched back in 1949, no one could have known the huge impact the Oldsmobile Rocket 88 would have on the automotive industry.
Combining sleek looks with a powerful V8 engine, the Rocket 88 helped to pave the way for all the muscle cars that followed.
Aren’t we all very grateful for that?
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The Oldsmobile Rocket 88 – the making of an American classic
Known for their powerful engines and iconic looks, muscle cars earned themselves a very well-deserved spot in the automotive landscape.
Most motor enthusiasts consider the mid-1960s and early 1970s to be the glory years when it comes to muscle cars, with the introduction of the Pontiac GTO, Dodge Charger, and the Chevrolet Chevelle.
In fact, even the term ‘muscle car’ wasn’t introduced until the 1960s, but more than a decade before Oldsmobile had something special up its sleeve.
Originally established as Olds Motor Vehicle Company in 1897, by the time 1949 rolled around, Oldsmobile was a seasoned and well-respected carmaker.
And in 1949 it was ready to unveil its latest creation: the Oldsmobile ‘Rocket’ 88 – the first car in America to fit a 5.0-liter V8 engine inside a smaller, lighter, and more affordable vehicle.
The engine in question was the newly designed and built Rocket – hence the vehicle’s name.
The world’s first muscle car
The Oldsmobile Rocket 88 had an A-body platform, which would later be seen on the Chevrolet Chevelle and Pontiac Tempest amongst others.
But for the first time, it was paired with a new 5.0 liter (303 cubic-inch) Rocket V8 engine.
Designed by Charles Kettering, the Rocket V8 was capable of producing 135 horsepower, which may not sound like much compared to the 1,246hp muscle cars you can get your hands on today, but – at the time – it was an impressive bit of kit.
The first-generation Rocket V8 also benefited from hydraulic lifters, an oversquare bore:stroke ratio, a counterweighted forged crankshaft, aluminum pistons, and floating wristpins.
The Oldsmobile Rocket 88 could do 0-60mph (0-97km/h) in 13 seconds and had a top speed of 97mph (156km/h) – again, not groundbreaking by today’s standards but pretty impressive in 1949.
The Rocket 88 was an instant hit with car lovers and a huge success for Oldsmobile, not only that but it opened up a whole new world in the automotive industry and firmly cemented its spot in history.
All in all, this is one Rocket that really aimed for the stars.
Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Across her career she's covered a wide variety of topics, including celebrity, cryptocurrency, politics, true crime and just about everything in between.
