We've been trying to keep a straight face today as we report all these April Fools jokes, but this one from Car and Driver is so ridiculous that we must forego all the winks and nods and state plainly that it is not real. C&D concocted an alternate universe in which General Motors forgot to renew its copyright on the Oldsmobile name, a gaff that Toyota exploits by purchasing the rights to the dead brand's storied name. The Japanese juggernaut plans to place Olds between Toyota and Lexus in much the same way it played the middle child between Chevy and Cadillac when it was under domestic control. Toyota also knows that there's no better way to build an Oldsmobile than to rebadge a cheaper vehicle and charge a higher price, but this time it will be a brand comprised entirely of SUVs sporting revered Oldsmobile nameplates from the '80s and '90s like Intrigue and Bravada. The flagship model of the new Olds will be the Super 88, a rebadged version of the Toyota Sequoia with the iForce V8 and 8-speed automatic transmission from the Lexus LS.

Sigh... Oldsmobile just can't get a break, even in the afterlife for automotive brands. Thanks for the tip, Brad!



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