In 1940, Oldsmobile introduced its biggest car in years with the Series 90, widely marketed as the Custom 8 Cruiser.

Oldsmobile wasn’t a total stranger to big cars in 1940. For example, in 1910-12 the GM Lansing division produced the gigantic Limited, one of the biggest cars on the road at the time. (See our feature here.) But through the 1930s, Oldsmobile found success focusing on the low-to-mid-priced segment of the broad mid-range field, and in 1939 it reached downmarket a little farther with the Series 60, which featured a base price of just $777. Then for 1940, Olds expanded its lineup at the top of the range with the Series 90, which it widely marketed as the Custom 8 Cruiser.

The basis for the Series 90 was Harley Earl’s sleek C-body “torpedo” body shell, new for 1940, shared with Cadillac, Buick, and Pontiac—all the GM divisions except Chevrolet. While the Cruiser’s wheelbase was 124 inches, same as the 1937-38 Olds senior models, its overall length was 210 inches, more than a foot longer. With the greater size came a new level of comfort and luxury: The Custom 8 Cruiser offered “the most luxurious interiors ever offered in an eight of medium price,” Oldsmobile declared

To accentuate the length and lowness of the Torpedo body shell, the Cruiser rode on 15-inch wheels and tires as standard equipment, though 16-inchers were available. Exclusive to the Series 90 was Oldsmobile’s 257.1 straight eight, a refinement of the brand’s original 1932 L-head design and here rated at 110 hp. Of course, the headline engineering development of 1940 was the introduction of Hydra-Matic Drive, the industry’s first fully automatic transmission. Priced at just $57 more than the standard three-speed synchromesh gearbox for the rollout, Hydra-Matic was a popular option on the Cruiser. Historians estimate that 50 to 75 percent of Cruiser buyers opted for the advanced automatic transmission.

Prices ranged from $1,069 to $1,570 for the four body styles in the lineup: Club Coupe, Convertible Coupe, Touring Sedan, and Convertible Phaeton, a four-door convertible sedan (above). The Touring Sedan was by far the top seller, claiming 75 percent of the volume. Only 295 Convertible Coupes were produced and a mere 50 Convertible Phaetons, so naturally the Phaetons are extremely rare today. It’s estimated that maybe a dozen still exist.

Here’s a possible surprise: As the U.S. economy ticked upward in 1940, the Custom 8 Cruiser was a solid success for Oldsmobile, despite the considerably higher price. Nearly 45,000 were produced, one quarter of the division’s volume that year. For 1941, the 90 Series was renamed the 98, becoming a star in the Olds lineup for the next 50 years. The Custom Cruiser badge continued on as well, making its final appearance on a full-sized Olds station wagon in 1991-92.