In the Detroit muscle car wars, the battle cry for 1970 was go big or go home. Oldsmobile answered the call with a 455 cubic-inch V8 for the 442. 

The 1970 model year could be called the pinnacle of the Motor City’s muscle car era. Among other things, that was the year General Motors lifted its unofficial 400 cubic-inch engine-displacement limit in intermediate-and-smaller vehicles. The Oldsmobile division responded by making the big 455 CID V8 standard in the 442, its A-body Cutlass muscle class entry. In base form, this beast offered 365 hp and an even 500 lb-ft of torque. And for even more grunt, there was an available W-30 package ($597) with an upgraded cam, F-casting heads, and associated gear that was nominally rated at 370 hp. With a 3.91:1 rear axle and sharp driving, this combination was known to run quarter-miles in the high-13 second bracket.

In this period-perfect commercial spot straight out of 1970, our hero has to make a choice: playing in a painfully lame pop combo or taking his new 442 for a power cruise. Note that his Holiday Coupe is equipped with the desirable W-25 package with fiberglass hood and Hurst shifter. You made the right call, friend. Video below.