I tend to be a big fan of polarizing, zany cars that are otherwise generally understood to be ugly, funky, or downright heinous. This 1992 Oldsmobile Silhouette is a prime example, and it’s currently listed for auction on Cars & Bids. Yes, it is blessed by some of the most polarizing styling of the past 40 years, but I love it. This particular Silhouette is finished in a strange, buttery hue of hearing-aid beige called Canyon Yellow that, when combined with its body-length contrasting black decals and 15-inch basket-weave wheels, come together to form one something truly unique.
Why someone would preserve a pale yellow Dustbuster minivan is beyond me, but I’m so glad to see that someone did. The Silhouette was the most luxury-oriented GM APV van, in case you didn’t get luxurious vibes from its lavish Camel Beige leather interior. This particular Silhouette is up for auction with no reserve, with low-for-its-age mileage at 94,800, and an accident-free CarFax report. If you’re looking for a car to impress your friends and neighbors, you should look elsewhere. If you’re looking for a car to impress the most annoying people at Radwood (like me) then you need to buy this van.
It’s not a bad purchase, either
Oftentimes, us Jalopnik staff writers toil away, crafting hundreds of words to convince you that a notoriously unreliable car is a smart purchase, but this Silhouette should actually be a pretty safe buy thanks to its 3800 powertrain. The 3.8-liter V6 and four-speed automatic transmission that hide under the Silhouette’s cheese wedge–shaped body are notoriously common and reliable. It’s not going to be a stoplight dash hero, but it’s a leather-lined beige minivan, so that’s not the point.
The new owner of this pristine Dustbuster Silhouette ought to be proud to drive such a well-kept family hauling icon of the 1990s. The alarmingly well-preserved state of this Silhouette, combined with the achingly ’90s color, wheel, and sticker combo, make it a wedge-shaped time capsule. They just don’t make cars like this anymore; modern minivans are weighed down with tons of ridiculous and unnecessary features like airbags and rear head restraints. Thankfully there’s none of that silly stuff on the majestic Oldsmobile Silhouette.
Pristine examples of old, otherwise commonplace models always bring me immense joy, but a pristine example of a first-generation Oldsmobile Silhouette is truly something special. Whoever ends up winning this no reserve auction is a hero, and an even bigger hero if they actually use it to ferry their kids around.
