Go back to 1970, and you’ll find yourself smack in the middle of the American muscle car frenzy. Power-packed inside “they don’t make them like that anymore” aesthetics, folks went nuts over attention-grabbing styling as much as big block performance.
However, insurance companies had caught on to these cars’ increased risk. In 1970, for instance, the Oldsmobile Cutlass 442 came with a larger 455-cubic inch V8 touting an increased 370 base horsepower over the 1969 model. More likely to wreck and more expensive to repair, insurance premiums were going up. This contributed to buyer hesitation toward the late 60s.
So, Oldsmobile came up with a solution. It was a single-year production Cutlass trim, “toned down” under the hood, but it came with all the eye-catching refinements drivers wanted—and then some. The automaker released it as the 1970 Oldsmobile Rallye 350.
Complete with painted front and rear bumpers, contrast striping, bold hood scoop with Ram Air Induction, rear spoiler, dual exhaust, and painted rims, the Rallye 350 checked all the boxes in the rally car exterior department.
In spite of its “Action-Look” (read: unrestrained styling), its lower price and quieter ride were heavily advertised: “Easy to buy, easy to drive!”
Under the hood, you’d find a Chevy 5.7L 350-cubic-inch small block V8 engine, otherwise known as the 350 four-barrel. This was obviously before fuel injection (1985), so you’ll see its storied four-barrel Quadrajet carburetor in any V8 GM.
The FE2 Suspension with front and rear stabilizer bars promised a “surefooted ride and handling.”
The original Rallye sales brochure says it all: “Truly a budget-pleasing all-action car.”
Olds would price the car below even the Plymouth Road Runner and only built 3,547 units. Unfortunately, the story has it that the bumper-to-bumper color, “Sebring Yellow,” was just a bit too much for its target demographic. After all, it was the trim’s only color option. Indeed, it was a hard-to-miss ballpark mustard yellow. As such, some units suffered through “lot rot” if dealers struggled to move them.
The Rallye 350 is rare to spot these days; occasionally, one will come up for auction. Per Classic.com, the five-year average sale price is in the lower $30K range. Depending on the condition, of course, you might find one for less.