At its introduction, the Cutlass was Oldsmobile's entry-level model; it began as a unibody compact car, but saw its greatest success as a body-on-frame intermediate.

The United States Air Force did previously produce a research fighter jet called the McDonnell XF-85 Goblin but it wasn't placed into production.

The following year a second series of somewhat longer cars was planned for Buick, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac; what would be termed "senior compacts" on the "Y" platform.

The F-85 had double wishbone front suspension and a four-link live axle in the rear, suspended with coil springs all around; the drum brakes had a diameter of 9.5 inches (240 mm).

A few months after the model introduction, Oldsmobile added a "power pack option", which included a four-barrel carbureted, high-compression (10.25:1), dual exhaust version of the 215 cu in aluminum V8, and a shorter 3.36:1 final drive ratio with either manual and automatic transmissions.

The Cutlass came equipped with the 185 hp "power pack" drivetrain, and featured De Luxe-type exterior trim with a more upscale interior with standard bucket seats, upholstered in two-tone vertically pleated vinyl, and an optional center console.

Car Life magazine tested an F-85 with the standard engine and automatic transmission, and recorded a 0–60 (0–96 km/h) time of 14.5 seconds, with a top speed just over 100 miles per hour (160 km/h).

Although much faster than a standard F-85, the Jetfire was criticized for having the same soft suspension as its less-powerful brothers, for its lack of a tachometer and other instruments, and for the poor shift quality of both the automatic transmission and the optional four-speed.

[citation needed] Car and Driver tested an automatic Jetfire and obtained a 0–60 time of 9.2 seconds, with a top speed of 110 mph (176 km/h).

The new intermediate F-85 now rode a conventional body-on-frame chassis with a perimeter frame which it shared with the newly introduced "A-body" Chevrolet Chevelle, and upgraded Buick Special and Pontiac Tempest.

Both the aluminum V8 and the Roto Hydramatic were discontinued in favor of a new cast-iron small-block V8 of 330 cu in (5.4 L) displacement and an optional two-speed Jetaway automatic transmission with variable-pitch stator.

The body styles of the previous model returned, and a new Vista Cruiser, a stretched-wheelbase (120 inches (3,000 mm)) version of the standard station wagon featuring a raised rear roof with tinted skylights and a fold-down, forward-facing third seat, debuted on February 4, 1964.

The 4-4-2 model, derived from the BO-9 police package, was also introduced in March 1964 (costing $285.14 in 1964),[9] as an answer to the new intermediate muscle car market created by the Pontiac GTO that same year.

For 1965 a modest facelift increased overall length to 204.3 inches (5,190 mm) while the front end received a "dumbbell-style" grille similar to full-sized Olds models.

The 1966 models were slightly restyled again, with body lines similar to the full-sized 88, and semi-fastback rooflines with extended sail panels and tunneled rear windows on Sport (pillared) and Holiday (hardtop) coupes.

A new option was the Turnpike Cruiser package on Cutlass Supreme coupes and convertibles, which used a two-barrel carburetor and mild camshaft with the 400 cu in (6.6 L) engine and a (numerically) low axle ratio for efficient and relatively economical freeway cruising.

Ostensibly, this change was to allow more individual styling, although several engineers were quoted off the record as saying the 115-inch (2,900 mm) wheelbase had created problems with uncomfortable "freeway hop" owing to its resonance frequency.

Two-door F-85 and Cutlass models adopted a semi-fastback roofline, which was a revival of a streamlining on all GM products from 1942 until 1950 as demonstrated on the Oldsmobile Rocket 88 Club Coupe.

Cutlass S coupes with the optional Strato bucket seats and Turbo Hydra-matic could be equipped with the Hurst Dual-Gate shifter (also known as the "His and Her-Shifter") in conjunction with the extra-cost center console.

All engines were now fitted with hardened valve seats, preparing for the upcoming mandate for unleaded gasoline that took effect with the introduction of catalytic converters on 1975 models.

[16] Changes for 1974 included new taillight lenses and radiator grilles, and a new front fascia with bumper-mounted turn signals used only on the base model.

[20] The three-speed manual transmission returned as standard equipment in conjunction with the six-cylinder engine on all Cutlass models except Salons and station wagons.

A restyled front end with waterfall-type split grilles and new rectangular headlights was introduced that would become an Olds Cutlass trademark in coming years, lasting into the late 1980s.

[citation needed] Engine offerings were carried over from 1975 including the Chevy-built 250 cubic-inch inline six and Olds-built Rocket V8s of 260, 350 or 455 cubic inches.

This Cutlass was lighter than earlier versions at around 3,300 pounds (1,500 kg), and it could be ordered with any of several engines built by GM's different divisions; a Buick 231 V6, Oldsmobile 260 V8, Pontiac 301 V8 or Chevrolet 305 V8s with either two- or four-barrel carburetors.

The 4-4-2 appearance and handling package, available on Salon coupes, featured large lower body stripes and 4-4-2 decals outside but not always shown with decals, unique 4-4-2 seats and badges inside, and a taut performance suspension featuring quicker-ratio steering, heavier springs, stiffer shocks, a stiffer front stabilizer bar, a rear stabilizer bar, and bigger tires.

The Cutlass Calais used essentially the same suspension as the 4-4-2, but it also came standard with several other performance and touring options, including full instrumentation, an aluminum spoked sport steering wheel, reclining front bucket seats and a center console with floor shifter.

A bewildering array of grilles were used on the different equipment levels for 1978 and 1979, including two sets each of slotted (Salon), waterfall (Supreme and Brougham), and eggcrate (Calais) style designs.

Only 2499 Cutlass Calais coupes were equipped with the Hurst/Olds W-30 package, featuring unique aluminum wheels trimmed with gold paint, an exclusive console-mounted Hurst Dual Gate floor shifter, special gold over black or white two-tone paint and an otherwise unavailable Oldsmobile 350 V8 with a four-barrel carb and dual outlet exhausts.

The Oldsmobile Cutlass name was revived for the 1997 model year as a slightly upscale version of the mechanically identical fifth generation Chevrolet Malibu.