Thinking About Cars — Oldsmobile Bravada

It’s unclear what Oldsmobile was trying to accomplish with the Bravada.

From what archeologists have gathered, the early Bravadas were closely related to Chevy Blazers but the species branched off about 38–40 million years ago.

The fossil record is incomplete but scientists have hypothesized that the Bravada was an upscale version of the Chevy Blazer and GMC Jimmy. Some bones have been found with marks that indicate Bravadas were equipped with a SmartTrak system, but historians specializing in prehistoric GM models disagree on what was standard equipment.

However, researchers have agreed that most, if not all Bravadas had a 4.3L V6 powerplant. But, given the scarcity of hard data, horsepower ratings are disputed.

Despite the lack of concrete data, the Bravada was likely a sight to behold. Early renderings showed the Bravada with dull green or brown paint. As science progresses and more fossils are found, it is more likely that Bravadas were brightly colored and sported feathers.