The Oldsmobile 88 (marketed from 1989 on as the Eighty Eight) is a full-size car that was produced by the Oldsmobile Division of GM from 1949 until 1999. From 1950 until 1974, the 88 was the division's most popular line, particularly the entry-level models such as the 88 and Dynamic 88. The 88 series was also an image leader for Oldsmobile, particularly in the model's early years (1949-51), when it was one of the best-performing automobiles, thanks to its relatively small size, light weight, and advanced overhead-valve high-compression V8 engine. This engine, originally designed for the larger and more luxurious C-bodied 98 series, also replaced the straight-8 on the smaller B-bodied 78. With the large, high-performance Oldsmobile Rocket V8, the early Oldsmobile 88 is considered by some to be the first muscle car.
Naming conventions used by GM since the 1910s for all divisions used alphanumeric designations that changed every year. Starting after the war, Oldsmobile changed their designations and standardized them so that the first number signified the chassis platform, while the second number signified how many cylinders. A large number of variations in nomenclature were seen over this long model run - Super, Golden Rocket, Dynamic, Jetstar, Delta, Delmont, Starfire, Holiday, LS, LSS, Celebrity, and Royale were used at various times with the 88 badge, and Fiesta appeared on some station wagons in the 1950s and 1960s. The name was more commonly shown as numerals in the earlier years ("Delta 88", for example) and was changed to spell out "Eighty Eight" starting in 1989.
In production for 50 years across 10 generations, the Eighty Eight was one of the oldest passenger car nameplates in the US at the time of its discontinuation in 1999, and was Oldsmobile's second longest running model after the Ninety Eight.
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