In 1908, Oldsmobile set their sights on creating a world-class luxury car to challenge America’s most prestigious manufacturers of the era: Packard, Peerless, and Pierce-Arrow. Oldsmobile models had been growing steadily in the Brass Era since 1899, when Olds Motor Vehicle and Olds Gasoline Engine Works of Lansing merged to form the marque. Each model grew in stature and power, with each design bolder than the last. The Limited was soon to become the crowning achievement of their efforts as the largest and most opulent model to ever wear the Oldsmobile name. This example is one of only thirteen Limiteds to remain in existence today and is the sole surviving example of the two 1908 prototypes.
No other Brass Era car is as large or impressive as the Limited, and the few examples remaining are among the most significant artifacts of early American motoring.
Click ahead to explore the details of the Oldsmobile Limited prototype, offered at RM Auctions’ Hershey collector car auction held 10–11 October 2019.