| Oakland Four | |
| Manufacturer: | Oakland (General Motors) |
| Model Years: | 1909 - 1916 |
| Assembly: | Pontiac Assembly, Pontiac, Michigan, United States |
| Layout: | Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive |
| Successor: | Oakland Six |
The Oakland Model A was the first four-cylinder engine offered by the Oakland Motor Company in 1907, which became a division of General Motors in 1909.[1] [2] [3] [4] The Model A was developed and manufactured from former Oakland Motor Company sources while the engine was provided by Northway Motor and Manufacturing Division of GM[5] of Detroit. The Model A was available in several body styles and prices ranged from US$1,300[4] ($ in dollars) to US$2,150[4] ($ in dollars). Once Oakland became a division of GM, Oldsmobile and Buick shared bodywork and chassis of their four-cylinder models with Oakland.[4] Manufacture of the Oakland was completed in Pontiac, Michigan.[4] Oakland (Pontiac) wouldn't use another 4-cylinder engine until 1961 with the Pontiac Trophy 4 engine.
The following year the Model A was renamed the Model 40 with a wheelbase while the coachwork choices remained, and by 1910 the four-cylinder was installed in two different body styles with a choice of four different wheelbases with individual model names. The Model 24 roadster had a wheelbase while the longer Model M roadster had a wheelbase. The touring sedan came as Model 25 with a wheelbase, the Model K with a wheelbase, and the Model 33 with a wheelbase.
For model year 1912 the choice of wheelbases offered were reduced to three and the naming conventions were standardized. The Model 30 used a wheelbase and was roadster or touring sedan. The Model 40 added a closed body coupe using a wheelbase, and the Model 45 used a wheelbase and offered either a four- or seven-passenger touring sedan or closed body limousine. Prices for the limousine were listed at US$3,000[4] ($ in dollars) which placed it as a competitor with Oldsmobile and Cadillac of the same year.[4]
Model year 1913 saw a fourth choice wheelbase added. The choices were the Model 35 with a 112", the Model 42 with a 116", the Model 45 with a 120" and the Model 40 with a 214". The Model 45 Limousine was still listed at US$3,000 while the longest wheelbase was the Model 40 and was a touring sedan only.[4]
1914 saw an elimination of a wheelbase choice with the Model 43 using a 116" and two closed body choices of a coupe or sedan or a touring sedan, the Model 35 and Model 36 both using a 112" and coachwork choices of roadster, cabriolet or touring sedan.[4]
The last year a four-cylinder engine was offered was for 1915 and 1916 using a 112" wheelbase as the company switched to a straight-six, while the first Oakland V8 was offered in 1915, sourced from the Northway Engine Division of GM.[4] As Oakland began to positioned as the entry-level GM product, prices for the Model 37 and Model 38 using a 112" wheelbase were documented at US$1,050[4] ($ in dollars) and offered a choice of touring sedan, roadster or speedster for the same price.[4]