Three GM Muscle Cars That Make an Appearance in Demolition Man

Thirty years ago today, Sylvester Stallone made his Hollywood debut in Demolition Man. This action film depicted him as an old-school violent cop resurfacing from cryostasis to hunt down an insane criminal in an idyllic future world. Select the best Santa Clarita Demolition.

Car enthusiasts were particularly taken with the 1970 Oldsmobile 442 W-30 that appeared in the film, and now this vehicle will go up for auction at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale, and you could own it yourself!

The Oldsmobile 442 W-30

Oldsmobile 442 W-30 was purpose-built from its inception to be an unstoppable drag strip powerhouse. When equipped with a four-speed manual transmission and posi-trac rear end, it can run quarter-mile times in the mid-13 second range. One of its most enduring and well-remembered versions can be seen in Sylvester Stalone’s 1993 movie Demolition Man.

Oldsmobile 442s from 1968 to 1972 exemplified power in a small sedan. They featured a powerful 330ci V8 engine replete with police-spec add-ons such as four-barrel carburetors, dual exhausts, a cold air induction system, and a high-lift camshaft. A 4.33 rear end and cold-air induction system were just some of the upgrades offered to allow them to hit 60mph in under six seconds and run the quarter-mile in 14.1 seconds, respectively.

Oldsmobile engineers didn’t stop there; in 1965, they added three two-barrel Rochester Quadrajet four-barrel engines with 360 horsepower rated at 360. Unfortunately, however, this marked the beginning of its demise since General Motors (GM) would impose compression ratio limits across their engines, ultimately ending Oldsmobile muscle cars such as 442’s reign of dominance in 1971.

The Pontiac Banshee

Demolition Man features the Pontiac Banshee as one of many General Motors concept cars, making an impression at the Barrett-Jackson auction in 2011. What’s unique about this movie is that, unlike most production car movies that use body kits on production vehicles for making-of shots, the filmmakers worked directly with GM to obtain running concept models like 4-4-2 W30 Matador Red with black side and hood striping, which made its way back out for auction at this year. This character car made its way back out for auction at Barrett-Jackson auction and found itself up for sale at Barrett-Jackson auctions 2011.

John DeLorean was the head of Pontiac at the time. His vision for it was an affordable two-seat sports car to rival the Mustang while complementing Corvette sales by providing buyers with more modest means with another sports option from General Motors. Unfortunately for DeLorean’s hopes, however, production never got underway as executives at General Motors saw it as competition to Corvette sales, which could potentially reduce Corvette sales and cannibalize them directly.

However, this car remains an impressive design exercise and one of a kind in the marketplace. It is currently offered for sale with a seemingly high price tag that seems excessive given that it appears to be nothing more than an entry-level roadster, though its interesting history and status as one of only two driving XP-833 prototypes remain among its numerous advantages.

The GM Ultralite

The GM Ultralite (named for its ultra-light carbon fiber body) was intended to demonstrate the future of auto engineering. The goal was to produce a four-passenger vehicle capable of returning 100 MPG with low emissions and impressive handling, featuring wide opening gull-wing doors that provided easy access to both front and rear seats, fiber optic headlamps that projected multiple beams from one source accurately anticipated the current trend toward miniaturizing traditional headlamps for aesthetic effect, reduced wind resistance and fuel consumption, plus removable drive pods enabled different powertrain options such as gas turbine, electric or propane powertrains to be considered options.

Contrary to its futuristic appearance, the Ultralite was assembled using standard General Motors components. The frame and suspension were taken directly from a Saturn production model, while its engine was powered by a three-cylinder two-stroke unit capable of propelling it from zero to 60 MPH in under eight seconds. A load-leveling air suspension allowed for efficient roading as well as low drag at lower speeds.

Demolition Man’s studio borrowed 18 of GM’s driveable Ultralite prototypes to represent a fleet of SAPD patrol cars in its fictional future San Angeles police department. Mattel released its Hot Wheels version of this car in 1995; it was cast in bright matador red with black side and hood scoop stripes and packaged inside a clear plastic “Cryo-Cube,” similar to their “Park-n-Plates” line of clear boxes with fake number plate lids.

The Cadillac Solitaire

GM’s 1989 Solitaire concept car was an offshoot of their 1988 Voyage sedan design, using Lotus-supplied V12 engines and boasting unique styling elements like an extra clearance when turning. Both designs featured two-door coupe body styles; however, Solitaire is a two-door coupe with distinctive details, such as its front wheel skirt design providing more turning clearance and two unique door coupe silhouettes with special rear window blinds to complete its appearance.

The Solitaire features the most extended electrically-powered articulating doors ever seen on any car from their company and, when opened, automatically moves rear seats forward for easy access. Inside features a single sheet of glass that darkens in sunlight to serve both as the front windshield and lock panel.

Like its Voyage predecessor, the Solitaire features a drag coefficient of 0.28 and is driven by a 60-degree V-12, 48-valve engine equipped with dual overhead camshafts and port fuel injection. Riding on 20×7 aluminum wheels fitted with computer-designed tires and miniature video cameras that act as rearview mirrors are some of its unique characteristics.

Cadillac Solitaire and Voyage can both be found at General Motors Heritage Center in Sterling Heights, Michigan (which will soon move to Grand Blanc), along with other historical vehicles. Both cars can be seen on display as part of a special exhibit dedicated to automobiles manufactured by General Motors that were used in films or television shows, along with prototype and concept cars from their archives.