2001 Aurora delivers luxury in a lean package

When I was growing up, my mother's love for Oldsmobiles didn't leave much room for diversity in the family-car department. With that experience, I thought I knew what to expect from the Aurora 2001, but I was happy to find out I was wrong. The Aurora fits the entry-luxury market, but not with what Oldsmobile calls "in-your-face luxury." Luxury begins with a standard two-tone leather interior and continues with real burl walnut trim accents on the center console, door panels, and vents. The Aurora is sophisticated, but I didn't feel like I had to wipe my shoes before getting in. From behind the wheel, it's easy to see the Aurora was designed with the driver in mind. The steering wheel is comfortable and dashboard controls are within easy reach, but the steering-wheel controls make the interior feel crowded. Oldsmobile's flagship packs quite a punch with a 4.0-liter DOHC V8 that puts out 250 hp at 5,600 rpm with 260 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm. A 3.5-liter DOHC V6 engine rated at 215 hp at 5,600 rpm with a peak torque of 234 lb-ft at 4,400 rpm is also available. I had the opportunity to test both engines and both showed impressive pickup, but it seemed smoother in the V8. To be fair, I've never driven a V8 before (yes, never) so it's possible that all that power rushed to my head. In both models, however, I heard more engine noise than I expected from a luxury car, and it was especially noticeable in the V6. A manual transmission isn't an option, and although I'm sure the gated shifter is a poor substitute, it was a nice touch for automatic-only drivers like myself. Along with making shifting easier, it made the Aurora and its test driver feel sportier. A muscular exterior