The 1962 Oldsmobile Jetfire: The First Turbocharged Production Car Was a V8 Muscle Car

Turbocharging is everywhere in today's auto industry, from Mercedes-AMG's downsized hybrid four-cylinder to Ferrari's boosted V8s and hybrid V6s. But it wasn't always the norm. The first series-production car with a turbocharged engine was a 1962 American muscle car: the Oldsmobile Jetfire F-85.

5-liter) V8, one of the first engines with all-aluminum block and heads. It featured a Garrett AiResearch T5 turbocharger and required a special "Turbo Rocket Fluid", a 50/50 water-methanol mix with a corrosion inhibitor, to prevent detonation under boost. Without it, the engine could fail.

The setup made 215 horsepower at 4,600 rpm and 300 lb-ft of torque at 3,200 rpm, with max boost limited to 5 psi.

Oldsmobile built the Jetfire for just two years: 3,765 units in 1962 and 5,842 in 1963, totaling 9,607 cars. Most came with a 3-speed automatic; only a handful got the 4-speed manual. The engine's complexity kept production low, and today fewer than 20 examples are believed to have working factory turbo systems.

The Jetfire's water-methanol injection proved too complicated for everyday owners, and the industry eventually found other ways to manage boost. Still, it showed that smaller, forced-induction engines could deliver real performance, paving the way for later turbo models like the Buick Grand National.

According to Hagerty, a 1962 Jetfire in good condition averages about $23,300, with fair examples near $15,000, excellent around $36,100, and concours up to $47,000. The 1963 model is pricier: good condition averages $27,900, fair $22,000, excellent $42,800, and concours reaches $56,000.