Pick One: 1972 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 W30 or Buick GS Stage 1?

These two 1972 muscle ragtops are painted in the identical Flame Orange hue and have the highest engines of their respective lineups. How do they examine?

Nineteen seventy-two was a tough mannequin yr for American efficiency however, contemplating General Motors lowered compression one yr earlier than the 1972 federal mandate, the general public already knew what to anticipate. The greatest influence on GM efficiency was the strategy by which horsepower was measured: the 4-4-2 W30 went from 350 horsepower gross to 300 web, whereas the GS Stage 1 went from 345 gross to 270 web. Nonetheless, they each have been in a position to pull strong 14-second ETs — not like 1970, however among the many quickest automobiles for the mannequin yr.

They are nearly equally uncommon too. Oldsmobile produced 113 4-4-2 convertibles with the W30 bundle, whereas Buick produced 81 Stage 1 GS convertibles. Narrowing the Buick down, solely 15 have been constructed with the four-speed transmission. If the W30 was a four-speed, it might be one in every of 33.

Check out the AutoHunter Cinema video from Barrett-Jackson’s 2023 public sale in Scottsdale after which inform us which automobile you favor should you have been available in the market for a strong convertible in 1972.