Lansing -The last Oldsmobile ever to roll off the assembly line was welcomed Thursday in a private ceremony at the Lansing Car Assembly plant.
A deep cherry-red 2004 Alero was the 500th in a special-edition series that marked the end of the Oldsmobile division at General Motors Corp. About 11,000 plant workers signed the inside of the car's trunk and hood.
Following the private ceremony, the car was driven to the R.E. Olds Transportation Museum in Lansing, where it will remain on display until August. GM and Oldsmobile employees gathered with fans of the brand to honor what some called the end of an era.
During the museum's commemoration and vintage car show, some devotees celebrated Oldsmobile's automotive history - others hung their heads.
"Today is a sad day in American history," said Steve Moskowitz, one of Oldsmobile's 64 executive dealers working throughout the country.
Moskowitz's Classic Oldsmobile dealership in Merrillville, Ind., will close its doors after 81 years in business. The store consistently ranked in the yearly top 100 dealerships nationwide.
"It's time to close her down and start a new chapter in my life," Moskowitz said.
More than 30 Oldsmobiles were on exhibit during the event's auto show. Models ranging from a 1903 Curved Dash Runabout to a 2004 Bravada were on display.
Judy Badgley, the exhibit's organizer, called the event a "wake."
"It's hard for me to understand, from a historical standpoint, how they could take the oldest manufacturer of cars and put it to rest," said Badgley, whose family owns about 40 Oldsmobiles.
Other attendees remained optimistic, saying the end of Oldsmobile only adds to the brand's historical significance.
"It was a celebration and that's the way we looked at it," said Ed Stanchak, who works for the GM Heritage Center in Sterling Heights. "Maybe it's just a beginning. People will appreciate more the history of Oldsmobile in Michigan."
Ransom Eli Olds founded the Oldsmobile Motor Vehicle Company in 1897. Until Thursday, it was the oldest car manufacturer in the country. GM purchased the Lansing-based company in 1908 and has maintained production in Lansing ever since.
In 2000, GM announced it would begin to slowly phase out the Oldsmoblie division, which had served as GM's mid-range line. After producing innovative models, such as the front-wheel-drive 1966 Toronado, the brand had become unprofitable in recent years, according to GM.
All 500 of the collector's-edition Aleros featured sunroofs and commemorative emblems on the hubs and interiors of the cars.
"Today's event was to show the pride of the people who worked for this company," said Kim Carpenter, a spokeswoman for GM's Lansing division. "We're giving Oldsmobile the send-off it deserves."
