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Oldsmobile was an established American automobile manufacturer founded by Ransom Eli Olds in 1897. It was one of the earliest automobile brands in the United States and a subsidiary of General Motors (GM). Oldsmobile was once a pioneer in the American automotive industry, creating several "firsts": it was the first manufacturer in the U.S. to conduct automobile export business; it produced the first car with an automatic transmission in the 1940s; and it manufactured the first four-wheel-drive vehicle in the U.S. in the 1960s. The first car of Oldsmobile was the Curved Dash Runabout, produced in 1899, marking it as the first factory to mass-produce gasoline-powered vehicles. The Curved Dash Runabout changed the American concept of transportation with its versatility, practicality, and reliability, becoming the most popular model in the United States at that time. Oldsmobile achieved great success in the 1970s and 1980s; in 1977, it became the first GM division to sell over one million units after Chevrolet. In 1985, Oldsmobile reached its peak, producing 1,168,982 vehicles that year. However, by the 1990s, Oldsmobile began to decline. Due to vague market positioning and aging models, it gradually lost ground in fierce market competition. On December 12, 2000, General Motors made a decision that shocked the global automotive industry and saddened countless Oldsmobile enthusiasts—the brand would be phased out over the next few years. In 2004, Oldsmobile officially ceased operations, ending its illustrious 107-year history.