Pontiac Grand Prix
Produced by the Pontiac division of the General Motors Corporation, the Pontiac Grand Prix was first introduced as a full-size model in 1962. The term ‘Grand Prix’ has also been used to describe personal luxury cars and mid-sized cars. In its first year the car was basically a standard Pontiac Catalina coupe with little external chrome trim and sportier interiors. The cars could be beefed up with any of the options on the Pontiac performance option list and a handful were even fitted with the Super Duty 421 powertrain.
The Pontiac Grand Prix continued to do very well in the 1960s and its minimalist exterior trim was seen as a positive aspect. However, some considered it to be a lesser model than other personal luxury cars available at the time though the Grand Prix had a much stronger performance image than other cars in the same market at the time. Over the years the car was restyled somewhat and the rear window was made concave while the front made use of rather exclusive grillework. The interiors remained luxurious with as many bits and gadgets being fitted as was probably possible. Though the bucket seats that were fitted in the car were popular, consumers had the option of having a bench seat with folding armrests fitted as an alternative if they wanted to at no extra cost.
In 1969, the Grand Prix was once again re-styled. The new styling was based on a slightly longer version of the GM A platform. It was smaller, lighter and had its own body. Though it fell into the intermediate category, it enjoyed a whole new level of luxury and style. This downsizing was incredibly successful and the luxurious interior features a wraparound cockpit-styled instrument panel. It was also the first time that the Grand Prix featured a concealed radio antenna, a rear window defogger and side-impact beams. In 1988 the first Pontiac Grand Prix coupe became a reality. While the sedan version, which had emerged sometime earlier, had not been terribly successful, the coupe was immensely popular. The Pontiac Grand Prix has continued to undergo many interesting developments over the years. As of 2006 the Grand Prix was one of Pontiacs most popular vehicles in production, with 2008 being its last year of production.
