Pontiac Grand Prix
| Pontiac Grand Prix | |
|---|---|
| Production period: | 1962-2008 |
| Class : | upper middle class |
| Body versions : | Sedan , coupe , convertible |
| Successor: |
Pontiac G8 (US, Canada) Pontiac G6 (Mexico) |
The Pontiac Grand Prix was an automobile made by the US manufacturer Pontiac , a division of General Motors . It was introduced in 1962 as a so-called personal luxury car and was only available as a coupé . In 1988, the fifth generation came on the market, with which the Grand Prix is assigned to the upper middle class, and a four-door notchback sedan was introduced as an additional body.
First generation (1962–1968)
The Pontiac Grand Prix first appeared in 1962. Actually, it was not an independent model, but just a Pontiac Catalina Coupé with sporty equipment. The Grand Prix, for example, had single front seats and a center gearshift, when the usual standard in America was a continuous front bench seat and steering wheel gearshift.
The engines were taken from the Catalina . A 6400 cm³ V8 engine with 303 gross SAE-PS was standard , on request there were also higher-performance versions of this engine (up to 350 PS) as well as the larger engine with 6900 cm³, which had an output range of 320 to 370 gross SAE-PS bot.
To emphasize its sporty character, the Grand Prix was only available as a two-door hardtop coupé with no B-pillar . A convertible was only offered in the 1967 model year , but this was abandoned after just one year.
The Grand Prix was thus Pontiac's sports model in the full-size class. Under him there was the Pontiac LeMans from 1964 with the equipment variant as GTO , later as an independent model, the sports model in the middle class.
Second generation (1968–1972)
The Grand Prix was repositioned for the 1969 model year. It was now an independent model with its own elegant coupé body. However, it was a bit smaller than the previous model and was technically based on the Pontiac LeMans , at that time Pontiac's mid-range model.
In keeping with its sporty character, this Grand Prix was only given large, powerful engines. Initially there were capacities of 6600 cm³ and 7000 cm³, in 1970 even an engine with a huge 7500 cm³ appeared. The power of the engines ranged from 265 to 390 SAE hp.
From now on, the Grand Prix was a “ Personal Luxury Car ”. In the General Motors model hierarchy, it was below the Buick Riviera , which had been sold successfully for years, but above the Chevrolet Monte Carlo , which was introduced a year after the Grand Prix.
Third generation (1972–1977)
For the 1973 model year, the mid-range models of all GM brands appeared in a new form. The Grand Prix lost its independence and was now very similar to the Chevrolet Monte Carlo.
At first he kept the large engines with 6600 and 7500 cc, but the engine output continuously shrank because exhaust emission regulations were tightened in the USA and unleaded gasoline was introduced in the pre-catalyst period. After the 1973/74 oil crisis , which hit the USA very hard, these engines were no longer considered to be contemporary. From 1975 there was also a new base engine with 5700 cm³. The lowest point in the 1977 model year was a 5000 cc engine which, despite its large displacement (by European standards), only made 135 hp (99 kW).
Based on this Grand Prix generation of luxury car manufacturer built Stutz his upper class coupe Blackhawk III , which belonged from 1973 to 1979 the most expensive American cars.
Fourth generation (1977–1987)
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It took the slow General Motors group four years to react to the fundamentally changed conditions caused by the oil crisis. It was not until the autumn of 1977 that the GM mid-range models appeared in a new, significantly reduced form.
The new cars were 30 cm shorter and 300 kg lighter than their predecessors. Again, the Grand Prix was the luxury coupe for the Pontiac Le Mans and the sister model of the Chevrolet Monte Carlo.
Standard was a 3.8 liter (231 cui) large V6 engine, which was supplied by the Buick brand; for the first time there was a Grand Prix with a six-cylinder engine. There were also three V8 engines with 4.3 liters (265 cu), 4.9 liters (301 cu) and 5.0 liters (305 cui) with an output of 125-160 hp, some of which were from the previous generation were taken over. From 1981 there was also the 5.7 liter V8 diesel engine supplied by Oldsmobile, but this disappointed with its poor reliability and durability. In addition, the additional price required was considerable, and the diesel was no more economical than the basic six-cylinder engine. The diesel engine was therefore given up again in 1985.
From 1984 there was an optional 4-speed automatic in addition to the standard 3-speed automatic (V8 only).
Otherwise, this generation of models was extremely durable. The car was built until 1987 with only minor design changes.
Fifth generation (1988–1996)
| Fifth generation | |
|---|---|
 Pontiac Grand Prix Sedan (1988–1994) |
|
| Production period: | 1988-1996 |
| Body versions : | Limousine , coupe |
| Engines: |
Petrol engines : 2.3-3.4 liters (97-160 kW) |
| Length: | 4925 mm |
| Width: | 1826 mm |
| Height: | 1341 mm |
| Wheelbase : | 2730 mm |
| Empty weight : | |
The fifth generation started on January 12, 1988. It marks a radical departure from the previously pursued concept of a personal luxury car as embodied in the previous models: The Grand Prix, now built in Kansas City, Kansas , was now a model series in the upper middle class and announced the also new Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme and Buick Regal GM's W / G10 front-wheel drive platform. A four-door notchback sedan and also a coupé were available in the equipment variants Standard, LE and SE.
The base engine was the 2.8-liter V6 (173 cui) from Chevrolet with port fuel injection and 130 bhp (97 kW), optionally in conjunction with a 4-speed automatic or a 5-speed manual transmission developed by GETRAG . The latter was standard for the sporty SE. Compared to the previous model, the exterior dimensions of the Grand Prix with a similar wheelbase had shrunk significantly, but thanks to the front-wheel drive and better space economy, it offered much more space in the interior.
During the 1989 model year, this engine for automatic vehicles was replaced by a V6 with 191 cui (3.1 l) displacement, which developed 104 kW. From then on, air conditioning was part of the standard equipment. A special model developed in cooperation with ASC / McLaren caused quite a stir. It had a supercharged output of 200 bhp (153 kW) and differed from the other Grand Prix with its 16-inch rims, exhibited fenders and chassis improvements. Only 2000 copies of the sports car, offered exclusively in red or black, were made.
From 1990 a 2.3-liter inline four-cylinder with 134 kW was offered. A year later, a V6 with 3.4 l displacement and 160 kW was introduced. The Grand Prix got a facelift in 1994 with a newly designed front and rear end.
Sixth generation (1996-2003)
| Sixth generation | |
|---|---|
 Pontiac Grand Prix Coupé (1996-2001) |
|
| Production period: | 1996-2003 |
| Body versions : | Limousine , coupe |
| Engines: |
Petrol engines : 3.1-3.8 liters (120-180 kW) |
| Length: | 4991 mm |
| Width: | 1847 mm |
| Height: | 1389 mm |
| Wheelbase : | 2807 mm |
| Empty weight : | |
In 1996 the Grand Prix was revised and the sixth generation was introduced. The first new model was manufactured on August 12, 1996. It was available as a sedan and a coupe. The entry-level engine was a 3.1-liter V6 (only in the sedan) that produced 120 kW. Above that was a 3.8-liter V6 with 145 kW, which was also offered with a compressor in the GTP version, then with an output of 180 kW.
In 2000 the base engine received more power (130 kW / 177 hp). In addition, the street version of the Daytona 500 pace car , which is limited to 2000 pieces, started.
From 2002 to 2008 the sixth generation of the Pontiac Grand Prix was also manufactured and produced in Russia . The manufacturer was the Taganrog Automobile Plant in Izhevsk .
Seventh generation (2004-2008)
| Seventh generation | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Production period: | 2004-2008 |
| Body versions : | limousine |
| Engines: |
Petrol engines : 3.8-5.3 liters (150-226 kW) |
| Length: | 5037 mm |
| Width: | 1819 mm |
| Height: | 1420 mm |
| Wheelbase : | 2807 mm |
| Empty weight : | 1620 kg |
In 2004 the seventh generation was introduced, which had to do without a coupé. The base engine is a 3.8-liter V6 with 150 kW and 310 Nm torque, as GTP with supercharger, then with 195 kW and 380 Nm. In 2005, a 5.3-liter V8, known from the Chevrolet Impala , with 226 kW was introduced. The price for the basic version was USD 22,690 (approx. EUR 14,400).
In 2008 production was stopped and the successor was the Pontiac G8 .
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Encyclopedia of American Cars from 1930, Ed. Consumer Guide, Publications International (1993), ISBN 0-7853-0175-5
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