52 Memorable Pontiacs

 

Celebrating the Best of Pontiac
 

Michael Schlee

 

 

At the end of the year Pontiac will cease to exist. Whether you view this as a sad day, or long overdue, one thing is for certain; Pontiac has made some of the most memorable vehicles over the past 52 years.

1965 Pontiac GTO

Who could forget the GTO, the Trans Am or the Fiero? Who can forget (although you might wish you could) the Aztek, the T1000 or the last generation Bonneville? These cars (and others) will remain in our consciousness years after the make has stopped production.

 

 

So you may be asking yourself, ‘Why 52 years and not 50?’ Well, in 1959 Pontiac started to use their trademark ‘Widetrack’ design and split grill nose. This ushered in the modern era of Pontiac.

 

So take a look below at some highlights (and lowlights) of Pontiacs over the past 52 years.

 

 

 

#gallery-1 { margin: auto; } #gallery-1 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 33%; } #gallery-1 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-1 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; }

1959 Pontiac Bonneville

1960 Pontiac Catalina

1961 Pontiac Tempest

1962 Pontiac Grand Prix

1963 Pontiac Le Mans Coupe

1964 Pontiac GTO

1965 Pontiac GTO

1966 Pontiac Catalina

1967 Pontiac Firebird

1968 Pontiac GTO

1969 Pontiac Grand Prix

1970 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

1971 Pontiac Grand Ville

1972 Pontiac GTO

1973 Pontiac Grand Am

1974 Pontiac Firebird

1975 Pontiac Astre

1976 Pontiac Sunbird

1977 Pontiac Can Am

1978 Pontiac Grand Prix

1979 Pontiac Grand Am

1980 Pontiac Phoenix

1981 Pontiac T1000 Acadian

1982 Pontiac Firebird

1983 Pontiac 6000

1984 Pontiac Fiero

1985 Pontiac Grand Am

1986 Pontiac Fiero

1987 Pontiac Bonneville

1988 Pontiac Grand Prix

1989 Pontiac Firebird Turbo Trans Am

1990 Pontiac Trans Sport

1991 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP

1992 Pontiac Grand Am

1993 Pontiac Firebird

1994 Pontiac Bonneville SSEi

1995 Pontiac Sunfire

1996 Pontiac Grand Am

1997 Pontiac Grand Prix GT

1998 Pontiac Firebird Formula

1999 Pontiac Grand Am

2000 Pontiac Bonneville

2001 Pontiac Aztek

2002 Pontiac Firebird Collectors Edition

2003 Pontiac Vibe

2004 Pontiac GTO

2005 Pontiac G6 GT

2006 Pontiac Solstice

2007 Pontiac G5 GT

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe

2010 Pontiac Vibe

Nice article. Too bad they are going away. I hear some other automakers may take up some of the models and produce them themselves, I hope this is true.

Mike, your articles are great! What exatly is your job description for autotrader.ca? Is there a journalistic aspect related to your job? I'm currently studying under Journalism at Mount Royal University and want to be an automotive journalist/ photographer and I like your style.

It's a shame that Pontiac is no more, but you never know, GM might resurest the brand in the future, it's not likely, but never rule it out.

You forgot one MAJOR car on the list IMO. The 69 GTO Judge.

yea and u forgot all the smokey and the bandit trans am's too. geez laweez mike i thought of all of those you would not of missed those! seesh! i thank you for this post though mike. it touches my heart

Mike, very nice article as usual. You got the talent!!

Pontiac's have always been a huge part of my life. Since I was very young I remember having al types of them in the family. Here is a list of those I remember:

1960 Ventura, 1964 Catalina, 1959 Bonneville, 1964 Bonneville (two of them), 1966 Grand Prix, (two of them),  1965 Grand Prix, 1966 Executive 4 dr., 1965 Bonneville, 1964 Catalina 2+2 Convert., 1973 Grand Am (two of them), 1967 LeMans Convert, 1968 GTO, 1969 GTO, 1967 GTO, 1967 Tempest (currently own), 1962 Star Chief, 1962 Grand Prix, 1970 Grand Prix, 2005 Bonneville SSEi, 2006 Grand Prix GTP, 2003 Bonneville SSEi.  Probably missed a couple but thats a pretty long list as it is. 

To say the very least, Im gonna miss the excitement that Pontiac has brought into my life. 

By the way Mike, the picture you have of the 66 Catalina is actually a 67 Catalina.  Here is a picture of a 66 Catalina 2+2

The 66 2+2 is one of my all time favorite cars but I have not yet owned one. Its on my list........

http://autocollections.com/image/cars/1966%20pontiac%20yellow%20r.JPG

421 Cubic inch with tri-power, TH400 Automatic, add on a/c

1966 PONTIAC CATALINA 2+2

Just showin' some love!

the talent!!

Pontiac's have always been a huge part of my life. Since I was very young I remember having al types of them in the family. Here is a list of those I remember:

1960 Ventura, 1964 Catalina, 1959 Bonneville, 1964 Bonneville (two of them), 1966 Grand Prix, (two of them),  1965 Grand Prix, 1966 Executive 4 dr., 1965 Bonneville, 1964 Catalina 2+2 Convert., 1973 Grand Am (two of them), 1967 LeMans Convert, 1968 GTO, 1969 GTO, 1967 GTO, 1967 Tempest (currently own), 1962 Star Chief, 1962 Grand Prix, 1970 Grand Prix, 2005 Bonneville SSEi, 2006 Grand Prix GTP, 2003 Bonneville SSEi.  Probably missed a couple but thats a pretty long list as it is. 

To say the very least, Im gonna miss the excitement that Pontiac has brought into my life. 

By the way Mike, the picture you have of the 66 Catalina is actually a 67 Catalina.  Here is a picture of a 66 Catalina 2+2

The 66 2+2 is one of my all time favorite cars but I have not yet owned one. Its on my list........

http://autocollections.com/image/cars/1966%20pontiac%20yellow%20r.JPG

421 Cubic inch with tri-power, TH400 Automatic, add on a/c

1966 PONTIAC CATALINA 2+2

Wow, you are a Pontac nut!  And yeah, the pictures I used aren't all of the exact right year.  If you click on the 1966 Catalina, you'll see I commented on it being a 1967 model.  I think the 1982 Trans am is a 1983, and a few others a year off.

If you click on the pictures I have a brief description of each car too.   Now I am worried Brian is going tohave read each one and correct me on the wrong ones, lol.

Nate and Jessica - yeah those are sweet Pontiacs, but they are really just option packages.  I was labelling the newest developments or noe models for Pontiac year by year

No Mike, I wont do that, I just noticed the picture did not fit the year. Whatever I find I wont critique it.   Unless you tell me to ? 

But now I just have to go and read the descriptions of each car just to make sure. 

You should not have suggested that ya know !

c, a, c, c, a, b, d, c, true, b,

Alright Brian, how bad did I do? Or should I ask Trev?

I will give the answers in a couple of days.

Ok to Mike and the Pont fans, What was the CI Displacement of the standard bigblock in a 1957 pontiac twodoor chieftan hardtop???????   Betchyas cant figure that one out!!!!!!

Ok to Mike and the Pont fans, What was the CI Displacement of the standard bigblock in a 1957 pontiac twodoor chieftan hardtop???????   Betchyas cant figure that one out!!!!!!

$10 says Brian is right...

I'll take your $10 now J         and I did not go to the web to find the answer.... :)

I'm betting that you're right Brian!!! I'm not betting against you.

I've had zero Pontiacs......I need to own one.   I have owned a N-Body, a F-body and a Delta platform car though.

The 68 GTO I had was the one car I owned I actually liked the least....I really don't know why. Then again its the only convertible I've owned, which may be part of the reason.

The 68 GTO I had was the one car I owned I actually liked the least....I really don't know why. Then again its the only convertible I've owned, which may be part of the reason.

Now we know how Brian has all these nice cars. He takes $10 at a time from unsuspecting citizens.

I'm betting that you're right Brian!!! I'm not betting against you.

Damn, someone finally figured me out....

 

c, b, b, c, a, c, (used to watch this show as a kid.) d, b, true, b

And I owned 2 cars on that list of Ponchos.  Well, 4 if multiples count.  82 Trans Am, 86 Firebird, 91 Firebird, and a 92 Grand Prix.

Here are all of the correct answers:

1. b  

2. d  

3. b

4. c

5. a

6. c

7. d

8. b

9. True

10. 1969

The firebird debuted in 1967 but the first year for the Trans Am was 1969
 

Ahh.  I've been tricked.  lol  I only saw Firebird, not Trans Am.  Damn.  Your correct 69 was the first year for the T/A.