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With cars like the Firebird and GTO, Pontiac had a huge influence on American car culture. Learn about some hits and misses from this iconic brand.
An Exciting Part of GM
Pontiac may be a defunct part of General Motors’ business model, but it has a decades old story that originates in Michigan. Named after the same Odawa Chief that Pontiac, Michigan was named after, the Pontiac brand took a few twists and turns along the way, but ended up producing cars like the Firebird, Bonneville, GTO, and Grand Am, among others. With innovative technology and bold styling, Pontiac became GM’s performance brand, helping to introduce the world to muscle cars. Now, take a closer look at the brand that helped General Motors sell a lot of vehicles over 80+ years.
The Origins of Pontiac
Like a lot of car companies, there are a lot of names thrown around, especially when there are parent companies, brands, divisions, sales, and mergers. That’s the case with Pontiac, too. The Oakland Motor Car Company, founded in 1907 in Pontiac, Michigan, was, in a way, the start of Pontiac. Oakland founder Edward Murphy was also the founder of Pontiac Buggy Company, which was in business from 1893 to 1907. That was the first time the Pontiac name was used in the automobile industry.
Just a year after Oakland Motor Car Company started, William C. Durant founded General Motors in Flint, Michigan. GM quickly bought out Oldsmobile, Cadillac, and others. In 1909, Oakland Motor Company was bought up by GM, too.
Fast forward another almost 15 years and we see the first actual Pontiac: the 1926 Pontiac Series 6-27. Pontiac was introduced as a junior brand to Oakland with the Series 6-27 being priced between Chevrolet and Oldsmobile. The Series 6-27 had a six-cylinder engine and a three-speed transmission with 26.3 horsepower. Within six months of being shown at the 1926 New York Auto Salon, Pontiac sold 76,742 units. By 1928, the Series 6-27 was the top-selling six-cylinder car in the United States. Pontiac was becoming such a popular pick with consumers that when Oakland was canceled by GM in 1931, Pontiac became its own division within GM.
A Brand of Its Own
1932 was the first year of the Pontiac Series 302 V8. The economy was starting to recover from the 1929 stock market crash, but Pontiac was producing the least expensive straight-eight engine cars available, so they were still a popular choice for car buyers. Pontiac kept the cost of manufacturing down by using many components from the Chevrolet Master chassis.
A large chrome strip that ran down the center of the front hood became known as the “Silver Streak,” a staple of Pontiac models at the time. Pontiac continued sharing elements with other GM brands, including the torpedo appearance of the LaSalle and Cadillac Series 60. 1937 Pontiac models used the all-steel B-body that was shared with Oldsmobile, LaSalle, and some small Buicks, too.
On February 2, 1942, the 1941 Pontiac Streamliner, with a straight-8 engine, ended up being the last civilian Pontiac made until after World War II. Things started picking up again with 1948 models when a Hydra-Matic automatic transmission was introduced as an option on all Pontiac models. Developed by Cadillac and Oldsmobile in 1939, the Hydra-Matic was the first fully-automatic transmission intended for passenger vehicles.
The all-new Pontiac models of 1949 received new styling, lower body lines, and lower rear fenders. The Pontiac Chieftain was introduced, too, replacing the Torpedo. Take a look at our Retro Review of the Pontiac Chieftain to learn more about that vehicle.
A few more changes were made over the next few years, including the introduction of the 1950 Catalina pillarless hardtop coupe as a “halo” model, the discontinuation of the 1952 Streamliner, and the addition of the 1954 Star Chief. It was the late ‘50s, though, that Pontiac really started making big changes.
All-New, Restyled Pontiacs
Semon “Bunkie” Knudsen became the general manager of Pontiac in 1956. He wasn’t the only breath of fresh air that the brand brought aboard. New heads of engineering E.M. Estes and John DeLorean (yep, that DeLorean) helped rework the brand’s image. One of their first moves was removing the silver streaks. Beyond that, they introduced the first Bonneville in 1957, debuted the new Pontiac arrowhead symbol in 1959, and then completely reworked 1959 Pontiac models.
A new chassis and new styling, inside and out, were some of the noticeable changes. Quad headlamps were longer, there was more glass, they implemented twin V-shaped fins, and lowered the hood profiles. All 1959 Pontiacs came with a 389 cu. in. V8 engine, making 215 horsepower or 345 horsepower with a Tri-power carbureted engine. The updated styling and better handling both helped Pontiac become a force in the marketplace again. The brand increased sales from 217,303 in 1958 to 383,320 models sold in 1959.
Pontiac also jumped into the racing scene starting in 1957, the year that seven of the nine premier series races were won with a Pontiac. Cotton Owens, Paul Goldsmith, Fireball Roberts, David Pearson, Bud Moore, and Joe Weatherly all got behind the wheel of Pontiacs in the NASCAR races of the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Muscling Up
Pontiac was leading the way when it came to muscle cars. While most of Pontiacs 1960s and 1970s models looked similar to those of other GM divisions, Pontiac had its own front and rear styling. The interiors and engines also set Pontiac apart from the GM family. When Pontiac General Manager Semon Knudsen moved over to Chevrolet in November 1961, Pete Estes moved up to become the new General Manager of Pontiac while John DeLorean was promoted to Pontiac Chief Engineer.
DeLorean worked on several upgrades at this time. A new chassis reduced the weight on Pontiac models. Smaller body sizes led to the compact 1961 Pontiac Tempest, which shared a platform with the Buick Special, Buick Skylark, and Oldsmobile F-85. The unibody platform, designed by John DeLorean and dubbed the ‘Y-body,’ combined the frame and body into a single construction.
DeLorean also included a flexible steel shaft on new Pontiac models. It rotated at the speed of the engine, delivering power from the front-mounted engine through the “torque tube” to the rear-mounted transaxle. This concept improved handling and the four-wheel independent suspension. With a more specific build, many Pontiac models shared almost no common parts to other GM models.
The 1964 Pontiac GTO, which put out 348 horsepower, was redesigned on GM’s A-body platform for cars with the front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout. DeLorean is the person who presented the idea to offer the GTO as an option package with a 389 cu. in. engine, which got around GM’s unwritten rule of not having intermediate cars with engines larger than 330 cu. in. We take a closer look at several model years in our Retro Review of the Pontiac GTO and our Pontiac GTO Generations: Through the Years features. At the same time, Pontiac leaned into the trend of sportier coupes, introducing the bucket-seat Grand Prix in 1962.
Closer to the end of the 1960s, Pontiac introduced a pony car: the 1967 Pontiac Firebird, also a variant of the Chevy Camaro. 1968 brought the rubber front bumper to the GTO. Then, in 1969, the Trans Am was offered as a specialty package for the Firebird. Cars with this package were built on the F-body platform, had exclusive spoilers, fog lights, and wheels. Click over to our Pontiac Trans Am Generations: Through the Years feature to find out how it became one of the iconic American muscle cars.
Pontiac also moved the Grand Prix into a model of its own with a General Motors G-body format, used for mid-sized, RWD cars. Sales for the revamped 1969 Grand Prix reached 112,000 units, over four times the number sold for the 1968 model year.
By that point, Pete Estes had moved on to become the Chevrolet General Manager, leaving the Pontiac General Manager position open for John DeLorean. It was DeLorean who suggested the G-body Grand Prix, so he was coming on board in a leadership position with a win already in his column.
Surviving the Problems of the 1970s
Even if you weren’t alive in the 1970s, if you know car history, you can probably already guess what happened to Pontiac in the 1970s. Increased fuel costs, increased insurance premiums, and Federal emissions regulations all lowered the demand for muscle cars. As a result, Pontiac started seeing a decline in sales. To combat that, in mid-1971, Pontiac introduced the economy compact Ventura II.
Pontiac also shifted some models and restyled others in order to stay competitive. The Grand Prix, LeMans, and Ventura were all restyled. There were no longer hardtops or convertibles offered. In addition to that, Pontiac introduced the Grand Am. The next year, Pontiac debuted the subcompact 1975 Astre. Another subcompact arrived in the form of the 1976 Pontiac Sunbird.
The Malaise Era was in full effect by the time the 1976 Pontiac Trans Am was presented with a 455 cu.-in. V8 that made just 200 horsepower. Unfortunately, the next several years were underwhelming for Pontiac, but it wasn’t just Pontiac facing those problems. There were some bright spots, though. For example: the 1977 Pontiac Firebird, which we mentioned in our Retro Review of the Firebird. It’s the same model that is from Smokey and the Bandit.
Regaining Its Footing
Things picked up again for Pontiac in the 1980s, starting with the redesigned 1982 Firebird. The third-generation Firebird had a more sloped windshield, a large hatchback, and pop-up headlights. The design was aerodynamic and about 500 lbs. lighter than the previous model. Less metal, less weight, and less gas being used meant more fuel savings for the consumers.
Pontiac continued focusing on performance-oriented models during this time. The Firebird, Trans Am, and Grand Prix were all selling well. Pontiac also found success with marketing the 1982 Pontiac Trans Am in the hit TV series Knight Rider.
It wasn’t all success, though. The 1984 Pontiac Fiero was the first two-seater Pontiac released in decades. As we said in our Retro Review of the Pontiac Fiero, it, “received good reviews upon its debut in 1983,” but it was plagued by notorious quality issues early on, ultimately dooming any success the car could have had.
Then came the 1986 Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2, equipped with a 305 cu. in. four-barrel engine, making 165 horsepower and 245 lb-ft of torque. Only 1,118 1986 Grand Prix 2+2s were built, so Pontiac was able to charge 20% above the list price of $17,800. Pontiac ended up reaching 801,600 units sold in 1989.
Some Hits and Some Misses
Pontiac tried something new again with the 2003 Pontiac Vibe, a twin of the Toyota Matrix. It was a compact wagon, the result of a partnership between GM and Toyota that started in 1984. Available with all-wheel drive, it was a good little option for those who wanted a mini-SUV.
Competition started hurting Pontiac, too. The Mustang was making a comeback, which didn’t bode well for the Firebird (or even the Chevy Camaro). Declining sales led to the Firebird being discontinued in 2002. This was the same year that Pontiac eliminated the coupe version of the Grand Prix.
Pontiac tried to keep up with the times, seeing a chance to enter the emerging SUV market with the now infamous 2001 Pontiac Aztek. It could fit right in with some of today’s boxy-looking vehicles like the Tesla Cybertruck. Complaints about performance, critiques of the design, and recalls all made the Aztek a hard sell.
There was a lot of sharing of components within GM at the time. That’s why when the 2000 Bonneville received a major redesign, it was based on the G-body platform also shared with the Oldsmobile Aurora and Buick LeSabre.
Pontiac was changing directions in the 90s, too. The sixth-generation Grand Prix was released in 1997, but it was done on a wider W-body frame in conjunction with a “Wider is Better” advertising campaign. It had a supercharged 3.8-liter V6 under the hood, putting out 240 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque.
Pontiac continued making some strides into the 1990s, introducing anti-lock brakes, airbags, and a Quad-4 engine in 1989 models. It also debuted the brand’s first minivan in the form of the Trans Sport. A brand-new Bonneville was introduced in 1992, this one with more aerodynamic styling, front-wheel drive, more curved glass, and a 3800 Series I V6 engine. Then, in 1993, the Firebird was revamped, powered by a 3.4-liter V6 making 160 horsepower or a 5.7-liter V8 making 275 horsepower.
2004 was Pontiac’s final year in NASCAR. Ricky Craven won one of the closest finishes in NASCAR history at Darlington in 2003, so Pontiac at least went out on a high note. The GTO was introduced again in 2004. It was based on the Holden Monaro with a 350-horsepower LS-1 V8, a full leather interior, and an independent front and rear suspension. The interest just wasn’t there, though. Sales didn’t even cross the 18,000-unit mark.
The Final Years of Pontiac
Pontiac went through a complete revamp after the Oldsmobile was discontinued in 2004. The Grand Am was replaced in 2005 by the mid-size Pontiac G6. After almost 50 years in production, the Bonneville also came to an end in 2005. The Sunfire was discontinued, too, replaced by the new Pontiac Pursuit. Finally, at the same time, the low-selling Aztek was replaced by the Pontiac Torrent, a model that was identical to the Chevrolet Equinox. Then, in 2008, Pontiac ended production of the Grand Prix.
2008 ended with even worse news for Pontiac: General Motors was considering selling several brands, including Saturn, Pontiac, Saab, and Hummer. Over the next few months, Pontiac developed a plan to trim its lineup down to four models, if not less than that. It would also focus on specific audiences with youthful and sporty cars. However, the entire industry was struggling at the time, so it wasn’t a huge surprise when GM filed for bankruptcy in June 2009.
GM decided to eliminate Pontiac (and Hummer and Saturn) altogether, phasing out all remaining models by the end of 2010. The last Pontiac model was a 2010 G6 4-door sedan. It rolled off the assembly line of the Orion Township factory in January 2010. That left GM with Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac as its brands. It left car buyers with a lot of memories. Whether it was sharing too many components as a cost-cutting measure, flawed exterior designs, a drop in quality, or shifting focus to audiences beyond the muscle car crowd, Pontiac hit too many roadblocks to make it past 2010.
Thankfully, there are still thousands of used Pontiacs available today. All of Pontiac’s big names have listings: the GTO, Grand Am, Firebird, Grand Prix, and Bonneville. If you’re looking to compare a specific model, we even have a few resources for you! We’ve reviewed a 1969 Pontiac GTO vs 1969 Dodge Charger, we put a Pontiac Fiero head-to-head against a Toyotra MR2, and, in one of our articles, a 1971 Pontiac GTO clashed with a 1971 Dodge Challenger. You may have missed out on Pontiac in its heyday, but you can still round up a little bit of its history.
