It developed horsepower at 5, rpm and lb-ft of torque at 4, rpm. This engine was an updated version of the ubiquitous 3. Transmission was GM's ubiquitous four-speed Hydramatic. Frankly, this engine was the Terraza's Achilles heel, as it was pretty much out of date even before it found its way into this vehicle.
With a full complement of passengers and luggage, the Terraza was arguably the worst performer in this segment of the market. Safety equipment included a redesigned front-end structure and vehicle "safety cage," with dual-stage front airbags, three-point seat belts on all seven seats and optional side impact airbags.
There was also a traction control system and GM"s StabiliTrak vehicle stability system optional. ABS was standard and the Terraza came with four-wheel disc brakes. The optional AWD system was GM's Versatrak arrangement, which operates in front-drive mode most of the time, directing power to the rear wheels when one or both front wheels start to lose traction.
It also shifts power from one side to another in the rear to make the most of available traction. Definitely not an off-road setup, but handy to have in a sudden snowstorm or heavy rain. In the grand tradition of Buicks down through the years, the Terraza got you there in comfort, but didn't like to be pushed.
Comfort over speed, in other words. Apparently, in extremely cold weather, the rear suspension ball joints can fail when their seals start to leak and ice finds its way into the joints. Changes for '97 centered on the ragtop SE, which got a four-speed automatic, cruise control, and electric defrosting for its glass rear window as additional no-cost items.
There was little news for '98, while the main '99 development was shifting the convertible to GT trim. Modestly freshened year Sunfires bowed in early ' The longer model year yielded higher production on that basis, but calendar-year orders declined. The ragtop, never a strong seller, was phased out during the year. The vintage Grand Am said goodbye after , when it added base-trim price-leaders, plus standard antilock brakes for top-line SEs.
Engines, carried over from , started with the old 2. Wheelbase was untouched, but length grew by more than half a foot. Only SE and GT coupes and sedans returned. Despite the general industry move to airbags, Grand Am persisted with door-mounted "automatic safety belts" and promoted linewide-standard ABS instead. Styling was sleeker but rather exaggerated, with heavy lower-body plastic cladding on GTs -- which Skylark and Achieva designers had to work around -- and a sleeker profile for coupes.
The redesign also shook things up under Grand Am hoods. The Quad-4 itself returned unchanged, but a V-6 was made available for the first time since This Buick-sourced pushrod 3. The makeover spurred Grand Am to some , sales for ' Second-year changes were predictably minor: an optional remote keyless-entry system, a standard battery-rundown protection feature, and four-cylinder engines made slightly quieter. The fours were still rather unrefined lumps and they managed to lose five bhp.
Sales approached , for , when updates were relatively monumental: a standard driver-side airbag at last -- just as most rivals were getting dual airbags -- an available four-speed automatic transmission, and a bhp 3. Leather upholstery was a new extra, and the sometimes-hated automatic door locks could now be set for automatic unlocking, sparing occupants the trouble of flicking a switch. After a short three-year run, the Quad OHC was canceled for Grand Ams and a bhp Quad-4 became the new base engine, adding "balance shafts" for smoother running but losing its High-Output variant.
Modest cosmetic tweaks and standard dual airbags in a reworked dash marked the '96 models. As with the Sunfire and other cars that used it, the Quad-4 became a 2. The old three-speed automatic was dropped, and traction control was a new bonus when the four-speed automatic was ordered. Grand Am then stood pat for two full years, awaiting another redesign. The redesigned Grand Ams started sale in early ' Wheelbase lengthened 3. Overall length was little-changed, but width swelled almost three inches to Powertrains, alas, weren't much changed.
SE2s and all GTs came with the hoary 3. Four-speed automatic remained the only transmission until , after which four-cylinder models got a standard five-speed manual supplied by German gearbox specialist Getrag. Grand Am styling was now much like Grand Prix's, but on a smaller scale and with lots of geegaws larded on. Car and Driver judged appearance "overwrought and exaggerated," especially on GTs. One or two of these cues might be acceptable, but together they're too much.
The rest of the car wasn't enough. Ride was generally judged good on any model, but noise levels were only average and workmanship needed, well, work. Said CG's Auto issue: "Unless sporty looks are your top priority in a family compact, you'd be well advised to scout the competition. The midsize Grand Prix was honed through , its basic design updated as new engines and features emerged from General Motors labs.
Yet the GP, perhaps because of Pontiac's hipper image, usually sold the best, if not quite as well as Chevrolet's more affordable W-body Lumina. Worrisome, though, were see-saw sales in these years, dropping from more than , for to ,, per model year.
The exception was swan-song '96, when early release of redesigned '97s held volume below 84, The Turbo coupe was gone too, replaced by a nonturbo GT and uplevel GTP, the latter dressed in aggressive body cladding. The plastics industry must have loved Pontiac in these years. Also on the card were a base bhp 3. Linewide-standard automatic power door locking was the main change for ' Catching up with many rivals for , Grand Prix added standard dual airbags in a redesigned interior, the year's only W-body so blessed.
More surprising was a lineup pared to just a pair of well-equipped mainstream SEs. The five-speed manual transmission was discarded, but the options list still had enough of the right stuff to approximate the sportiness of the discontinued GT and STE. Interestingly, the more overt family focus boosted GP sales by some 31, units over model-year ' The '95s drew only some fewer orders despite little change. There was even less news for the abbreviated '96 season, though the 3.
A mostly new H-body Bonneville sedan began an eight-year run for , distinguished by a billowy new look that not everyone liked. That might explain why sales followed the Grand Prix pattern, with a first-year peak some , , a lower midlife plateau fewer than , through '94 , and a still-lower level through series end 75, at best.
Pontiac soon began renewing its bread-and-butter models, starting with Grand Prix for Previewed two years before by the GPX concept, it was one of the handsomest Ponchos since the '60s: purposeful, curvy, near frippery-free. The sedan showed particularly dramatic change in a new coupelike profile. Even better, "Wide Track" was back, as ads loudly proclaimed. But Pontiac went for a broader stance, upping track width by two inches fore, three inches aft.
Grand Prix offered three V-6 models for ' a mom-and-pop 3. An optional GTP package delivered a muscular bhp supercharged , plus beefier four-speed automatic transmission, somewhat firmer suspension, stickier tires, modest decklid spoiler, and discreet identification.
All models boasted standard all-disc antilock brakes and traction control, though the latter was denied GTPs until , when a stouter system was adopted across the board.
Car and Driver had good things to say about the '97 GTP sedan. Topping the list were a zippy mph time of 6. We were expecting the Grand Prix to be a better car than the previous model, but we weren't expecting it to be this much better.
Buyers also responded favorably, snapping up about , GPs for the extended '97 season. Though the extra selling time helped pump up the volume, this was Grand Prix's best model-year performance in two decades. Demand eased for '98 to a bit over ,, but the '99 tally was ,, and model-year output climbed to near , Interim changes helped keep buyers interested. The GTP proved popular enough to win separate-model status for '99, when the base V-6 added five bhp.
For , GM's useful OnStar communications and assistance system became available, the base V-6 got another 15 bhp, and all models added an engine immobilizer that disabled the ignition if starting was attempted by devious means. Grand Prix was chosen as the pace car for the Daytona , and Pontiac reeled off replicas, all silver GTP coupes with unique inch aluminum wheels, functional hood vents, special interior, and Daytona insignia inside and out.
All boasted a driver-side airbag. But the SSEi's most important feature was its standard traction-control system. Sporting owners appreciated traction control.
Then again, few cars in this class needed it so much. Indeed, enthusiasts still blanched at any front-drive car with handling compromised by a surplus of power, as this Bonneville was. In addition, the supercharged V-6 was newly available for the SSE. Pontiac was after more competitive price points, a motive that also figured in the SSEi's demotion from separate model to SSE option. At least that year's blown V-6 got an extra 20 bhp, and all Bonnevilles benefited from included dual airbags.
Exclusive to the SSE option list was GM's Computer Command Ride CCR , basically sensor-linked shock absorbers that automatically changed from soft to firm damping in hard cornering or braking maneuvers. Tech again dominated news for An extensive internal revamp evolved the base V-6 into a smoother, quieter "Series II" engine with bhp, and the supercharged mill was newly optional for SLE-equipped SEs.
But none of this affected sales very much, nor did further fiddling for Larger new import-brand sedans were also stealing the big Poncho's thunder -- and customers. Like Grand Am and Grand Prix, the s Bonnie had slipped into the "rental car" trap: OK for a week's vacation, maybe, but not the top choice for a long-term relationship.
Firebird was left to carry the "we build excitement" banner in the s. As ever, it was the most stirring thing in Pontiac showrooms, and promptly became even more so -- mainly because it had to.
Firebird began its season in spring '90, about six months early. Base, Formula, Trans Am, and GTA came back with another deft facelift of the familiar vintage design, announced by a smoother snout recalling the recent Banshee show car. Engines ranged from a budget-grade bhp 3. Though everyone knew a fresh Firebird was just two years off, Pontiac sprang a surprise at mid with its first convertible ponycar in more than two decades.
It spurred a modest sales recovery as a bridge to ' That season also began early, and why not? Abetted by a recent concept preview and fuzzy spy photos in newspapers and "buff" magazines, Firebird fans were clamoring for the fourth generation of their favorite. They weren't disappointed. Bowing in spring '92 with coupes only, the Firebird was a real looker: slick, slinky, even a bit menacing. Wheelbase was unchanged, but flowing new contours gave greater visual distinction from F-body cousin Camaro.
Fiero experience paid practical dividends in the use of dent-resistant plasticlike material for the front and rear fascias, front fenders, doors, roof, and rear hatchlid.
Beneath was a spaceframelike structure that improved rigidity so much that the optional twin T-tops could be replaced by single lift-off panel -- the first Firebird "targa" coupe. Powerteams were drastically simplified. Base models came with the corporate 3. Also found in Camaros and Chevrolet Corvettes, it delivered a bhp wallop via the automatic or a newly standard six-speed manual gearbox. Chassis changes were equally extensive, though the all-coil suspension was much the same in concept.
Therese, Quebec, Canada. All Firebirds came with dual airbags and ABS, a sop to insurance companies and the high premiums that still dampened demand for many sporty cars.
Unfortunately, those additions pushed sticker prices much higher. Given that, plus surprisingly strong, sustained competition from an aged yet seemingly ageless Ford Mustang, the brand-new Firebird was no sales smash. A slow production ramp-up for the sake of build quality held model-year '93 volume below 15, units.
Yet even when production did hit stride in , sales recovered only to the 50,unit level achieved by the last third-generation cars of Long familiar in Corvettes, it basically "forced" a first-to-fourth upshift under light throttle as an aid to fuel economy -- and to CAFE numbers.
GM refused to build cars that would qualify for the Gas-Guzzler Tax. Purists widely disdained the electronic intrusion, but it was easily avoided with a careful right foot. And its mpg benefit allowed substituting a shorter rear-axle ratio 3. Also appearing in the '94 run was another nostalgic birthday Firebird, the 25th Anniversary Trans Am. The base Firebird wasn't neglected, gaining a bhp 3.
That evergreen engine then replaced the 3. V-8s also got more power for '96, going to bhp standard and to a healthy via a new Ram Air package featuring a big hood air scoop with twin intakes , plus larger tires on five-spoke alloy wheels. In the ponycars, it made bhp, up 20 from the final iron-block LT1; the optional Ram Air package code WS6 upped the count to All '98 Firebirds wore a modest facelift marked by honeycomb-pattern taillights and a slightly shorter, more rounded nose.
A pair of aggressive nasal air slots distinguished Trans Ams -- and Ram-Air cars now had four. Changes for '99 were few but worthwhile. V-8s adopted a more effective Torsen limited-slip differential, traction control was newly available for V-6s, and all models got a slightly larger fuel tank.
Another milestone Trans Am birthday rolled around in Pontiac observed it with a 30th Anniversary Package comprising the WS6 engine, Arctic White paint, more wide blue dorsal striping, unique inch alloy wheels -- and even "Screaming Chicken" decals, albeit much less blatant than in the old days. There was the usual logo-bedecked cockpit, this one with a numbered commemorative plaque on the console.
Production was restricted, of course: "targa" coupes with 65 reserved for Canada , convertibles 35 for up north. Amid all these warm fuzzies, few might have guessed that Firebird had but three years left to live. A new Bonneville arrived for on an improved version of the GM G-car platform that made the Oldsmobile Aurora such a roadable big four-door.
Like the latest GP and Grand Am, Bonneville grew a bit longer in wheelbase, plus a little taller and heavier. Styling turned toward the flamboyant with a more steeply canted windshield, newly downsloped hood, and wheels pushed further toward the corners on slightly wider tracks.
Plastics factories worked overtime to supply more flashy body cladding, and Grand Am-type "speed streaks" popped up everywhere. Powertrains stayed broadly the same, but more internal refinements made the trusty V-6 a tad smoother and quieter still. The updated G-platform, GM's stiffest ever, contributed to a solid, satisfying down-the-road feel. Predictably, the hot-shot SSEi was the subject of most "buff book" reviews, which were generally positive.
Car and Driver clocked in 7. The dashboard was something else. If overdone in some respects, the was clearly a better Bonneville. Buyers initially agreed, lifting model-year sales by some 13 percent from ' As Pontiac expected, the value-priced SE accounted for more than half of Bonneville sales. What Pontiac didn't expect was the steep percent drop in '01 model-year volume to less than 45, units, marginal even for a high-profit full-size. By , Detroit's rumor mill was predicting that Bonneville would not see another redesign, having become too costly to continue and out of step with long-range product plans.
An early debut, it was basically a short-wheelbase Montana reconfigured as an "active lifestyle" vehicle. In line with that, Aztek introduced optional Versatrak all-wheel drive, GM's clever new way of adding four-wheel traction to a front-drive powertrain without adding complexity or weight. Instead of a rear propshaft and extra differentials, an electronically controlled clutch pack at each rear wheel could lock up as needed to redirect torque from the front.
This also brought a bonus in the form of independent rear suspension to replace the twist-beam axle, plus rear disc brakes instead of drums. Antilock brakes were standard, as on Montanas. Still, Aztek wasn't a serious off-roader. Pontiac rightly called it a "sport recreational vehicle," meaning it could haul up to five folks and their gear to activities not very far off the beaten path. Naturally, Aztek drove much like its minivan parent, with adequate acceleration and safe but ponderous handling.
Its biggest attraction was a versatile five-seat interior with many novel touches. Among them was a totable drinks cooler-cum-CD box that locked in between the front seats, and a slide-out cargo-area storage tray that could double as a table for "tailgate" parties or be folded out to make a wheeled cart.
Also available were separate stereo controls and speakers in the cargo bay, washable seat covers, and a camper package with a fitted air mattress and a tent for slipping over the raised rear hatch. Trouble was, these nifty ideas were wrapped in some pretty odd styling. Motor Trend described Aztek as "minivan meets creature from the black lagoon. That's understandable if you're trying to hide its minivan roots, [but] Pontiac has gone to extremes. The overall length was shortened and the rear hatch chopped into a fastback while the hood was raised and sliding doors were replaced with conventional portals…The styling [is] ungainly [despite] hood nostrils that recall the Ram Air look of the Trans Am and enough body cladding for a fleet of surfboards.
Early sales suggested as much. Pontiac planned on moving 60, Azteks every 12 months, but managed just slightly over 38, for the 18 months of the extra-long model year. Beyond questionable styling, some faulted Aztek as too pricey for the younger buyers it targeted.
Pontiac addressed both issues for But the unforgiving public had already branded Aztek an unhip loser, and sales remained at well under half the original projection through Pontiac made more price adjustments and added appealing options including satellite radio, rear DVD entertainment, and a sporty Rally Edition package with lowered suspension and inch wheels. But Aztek couldn't be saved without a total redesign, which wasn't in the cards, so Pontiac gave up after '05 to avoid further embarrassment.
Sales that calendar year: a paltry Firebird seemed beyond saving as the new century opened, but only because buyer tastes had changed.
Ponycars and muscle machines had given way to big-engine trucks and highly tuned "sport compacts" as America's performance icons.
The Chevrolet Camaro was also falling from favor because of this shift, but not the Ford Mustang, which by now outsold the two GM ponycars combined. It was thus no great shock that Firebird and Camaro were terminated after For a time it seemed that neither had a prayer of ever returning, but GM had second thoughts once an all-new Mustang began generating huge buzz and rip-roaring sales.
By early , GM was all but promising a new Camaro in two to three years time -- shades of But there was no mention of a new Firebird. That's because its performance role at Pontiac had already passed to another car, described later. True to its tradition, Firebird did not go quietly. The Formula, for example, celebrated Pontiac's 75th birthday with a like-named package option at mid This option delivered similar gearing and rolling stock, plus a six-speed manual with Hurst-brand shifter and linkage recently added as a stand-alone option.
Also back was the SLP Firehawk, a show-and-go package that Pontiac first cataloged in after securing sales rights from SLP Engineering, an outside company that had been putting more fire in Firebirds for some 10 years. Last but not least was 's tellingly named Collector Edition Trans Am, another ensemble option.
It largely duplicated the 30th Anniversary Package, but wore black accents on bright yellow paint, plus unique wheels and interior trim. With that, Firebird was history. Pontiac's ponycar was tough to lose, but it was strictly a business decision. Times were tough for General Motors and about to get much tougher.
More ominously, GM faced enormous near-term health-care and pension costs not only for its own still-sizable workforce but also the employees at Delphi, the money-losing parts unit spun off in as a quasi-independent concern.
Yet years of withering sales, market share, and stock price had left GM hard-pressed to borrow needed funds, banks having cut its credit rating to undesirable "junk" status.
Fortunately, had ushered in new managers determined to do whatever was needed to restore GM's health. Company veteran G. Richard "Rick" Wagoner, Jr. Wagoner soon moved up to chairman, then took charge of the floundering NAO unit.
In a surprise early days move, he persuaded former Chrysler Corporation president Bob Lutz out of retirement to be GM "product czar," charged with spearheading smash-hit new models -- and avoiding another Aztek. Lutz immediately began dismantling brand management and its bloated, confusing bureaucracy, while putting new emphasis on stand-out styling and scrutinizing the competition with the eye of a "car guy.
Lutz was rewarded for his efforts by being named vice chairman in early Wagoner, meantime, made some wrenching decisions under pressure from restive shareholders and an increasingly impatient GM board. But the drama had just begun. In early , GM said it would lay off some 30, workers and close a dozen North American plants by A few weeks later, the company announced it had found a buyer for a percent share of its profitable financing arm, General Motors Acceptance Corporation GMAC , another divestiture to pad cash reserves against looming disaster.
For a company that once ruled the U. Pontiac's turn of the century record mirrored the deepening crisis. Calendar-year sales, which began wobbling in the s, headed south once the boom economy ended, plunging from more than , cars and trucks in to just under , in Most of the losses naturally came on the car side, which dropped more than 28 percent in those six years from , units to some , What happened? Like most GM brands, Pontiac had lost focus. As Business Week noted in , "Pontiac's recent history has been based on a fabrication.
It markets itself as GM's excitement division while offering a lineup of glammed-up Chevrolets and Buicks that fool no one with their faux sportiness. Bob Lutz swept in vowing to change all that, ordering an end to silliness like plastic cladding and fast-tracking new, "gotta have" models.
But the magazine was skeptical, predicting "it could be years before enough new cars arrive to make a difference. Business Week was right, and real change wasn't evident until At the same time, a genuine sports car arrived, something John DeLorean had lobbied for back in the mids. For example, the little Sunfire and sister Chevy Cavalier would have been all-new for or , but a prototype design bombed with consumer focus groups and was duly shelved. That left the existing Sunfire to carry on with few noteworthy changes.
This engine became standard for , when the sedan and GT left and a lone SE coupe got satellite radio and front side airbags as first-time options. Interestingly, there was no direct replacement for Sunfire in the U. But GM evidently had second thoughts here too, as a Delta-based U. Yet none of this seemed vital when Pontiac already had an appealing small car called Vibe. Beginning sale in as an early '03 model, this compact four-door wagon was close kin to Toyota's new Japan-sourced Matrix.
Basic engineering came from Toyota's latest Corolla subcompact sedan. Pontiac influenced the styling. All models used four-cylinder 1. The base Vibe offered front-wheel drive and bhp or all-wheel drive and bhp. A sporty GT came with bhp later , front-drive, and six-speed manual gearbox. Other models listed five-speed manual and optional four-speed automatic. Vibe was noisy but fun to drive. It was practical, too, with a versatile interior and good people space, thanks to a high-profile body.
Though younger buyers tended to favor Matrix for the many virtues associated with Toyotas, Pontiac's version was quite popular.
Bonneville sales, by contrast, were stuck in reverse, suffering more double-digit losses in calendar -- hence the above-mentioned rumors of the model's imminent demise. But the big front-driver had a final fling with the GXP, the first V-8 Bonneville in nearly two decades. A mid replacement for the supercharged V-6 SSEi, it targeted fancy V-8 European sports sedans with a bhp version of Cadillac's ever-impressive 4. Yet for all this, the GXP didn't feel very different from the SSEi, and everyone knew "real" sports sedans had rear-wheel or all-wheel drive -- and a more prestigious badge.
But it was all academic. GM had already signed Bonneville's death warrant. Montana got a reprieve through a makeover. It didn't. Instead, sales fell sharply despite some nice new interior touches, added safety features, a larger V-6, and little-changed prices.
There were two problems. First, SV6 was just more old wine in another new bottle, obviously built to GM's basic minivan design. Second, there were more wine bottles on the corporate shelf, with a new Buick Terraza and Saturn Relay joining a renamed Chevrolet Uplander.
As differences among the four were superficial, this was '80s-style "badge engineering," and it still didn't work. In fact, demand was so weak that just a year after launch, Pontiac said SV6 would bow out early, probably by The entire exercise was likely a write-off, money GM could ill-afford to squander.
More badge engineering produced a nicer midsize Pontiac crossover, the Torrent. Replacing Aztek, this was a somewhat sportier rendition of Chevrolet's popular Equinox wagon, though differences here, too, were mostly skin deep. Still, Torrent quickly drew a fair number of new customers to Pontiac dealers, who'd been pleading to get in on the fast-rising sales action for untrucky SUVs. How it ultimately fares still remains to be seen, but Pontiac needed sales help as this article was written, and Torrent provided timely assistance.
Pontiac's midsize car gave up little sales ground despite take-no-prisoners competition and GM's mounting troubles. The vintage-'97 Grand Prix drew some , calendar-year orders from through , then got a heavy makeover to stay at roughly that level -- a modest feat in the old days, but now a cause for rejoicing at embattled fortress GM. Such cars might be minor collector's items in the far-distant future, but they may not. Grand Prix gave up coupes for -- a first for this Pontiac -- but sales had been waning for years.
There was little other news that season, which was shortened anyway. The remodeled '04s were ready. Remodeled they were: purged of plastic paneling and given a more rakish sedan roofline imparting coupelike sportiness in concert with a dramatic beltline upsweep at the rear doors.
The overall look was curvier and more sculpted, emphasized by deeper fascias, slightly pinched nose and deck contours, and larger headlamps and taillights. The dashboard was naturally redone too, and became much more driver friendly, with an orderly layout and large, legible gauges. Hard to believe that beneath this new finery lurked the basic W-body platform first seen in the late s. Powerteams, alas, were not new, with a hp 3. This aimed at maximum driver involvement with a specially calibrated "Stabilitrak Sport" antiskid system, power steering whose assist varied with cornering force as well as straightline speed, numerically higher final drive for quicker takeoffs, plus higher-speed tires and performance suspension tuning.
Car and Driver judged the redesign underdone in some ways, overdone in others, but liked the Comp G's lively acceleration -- 6. Steering feel wasn't the best, but adept road manners compensated. Though lesser GPs were less impressive, the general view was that Pontiac had done a remarkable job of bringing its elderly W-car up to twenty-first-century standards. But Grand Prix delivers good performance, a comfortable ride, cargo versatility, and plenty of features.
More features arrived as options: a remote engine-start system operable from the door-lock keyfob -- great for pretrip wintertime warm-ups -- plus an onboard navigation system an industrywide must by now and dual-zone automatic climate control. This packed a 5. Horsepower was listed at , and the number rang true. Car and Driver clocked just 5.
It still had a blown V-6, but a Comp G option was nowhere in sight. Unusually, the GXP also included inch wheels with tires that were wider at the front -- deemed necessary for putting the V-8's power down effectively. Aside from rear-wheel drive and thumping V-8 power, it shared nothing with the legendary "Goats" of yore, being an Americanized version of the four-seat Holden Monaro coupe at GM's Australian branch. Bob Lutz had taken a close look at the Monaro and decided it was just the thing to liven up Pontiac's image and sales.
And with Firebird recently deceased, what better name for a new performance Poncho in the classic mold? About the only changes needed were a twin-port Pontiac face, plus a better-protected fuel tank and other adjustments to satisfy U. The new GTO wasn't that new. But Americans were generally unaware of this lineage, and it didn't matter anyway. In all respects but two, the Australian-built GTO lived up to its hallowed name.
It was rather large for a new-century intermediate, standing Curb weight was a burly pounds, but that was no strain for the mandatory 5. Suspension was coil-spring independent with front struts, rear semitrailing arms and stout antiroll bars, all specially tuned.
Traction control was also standard, but no antiskid system was offered, nor were side airbags. In all, the reborn GTO was, a high-performance bargain. Acceleration was predictably vivid. Yet this was no cart-sprung, limp-wristed rocket that went to pieces on twisty roads. On the contrary, the new GTO provided assured Euro-style handling with little cornering lean, fine grip -- 0. In fact, this car felt like a posh big BMW coupe that played a '60s-style Detroit soundtrack.
With all this, the new GTO couldn't miss, yet it did. For those old enough to remember the originals and even for some critics, this reincarnation was just too quiet, too comfortable, too cultured to be a bona fide American performance car. And most everyone thought the styling was nowhere -- "Lusty performance disguised in a phone-company fleet car," as Car and Driver huffed.
Even Jim Wangers, who'd helped father the first GTO and generally liked the new one, had reservations. According to GM, [that] would have interrupted the airflow, which would mean [costly] certification on its own [with the EPA].
Somebody said, 'We were thinking of putting a decal hood scoop on it,' which would be flat. That would be asking for criticism. The criticism was abundant enough, and Pontiac strained to move fewer than 14, GTOs from the autumn '03 launch through calendar '04, a bummer given an 18, per-annum target.
Hefty rebates were applied mere weeks after introduction, but they didn't work. For all his global industry experience and undoubted taste, Lutz had misread the market. Not so Pontiac's old friend SLP Engineering, which in late announced a trio of "tuner" kits with , , or bhp, plus a twin-scoop hood and other visual testosterone added. Answering the chorus of complaints, Pontiac gave the GTO not one hood scoop but two.
They didn't connect to a power-boosting Ram Air setup, but they did help cool a more potent V the 6. Outputs rose to bhp and pound-feet, numbers that also applied with the scoopless engine lid available as a no-cost option. The bigger engine trimmed a few tenths from acceleration times but did nothing for sales, which dropped below 11, for the calendar year. The edition was unchanged save a few cosmetic details and newly optional inch wheels. Demand remained sluggish and higher gas prices didn't help.
By that point, planners were eyeing a new Holden-developed platform intended for a variety of future rear-drive cars, giving hope that GTO will rise again, perhaps sharing underpinnings with a new Camaro. The compact Grand Am departed after and four final years of declining sales.
Changes in this period were remedial. Body cladding, which Pontiac once thought oh-so European, began fading away for , when a bhp 2. The '04s were virtual reruns. Grand Am's replacement began sale in mid with a pair of sedans called G6.
The name change was meant to signal a complete break with Pontiac's compact-car past, and the G6 was precisely that, being large enough to qualify as a midsize. Pontiac went its own way with GM's global front-drive Epsilon platform, putting G6s on the longer-wheelbase version recently introduced with Chevrolet's hatchback Malibu Maxx "extended sedan.
At least it was different. G6 rolled in with base and uplevel GT sedans using a bhp 3. A GT coupe was added for the formal '06 selling season.
It seemed to get slightly quieter for a little bit but then louder again. After changing the fluid the sound went away almost immediately. I went to do circles and after about 3 turns the noise got quieter and is now all but gone. So at least for me the synchromax did not work but the versatrak worked great, I was really getting afraid that my RDM was shot. I was able to get the 4 pints technically its about 2. There are several other places online to get it for about the same depending on your shipping cost.
Just make sure to search by part number as searching by name will result in nothing found on many of the sites. The part number is It was very easy to change using the pint size bottles as you could just pour the fluid right into the RDM whereas with the quart size synchromax I had to rig up a long tube because it was too big to pour into the fill hole.
Note I did not flush with versatrak and then refill as I kind of figured the synchromax would work for the flushing. I've always wished I had the AWD but not anymore! What does everything think of using RP Synchromax as the flush liquid, then going back to Versatrak fluid in their Rendezvous rear diff? So, drain current bad fluid, refill with Synchromax, drive tight turns as recommended, back up on lift, drain out Synchromax, refill with Versatrak fluid.
Good idea to save a buck? Pastorjj Buick Newbie. How do you make it 2wd instead of the AWD? Is this an option if the rear differential should fail? Would it just be a matter of disconnecting certain parts or would you need to replace the entire system? Did you find a way to bypass the awd? No one has found an acceptable alternative? Where do you buy accessories for your Buick?
Right here in the forum store! Looking to update and upgrade your Buick luxury automobile?
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