"Forgotten" may not be the right term for the Pontiac Astre because that implies that someone knew about it in the first place. And you wouldn't be alone if this is the first time you have seen the name Astre in print as it was a short-lived economy machine that made no discernable difference in the automotive world.
However, as being a senator requires you to vote for things you very much disagree with, being a self-proclaimed car enthusiast demands that you learn about automobiles that weren't sought after.
Your first assignment will be the Pontiac Astre, a GM product that made its debut in 1973 in Canada and slowly (literally) made its way into the U.S. market by 1975.
Cars from the 1970s, like the Astre, marked a pivotal time in the American automotive market. Moving away were the gas-chugging V8s and badass muscle coupes, and coming to town were malaise-era, square-bodied family cars that both looked nothing like their predecessors and performed substantially worse than the cars of the previous decade.
But, as is apparent, these automobiles are a part of America's economic history, giving the curious car enthusiast a reason to find out what it costs today and how it stacks up against period-correct competitors.
The Astre Is A Simple Car With Simple Roots
Pontiac was a subsidiary of General Motors until it went under in 2009, likely due to its lack of sales and the big automotive crisis at the time. Regardless, parent companies like GM have forever used their developed platforms in their subsidiary brands. The Astre was one of these blueprint-copied cars.
It was based on the almost identical-looking Chevrolet Vega, a car that became very popular for its intended economic purposes and stylish, Camaro-esque looks as well as its generally terrible performance and safety. The blanket of the Vega's popularity covered the Astre and is why most don't know the name. But while the Astre is essentially a Chevy Vega with a tucked-in shirt and cufflinks, it had some very memorable characteristics.
Most notably was the wagon trim of the Astre going by the Pontiac term "Safari". Similar to the Safari was the panel van version that is simply much too cool to be allowed. Besides these two hot little wagons came the regular hatchback and Coupe versions that resembled the classic Vega.
The little Pontiac came from the factory first with a wimp of a 2.3-liter inline-4 making somewhere around 80 hp on the high end. Connected to the four-banger was a standard three-speed manual floor shift transmission but could be upgraded to either a four-speed floor shift or three-speed automatic.
In 1977, the Astre received a much-needed upgrade, the GM Iron Duke four-cylinder. The optional cast-iron block Iron Duke four-cylinder brought horsepower ratings up to a diabolical 90 ponies and could even be mated to the five-speed manual transmission introduced the year prior.
What Does The Pontiac Astre Cost Today?
Some perspective, as ordered. When the Astre debuted in the U.S. in the mid-'70s, it had three main base prices: $2,841 for the Coupe, $2,954 for the hatchback, and a rightful premium of $3,071 for the stylish wagon versions, according to Hagerty.
You may not be surprised to hear that finding a current market price for a Pontiac Astre is harder than explaining quantum mechanics to Patrick Star; however, the internet is boundless, and based on independent research, a 1975-76' Pontiac Astre has a retail value of around $1,200.
To the three Pontiac Astre fans who are offended by this number, obviously, this isn't a market price, meaning the right car for the right buyer could go way up from that comically low price figure. Based on similar, less desirable economy cars from the 1970s like the Ford Pinto, the Pontiac Astre may be able to fetch anywhere from $2,000-$4,500 on the low end and up to around the $8,000 mark at the higher end for the right enthusiast.
A survivor example with the Safari body, Iron Duke motor, and a five-speed manual with the wood paneling trim options could certainly sell for even higher for the perfect buyer, as well as the special appearance package Li'l Wide Track version. However, an Astre like this has yet to be sold through online auction platforms like Bring A Trailer.
That isn't to say a hot V8-swapped pro-touring or restomod Astre couldn't make the rounds on the internet and go for a crazy price. And if an Astre owner wanted more performance but remains loyal to the four-cylinder life, they could swap in a Honda K-series engine and soil the pants of every unsuspecting WRX they encounter.
The Pontiac Astre will likely never be a desired classic or champion of the aftermarket like the Vega, but it most certainly falls under the category of "so bad that it's cool," and there is nothing wrong with that. Plus, it comes as a manual wagon for dirt cheap. Getting any ideas, LS-swap fanatics?