Pontiac is one of the most well-known American car companies of all time. The company has been around since the late 1920s and its time on the market end in 2010 when General Motors made the difficult decision to put an end to the Pontiac name. This was due to the lack of profitability in the later years of the company as well as GM’s impending bankruptcy, which occurred mere months after Pontiac was discontinued.
With its 85 years in the market, Pontiac produced several well-known rides. They made the GTO, the Pontiac Firebird is a legend, and then there is also the Bonneville. The Pontiac Bonneville, although mostly known as a full-size car, got its start as a limited production convertible for the Star Chef in 1957.
From there, there were an astounding 10 generations of the Pontiac Bonneville. This car is remembered for several things. It has often been seen as a family car, during its years on the market it was one of Pontiac’s most reliable options, and it truly changed with the times.
Here is the evolution of the Pontiac Bonneville.
The Pontiac Bonneville: The First-Generation Represented A Turning Point
The first model of the Pontiac Bonneville arrived in 1958. Upon its release, the car was promoted as GM’s “boldest advance in 50 years”. During this time, car companies were trying to find ways to stand out from the crowd, and a car’s design is perhaps the easiest way to do so when it comes to changes. However, many people disliked the design of this first model. They felt that earlier General Motors cars had a cleaner look. However, that didn’t stop the first generation of the Bonneville from spawning later and more innovative models.
According to Carsmind, the first-gen Bonneville was powered by a 6.1-liter V8 engine that produces a max horsepower of 296 at 5000 RPM. It has a torque of 376 lb-ft at 3000 rpm. This car has a top speed of 118 miles per hour, and it can accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 11.8 seconds.
This is a front-wheel-drive vehicle, and it can sit up to five people. It came in the trimmed coupe and convertible models that truly defined the late '50s/early '60s style of cars.
The Pontiac Bonneville: The Second-Generation Added Options
For the second generation of the Pontiac Bonneville, the company added a few options. Now, customers could also choose between a hardtop sedan and a Safari station wagon for body styles. This generation of the Bonneville also ushered in some of the company's best marketing inspirations. There was the Wide Track as well as the famous split grille.
In terms of general specs, the 1959 Pontiac Bonneville two-door hardtop is powered by a 389 CID V8 engine. This powerhouse produces a max power of 300 at 4,600 rpm and a torque of 420 at 2,800 rpm, according to heacockclassic.com. The transmission used in this car is a HydraMatic.
This new model improved upon the speed of the first model. It can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in only 8.2 seconds. The 1959 model was extremely popular and helped cement Pontiac’s name in a changing market.
The Pontiac Bonneville: Things Began To Change With The Fifth Generation
The Pontiac Bonneville continued to enjoy immense success on the car market. However, by 1971, the company was beginning to focus on other cars. The Bonneville was no longer at the top of Pontiac’s list, now, it was the new kid on the block known as the Pontiac Grand Ville.
With this new generation, the Pontiac was offered in three body styles. There was the pillared 4-door sedan, the 4-door hardtop sedan, as well as a 2-door hardtop coupe.
The 1971 Pontiac Bonneville 4-door hardtop is powered by a 455.8 CUI engine with a max horsepower of 280 and a torque of 455. It has a manual 3-speed transmission and a top speed of 121.
The Pontiac Bonneville: Moving Into The Future With The 9th & 10th Generations
Although the company made changes before the 9th generation, the Pontiac Bonneville really evolved in the 1990s. Of course, each generation of this car was reflective of its respective era, but these are the two generations that truly introduced it to a modern audience.
The 9th Gen started with the 1991 model. It wasn’t pretty, but it was powered by a hefty 3.8-liter V6 and a 4-speed automatic transmission. This front-wheel-drive ride has a max horsepower of 165 at 4,800 and a torque of 210 ft-lbs at 2,000 RPM.
In terms of 0 to 60 mph acceleration times, it takes only 9.3 seconds.
Now, fast-forward a bit to the year 2000. This was the start of not only the final generation, but also the year the Bonneville was completely redesigned. Not only in terms of its outward appearance, but also in terms of technology and engineering. In fact, it was called “luxury with attitude”. It should also be noted that one of the trims for the new Bonneville included a V8 option, this was the first time since 1986.
The final model of the Bonneville was released for the 2005 model year. As you can imagine, with its discontinuation, the Bonneville was not super successful for its last few years on the market. There were many more options for drivers to choose from, and some viewed the Bonneville as more of a relic than an actual option for a new car.
Despite this, the Pontiac Bonneville is still well regarded today. It may not have been the fastest ride on the market or even the most aesthetically pleasing during some of its generations, but it was always a solid option in all the ways that count. Also, how sad is it that the company couldn’t keep the car in production for just a couple more years for it to end with the company.