Pontiac Bonneville

Bonneville has been one of Pontiac's most enduring names, appearing as a luxury convertible late in the 1957 model year and remaining in showrooms today as the division's top-of-the-line sedan. It was presumably named after the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, site of much early auto racing and most of the world's land speed record runs.

Early Development

The Bonneville expanded to include a coupe in 1958, and it paced the Indianapolis 500 that year. In its third season, the '59 Bonneville gained a four-door body and formed a nearly complete product line in itself. It played an important part that year in the introduction of two of John De Lorean's greatest marketing inspirations—the split grille and the Wide Track slogan. The latter was not just ad copy, either, as Pontiac pushed its wheels further out toward the fenders than anyone else and created what were considered to be the best-cornering full-size cars in the industry. Both the grille design and the Wide Track phrase are still part of Pontiac's image today. Bonneville remained Pontiac's costliest and most luxurious model throughout the 60's.

Later Ups & Downs

From '71 to '76, the Bonneville was de-emphasized somewhat as Pontiac used the Grand Ville name for its highest-price model, but Bonneville never went away and re-emerged in the top spot when the lineup was downsized in '77. Oddly, something similar happened a few years later, when in '82 Pontiac abruptly discontinued the full-size Bonneville and used the name instead on the smaller car that had previously been the Pontiac LeMans. Customers did not take to the change, so (confusingly) the old Bonneville body was brought back to head the lineup under the Parisienne name, which was borrowed from Pontiac's Canadian operation. For several years, then, the Bonny was again playing second fiddle. However, exactly as before, a downsizing proved its salvation, and in '87 the Parisienne vanished and the new, front-drive, top-of-the-line Pontiac carried the Bonneville name, a situation that remains today.

Return of the V-8

Interestingly, the Bonneville regained a V-8 option in its GXP model for 2004, its first since '86, probably as a result of the disappearance of the Oldsmobile Aurora. This opened up a "hole" in the GM lineup between Pontiac and Buick, allowing the senior Pontiac room to expand upmarket a little. The engine is Cadillac's Northstar, and as Pontiac's website says, "With GXP, V8 power gets reintroduced into the Bonneville line in the form of the world-renowned 4.6 L Northstar V8 engine. 275 hp (205 kW), 300 lb-ft (400 Nm) torque and 0-60 mph (~0 to 100 km/h) in 6.5 seconds demonstrates better performance than BMW 330i and 530i, and Lexus ES. Its 3.7:1 final drive ratio is the most aggressive found on any car in its class."

External Links

'58 Coupe site

Note the extravagant side trim--the simulated rocket exhaust and four starbursts. Most Pontiacs had fewer starbursts, and no others had the rocket.