In , Alfred R. The quality six-cylinder engine cars designed to sell for the price of a four. The automobile became an instant success and Pontiac had been born. Pontiac had problems carving out its niche among the other General Motors brands.
However, many believe they did a better job than the rocket line of automobiles from Oldsmobile. In America, they marketed Pontiac as the affordable and sporty division of GM. In Canada, the automobile line sold well as a wise economic choice without sacrificing power.
However, Pontiac did outperform Oldsmobile and Buick for most of the 50s. As the muscle car wars heated up through the 60s and 70s Pontiac held its ground with powerful automobiles like the Tempest, GTO, Firebird and Trans Am. If you needed a car with room for the whole family, yet capable of getting out of its own way, Pontiac had you covered with the Lemans, Catalina and the Bonneville.
When American car companies found it necessary to reduce compression ratios, so the automobiles could meet stricter emission requirements and burn unleaded fuels, Pontiac struggled a little more than other GM brands. It's hard to say your car represents power and value when these things are no longer true. Through , the Pontiac Firebird Trans Am hood decal got bigger each year. Unfortunately, the engine was getting smaller and developing less horsepower.
The s would represent a dark period of time for all of GM. The success of this first model which sold in record numbers spawned the next six-cylinder car, the Pontiac Big Six in , so named because of the increased displacement and horsepower.
They set their eyes on a more younger market,and tried to capture their attention with faster, better looking cars such as the Torpedo Deluxe 8 and the Chieftain Super Deluxe which also came in coupe versions. A thing also worth mentioning is the fact that Pontiac was the first to offer engine options for the same car to the customer. But the first defining model for Pontiac was the Boneville, the one who introduced the fin design that would define a whole era of American cars.
Among American cars manufacturers, the Pontiac was now seen as a car that was flashy like a Chevrolet but reliable and cheap like an Oldsmobile or a Buick. From then on, the 60s was going to be all about going as fast as you can with the biggest engine possible. Can you think of other brands that were named after famous historical figures?
Comment below! Travis McDonald is a professional freelance writer who creates content for a wide variety of clients. Your email address will not be published. Why is it Called Pontiac?
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