Even though the Grand Am didn’t do well in sales from 1973 to 1975, Pontiac tried again from 1978 to 1980 to blend European handling with American muscle. The second try was more interesting, but not nearly as well received. The second-generation Grand Am was based on a smaller version of the A-body LeMans. It had unique front and back bodywork, interior parts from the Grand Prix, and many improvements to the suspension. Not even 10% of the 4021 Grand Am coupes made in 1979 had four speeds. Consequently, survivors of any kind are becoming increasingly rare. People who like Pontiac Grand Ams usually split into two groups: those who like the much more popular front-drive cars from 1985 to 2005 and those who like the curved “colonnade” look, tight handling, and huge V-8s of the original model from 1973 to 1975. However, there is another Grand Am that should be talked about or seen more often, even though it was one of the most exciting cars when it was new: the second-generation model, which was made from 1978 to 1980. There’s no doubt that this 1979 Pontiac Grand Am coupe is one of the most beautiful of the second-generation cars, however, it also serves as a reminder of why you may have forgotten about or never heard of it, bring A Trailer is part of Hearst Autos, just like Invoice Pricing. In three years, Pontiac only sold 18,141 of these, and four-speed cars are very uncommon. There were only 400 of these made, and you could only get one in 1979. People did not buy the second-generation Grand Am, but that does not mean it is a bad car. We tried one in 1980 and found that Pontiac had gone above and beyond to turn GM’s practical A-body chassis for family cars into a very enjoyable sports sedan. To put it simply, it didn’t feel like the right vehicle for the viewers or the situation. An engineer at Pontiac named Bill Collins Jr. came up with the idea for the first Grand Am. It was meant to be a mix of the sportiness of the Trans Am and the grandeur of the Grand Prix. Collins was thrilled when he hired a BMW 3.0 S at the Opel headquarters in Germany. He thought that giving Pontiacs driving like BMWs was a natural next step in their performance goal since the division needed new ways to get people excited as muscle cars lost popularity. Why the smooth plastic “Endura” fascias on the 1973 Grand Am? It was meant to combine the flash and anger of the GTO with the agility of the BMW. Even though it got good reviews and 43,000 were sold in 1973, the first 12-mpg Grand Am was finally taken off the market because of the OPEC crisis and the fact that it cost 30% more than its LeMans brother. Even though it ended in 1975, Pontiac stuck with the idea because it took time for the company to find a new identity in the age of Broughams and pollution rules. The shrinking of the GM A-body that happened in 1978 made it possible for a comeback. The second-generation Grand Am was based on the idea of a thin, “Euro-style sports sedan” that is easy to drive. It was 800 pounds lighter and one foot shorter than the first-generation Grand Am. The Grand Am was really fun to drive thanks to its unique handling, but Pontiac’s 301-cubic-inch V-8 engine, which was the only one available in 1978 and was in most cars, could have been better. It only made 155 horsepower. It was made with strong springs, heavy anti-roll bars, quick steering, and special shocks that were tuned to give it smooth turns and quick responses while keeping the ride quality high. Not only did the Grand Am compete with too many other Pontiacs, but it also looked too American for car fans in Europe. We didn’t think of things as “subtle” back in the Brougham era, and the new Grand Am had “endura” fascias on a LeMans body, but they were less obvious than on the first one. Still, the Grand Am cost 10 to 20% more than a LeMans and was about the same price as a Grand Prix LJ or a V-8 Firebird Esprit at the same shop. In 1979, Pontiac lowered costs, added a four-speed option, and made an even cheaper model with a Buick 231-cubic-inch V-6 engine, but nothing else changed. There were 10,608 cars sold in 1978, but only 5,868 in 1979, and only 1647 in 1980. Pontiac stopped making the four-door, manual, and V-6 cars. The only one left is the V-8 coupe with an automatic transmission. What buyers didn’t see at the time, though, is now a great deal. You won’t see another one of these cars, let alone one with four speeds. But they are rare. The style is now sleek and powerful, even if it was too simple back then. The rare Pontiac Rally IV wheels look great with it. Even though it’s not very common, it’s an easy car to own. Most of these Grand Ams were used and thrown away years ago because they are reliable, work, and have easy mechanics. It might be hard to find body parts and trim, but everything else is easy. They could be faster, but they are easy to change to fit the current flow, which includes bone stock. The best thing about them is that they’ve never sold for a lot of money. This one might be because it has only 66,000 kilometers on it, works well, and looks great. The auction ends on August 22 if you want to buy a one-of-a-kind muscle machine that likes twisting routes.
