1999 Pontiac Grand Prix Gt Coupe 2-door 3.8l on 2040-cars

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Junkyard Gem: 2007 Saturn Sky

The Pontiac Division didn't have long to live when the Solstice first appeared in 2005 as a 2006 model, and Saturn's head was inching toward the chopping block at about the same rate. Still, optimism reigned — at least, it did until the global economy fell apart — and so Saturn Dealers got a rebadged version of the Solstice to sell: the Sky. Available for just the 2007 through 2010 model years, slightly more than 34,000 Skies rolled out of showrooms before the doors were nailed shut. Here's one of those rare cars, found in a Denver-area self-service yard a few weeks ago. I've found a handful of discarded Solstices in car graveyards during the past few years, mostly with crash damage. This Sky endured a medium-hard impact in the right front corner, which sent it to this place. The 177-horsepower, 2.4-liter Ecotec still resides under the battered hood. The Sky Redline version had a turbocharged engine rated at 260 horses; we can assume that such an engine would be yanked and purchased by the first junkyard shopper that realized what it was. The base transmission in the Sky was an Aisin five-speed manual, but this car has the optional five-speed automatic.  The Sky had its own nose and some different badging, but otherwise didn't differ much from the Solstice.  For the South Korean market, the Sky got Daewoo G2X badges and was advertised as the ideal vehicle for high-speed chases through Seoul traffic. The same car went to Europe as the Opel GT. Sadly, GM ran out of money to make right-hand-drive Skies, so we never got to witness Holden or Vauxhall versions. Here's Bob Lutz describing the new Sky. Lutz really hated car names molded into plastic bumper covers, so he takes great care here to describe the genuine glued-on emblems. Related Video:

Detroit City Council vetoes Autorama stunt, objects to Confederate flag

Detroit's Autorama hot rod show will stage its 67th annual event next month, and wants to kick off with Burt Reynolds tribute. The plan is to re-create the Mulberry Bridge jump from " Smokey and the Bandit" using a movie-correct 1977 Pontiac Trans Am. But the Detroit City Council voted 7-1 to prohibit the jump. Why? Because the Trans Am's front license plate holder displays the former Georgia state flag, a portion of which is the Confederate national flag, and the city council doesn't like that. In the movie, Bo "Bandit" Darville was a Georgia driving legend, and the flag on the car was Georgia's flag at the time. Councilman Scott Benson laid out the council's position when he said that the car "still proudly flies a Confederate flag, which is a symbol of oppression, slavery, as well as home-bred American terrorism. So this body said we are not going to support that type of symbolism nor the audacity to support that type of activity in the city of Detroit." It seems part of the council's ire comes from the same event two years ago. A stunt group called the Northeast Ohio Dukes re-created a "Dukes of Hazzard" jump in 2017 using a series-correct 1969 Dodge Charger, complete with a Confederate flag on the roof. Benson said the stunt group "expressly said they would not display that [Confederate flag] symbol during the jump." Not only was it displayed, but when driver Raymond Kohn gave interviews after the jump, his driving suit featured the Stainless Banner on the collar. Seems the council has been grinding its axe in silence for two years. Now Benson accuses Autorama of "a history of supporting images and symbols of racism, oppression, and white supremacy." Autorama is certain to take place March 1-3 at Cobo Center. This year's show will have around 800 cars on display, along with a special exhibit of 17 low riders and a Batmobile built by Flint native Carl Casper. Even if the Bandit car doesn't make the jump, the Trans Am and other memorabilia from the film will be there. A spokeswoman for Autorama said, "We are continuing to work to try to resolve this with the city." Related Video: News Source: Detroit News Auto News Government/Legal TV/Movies Pontiac Convertible Classics Detroit pontiac trans am smokey and the bandit

Destiny: General Motors should bring back Pontiac

Despite having officially left the market in 2010, the Pontiac badge is still a common sight on roadways throughout the United States. Towards the end of its life, Pontiac models were largely rebadged versions of other General Motors vehicles, like the Pontiac G5 and Chevrolet Cobalt. It's sad, but there's no other way to put it; Pontiac was a mere shadow of its former self at the time of its death. Now it's time to revive the legendary brand. General Motors announced it would be reviving the Redline series, a package that originated with Saturn, another dead brand, earlier this year. Some models, like the Chevrolet Camaro will receive unique cosmetic touches designed to make it look even sportier, something Pontiac excelled at in most cases. Gas prices have fallen dramatically in the past few years and consumers have taken notice. Sales of fuel efficient cars, like hybrids and compact sedans, aren't increasing at the same rate as larger, less efficient vehicles, like trucks and SUVs. Muscle cars, like the Ford Mustang, are seeing increasing sales as well. Perhaps it's time to revive Pontiac and restore the marque to its former glory: a brand that brought performance and style at an affordable price. There are currently few manufacturers that offer a true challenge to high-performance automakers like BMW. The German brand continues to see high sales year after year and performance has a lot to do with it. Brand recognition, namely through the BMW badge, plays a major role as well. Pontiac, arguably one of the most well-known brands to ever grace the industry, can match both factors with ease. Pontiac was once revered as a brand that revolutionized the muscle car segment in the 1970s and 1980s. It still has a lively following throughout enthusiast spheres and amongst drivers of all ages to this day. Reviving the brand with a small line of high-performance vehicles would certainly offer a challenge to dominating German brands. A small lineup of affordable vehicles bearing the Pontiac badge and designed for performance and style would certainly make waves in the current market. Reviving a few older nameplates, such as the GTO and Trans Am, would offer nostalgic appeal. Packing both models with a powerful entry-level engine, say the Camaro's turbocharged four-cylinder or V6 engine, would open up the market considerably.