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The Pontiac motor car company
This section provides access to the cars and
autos manufactured under the name of the
Pontiac motor car company. An online guide for auto
enthusiasts covering old and new cars and autos. If you
like car talk then you will love this website! A free, online resource with facts and company information about the cars and autos made by the Pontiac motor
car company.
Founding of the Pontiac motor car company
In which year was the company founded? The
Pontiac Motor Car Company was founded in 1926,
it was a division of General Motors' Oakland.
The success of Pontiac succeeded that of General
Motors fairly quickly. It became a companion
brand for Chevrolet. Pontiac specialized in the
production of performance cars. General Motors
sold Pontiac in Canada, the United States of
America and Mexico until 2010 when they faced
financial difficulties and ceased production of
Pontiacs.
History of Pontiac motor car company
The following
company information and history timeline details
the dates of major events which influenced the
growth of the business.
1926 -
1942 The Pontiac Motor Car Company was
founded - a division of General Motors' Oakland.
Sales of Pontiac cars quickly succeeded those of
GM's. Production of Oakland ended in 1932,
however, Pontiac proved to be a success and
continued its production. Pontiac began with the
production of the Pontiac Chief which proved to
be successful and soon became one of the
six top selling vehicles in the United States of
America. Following the manufacturer of The
Chief, came other models such as the Buick which
was built with the torpedo body. This unique
body type drew attention as the torpedo was a
remarkable feature as the front half of the
vehicle's body opened by pressing a button,
revealing the front seat interior and the car's
engine! The final civilian motor produced in the
U.S. during the Second World War was a Pontiac,
it was manufactured 2nd Feb, 1942. Pontiac
produced performance cars that despite not
always being overly powerful, they were quiet
and of sound build and structure. The cars of
these years were designed with six cylinder
engines and eight cylinder engines.
1946-1948
Pontiac continued to produce new cars, however,
the design and appearance didn't change
significantly. Models such as the Streamliners
and Torpedoes were beginning to look a little
dated. Sales increased with the introduction of
the hydra-matic automatic transmission in 1948.
1949 -
1954 Pontiac made changes and updated their
vehicles. During this period the Torpedo and
Streamliner was replaced. New models included
the Chieftain line, the Catalina coupe and the
Star Chief. The new cars came with improved
style, lower body lines and rear fenders.
1955-1960
Major improvements were made to the design
of Pontiac cars which resulted in the increase
of sales, this period saw the introduction
of the V-8 engine, new bodies and chassis. A new
general manager was appointed by the name of
Semon Bunkie Knudsen who focused on the image of
Pontiac. The Bonneville was produced, this
convertible car was designed with the use of a
fuel injected engine. Pontiac lost the Indian
Motif in 1958 and introduced the Arrowhead
emblem in 1959. Pontiac renamed their Chieftain
line Catalina.
1961-1970
New chassis was introduced - the perimeter
frame chassis which was used for Pontiac's
full-size models. The car company continued to
produce new models including the Skylark, Buick
Special, Cutlass, Oldsmobile F-85 and LeMans.
They produced a range of smaller and lighter car
models.
1970-1982
Pontiac produced the Grand Ville which
replaced the Bonneville. This design provided
luxury at an affordable rate. Martin J. Caserio
became the new general manager in 1972. He
concentrated more on the sales side as opposed
to the performance of the vehicles. This was an
important time in the car industry as safety,
economy, luxury and comfort were fast becoming
priorities to the consumer.
1982-1988
The wedge shaped Firebird and J2000
(Sunbird) were produced in 1982. The reputation
and popularity of the Firebird was influenced by
famous television programs & films such as
Smokey and the Bandid and Knight Rider.
The Sunbird was the first convertible car
designed by Pontiac within a 9 year period. 1984
saw the introduction of a two seater coupe named
the Fiero providing the driver with performance
and a fantastic driving experience at an
affordable cost. The 1980's produced many
changes, upgrades and improvements to the
Pontiac range.
1989-1997
Pontiac had by this time changed their cars to
front wheel drive platforms - all except the
Fiero and the Firebird. Sales continued at a
smooth pace. Major changes were not made during
this period as many had been made during the
80s. During these years, the light truck,
minivan, Trans Sport and Sunfire were
introduced.
1997-2004
Pontiac made improvements to the Grand Prix,
Minivan and Firebird - improving style,
appearance and performance.
2005-2010
Following almost fifty years of production,
the Bonneville line was stopped, this was
followed by the Sunfire and later the end of
production for the Grand Prix. The final Pontiac
was built in 2009. General Motors discontinued
the production of Pontiac brands in 2010.
What models and types of cars and automobiles
does the Pontiac motor car company produce?
The models and types of cars and automobiles
produced by the company include those detailed
on the following list. Whether you enjoy
comparing cars and autos, want to conduct some
research before you buy a new car or a used car
or finally an automobile enthusiast who loves
fast, cool, new, old, vintage, classic, antique,
sports, top, muscle or exotic cars we have the
info you are searching for! Select the
automobile you are interested in and click the
link for access to an online overview of this
Pontiac vehicle with car guides, online facts,
information, statistics, specs, specifications,
design details and ratings of cars and autos.
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