It entered the production lineup as a high-performance, fuel-injected luxury convertible within the Star Chief line in the 1957 model year and was loaded with every conceivable option as standard equipment with the exception of optional air conditioning. This put the Bonneville in a Cadillac-like price range of $5,000 - more than double the base price of a Chieftain four-door sedan. A fully equipped Bonneville could cost more than a Cadillac. Only 630 units were produced that first year, making it one of the most collectible Pontiacs of all time. The following year it would become its own separate model. The Pontiac Bonneville was one of the largest and heaviest Pontiacs ever built. The 348hp, 389 Tri-Power, four-speed Bonneville was an example of Pontiac’s power offered in 1961. The name was taken from the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, the site of much early auto racing and most of the world's land speed record runs, which was named in turn after U.S. Army officer Benjamin Bonneville. The Bonneville changed quite a bit over the years which included a switch to a mid-size car from 1982 - 1986 that wasn’t met with much enthusiasm from new car buyers. After nearly 50 years of continuous production the Pontiac Bonneville came to an end in 2005 with the last car rolling off the assembly line on May 27, 2005.
Pontiac Resources:
Classical Pontiac - Chat, Classifieds, Clubs, Events, Features, Links...
Pete McCarthy - The Pontiac Bible.
Pontiac Mall - Official licensed Pontiac and Vintage GM Merchandise.
AutomotiveTouchup - 100,000 original factory colors and 300,000 custom blended formulas deliver an exact manufacturer’s match.
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