Pontiac Bonneville History
Catalog record
This is a brief catalog introduction with limited source documentation. A licensed, identity-checked lead photograph has not yet been added for this page. Detailed year, configuration and ownership coverage must be identified separately; this page is not a complete vehicle catalog.
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Model history available. Detailed year guides are not published for this model.
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Named for the Bonneville Salt Flats, the Bonneville arrived for 1957 as a limited-production performance convertible and became a full model line for 1958, serving as Pontiac's premium full-size car. It paced the Indianapolis 500 in its first year.
Through the 1960s the big rear-drive Bonneville helped push Pontiac to third in US sales. After a downsizing stint in the 1980s, it moved to GM's front-drive H-body and regained its role as the senior Pontiac.
Later cars offered the supercharged 3.8-liter V6 in the sporty SSEi trim. Production ended May 27, 2005, after which the full-size role passed to the rear-drive G8.
Body styles
- Convertible
- Hardtop
- Sedan
- Wagon
Notable special editions & performance variants
Bonneville SSEi
Top performance/luxury trim with a supercharged 3.8-liter V6 (240 hp by 1996).
Related models
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