The Pontiac Grand Prix is an automobile produced by the Pontiac division of General Motors Corporation. First introduced as part of Pontiac's full-size model offering for the 1962 model year, the Grand Prix name has also been applied to cars in the personal luxury car market segment and the mid-size offering, slotting below the large Bonneville in the company's lineup. As of mid-model year 2006, the Grand Prix is Pontiac's largest automotive offering in production, superceeding the recently cancelled Pontiac Bonneville program.
1997
In 1997, the W-bodies got a major redesign. The first 1997 Grand Prix was built on August 12, 1996. Promoted widely for its "wide track" appearance, the second generation W-body Grand Prix sold well. There were 3 trim levels available in 1997; the SE, GT, and GTP. Also beginning in 1997 was the inclusion of a supercharger for the GTP, boosting power to 240 hp. The Grand Prix was made in the Fairfax plant in Kansas City, Kansas until 2003, when production was shifted to Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. The Fairfax plant was then retooled to build the current Chevrolet Malibu. The last Grand Prix coupe rolled off the assembly line on July 19, 2002, and the coupe was replaced by the Pontiac GTO for 2004.
2004
The Grand Prix was updated for 2004 on a revised version of the GM W platform. 2005 saw the high-end GXP trim as the successor for the now-defunct Bonneville. The first 2004 Grand Prix was built on May 5, 2003. A notable addition to the 2005 line is the GXP's small-block 5.3 L V8, the Grand Prix's first V8 since 1987. With the closing of the Oshawa plant that produces the car in 2008, the Grand Prix will likely end production, and for 2009 it may be replaced by the Zeta-based G8.
2005
The Grand Prix remained basicly unchanged from 2004. The three different versions were the Base coupe, the GT, GTP and the GXP. 2005 was also the last year of the GTP. The GT offered the Supercharged 3800 Series III Engine, while the GXP had the LS4 V8, a 5.3 litre Displacement On Demand motor derived from the renowned LS1 block. It included a shortened crankshaft and other modifications to make it fit in a FWD vehicle, as well as TAPshift, a Formula One-inspired technology that allowed the driver to control gears semi-manually. The engine had 303 bhp and 323 ft·lbf of Torque.
2006
For 2006, little was changed for the Grand Prix. The three options were the Grand Prix, powered by the 3800 Series III V6, the GT, powered by the 3800 Series III Supercharged V6, and the GXP, powered by the LS4 V8. Rumors suggested that the 2007 model would be the Grand Prix's final year, disappointing many enthusiasts, however, there was hope that Pontiac would have a bright future with the replacement vehicle.
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