Pontiac Grand Am: История модели и эволюция

The Pontiac Grand Am is a car model that was produced by Pontiac in various years between 1973 and 2005. Produced as a RWD mid size car on the LeMans GM A platform in its first two generations, the Grand Am name was reused for a FWD compact car for its last three generations. The platform actually began development intended to be the next generation GTO, but the muscle car era was drawing to a close. So, Pontiac decided to make this model America's answer to European luxury|sports sedans. The Grand Am (GA) name was derived from two other Pontiacs; "Grand" signifying Grand Prix luxury, and "Am" for Trans Am performance. These first generation GAs had some innovative features, including a deformable urethane nose (an evolution of the Endura bumper pioneered on the 1968 GTO), and was one of only three GM cars (Olds Cutlass Salon, Chevy Monte Carlo S) to debut radial ply tires (RTS Radial Tuned Suspension) as standard equipment. The intermediate sized Grand Am was canceled in 1980 when it was replaced by the Pontiac 6000. A compact sized Grand Am, based on the GM N platform, was released in 1985, replacing the Pontiac Phoenix. It became Pontiac's best selling car and was later replaced by the Pontiac G6, so named as it was intended to be the 6th generation of the Grand Am. All 1973–1975 Grand Ams were built in Pontiac, Michigan at Pontiac's main assembly plant. The 1978 1980 Grand Ams were built in Pontiac, Michigan at Pontiac's main assembly plant and in Atlanta, Georgia at GMAD Lakewood. All Grand Ams between 1985 and 2005 were built in Lansing, Michigan at the Lansing Car Assembly.

The history of Grand Am begins with Pontiac executives noting incursion into the US market by Mercedes, BMW, Toyota and Nissan. Notably, the American sports car was usually without luxury features, and the luxury car without sport features. Foreign makes mixed these features, that introduced the market to luxury performance coupes and sedans that had balanced handling along with powerful engines. Pontiac hybridized the Grand Prix with the Trans Am to create the Grand Am, a naming tactic shared with the luxury Pontiac Grand Ville. Built on the A body platform shared with the Pontiac LeMans, the intended GTO body was re badged and fitted with the top level Grand Prix interior, and using the larger engine from the Grand Prix, Bonneville and Grand Ville. A total of 43,136 Grand Ams were built during the first year of production. The Grand Am could be had with a standard 2 bbl V8 engine with single exhaust producing , an optional 4 bbl version of this engine with single exhaust producing that was only available with a 4 speed manual transmission, an optional 4 bbl version of this engine with dual exhaust producing , or an optional 4 bbl with dual exhaust The engine displacement, expressed in liters, was displayed on the bootlid in an effort to accentuate the car's supposedly European character. All engines were available with a Turbo hydramatic 400 automatic transmission as standard equipment. A 4 speed manual transmission was available with the 400/4 bbl engine in 1973 and 1974, but this was not popular. The 1973 Pontiac Grand Am style had a unique flexible urethane front fascia center nose (known as the 'Endura' nose) that was squeezable and could return to its original shape following a minor collision along with the new energy absorbing bumpers, a total of six grille openings with vertical bars, round front turn signals with a cross hair design, horizontal rear taillights, and chrome rear bumper. Additionally, Grand Ams featured a Radial Tuned Suspension (RTS) as standard equipment that included radial ply tires, Pliacell shock absorbers, and front and rear sway bars. The springs were advertised as being computer selected. Grand Ams also were among the first U. S. built cars with a turn signal mounted headlight dimmer switch that had been common on imported cars for decades. Other standard equipment included concealed windshield wipers, a front stabilizer bar, and an in the windshield radio antenna. Engine choices were 2 barrel single exhaust producing , 400 cubic inch 4 barrel single exhaust producing , 400 cubic inch 4 barrel dual exhaust producing , and 455 cubic inch 4 barrel dual exhaust producing
Sales were down more than 50 percent due to the 1973 oil crisis, and while the recession continued, prices increased for all 1974 model cars. Only 17,083 Grand Ams were built.

For 1978 the Grand Am nameplate returned on a downsized model using the Grand Prix's G platform. It was offered in both two and four door models featuring a vertical bar grille and other trimmings to differentiate it from the LeMans, upon which it was based. Like the 1973–1975 models, this generation of Grand Ams also featured standard radial tires plus an upgraded Radial Tuned Suspension with front and rear sway bars. Interiors were similar to the Grand LeMans with either a standard notchback bench seat, optional 60/40 bench or Strato bucket seats with console and recliner on passenger side, an optional tachometer, and a choice of either cloth or "Morrokide" vinyl upholstery. with a two barrel carburetor or with four barrel, and Turbo Hydra matic transmission were now optional. In terms of appearance, the only difference was that the park/signal and marker lenses were changed to amber ones. New for 1979 was a four speed manual available with the 150 horsepower 301 four barrel in 49 states. In California, only an automatic transmission was available and engine offerings included the standard Buick V6 engine with two barrel carburetor and or optional Chevrolet 305 V8 rated at with four barrel carb. The wood grained instrument panel was replaced by brushed aluminum trim, while the gauge faces changed from silver with black letters and numbers to black with white letters and numbers. The same seating choices in either cloth or Morrokide trims were offered including the standard notchback bench seat, or optional 60/40 bench or Strato bucket seats with console. An AM/FM CB radio combo was available and a heated rear window was optional. In 1979, the Grand Am was featured in the NASCAR Grand National circuit.