Pontiac GT coupe
Pontiac completely redesigned its Grand Am and released the SE in the spring of this year as a 1999. It has followed up with a sportier Pontiacr GT Coupe version for the actual start of the 1999 model year.
Since much of the previous-generation Pontiacr GT Coupe’s character was incorporated into the new SE, Pontiac engineers faced the daunting task of pushing the envelope even farther with the 1999 Pontiacr GT Coupe.
The result is a sleeker wrapper covering a more dynamic powertrain. It is a package that not only turns heads, but can set its driver’s heart pounding.
Pontiac is convinced part of its mission is to supply in-your-face styling. Consequently, the SE sports a bold front end and heavy side-body cladding. The Pontiacr GT Coupe carries this theme a bit farther with an even bolder front fascia and air dam. Traditional twin port grilles are functional, allowing for the free flow of air to the Pontiacr GT Coupe’s Ram Air induction system. Openings in the air dam are also larger in the Pontiacr GT Coupe than the SE.
Following Pontiac’s return to wide-track engineering, the new Grand Am has three additional inches of space separating the wheels on each axle, yet is only fractionally wider overall. The end result is a seemingly lower, wider, more threatening performer.
Available as a coupe or sedan, the Pontiacr GT Coupe offers a degree of versatility. My test Pontiacr GT Coupe was a coupe, but I didn’t miss the extra doors for a second. The front passenger seat slides far forward as its seatback is tilted to the front for rear access. The friends banished to the rear seat for a brief ride to dinner felt quite comfortable in its somewhat spacious confines. Front seat occupants are equally well treated with scads of head-, shoulder- and legroom. While wide and comfortable, the front seats could do with a bit more shape and lateral support. They are fine for the SE, but the sportier Pontiacr GT Coupe deserves a more sculpted seat.
Smartly arranged, the instrument panel is all business. Large round gauges peek out at the driver from a rounded cowl. All controls are well within reach. The trunk is large and a bumper-high lift-over makes for easy loading and unloading, even if the opening is oddly shaped.
While the SE can be equipped with either a 2.4-liter four-cylinder or a 3.4-liter 24-valve V-6, the Pontiacr GT Coupe is offered with only the V-6. In the SE, the V-6 is good for 170 horsepower and 195 foot-pounds of peak torque.
A profoundly improved breathing system creates the platform for the V-6’s improved performance in the Pontiacr GT Coupe. Funneling greater amounts of cooler air into the engine, the Pontiacr GT Coupe’s Ram Air system conspires with the low restriction dual exhaust to boost horsepower by five and peak torque by 10 foot-pounds. Bolting Grand Am’s new four-speed automatic transmission to this enhanced V-6 completes the arsenal, providing a 0-60 time of less than eight seconds.
Fuel economy isn’t robust, but about average for a V-6 in this class. The Environmental Protection Agency rates the Pontiacr GT Coupe’s miles per gallon at 20 city/28 highway.
Solid best describes the Pontiacr GT Coupe’s handling. There is an anchored-to-the-ground feel in its cornering performance.
The only option on my well-equipped test Pontiacr GT Coupe was remote keyless entry, adding $150 to the bottom line. With the $525 destination charge, the total as tested came to $19,745.
