Grand Am Re-design Provides Plenty to Talk About
By Jason Hackett
Contributing Editor
For the last decade-plus the Pontiac
Grand Am has seemed like it couldn't decide if it wanted to be
a sedan or a sports car.
With the introduction of the revamped 1999 line, Pontiac has made
the car more distinct. The sedan models are roomier and more accommodating
for families and the new GT is all sports car.
The GT we took on the Weekend Drive had a little bit of everything
and a lot of some things. Power tops the "a lot" list.
Under the hood is a souped-up version of the 3400 V6 engine that
comes standard in the base-model Grand Am. The GT's engine boasts
a throw-your-head back 175 horses thanks to the Ram Air induction
system it shares with Pontiac's Firebird line.
Put it this way, while passing a car on the highway Sunday, I
found myself past two practically before I even knew it.
Aside from the muscle the new GT brings to the table, the interior
is made for driving comfort. Lumbar-supporting bucket seats and
plenty of leg room in the front and back make for an easy family
ride.
The
driver gets the best treatment, though, thanks to the fat, responsive
steering wheel with controls for the six-speaker stereo built
right in. The large instrument panel glows a warm red when driving
at night and the five multi-directional heat/a.c. vents ripple
out of the dash with a Jaguar-esque look to them. The car we tested
featured a CD player and AM/FM cassette. And thanks to special
sound-dampening pads in the console's open spaces, as well as
special heat-expandable body-cavity seals, two passengers can
whisper a conversation, even at Interstate speeds.
Along with redesigns under the hood and behind the wheel, the
exterior received a major upgrade. The car still has the well-defined
Grand Am look. It's just more intense. The familiar cats-eye headlamp
cluster, the Pontiac v-shaped grilles and the big, bright rear-cornering
lamps provide instant recognition, even if the rest of the car
might look engagingly unfamiliar.
The Grand Am still carries the "compact" designation
but doesn't give that impression at all. Even though it's only
1.5 inches wider than its previous incarnation, the new model's
wheels-at-the-corners design gives it at three-inch wider track.
The car's wheelbase is 3.6 inches longer at 107" - the longest
of any compact car - but the overall length is actually a half-inch
shorter than in '98.
For the safety conscious, Pontiac made standard driver and front
passenger air bags, daytime running lights, automatic headlight
control and wrapped a steel cage around the passenger compartment,
complete with reinforced roof pillars.
Those reinforcements, as well as a number of similar modifications
to the motor housing and suspension, make for a smooth ride -
32 percent more rigid than the '98 model, according to Pontiac
specs.
Basically, the Pontiac's new catch phrase says it all. After the
word "excitement" the words "well built" were
added. The GT finally gives the Grand Am line a legitimate sports
car with all the luxury a true driver would want, plus it made
the ride smoother, faster and more comfortable, all for around
$20,000. The GT is a keeper.
The 1999 Grand Am GT Coupe's manufacturer's suggested retail price,
as driven full-loaded, is $21,095. With "only" the standard
features - air conditioning, programmable door locks with lockout
protection, battery rundown protection, electric remote trunk
lid release, oil-life and tire pressure monitors, tilt steering,
PassLock II theft-deterrent system, sealed-for-life transmission,
Delco ETR AM/FM stereo with cassette, power windows with driver's
side express-down feature and a decklid spoiler - the GT sells
for $19,595. The entry-level SE Coupe starts at $16,595. All makes
of the GT come in sedan versions as well.
