The Acadian Beaumont was the most luxurious version of the Acadian, a compact car that General Motors of Canada built for Canadian Pontiac-Buick dealers from 1962. It began as the deluxe series of a Chevy II-based range and from 1964 was moved to the larger Chevrolet Chevelle platform, before becoming a make of its own in 1966.
Acadian Beaumont at a glance
| Maker | General Motors of Canada |
|---|---|
| Production | 1962–1965 as an Acadian series; separate Beaumont make from 1966 |
| Based on | Chevrolet Chevy II (1962–1963); Chevrolet Chevelle A-body (1964–1965) |
| Series | Invader (base), Canso (mid-range from 1963), Beaumont, Beaumont Sport Deluxe |
| Engines | Chevrolet four-, six-cylinder and V8 units; no Mark IV big-block |
| Transmissions | three- or four-speed manual, two-speed Powerglide automatic |
| Styling | Pontiac-style split grille and separate Acadian badging |
| Body styles | two- and four-door sedan, sport coupe, convertible |
| Markets | Canada; also assembled in Arica, Chile |
| Successor | Beaumont, a standalone make from 1966 |
The Acadian Beaumont is described in the English Wikipedia articles on the Acadian and Beaumont makes; this page draws on both.
History of the Acadian Beaumont
The Acadian existed because of the Auto Pact, the 1960s agreement that restricted sales of certain American-built cars in Canada. General Motors of Canada answered with makes built mainly for the Canadian market, and the Acadian gave Pontiac-Buick dealers a compact to sell because the Pontiac Tempest was not available there. Plans first called for a Corvair-based car built at Oshawa, but the design moved to the Chevrolet Chevy II platform and arrived for 1962. The range opened with two models: the base Invader and the deluxe Beaumont.
The Beaumont was marketed as a separate make, never as a Pontiac, but it carried Pontiac styling cues such as a split grille and offered more brightwork than the equivalent Chevy II Nova. Acadians came with four-cylinder, six-cylinder and V8 engines, and no Mark IV big-block was ever fitted, unlike the sister Chevrolet Nova SS. The choice of gearbox depended on the model and engine: three- and four-speed manuals or a two-speed Powerglide automatic. For 1963 a mid-range Canso series joined the range, priced between the Invader and the Beaumont, and the Beaumont Sport Deluxe appeared as the equivalent of the Nova Super Sport.
For 1964 and 1965 the Beaumont name moved to a retrimmed version of the intermediate Chevrolet Chevelle, sold as the Acadian Beaumont, while the Chevy II-based Acadian continued alongside it. The Beaumont was offered in Standard, Custom and Sport Deluxe series, and a base-trimmed Standard convertible was available in Canada even though the equivalent Chevelle convertible was not sold in the United States. From 1966 the Acadian name was used only for the Nova-based car and Beaumont became a standalone make; the Acadian itself continued on the Chevy II/Nova body until mid-1971, when the Pontiac Ventura II replaced it.
Design and features
- Deluxe trim: the Beaumont was the best-equipped Acadian, with more brightwork and luxury fittings than the base Invader.
- Pontiac cues: a split grille and separate badging marked it out from the Chevrolet it was based on.
- Chevrolet power: four-, six- and eight-cylinder engines with manual or Powerglide automatic transmission.
- Two platforms: the compact Chevy II in 1962–1963, then the intermediate Chevelle A-body in 1964–1965.
- Canadian-only: built for the domestic market and also assembled in Chile.
Acadian Beaumont versions
- Beaumont (1962): deluxe series of the two-model Acadian range, above the Invader.
- Beaumont (1963): one of four series alongside the Invader, Canso and Beaumont Sport Deluxe.
- Beaumont Sport Deluxe (1963): luxury package equivalent to the Chevy II Nova Super Sport, six-cylinder only.
- Acadian Beaumont (1964–1965): Chevelle-based car in Standard, Custom and Sport Deluxe form.
The Sport Deluxe version is described in the article on the Beaumont SD, and more Canadian models are in the Beaumont collection.
Video: Acadian Beaumont
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Acadian (automobile), English Wikipedia: origins, series, engines, 1964–1965 move to the Chevelle
- Beaumont (automobile), English Wikipedia: Beaumont as an Acadian series, Standard/Custom/Sport Deluxe
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