The Pontiac Grand Ville was a luxury trim of the full-size Pontiac from 1971 to 1975, sitting above the Bonneville. It offered more interior trim, a standard 455 cu in V8 and, from 1973 to 1975, Pontiac’s only full-size convertible.
Pontiac Grand Ville at a glance
| Maker | Pontiac, General Motors |
|---|---|
| Years | 1971–1975 |
| Position | above the Bonneville, below the Grand Prix |
| Platform | GM B-body, stretched wheelbase 1971–72 |
| Standard engine | 455 cu in V8; 400 cu in standard for 1975 |
| Transmission | Turbo-Hydramatic automatic |
| Standard equipment | power steering, power front disc brakes |
| Convertible | Pontiac’s last full-size convertible, 1973–1975 |
| Wagon | Grand Safari, 1973–1975 |
| Final year | 1975, as the Grand Ville Brougham |
Based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the Grand Ville.
History of the Pontiac Grand Ville
A new top trim
The Grand Ville appeared for 1971 as a sub-series of the Bonneville, which had been Pontiac’s top trim since 1958. The Bonneville name stayed but was downgraded, in effect taking the place of the Executive. Grand Ville and Bonneville shared trim and design elements that set them apart from the Catalina, and the 1971–72 Grand Villes used a stretched-wheelbase B-body with interior dimensions identical to other full-size Pontiacs. Beyond more luxurious interior trim, the Grand Ville had distinctive chrome at the front and rear. From 1971 to 1974 its hardtops wore a more upright formal C-pillar and backlight like GM’s C-body cars, the Oldsmobile Ninety Eight and Buick Electra, rather than the Bonneville or Catalina. For 1974 only, the parking lights wrapped around the front fender corner, and from 1973 to 1975 the cars had rear fender skirts.
Equipment and options
A 455 cu in V8, Turbo-Hydramatic automatic, power steering and power front disc brakes were standard; for 1975 a 400 cu in V8 was standard with the 455 optional. Air conditioning, power windows, a power driver’s seat, tilt steering wheel, cruise control and an AM/FM stereo with tape deck were popular options. One of the rarest extras on the Grand Ville and other full-size Pontiacs was the adjustable brake and accelerator pedals offered from 1974 to 1976.
Convertibles, wagons and the oil crisis
The Grand Ville sold moderately well from 1971 to 1973, but the oil crisis of late 1973 and early 1974 brought shortages, queues at filling stations and high fuel prices, which cut full-size sales sharply in 1974. For 1975 the car became the Grand Ville Brougham with more standard equipment, including power windows and a carpeted boot, and that was its last year. From 1973 to 1975 the Grand Ville was Pontiac’s only full-size convertible; production never exceeded 5,000 a year, the rarest being the 1971 car with just under 1,800 built and the most plentiful the 1975 with just over 4,500. The Grand Ville convertible had the lowest output of its corporate cousins, the Oldsmobile 88 Royale, Buick Centurion and Chevrolet Caprice Classic convertibles. A Grand Safari station wagon joined for 1973–1975. For 1976 the name was dropped and the line became the Bonneville Brougham.
Design and features
- Standard 455 V8: big-block power with Turbo-Hydramatic as standard.
- Formal roofline: a Cadillac-like C-pillar on 1971–74 hardtops.
- Chrome signature: distinctive front and rear trim to separate it from the Bonneville.
- Last convertible: Pontiac’s only full-size open car from 1973 to 1975.
- Adjustable pedals: a rare option from 1974 to 1976.
Pontiac Grand Ville versions
- Hardtop coupé and sedan: the main bodies, with the formal roof to 1974.
- Convertible (1973–1975): fewer than 5,000 a year.
- Grand Safari wagon (1973–1975): the estate version.
- Grand Ville Brougham (1975): the better-equipped final year.
The Grand Ville sat above the Bonneville and shared its body with the Catalina. More Pontiacs are in the Pontiac collection.
Sources
- Pontiac Grand Ville, English Wikipedia: trim, engines, convertibles, end
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