This 1959 Pontiac was a recent and welcome entry in the local car show:
When announcing the new line, Pontiac Motor Division general manager S. E. Knudsen said, “Pontiac has broken all bonds of traditional styling and engineering in 1959 with the most progressive change in our Division’s 51-year history. ” This was no exaggeration. Pontiac decision makers had left behind Indian-inspired names and ornamentation like they were a Cleveland baseball team, and Catalina, Star Chief and Bonneville comprised the ’59 line up. These models had 65 brand new features including lower, wider and heavier bodies and Vista-Panoramic windshields with greater visibility. Engine displacement was increased from 370 to 389ci with the Tempest 420 V8, and options included triple 2-barrel carburetion and Hydra-Matic transmission. Another new feature was the split grille, which Pontiac called a twin “air scoop” grille:
The new body was nearly five inches wider, and Pontiac labeled it “wide-track”:
These Pontiacs aren’t as plentiful as their Chevrolet counterparts, but their more simplistic styling makes them a beautiful alternative.
