Pontiac Tempest
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The Pontiac Tempest was an entry-level model automobile produced by the Pontiac division of General Motors from 1961 through 1970. It shared the new A platform with the Buick Special and Oldsmobile F-85.
[edit] 1961-1963
In its first iteration, the Tempest was a compact car with an innovative enclosed, curved driveshaft and a rear-mounted Corvair-derived transaxle - a combined differential and transmission that enabled an ideal weight distribution of 50/50. The Tempest was Motor Trend magazine's Car of the Year for 1961. Road & Track also praised the Tempest as "exceptionally roomy" and "one of the very best utility cars since the Model-A Ford."
Power came from a 194.5 in³ (3.2 L) straight-4 derived from Pontiac's V8. This engine produced 110 hp (82 kW) (SAE gross) in manual transmission cars or 120 hp in automatic-equipped cars. The innovative aluminum Buick-built 215 in³ V8 was optional through 1963.
New for 1962 was the LeMans option, primarily a trim package which featured front bucket seats. In 1963, the LeMans became a separate series, reaching nearly 50% of total Tempest/LeMans production.
The 155 hp aluminum V8 was joined in 1963 by the Pontiac's 326 in³ (5.3 L) V8, which produced 260 hp (197 kW) and 352 ft-lbs of torque. This cast iron engine brought weight up a mere 260 lbs over a 194.5 in³ Tempest and weight distribution changed only marginally to 54/46. Performance was strong enough that Car Life magazine stated; "No one will wonder why they didn't use the 389," and fuel economy with the 326 V8 ranged up to 19 mpg. 52% of 1963 LeMans' were equipped with one of the two V-8 engine options.
[edit] 1964
In 1964, the Tempest was redesigned as a much more conventional vehicle. The transaxle was gone in favor of the traditional front-transmission design also used by the Oldsmobile Cutlass and Buick Special. Perhaps the most famous option of all time became available that year on the Tempest LeMans: the GTO.
[edit] Revival
For Canada only, a version of the L-body Chevrolet Corsica was sold as the Pontiac Tempest, starting in 1987 as a compact sedan, to take place of the Bonneville, which had returned to full-size to replace the Parisienne. It was discontinued in 1991, and this car (along with the Pontiac 6000) was replaced by the Pontiac Grand Prix sedan.
| Pontiac road car timeline, United States market, 1960s-present - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | ||
| Subcompact | T1000/1000 | LeMans | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Compact | Astre | Sunbird | J2000/2000 Sunbird/Sunbird | Sunfire | G5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Compact/Mid-size | Ventura | Phoenix | Grand Am | G6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mid-size | Coupe | Tempest | Grand Am | Grand Am | Grand Prix | GTO | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sedan | 6000 | Grand Prix | G8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Intermediate | LeMans | Bonneville | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal | Grand Prix | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full-size | Bonneville / Catalina / Star Chief / Executive | Parisienne | Bonneville | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Crossover | Vibe | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aztek | Torrent | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minivan | Trans Sport | Montana | SV6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sports | Firebird/Trans Am | Solstice | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2-seater | Fiero | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
