Ranking the Fastest Pontiacs

[Ringo64]

This came from HotCars.com, thoughts on their ranking?

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In the world of performance-driven automobiles, Pontiac is a name that is well-known. Being part of the General Motors group, it delivered many classic muscle cars that today are true American icons. Cars like the Firebird Trans Am that every gearhead should drive or the Bonneville cemented their place in the pages of high performance vehicles.

Pontiac consistently gave the world high-powered American bruisers, but unfortunately, due to the financial problems of GM in 2008 and 2009, GM decided that the Pontiac brand would be no more. Here, we rank the ten fastest Pontiac cars ever made.

 

Pontiac Firebird Trans Am GTA - 137 MPH - 0-60 MPH In 7.3 Sec

The 1987 Firebird Trans Am GTA is what some may call a diamond in the Pontiac fast car portfolio. It’s a third-generation Firebird Trans Am that ran for a decade from 1982 to 1992. Under its hood breathed a 5.7-liter V8 engine that kicked out a dazzling 210hp (and in 1987 that was a lot), giving the car lots of acceleration and a high top speed in its day. There is more to this car than just its power though. In 1987 Pontiac introduced a design for the Trans Am that hit the mark with people and made it, quite literally, a desired showpiece that became a gem among classics.

 

Pontiac Firebird Trans Am 455 Super Duty - 155 MPH - 0-60 MPH In 7.1 Sec

The 1973 Firebird Trans Am 455-SD is a true thoroughbred in the world of muscle cars. With the Super Duty badge this monster has a racing heritage that dates back to the old days of NASCAR. It comes with a roaring 7.5-liter V8 that pumps out 310hp, giving it punch to hit its 155mph top speed. Very few cars can boast of having the pedigree and performance of the 455-SD. It is easy to see how it proudly takes its place as one of Pontiac’s fastest cars.

 

Pontiac Bonneville GXP - 141 MPH - 0-60 MPH In 6.8 Sec

The 2004 Bonneville GXP is another fine example of Pontiac expanding its popular range of muscle car type sedans. It boasts a 4.6-liter V8 engine which throws out 275hp through a four-speed automatic transmission. Just like most high-end sedans, the Bonneville GXP has plenty of electronic aids. Stuff that is generally quite heavy and can make a car sluggish. But that isn’t the case here, the Bonneville GXP is as sporty as they come with loads of acceleration off the mark making it a very good performance sedan and earning its place as one of the fastest Pontiac cars ever made.

 

Pontiac Grand Prix GXP - 143 MPH - 0-60 MPH In 5.8 Sec

The 2005 Grand Prix GXP is the eighth generation of the Grand Prix name. It is another performance sedan to make the list of fastest Pontiac cars. Its big engine, a huge 5.3-liter V8, manages to pump out 303hp with its power delivered through a four-speed automatic transmission. Even with some major mechanical adjustments to make the engine fit the front-wheel drive car, the GXP still lays down an impressive 0-60mph time, not bad for a car that is a blend of being a sedan with an attitude for speed.

 

Pontiac Solstice GXP - 142 MPH - 0-60 MPH In 5.5 Sec

The Solstice is Pontiac’s offering to the roadstar market and the 2007 GXP version is most certainly one of the fastest Pontiac cars. It is in every sense a real roadstar, complete with a body that has curves in all the right places. It comes with a 2.0-liter engine that had its power increased from 177hp in the base model to 260hp in the GXP version and a five-speed manual transmission. With that transmission and increase in power, the GXP goes like a bat-out-of-hell and sets a blistering 0-60mph time. It is no mistake that a Pontiac fast car is the Solstice GXP.

 

Pontiac Firebird Trans Am - 165 MPH - 0-60 MPH In 5.2 Sec

The 1998 Firebird Trans Am is simply just an aggressive piece of hardware. Pontiac gave the Firebird Trans Am a subtle facelift and the end result was something that looked even more menacing than before. As if that wasn’t enough it has a 5.7-liter V8 roaring under its new hood that churns out 305hp. It’s no surprise then that in a car that weighs just over 3,307 lbs, that amount of power makes it go from a standstill to 60mph in a time that can make cars of today envious.

 

Pontiac G8 GT - 137 MPH - 0-60 MPH In 5.2 Sec

It is no wonder that this 2008 G8 GT is here. It comes with a monster 6.0-liter V8 beating under its hood. With that size engine it is not surprising it produces 361hp giving it, not only an impressive 0-60mph time of 5.2 seconds, but a very healthy time for a quarter mile as well and on to a top speed of 137mph. All this power comes through a six-speed automatic transmission. Not too shabby for something that is essentially a sedan loaded with plenty of creature comforts. With these sorts of figures it’s not hard to see why the G8 GT is among the ranks as one of the fastest Pontiac cars.

 

Pontiac Tempest Super Duty - 163 MPH - 0-60 MPH In 4.6 Sec

There is something very special about this 1963 Tempest Super Duty. It may have something to do with how it is the car that basically started off muscle car mania in the mid-1960s. It is a car covered with racing history, a car that some would say put Pontiac on the racing map.

However, and rather unfortunately, its reign was short-lived. In January 1963, General Motors made the sudden announcement to stop all factory supported racing and that saw the end of the Tempest Super Duty. Nevertheless, this car is still one of the fastest Pontiac cars ever produced.

 

Pontiac GTO - 175 MPH - 0-60 MPH In 4.6 Sec

The 2006 Pontiac GTO rightfully has its place as one of the fastest Pontiac cars ever made. It's the last version of the fifth generation GTO which stopped production in 2006. At its heart is a thunderous 6.0-liter V8 that produces a massive 400hp which launches this car off the line to 60mph in an eye-watering time. A four-speed transmission delivers its power straight to the back wheels in true muscle car tradition. As powerful as this engine is, it’s not the Pontiac engine that produces the most horsepower, that is yet to come.

 

Pontiac G8 GXP - 175 MPH - 0-60 MPH In 4.6 Sec

The 2009 G8 GXP is, what some may call, a sedan with muscle car brute. It uses a 6.2-liter V8 engine that produces the most horsepower that a Pontiac engine ever produced, 415hp, giving it a 0-60mph time of 4.6 seconds. The only Pontiac to beat this is the tuned G8 GT SLP Firehawk doing it in 4.1seconds, that’s in the realms of sports cars like the Corvette ZR-1 or the cross-country tourer the Dodge Viper GTS. A six-speed automatic transmission delivers its power to the rear wheels making it go like a bullet. And with the added bonus of being able to carry four people comfortably, the G8 GXP is most definitely top of the leader board for one of the fastest Pontiac cars ever made.

Not too surprised with the list they had there.