When you think of old-school Pontiac luxury, the Bonneville name is likely the one that comes to mind. Launching as an exclusive convertible version of the Star Chief in 1957, Pontiac would promote the Bonneville to model status in 1958, kickstarting six generations of luxury cruisers that would run until 1981. The nameplate survived after that, of course, but in mid-sized and, later, front-wheel-drive guises, neither of which ever reached the same heights as their 1960s and 1970s predecessors.
Through the 1960s and 1970s, the Bonneville sat at the top of Pontiac's full-size luxury fleet, bigger and more luxurious than the Catalina below it. Available in a range of body styles and with torquey V8 engines for all of its early years, the Bonneville was a hit with journalists and consumers alike; Pontiac managed to move more than 100,000 units of the relatively expensive Bonneville during its mid- to late-1960s heyday, which is no mean feat. Of course, the Bonneville isn't the only choice if you're after old-school American luxury, with iconic Fords like the Thunderbird and full-sized Chrysler models also worth considering.
Those may seem more appealing (who wouldn't want a Thunderbird?), but we think there are plenty of reasons to consider a Pontiac Bonneville alongside, or even in place of, its Detroit rivals; here are 10 that might just sway you. [Image by Greg Gjerdingen via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY 2.0 ] The Bonneville was the crowning jewel of Pontiac.
