The report said Pontiac introduced the Bonneville name in February 1957 at the Daytona Beach races, but didn't introduce it as a product line until 1958 - it was the first Pontiac with fuel injection and was initially available only as a convertible.AP said the model evolved over the years into a roomy family sedan with plenty of power but, as the public's tastes in family haulers shifted to minivans and sport utility vehicles, the Bonneville's core market evaporated.
"After much discussion, it is in the best interest of Pontiac to align our product portfolio with where demand is," Pontiac spokesman Rick Crooks told the Associated Press, adding: "Demand in the large car segment has been declining for some years."
The news agency noted that Pontiac has revamped its car lineup with products such as the G6, which replaced the Grand Am, and entered new segments with the Vibe hatchback and Torrent, a small SUV.
AP said Pontiac sold nearly 100,000 Bonnevilles as recently as 1992, but demand fell to 29,852 last year, according to Ward's Automotive Reports - sales peaked at 135,401 units in 1966.
The report is wrong.
The 1957 Pontiac Bonneville was available only as a convertible, and only in two colors (white and blue). It was a limited production vehicle, but available in '57. The engine was a fuel injected 347 cu. in. V8. In 1957, the displacement was increased to 370 cu. in. In 1959, this was further increased to 389 cu. in. (Yes, it's the same engine that lived under the hood of the first GTO.) and, later, to 400 cu. in. (The same engine that found its way to the Firebird, BTW.)