Your father might have driven an Oldsmobile, but the Pontiac probably belonged to your grandfather. All of that changed in the 1950s, when Pontiac truly became a performance marque. At the end of the 1954 model year, Pontiac retired both its six- and straight-eight-cylinder engines. For 1955, all cars had V-8 overhead-valve powerplants that shared some heritage with the small block Chevy. In mid-year, a $35 Power Pack option added a four-barrel Rochester carburetor, which pushed horsepower to 200 on Hydra-Matic cars.

For 1956, the engine was enlarged to 317 cubic inches and a dual four-barrel carburetor option developed a hefty 285 brake horsepower. Only about 200 cars were so-equipped. The 1957 model year brought another increase in displacement, this time to 347 cubic inches. A special Bonneville Convertible that used Rochester fuel injection was released in the Star Chief line. This engine was rated at 315 brake horsepower, and just 630 were built. It was, however, not the most powerful 1957 Pontiac. In December 1956, a NASCAR Tri-Power option with three 2-barrel carburetors was introduced.

In an uncharacteristic move, General Motors introduced new bodies and chassis for all 1958 cars. In this shuffle, Pontiac made the Bonneville a separate series, one that was comprised of just a convertible and a hardtop coupe. The standard engine was a 285-brake horsepower four-barrel V-8, but fuel injection and Tri-Power were still available. Very few injected cars were built, largely because the system had yet to be perfected. Performance enthusiasts generally opted for Tri-Power instead, which included three Rochester two-barrel carbs, 10.5:1 compression, and a high-lift camshaft.

The Pontiac Bonneville being offered here is a well-restored, highly accessorized Super Deluxe Sport Coupe. It is equipped with Tri-Power and the Strato Flite four-speed Hydra-Matic transmission, and it has power steering, power brakes, and power windows. It also has the unusual Trans-Portable radio that was introduced for 1958. This radio could be removed from the car and used as a portable at home, at a picnic, or on the beach. The car is also fitted with a rear speaker and rear antenna, which can be used when the radio is plugged into the dashboard. Other accessories on the car include rear fender skirts, a tissue dispenser, and door edge guards.

The car is painted in two-tone green and remains in excellent cosmetic condition. The interior is done in matching hues of green, with the seats upholstered in a vinyl-cloth combination motif. The quality of the upholstery work is excellent, as is the headliner and dashboard.

The engine compartment is clean, and the trunk is nicely detailed. Three artifacts of its earlier life remain in the rear window, two decals from the Automobile Club of Southern California and one from the Pontiac Oakland Club International. The car rides on Remington Cushion Aire C78-14 whitewall tires.

A few years after the introduction of the Bonneville came the GTO, which commanded all the attention of young Pontiac buyers. In 1958, however, the performance Pontiac was very much the Bonneville, and very often it was a Tri-Power Super Deluxe Sport Coupe like this one. It was fast, stylish, and elegant, and it featured all the qualities a successful businessman looked for in a new boulevard cruiser or performance car for the daily commute.