Since this car's inception, the Pontiac Grand Am's sales performance has been nothing short of remarkable. As a close relation to both the Buick Skylark and the Oldsmobile Achieva, the Grand Am is Pontiac's perennial chart topper, with sales that frequently surpass the 200,000-unit mark. In 1993, it outdrove all previous records with sales of 211,544.

What's the big attraction? This sporty midsize car, available as a sedan or coupe, has appeal with a broad range of buyers, from singles to small families. The common thread among these customers is the desire to have a sassy-looking vehicle that has lively handling and respectable performance in an affordable package.

The big news for the 1995 Grand Am, Achieva and Sky-lark is a new powertrain lineup. The standard engine is now the newest version of General Motors' 2.3-liter Quad 4 16-valve 4-cylinder engine. Refined for 1995, the Quad 4 is smoother and quieter than previous versions.

A 3.1-liter V6 is available as an upgrade option on all models. This engine was extensively redesigned for 1994 and provides better low-speed performance than the Quad 4, as well as smoother all-around operation.

Our test model was a Grand Am GT coupe, the sportiest car of a sporty bunch.