1997 Pontiac Grand Prix The American sport sedan redefined. By Don Fuller, New Car Test Drive .com

Here's a safe prediction: Pontiac's all-new

Grand Prix will be one of the hits of the 1997 model year. It's got looks,

performance, roominess, comfort, handling features--and it's in a price

range that won't clobber a budget.

In several ways, the new Grand Prix rises above the mainstream of the

competition. Most obvious is the styling, which has a sleekly muscular,

competent and aggressive look.

From front to rear, it's a pretty dynamic design job. One key element

that adds to the sleekness is that it was designed first as a coupe, then

the sedan was derived from that. The coupe and sedan actually share the

same roof panel and rear window--an extreme rarity in automobile design

and manufacturing, and it gives the coupe sedan-like room, the sedan coupe-like

grace.

Another important aspect of the Grand Prix is that it marks a return

to Wide Trackin' at Pontiac. Com-pared to other mid-size sedans, particularly

its General Motor's cousins, the Grand Prix has a significantly wider track

and the fenders have been noticeably flared to cover the tires. The wide

track improves stability, and the flared fenders add to the aggressive

look.