Tempest

banner-1080-1080-px-43-.png

The Pontiac Tempest is an automobile that was produced by Pontiac from 1960 to 1970, and again from 1987 to 1991.

The Tempest was introduced as an entry-level compact in October 1960 at the Paris Auto Show for the 1961 model year. An innovative design, it shared the new unibody Y platform, GM's first, with the Buick Special/Skylark and Oldsmobile F-85/Cutlass, and featured the "Trophy-4" four-cylinder engine with a flexible drive shaft to a two-speed rear-mounted transaxle automatic transmission.

The line offered the optional LeMans trim upgrade, beginning with a few 1961 LeMans coupes and adding a performance aspect in 1962. By 1964 the Tempest, Tempest Custom and Lemans are separate trim packages on the updated GM A-body platform, and the GTO was a performance option upgrade to the LeMans for 1964 and 1965. The GTO was offered as a separate model line beginning in 1966.

In Canada, Pontiac also marketed a rebadged version of the compact L-body Chevrolet Corsica under the name Tempest from 1987 to 1991. The name "tempest" is from Old French tempeste (French tempête), from Latin tempestas (“storm”), from tempus (“time, weather”).

SELECT YOUR YEAR: