What's New?
Changes to the Grand Prix have been minimal since its 2004 redesign; the most radical change was a Special Edition with sportier body trim that joined the lineup for the 2006 model year. For 2007, the Grand Prix gets five new paint colors, new 17-inch alloy wheels, and a revised tire-pressure-monitoring system.

Overview
The Grand Prix has been part of the Pontiac lineup since the early 1960s, first as a sporty version of Pontiac's big Catalina coupe, and later as Pontiac's 2-door "personal luxury" car. The Grand Prix returned to its big-car roots with a 2004 redesign and cemented its position as the largest Pontiac when the Bonneville was dropped from the lineup after 2005.

The Grand Prix is available in three trim levels: base, GT, and GXP. The latter's 303-hp, 5.3-liter aluminum V-8 makes it the only 8-cylinder Pontiac currently available. This engine features Active Fuel Management technology, which cuts out four of the engine's eight cylinders under light loads in order to improve fuel economy. The Grand Prix base model is powered by General Motors' venerable 3.8-liter pushrod V-6 with 200 hp; the GT gets a supercharged version of the 3.8 good for 260 hp. All engines drive the front wheels through a 4-speed automatic transmission.

Standard equipment on the GXP includes a novel Head-Up Display, or HUD, which projects vehicle speed and other important information onto the windshield, as well as StabiliTrak electronic stability control. GTP models also get unique body trim, a stiffer suspension, and beefed-up brakes. OnStar and traction control are standard on all Grand Prix models, while anti-lock brakes are standard on the GT and GXP, and optional on the base model. Side curtain air bags are optional across the board. As with all General Motors vehicles currently, the Grand Prix's 3-year/36,000-mile warranty is now supplemented by 5-year/100,000-mile powertrain coverage.

The Competition
The Pontiac Grand Prix competes in the Large Conventional segment, which consists of 14 models. Buyers in this segment look for performance, comfort, and exterior styling, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2006 Avoider Study^SM and the Escaped Shopper Study.^SM

The top sellers in the segment during calendar year 2006, according to the J.D. Power and Associates Sales Report,^SM were the Chevrolet Impala (289,868 units sold), Chrysler 300 (143,647), and Dodge Charger (114,201). The Pontiac Grand Prix sold 108,634 units in 2006, a decrease of 11.2 percent compared to the previous year. Other models offered in the Large Conventional segment include the Buick Lucerne, Toyota Avalon, Ford Five Hundred, Nissan Maxima, and Ford Crown Victoria.