Few cars have been in such continuous demand that its production has gone on unhindered for more than four decades. Pontiac’s Grand Prix is one of these. This alone should be the ultimate stamp of quality and popularity for this awesome vehicle. Awesome it certainly is, when you consider that this seventh generation model has three trims, the least powerful of which is 200 horses, more than what the highest from many other models would deliver. What else needs to be told about the raw power of its other trims? Just for information, they come in more lethal versions, at 260 and a breathtaking 303 hp. This kind of power is not really surprising, considering that the Grand Prix is the offspring to the GTO, the first real muscle car to hit the market all those decades earlier.

This four-door sedan is all about power, for reasons best explained by its lineage. When the three engine trims can roar at 200, 260 and 303 hp, there is good reason to associate this car with pure power. The engines are 3.8 liter for the 200 and 260 hp versions, while it is 5.3 liter for the most powerful make, and these run on four-speed automatic transmission. This is more than enough to carry the five passengers it is designed for, and its 16 lb-ft trunk space with copiously sized bucket seats are just what would go on to make life easy on this powerful vehicle.

There is little to suggest that the 2007 model is a drastically newer version of the previous year’s model. Except for the tire monitoring system which becomes standard, and the addition of five eye-catching new colors, this year’s model is just the same in every other respect. Apart from GM’s OnStar Communication system which becomes standard, and a TAPshift, (Touch Activated Power) which enables the driver to change the automatic transmission’s gears with the help of paddles, little else that is new is seen on the 2007 model. This feature has its fun, too, making driving the Grand Prix look like a video game, with its controls and superb speed.

To show its blue blooded ancestry, the car has been shaped a bit like what it was in the early 1960’s, when it hit the roads as the most powerful car till then. It actually resembles a coke bottle on the exterior. This is visible nostalgia for those missing out on the model’s progenitor. The structure of the car is well proportioned, with a length of 198.3 inches, width of 71.6 inches and height of 55.9 inches, all of which fit neatly into the 110.5 inch wheelbase. There are several standard exterior features, such as touring tires, alloy wheels, power windows with driver one-touch down, rear window defroster, solar-ray tinted glass, compact spare tire, power window lockout switch, dual sunvisors, intermittent windshield wipers, dual body color power adjustable exterior rearview mirrors, front and rear bumpers with gray lower accents, body color body side moldings, rear spoiler and optional metallic paint. All these are couched in the two grilled bumper, which adds to the flashiness of the vehicle. Fog lights go on to add to the looks and utility;

With the kind of power it generates, the Grand Prix is the ultimate statement of power. In line with this, its interior has a control layout that has been done in cockpit style separating the passengers’ and the driver’s areas. The four air vents placed on the dashboard make the car’s dashboard look like that of an airplane. Isn’t this an appropriate representation, after all? Another small, but thoughtful feature is the dual reading system on the speedometer. For those used to the metric system, this car makes life easy –its Driver Information Center helps change the numbering from miles to kilometers. Other standard features of the base sedan are OnStar virtual advisor internet access, personal calling hands-free telephone, programmable equalizer, vehicle location system and Telematics System with automatic collision notification, speed sensitive volume and 6 speakers, CD player, radio data system, in-glass radio antenna, security system notification, stolen vehicle tracking, and vehicle diagnostics. AM/FM Radio, rear HVAC ducts and manual air conditioning. This should make our memories sharper, too, with so much to remember.

For all these power-packed features, the Pontiac Grand Prix is a driver’s dream, with little to make it an unsafe vehicle. Its antilock brakes, side curtain airbags and electronic stability system, which are optional on some and standard on some others, make the vehicle handle any surface and driving conditions for the kind of power it has, with aplomb.

Not surprisingly, the car earns great points on safety from NHTSA. All three models earn five stars in respect to driver safety, while all earn four stars for passenger safety.