IndyStar.com's view

For motorists who want bold styling and fun driving, Pontiac has brought forth a new car hosting a number of styling and mechanical changes.

The l996 Grand Am features a redesigned exterior, a restyled interior, and a new 2.4-liter (146-cubic inch) twin cam four-cylinder engine as standard equipment for all models.

These changes reinvigorate the Pontiac compact, combining size and power factors designed to put some zip into your motoring.

The Grand Am was a pretty sleek looking compact to begin with, but Pontiac stylists have endeavored to make both the SE and GT models look even better. The front and rear fascias on the SE have been completely redesigned. The GT gets specific front and rear treatment and body cladding.

“The SE is our best seller by far,” said Dave Wilkerson, general sales manager for Don Sisk Pontiac. “It accounts for 75 percent of our (sales) volume.”

The ’96 Grand Am has the classic Pontiac split grille with horizontal vents instead of the honeycomb design found on previous models. The lower area of the SE has two parallel intakes, while the GT’s more aggressive styling utilizes four air intakes.

Of particular interest is the jeweled look of the headlights, achieved by employing reflective optics. They also incorporate a daytime running light system.

The rear fascia has a cleaner look now that the backup lights have been incorporated into a new red-and-amber tail light assembly. With the decklid spoiler, the center stanchion has been removed to create a smoother aerodynamic line.

Pontiac also listened to the customer when redesigning the interior layout. The instrument panel has been redesigned, although it still remains state-of-the-art.

The rectangular air conditioning and ventilation outlets have been replaced by spherical ball and socket outlets. And a new look and feel comes from the soft-touch material that covers most of the instrument panel and doors.

Under the hood, the four-cylinder, dual cam, 2.4-liter 16-valve powerplant is a derivative of General Motors’ well-known 2.3-liter Quad 4 engine.

The new 2.4, however, has more displacement, courtesy of a different bore-and- stroke combination. It develops the same power, 150-horsepower, as the optional 3.1-liter V-6.

The bore/stroke ratio of the four-cylinder has been changed slightly by reducing the bore and lengthening the stroke to improve torque. The bore now is 3.54 inches, down from 3.63. They’ve put a pretty good stroke in this thing by lengthening it to 3.70 inches, up from 3.35.

This is going to raise the piston speed a little bit over the rpm range. But torque is now 155 foot-pounds, up from 145 foot-pounds.

The standard transmission on all Grand Am models is a five-speed manual gearbox, with a four-speed automatic offered as a $795 option. The four-speed is optional with either the 2.4-liter or 3.1-liter engines, and carries with it what Pontiac calls its ETS (enhanced traction) system.

“Ninety percent of our (Grand Am) customers want an automatic,” Wilkerson said. “The five- speed buyer basically is a young performance enthusiast.”

Sedan versus coupe sales are split about 50/50 with the SE models. In the GT cars, the coupes are the model of preference.

“The Grand Am is our best selling car,” Wilkerson said. “It’s the number one selling nameplate in the GM line.”

1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE Model year: 1996.Base price: $14,794.Type: Front engine, front-wheel drive, five-passenger, compact sedan.Engine: 2.4-liters, DOHC in-line 4, 16 valves, fuel-injected, 150-horsepower, 155 foot-pounds of torque.Mileage: 22 mpg city/32 mpg highway.Wheelbase: 103.4 inches.Length: 187.3 inches.Width: 68.7 inchesHeight: 53.5 inches.Curb weight: 2,954 pounds.Options: Air conditioning, premium stereo system, power seat, split folding seat, leather, tilt wheel, power sunroof, traction system, variable ratio steering, power mirrors, blackwall touring tires, custom wheel s, v ariable speed wipers, rear defogger, keyless entry. The Grand Am, Pontiac Motor Division’s spiffy compact sedan and coupe, tests the 1996 automotive market waters with considerable upgrading both inside and out.