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GENERAL MOTORS’ Pontiac people are a cocky bunch — cocky enough totake on the likes of the Audi 5000S, BMW 528e, and Toyota Cressida.

Those highly esteemed and high-priced cars are a few of the targetsof the 1987 Pontiac Bonneville.

Go on and laugh. If someone had told me six years ago that Pontiacwould try to move in such circles, I would’ve laughed, too.

But the 1987 Bonneville is serious stuff, folks. It’s vastlydifferent from its traditional, full-sized predecessor of the same name.The new Bonneville is front-wheel-drive, for example.

But the differences go beyond design and engineering. They involveattitude. The new Bonneville is a rightfully proud machine.

This car could put an end to the mind games played in somemaxi-profit import showrooms. You’ve heard it before: “Well, er, um, ourcars cost more because they are naturally better because they, er, um,come from Europe and Japan.”

Baloney. The competition’s gotten tougher. It’s put-up-or-shut-uptime. And the people from Pontiac have put up a good one.

Complaints: Minor delivery problems, both of which were repaired. Theautomatic left turn signal did not function properly because of a bulbfailure. Several wires behind the computerized instrument panel dangleda bit.

(If you think that’s sloppy, how about a 1987 Jaguar XJ6 that turnedinto a smoke bomb because the manufacturer’s representative forgot toinstall the engine oil-filler cap and seal? It was far harder to cleanup that mess than it was to tuck away the Bonneville’s few errantwires.)

Praise: Overall excellence in design and function.

The Bonneville is built on the same platform as GM’s new BuickLeSabre and Oldsmobile Delta 88 cars. But no one will be able to stick alook-alike tag on this one.

The Bonneville’s sloping front end — accented by a narrow,horizontal grille — is distinctive. The gently rounded rear is awelcome, albeit cautious departure from the boxy behinds on most GMcars. The interior, with its rounded dash and dials, is aces.

But some credit for the Bonneville’s dash should go to the FordTaurus and Lincoln/Mercury Sable. GM seems to have engaged in a littlestylistic plagiarism here.

The test model is the top-line SE version of the Bonneville, whichmeans that it’s loaded with power options, including a”twilight-sentinel” function that, when properly set, automaticallyturns on headlights in the dark. All of the power options workedperfectly.

Ride, acceleration, handling: An excellent blend of luxury-car rideand sports-car performance. Power comes from a 3.8-liter, transverselymounted, fuel-injected, V-6 gasoline engine. Superior highwayacceleration for most normal people; throttle jockeys might find itwanting. Excellent handling, enhanced by fully independent, four-wheelsuspension and — goody, goody — 15-inch Goodyear Eagle GT tires.

Head-turning-quotient: It gets looks and raves.

Sound-system: GM/Delco AM/FM stere o radio and cassette, with graphicequalizer and electronic tuning. Still among the best.

Mileage: About 24 to the gallon (18-gallon tank), combinedcity-highway, running with mixed loads (one to five occupants) and withmoderate use of climate control system.

Price-as-tested: $18,227, including $3,186 in options. Compare withsimilarly equipped Audi 5000S, BMW 528e, Ford Taurus, Lincoln/MercurySable, Toyota Cressida, and Volvo 740/760 series cars.