Pontiac Trans Sport

The Pontiac Trans Sport and its sister models Chevrolet Lumina APV and Oldsmobile Silhouette were a trio of Vans of the American automobile company General Motors, which came on the market in 1990.

  • 6.1 1996-1998
  • 6.2 1999-2005
  • 6.3 European Market

Background

With the Trans Sport and its parallel models General Motors wanted to compete with the highly successful Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager models of Chrysler. Since larger van models such as Chevrolet Astro and GMC Safari possessed a structure with a separate frame and rear wheel drive, it was aimed with the new models with front wheel drive, and plastic body to a different market segment, but could with them the dominant position of Chrysler in the minivan market not affect the late-1990s. The GM minivans were indeed more successful than Astro and Safari, but nevertheless unable, Chrysler take market share from larger scale.

The style of study

In its public introduction in 1986, the study of style Pontiac Trans Sport had arrived with the audience very well. Influenced she was by many so-called " dream car " features like a futuristic styling, individually removable bucket seats with built-in stereo speakers, a hinged door for the rear passengers and very generous areas of glass to glass inserts in the roof.

Due to the positive response, the learned style study, the Pontiac Trans Sport was cleared for series production. But as is often the case, could design and characteristics of the study style also not be included in the series. The production of the leaf would have been too costly and would also ensure out in garages problems. The glass roof was too heavy and too expensive, so they imitated with the standard version, the roof pulpit with glossy black coated metal panels after.

In order to reach as many customers, building up for the brands Chevrolet and Oldsmobile on the Trans Sport parallel models have been developed. The Lumina APV was the good-value, the Trans Sport was designed for sporty, stylish -looking buyer, and the Oldsmobile Silhouette should be the minivan for the premium market.

Technology and innovations

The in the meantime abandoned General Motors plant in Tarrytown, New York -built minivans based on the so-called U- platform and had a space-frame frame made from galvanized steel and a plastic body that was found resistant to rust and small deformations; a construction method that was developed for the Pontiac Fiero and was later applied by GM also at various Saturn models.

The Trans Sport was available as a seven-seater, the rear seats five weighed 15 kg and could be individually expanded and arranged in a different arrangement. From 1994 also integrated child seats were available as an extra.

Who ordered the car with an automatic level control package in which the vehicle height was regulated in each case depends on the load by a compressor together with the rear gas -filled shock absorbers, also received a compressed air connection with which tires, air mattresses and the like could inflate.

Starting in 1994, further comprising a sliding door with remote control was offered, a General Motors innovation, which is also used in many other minivans nowadays.

In the model years 1994 and 1995, a traction control was available in conjunction with the 3.8- liter engine.

Modest sales success

The design of the minivan was controversial. The extremely large, long and steeply raked windshield and the resultant long axis to the bottom of the windshield made ​​sure that car magazines christened the new minivans " Dustbusters " - according to the Black & Decker brand of hand vacuum cleaner, because the minivans in the side view of a profile similar to those exhibited.

The original engine for this van was a feeble 3.1 -liter V6, which made ​​just 88 kW (120 hp). In 1992, the Trans Sport and its offshoot the 3.8 -liter V6 3800 as an option, which yielded a higher torque and better acceleration. This engine made ​​the Trans Sport the most powerful minivan with the best handling of his time.

In response to the criticisms of the car magazines ( and the relatively poor sales ), which were attributable to the avant-garde styling, feedback from potential buyers as to the advertising of Chrysler, got the car in 1994 a facelift, a shorter front end and a more conventional style. In addition, inside an edge was inserted at the windshield to dash out, which should help visually reduce the perceived distance of the passengers to the disc.

In Europe, where they were accustomed to modern shaped minivans thanks to the Renault Espace, was the echo compared to the futuristic styling more open, and the sales developed considerably. The European version was from 1994, a version of the Oldsmobile Silhouette, which has been converted into a European Pontiac Trans Sport by adding a Pontiac lettering and the appropriate hubcaps. Another European feature was the introduction in 1995 of a diesel version. Use was a 1.9 -liter engine with 66 kW (90 hp) of PSA, which was clearly too weak for the vehicle and could not prevail.

Production of this generation minivan ended when the factory in Tarrytown, where since 1900 had been built next to this are other models, was shut down in 1996.

The second generation was offered in Europe under the brand Chevrolet.

First generation

Pontiac Trans Sport (1990-1994)

1990

  • Launch
  • Available as Trans Sport ( with, regardless of the paint color, silver-gray paneling ) and as Trans Sport SE (monochrome)
  • Delivery of the Oldsmobile Silhouette in Europe as Pontiac Trans Sport (sold through selected Opel dealer ), with small differences in the design, engine and transmission as well as in lighting

1991

  • Customer complaints due to reflections on the windshield, so replacement of the plastic by black felt
  • Electric windows and central locking system in the United States Series

1992

  • Newly available is a 3.8-liter V6 engine with electronic four-speed automatic with overdrive ( Hydramatic 4T60E type )
  • New model Trans Sport GT, equipped with 3.8-liter V6 engine
  • Be elimination of the base model offered, only the models "SE " and " GT"
  • Elimination of the silver-gray planking
  • Leather seats for an extra charge in the " GT" available previously only in the Oldsmobile Silhouette
  • The antenna on the hood is replaced by an integrated roof antenna ( in a film between roof and sky )
  • Larger, collapsible stock rear view mirror
  • Stronger brakes, ABS as standard
  • Glass -lifting roof as a new extra
  • Radio remote control buttons on the steering wheel available at extra cost

1993

  • GT version is omitted, the equipment of the GT can be ordered individually as extras. All Trans Sport models hot 1993-1996 Trans Sport SE
  • A handle with remote control sliding door is announced for 1993, but is in fact not yet available in the model year
  • New color version with gold-colored plastic planks on the body, gold painted rims and held in body color from the C-pillar roof, additional charge in connection with individual paint colors available
  • Redesigned center console with larger levers to regulate the air conditioning, a small storage compartment and large storage tray at the bottom of the console

1994

  • Facelift with a shorter by 8 cm front fascia, headlights like the Pontiac Bonneville, standard fog lamps below the bumper and less dramatically designed plastic planks
  • In order to reduce the perceived distance between the bottom of the windshield, an edge has been attached to the dashboard
  • The handle by remote control sliding door is sold
  • Integrated child seats for the second row of seats are available
  • Traction control available at extra cost
  • The dark- tinted rear windows in dark tint
  • Driver now series

1995

  • Automatic door locking and unlocking when inserting or leaving the "P" position when the automatic transmission as part of the package subject to additional Central
  • The rear part of the roof ( from the C-pillar) now always kept in body color, previously standard lacquer finish in black or no-cost in body color - another attempt to adapt the car to the style of conventional Vans

1996

  • The 3,1 - and 3,8 -liter V6 engines abolished and replaced by a 3.4 -liter V6
  • No more traction control available

Second generation

1996-1998

In autumn 1996, a real model change took place at the Trans Sport and its parallel models. Goal was a more conventional and traditional designed minivan. The plastic panel, which disappeared smooth styling and the spaceship -like appearance, so that these models could easily be mistaken for her former competitors.

With the start of production of the new generation Pontiac offered a Montana warrant package with a special trim and wheel fittings, which gave the model an SUV - like appearance.

The production of this generation took place in Doraville, Georgia in the GM plant.

1999-2005

From 1999 ( Canada 2000), the name Trans Sport in favor of the model name Montana was dropped because over 80 % of all Trans-Sport models were sold in the Montana version.

Engine:

European Market

This version of the Pontiac Trans Sport was sold from the second generation ( 1996) Opel / Vauxhall Sintra and after the sale end in 1999 as a Chevrolet Trans Sport. Unlike the Sintra, which was based on the Pontiac Trans Sport, Pontiac Montana, Chevrolet Venture, Oldsmobile Silhouette and the previous generation Buick GL8 ( for the Chinese market ), the Chevrolet was down to the logo absolutely identical to the Pontiac.

The European Van had different front, side and rear sections and also differed in the lighting units, seat-belts and safety equipment. The vehicles were successful, particularly in Sweden. In Europe, a version with 2.3 -liter 4-cylinder 16V engine with 108 kW ( 147 PS), built from 1993 to 1997 (or 101 kW ( 137 hp), year 1992/1993 ) was offered. This engine was available only with manual 5 -speed transmission.

Safety review

A crash test video of the Trans Sport / Montana model years 1997 to 2004 had a massive criticism of the security of the car leading to:

  • The extreme deformation of the roof left little survival space for the driver
  • An extreme steering wheel movement tore the head of the dummy backwards
  • The unnatural position of the left foot during the dummy showed that the driver's left leg was seriously injured in a crash.
  • The forces on the left lower leg were so strong that the metal base of the dummy broke off at the ankle.
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