This is pulled directly from a review of the 2000 Bonneville....

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Actions, we've been told, speak with far greater intensity than uttered sound.

That has been the Pontiac philosophy for years.

Get in and go. Push, don't pamper.

Pontiac, which has set the benchmark for sports sedans, has pushed the bar a little higher for 2000 with a redesigned Bonneville.

Bonneville now is built off what General Motors calls the G platform, which is shared with the Cadillac Seville and Oldsmobile Aurora. (It had been built off the same platform as the Buick LeSabre.)

Platforms are shared, personalities aren't. Bonneville is the energetic, lively, outgoing performance sedan while Seville focuses on luxury and Aurora on knocking heads with imports.

Bonneville comes in SE, SLE and SSEi versions, all sporting new dimensions and styling for 2000. The biggest change is in back, where the saggy deck lid/taillamp treatment has given way to a squared-off deck lid and large taillamps at the corners, where they belong.

Before 2000, Bonneville mimicked the Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable with the terminal rear-end droop--what we call the "dog dragging its tail between its legs" look, hardly the design cue for a performance sedan.

To camouflage the droop, Pontiac offered a deck-lid spoiler on Bonneville. It still does for 2000 but with the droop gone, the spoiler serves to dress up the back end, not hide a design flaw.

Bonneville also sports cosmetic, lower-body, plastic cladding--the ribbed or sculptured panels that ensure it'* a member of the Pontiac family. Several folks note that, "It looks like a Grand Prix."

Nice, traditional Pontiac touch, but the ribbed panel look, though new to Bonneville, may be running its course. Perhaps designers will come up with a different twist for the next-generation Bonney.

Christina Moore, assistant brand manager for Bonneville says the plastic cosmetic cladding is important to the car.

"Our research shows that styling, the sporty look, is the No. 1 reason people buy the car. Then comes room and comfort, fun to drive, being noticed and the ability to go fast. Fuel economy isn't even in the top 10 reasons for buying the car," she said.

The Bonneville SE and SLE are powered by a 3.8-liter, 205-horsepower V-6. The SSEi we tested has a supercharged 240-h.p. rendition of that engine for even quicker off-the-line bursts and a zero- to 60-m.p.h. time of 7 seconds.

The supercharger gives the SSEi a dual personality, a family sedan in room, comfort and safety features, a performance sedan in terms of the power when needed, a car with V-6 fuel economy (18 miles per gallon city/27 m.p.g. highway) yet V-8 (240 h.p.) power.

But the supercharged V-6 is only one reason the SSEi is an above-average performer. The car now sits on a 2-inch longer wheelbase and a 2-inch wider track. This means more sure-footed road stance and better behavior in corners and turns.

For 1999, Bonneville offered 15-inch radial tires as standard, 16-inch radials as an option. For 2000, 16-inch radials are standard on the SE, 17-inch radials on the SLE and SSEi. The larger radials provide more paw print for better road grip.

Four-wheel anti-lock brakes and traction control (managed by ABS and/or fuel flow to the engine) also are standard. Giving the driver even more cont rol is the addition of StabiliTrak, borrowed from Cadillac, as standard.

StabiliTrak is designed to enhance cornering stability in unexpected driving circumstances, such as coming upon that corner sooner than you were able to back off the accelerator or finding loose gravel in a turn.

The system uses a number of sensors to monitor steering direction, wheel speed and vehicle yaw, or the rotation of the car around its center of gravity.

The yaw sensor measures the rate of turn, a lateral accelerometer measures cornering force and a digital steering wheel position sensor measures steering angle.

What this means is that if the rear of the car begins to swing wide, the outside brake is automatically applied to nudge the car back in line. If the front wheels tend to drift wide of the desired arc in the corner or turn, the inside brake is engaged to help direct the car around the corner to maintain stability and control and keep you headed in the intended direction.

Those sensors and suspension gimmicks also mean that the front end doesn't lift when you bury the accelerator pedal from a standing start, and the rear end doesn't lift and when you stand on the brake pedal in a panic stop.

Inside, the thickly padded leather seats are comfortable and supportive for long-distance or aggressive motoring. Bonneville comes with dual front and side air bags as standard and safety belts in the seats rather than the door pillars for ease of use.

The seats also feature the "catcher'* mitt" design borrowed from Saab. In a rear-end collision, the seat "wraps" around you and the headrest moves toward your head to minimize whiplash movement.

The SSEi also offers a head-up display, or HUD, in which the digital speedometer reading, turn indicators, low-fuel warning and radio station or CD track are shown on a screen at the bottom of the windshield so the driver can see them without taking his or her eyes off the road.

HUD means space has been reserved for Bonneville to add Night Vision, the infrared heat-imaging, see-in-the-dark system that'* a Cadillac exclusive in the 2000 DeVille.

Other nice touches include a pass-through from trunk to back seat; auxiliary power outlet for rear-seat occupants; battery under the rear seat rather than in the engine compartment, where heat can rob longevity (jumper posts remain under the hood); and personalized radio, door lock, heating/cooling and seat position settings with the key fob.

Also, there'* steering-wheel-mounted radio controls; a tire-inflation monitor that warns if any tire loses 8 psi or more of air; remote keyless entry; daytime running lamps; electric rear window defroster; power windows/locks; ignition on the dash not the steering column; a pull-down, rear-seat armrest with dual cupholders and a storage tray inside; rear-seat air vents; a compressor and air inflator valve in the trunk for tires or sports equipment; and a roadside emergency kit in the trunk with rain suit, first-aid kit, gloves, emergency light and snow scraper.

The SSEi'* base price is $31,635. New standard equipment includes a Bose sound system, memory driver'* seat, dual climate controls, heated outside mirrors, universal garage-door opener and dual exhausts.

In January, GM'* OnStar emergency communication system will be available as an option.

Bonneville is for people to whom driving isn't a chore, but rather a means of relaxation as well as exhilaration.

should be so lucky.

http://www.cars.com/carsapp/national...=2000&x=9&y=11
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Great reading Dan. I thought I had heard that the Bonneville was in the Aurora platform but wasnt going to say anything because I had no proof. It sure shape more like the Aurora. It was even slated to get a larger version of the 4.0 V8 but I dont know if thats still a go or not. It is a nice looking car. Much better price than the Aurora - No wonder sales werent good for Aurora.

I like this statement, very important, how a car looks

"Our research shows that styling, the sporty look, is the No. 1 reason people buy the car.

Its what I've been saying in all posts about styling and what is and has been needed in certain GM divisions. Judging by my first impulse of the new GP, Pontiac is headed in a bad direction with styling now too, but thats my opinion, some peole may like that and the new CTS but not me.

I'll have me a 4.0 Aurora in just a few years. I will be able to buy one cheap and get alot of car for little money. I feel bad for the people that bought a Oldsmobile recently. Wait untill they find out how low their tradin value is 2 3 4 years from now. The reason most people have stayed away from Oldsmobiles I'm sure. We have (had) a huge Oldsmobile dealer in the capital district and old Olsmobiles are still fairly common, like Cieras, 88'* and 98'* even some old RWD Cutlass'*. New Olds forget it no one was buying. Who wants to saddle a dying horse. Just like the LSS were paying for. I bet I couldnt get half of what we paid for it and we dont have it half paid off. I knew that though and bought it for the value it had to me fully realizing I would take a bath if I needed to sell it.

Off the Record Dan - theirs a 90 black cherry fairly clean 130,000 Riv near by - 750 OBO- its so tempting but alas I have way to many now. Im sure it would soak 500-1000 out of me within 6 months anyhow. Looks great though.

Yeah, 90-91ish riverias are E body the newer ones are G...
p.*. Can I have the cluster and body computer outa outta the 90 riv? heh.. the ones in my 92 trofeo is mess up!

Trofeo & Riviera over extravagant dash board and electronics. This has always bothered me but I dont know muck about them to say much. This is what I have been wondering. Rewire all gages to electric analog gauges. Use ECM from H or W body.

I would like a count on the amount of Toros and Rivs that went to the crushers clean with good drivetrains because people just got tired of spending all kinds of money and never getting them to run right and have gauges and dash lights. E bodys are a realy rare siteing these days and its usually Rivieras. Saw a Trofeo yesterday. A wonan down town has a nice 86-88 Toro. Dont know what kinda luck shes having with it but its usually all shined up and seen on the road so maybe shes got a good one.

There was a good long writeup on the Trofeo dash module or whatever it is actually called on Toronado org. com it was in web site of the month (I think) for over a year but is no longer there. I believe Toronadoorg.com has undergone a new site keeper and some stuff was lost. They could be sent out and repaired and I guess improved but I just dont remember the details and I never copied it to floppy (DMF)

Someday Id like a Black w/ red leather 91/92 Trofeo. Such a nice body, its a shame they had to get so carried away with "baffle them with bullshit" electronics. Thats exactly the way I view this new fly by wire throttle they have to have today. Just exactly what was wrong with a throttle cable anyhow ? What a nightmare thats going to be for the second and third owners. Kinda like anti lock breaks and traction control. Wonder what Cadallics handling assist brake activation system is going to do to people when it starts failing ? I'm sure it will cost more than the car will be worth to fix.

I saw a trofeo yesterday I believe. One headlight cover was misssing and the area around it was falling apart, and some other bad news on the back end too. Wouldn't have paid attention to it if you weren't here.

The eldorado 92-02 is the same as mine, they didnt have nearly as many problems because of the toros/rivs/reattas...
I hate the digital feed dash:( ITS ANOLOG ANYWAY!! with a digital display
I could drive my car fine, as long as i remeber ever 4 days or so to fill up the tank. only thing that the BCM does is tells the dash what to do, and to make the lights go on when you enter the car. Without a BCM my car doesnt gain a mile!! eheh... but id never be able to prove miles anyway. Hopefully the riv one will work, if it does ill buy the other one and store it in my basment for 100k km/h to go by before i need another one.
With any luck its only the eeproms.. cuz GM has to replace those for life/ for free!

The 86-89 toros didnt have nearly as wonky computers as the 90-92s

Ok, i'm sure this is a stupid question, but what'* the RWB Bonneville?

Oh and what kind of body is the buick century? Is it an H body too?

195X-86 rwd and the GXP rwd.

I always wanted one of those Oldsmobile Calientes from the Mid 80s. Like a real-decked out Toronado.

Like this - Look at the digital dash on that thing. Classic.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=2434384575