Reborn Bonneville
The Pontiac Bonneville will be redesigned for the 2000 model year, undergoing a complete change in chassis, styling and drivetrain. The exterior styling, if these photos of prototype cars are any indication, the Bonneville will retain many of its current design cues, including a split grille opening at the front and a notched border around the rear quarter window. Windshield posts, however, will present a more severe angle. Headlights will be round, projector types. The new Bonneville'* chassis will be an adaptation of General Motors' G-body platform, currently used for such cars as the Cadillac Seville and Buick Park Avenue. GM'* new premium 3.5-liter V-6 engine that recently made its production debut in the 1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue should be under the hood of the 2000 Bonneville. Look for Pontiac to unveil the car at the Chicago Auto Show in February. It should reach Pontiac showrooms by the summer of 1999.

wow that car looks beat as heII

3.5?!?

phew, that was close!

very good find btw

what wouldve been so wrong with the 3.5? i mean i know it doesnt have the reliability reputation of the 3.8...but they dont really have any major problems that im aware of, and i dont see why GM isnt still using it in something, instead of just letting it die off.

gran prix?

what about it? im confused...the Grand Prix still comes with the 3800 or the 5.3 V8...earlier models had the series 2 SCed...
a 3.5 engine does still exist, but it is not the same as the LX5 DOHC "Shortstar" engine that the article is referring too...the malibu and a few other cars have it i thinkl...i believe it is based on the 3.4..but i could be wrong.

I'm sure I'll probably get flack for this but my theory is that the 3.5 was not used in the Bonneville SE/SLE because the 3.5 was the GM premium V6. It was actually made by Oldsmobile and was reserved for the more luxury brand of vehicles. The bonneville was given the torquier 3800, while the Aurora recieved the more expensive LX5. It'* similar to why a Pontiac wouldn't recieve a Cadillac Northstar engine. (atleast not until 2004.) The premium engines were reserved for the more expensive cars. That later changed as we all know in 2004. It'* too bad that only the Aurora and Intrigue had the 3.5. It'* a great engine. Coming from an owner of both engines, I'd have to honestly say I'd choose the 3.5 over the N/A 3800 because of it'* livlier spirit while driving. It doesn't have as much low-end torque but the higher gear ratio of the transmission makes up for that. The high end of even the 3.5 is almost close to our 2000 SSEi believe it or not if you let it rev up. But, if you're anywhere under 4,000 RPM the L67 will easily kill it. Don't get me wrong, the 3800 is a great engine... The 3.5 is also a great engine. I think I heard at one point that the 3.5 was supposed to even replace the 3800 but it was too expensive of an engine to do that. (which would explain why it was phased out in 2002.)

another theory as to why they did it, although im positive the cheap>better prevailed...is that a 00+ bonnie is at least a couple hundred pounds heavier than say an Intrigue, and i know that i sometimes find myself wishing i had some low down grunt, let alone if i had a couple hundred more pounds to carry along...and Custom what kind of gear ratio does your Aurora have? i know i have a 3.05, which isnt too far from the 3.06 of most of the NAed series 2 cars..i guess it would technically be higher..i know i can cruise at 70 or a little above and not be turning 2k, whereas i used to turn 2k or a little over in the Bonnie...im like Custom having driven both the 3.5 is a blast once you get it revved up, i just wish i had that CAI on it.

Now find me a 2006/2007 spy shot and I will be really impressed!!