What Is This?

[Guest YellowJacket894]

What car is this?

[capriceman]

96 impala SS :AH-HA_wink:

[Guest YellowJacket894]

Nope.

Anyone need a hint?

[capriceman]

boat tail riviera¿

[Guest YellowJacket894]

Nope.

Hint (and this is a big hint): It's a Pontiac made between 1959 and 1972.

[Guest YellowJacket894]

Okay, two more hints before I post the answer.

1. It's a concept car.

2. It was closely related to another GM product from a different divison.

[FAPTurbo]

Pontiac Banshee?...

I know it was like a 3rd Gen Corvette...

Edit: that's all I got... I never paid much attention to Pontiac History so I only have a few tidbits...

Edited July 23, 2006 by Captainbooyah

[Guest YellowJacket894]

Correct. The model I have pictured is the 1966 iteration.

And, pay attention here kids, the press release...

Here's the 1964 version, just as refrence...

Good answer, Capt'n.

[FAPTurbo]

I remember my dad showing me it in a magazine or something a while back, and the idea of a Pontiac "Corvette" just kinda stuck...

What was the idea of a Pontiac Corvette anyway? Was it supposed to be more expensive, less expensive? Plusher and more luxurious?

[Drew Dowdell]

has a rear seat apparently.....

[balthazar]

What was the idea of a Pontiac Corvette anyway? Was it supposed to be more expensive, less expensive? Plusher and more luxurious?

No, no; you're still in the (current) mindset that every GM product must somehow 'fit on the ladder' with all other GM products. That simply does not apply to the past.

A Corvette was a Corvette: styling, powertrains, features that made it a Chevy Corvette. A Pontiac Banshee would be just that: a Pontiac-designed & engineered 2-seater with appropriate styling, features & powertrains. It doesn't (didn't) matter in the least that the Corvette existed- this was a completely different car. Comparisons to the vette are natural but would not invalidate the Banshee's existance.

Of course, Chevy balked at the idea and whined and got their way. Again.

[Guest YellowJacket894]

As suppliment to what Balt posted above me, here's a bit of Banshee history and how that car lead up to the Firebird. (Originally posted last month sometime in response to another member's post about his concept for the Firebird's Return. Edited for coherance.)

***

For those who don't know, the Firebird was a result of the Banshee project of 1964. (The latter mentioned car, if GM decided to give it the greenlight instead of putting it on the backburner, would've been something along the lines of a C3 Corvette. The '64 Banshee project also borrowed cues from the C3 design.) Since John Z. DeLorian couldn't get the Banshee into the ream of production reality, GM top brass handed him the Camaro basically as a consolation prize. The DeLorian version of the Camaro was also slated to be named Banshee (like the Camaro's original name was Panther). Also, a few mock-ups wore GM-X badges as well.

At first, DeLorian didn't want to bother with a re-styled Chevy Camaro. He kept pushing for the original Banshee project instead, but GM didn't budge. GM didn't want to erode Corvette marketshare. So, with one option left, DeLorian gave up and took the Camaro route instead. But by then it was too late to significantly redesign the Camaro into a Pontiac -- it was already well under developement and the Pontiac Crew only had 12 months to turn it into a sports car for the brand.

[mightymouse]

INCORRECT. The first car pictured is a XP-798-Scorpian. It was later renamed

Banshee, look closely at the script on the right side of the I/P and the

rear deck lid. It was the 3rd gen Scorpian concept. I have documents from

GM design staff archives that leave no doubt. You are correct about this

car evolving into a production firebird tho. The second car pictured is a

1966 Banshee- different theme- which is XP-853...pay attention kids

Edited July 24, 2006 by mightymouse

[Guest YellowJacket894]

incorrect. The first car pictured is a XP-798-Scorpian. It was later renamed

Banshee, look closely at the script on the right side of the I/P and the

rear deck lid. It was the 3rd gen Scorpian concept. I have documents from

GM design staff archives that leave no doubt. You are correct about this car evolving into a production firebird tho.

170444[/snapback]

I guess one could say we're both correct. The press release shows it was badged Banshee in 1966, although the comment about the headlights leaves me puzzled.

Correct answer: 1966 Pontiac Banshee (originally Pontiac Scorpian).

How does that work?

[mightymouse]

headlights pop out up by the cowl...and the car is clearly labled Scorpian...

In some other pictures, when they changed the name, we could call it a Banshee

did you look closely ....I have a excellent interior shot but its not scanned..

At the time those pictures were taken, it was technically a Scorpian=correct answer

Edited July 24, 2006 by mightymouse

[Guest YellowJacket894]

headlights pop out up by the cowl...and the car is clearly labled Scorpian...

In some other pictures, when they changed the name, we could call it a Banshee

did you look closely ....I have a excellent interior shot but its not scanned..

At the time those pictures were taken, it was technically a Scorpian=correct answer

170457[/snapback]

Oh...just quit being so technical.

This is an interesting concept, though. And it does share one or two cues with the original Banshee concept.

[Newbiewar]

What was the idea of a Pontiac Corvette anyway? Was it supposed to be more expensive, less expensive? Plusher and more luxurious?

No, no; you're still in the (current) mindset that every GM product must somehow 'fit on the ladder' with all other GM products. That simply does not apply to the past.

A Corvette was a Corvette: styling, powertrains, features that made it a Chevy Corvette. A Pontiac Banshee would be just that: a Pontiac-designed & engineered 2-seater with appropriate styling, features & powertrains. It doesn't (didn't) matter in the least that the Corvette existed- this was a completely different car. Comparisons to the vette are natural but would not invalidate the Banshee's existance.

Of course, Chevy balked at the idea and whined and got their way. Again.

170351[/snapback]

but at that time Corvette hadnt made its mark on the world like it has now... hell Corvette could be its own brand like it is in Europe... because it doesnt fit in chevys line up, but is the driving force on the SS models...

Now Cadillac has Corvette so... where does that put everything in the scheem of things?

[mightymouse]

Oh...just quit being so technical.

This is an interesting concept, though. And it does share one or two cues with the original Banshee concept.

170467[/snapback]

Ok....but that's what I'm supposed to be doing

also the second car there is a Corvette based Banshee it's XP-833, not 853.

The interesting story about the 1966 Scorpian/Banshee is that is was never

shown in public, It was on center stage for the 1966 New York unveiling,

and they didn't show it because it was not feasible to produce, with all the

cool features it had... it was taken off the main stage and never shown.

It had powered doors with trapazoidal hinges, and too many other features

to mention.

Edited July 24, 2006 by mightymouse