Pontiac Trans Sport | |
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Overview | |
Manufacturer | Pontiac (General Motors) |
Production | 1989–1998 |
Model years | 1990–1999 |
Body and chassis | |
Class | Minivan |
Layout | Transverse front-engine, front-wheel drive |
Platform | U-body |
Chronology | |
Successor | Pontiac Montana |
First Generation | |
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Overview | |
Production | 1990–1996 |
Assembly | Tarrytown, New York, United States |
Body and chassis | |
Body style | 3-door van |
Layout | Transverse front-engine, front-wheel drive |
Platform | U-body/GMT199 |
Related |
Chevrolet Lumina APV Oldsmobile Silhouette |
Powertrain | |
Engine | |
Transmission | |
Dimensions | |
Wheelbase | 109.8 in (2,789 mm) |
Length | 1993–96: 194.5 in (4,940 mm) 1990–92: 194.7 in (4,945 mm) |
Width | 74.6 in (1,895 mm) |
Height | 1993–96: 65.7 in (1,669 mm) 1990–92: 65.2 in (1,650 mm) |
Curb weight | 3,600–3,900 lb (1,630–1,770 kg) |
Second Generation | |
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Overview | |
Also called |
Pontiac Trans Sport Montana (1997 and 1998 for US & 1999 for Canada) Buick GL8 (China) Chevrolet Trans Sport (Europe) Opel Sintra (Europe) Vauxhall Sintra (United Kingdom) |
Production | 1997–1999 |
Assembly | Doraville, Georgia, United States |
Body and chassis | |
Body style | 3-door van 4-door van |
Platform | U-body/GMT200 |
Related |
Chevrolet Venture Oldsmobile Silhouette |
Powertrain | |
Engine | 3.4 L (207 CID) LA1 3400 V6 |
Transmission | 4-speed automatic |
Dimensions | |
Wheelbase | SWB: 112.0 in (2845 mm) LWB: 120.0 in (3048 mm) |
Length | SWB: 187.3 in (4757 mm) LWB: 201.3 in (5113 mm) |
Width | 72.7 in (1847 mm) |
Height | SWB: 67.4 in (1712 mm) LWB: 68.1 in (1730 mm) |
The Pontiac Trans Sport and its siblings, the Chevrolet Lumina APV and Oldsmobile Silhouette are a set of minivans that debuted with radical styling in fall 1989 as 1990 models. There was also a Chevrolet Trans Sport sold in Europe until 2005 that was a version of the Chevrolet Venture that had some features of the Pontiac Trans Sport. Production of the Trans Sport was ended in 1998.
The Trans Sport and its sibling models were produced by General Motors to compete with the Chrysler minivans. Because the larger Chevrolet Astro and the GMC Safari "mini-vans" were based on a body-on-frame, rear wheel drive truck platform, they appealed to a different segment of the market and did not put a significant dent in Chrysler's almost complete dominance of the minivan market in the late eighties. The GM minivans, while more successful than the Astro/Safari duo in terms of market share, weren't able to capture a large chunk of the market away from the Chrysler models.
First shown to the public in 1986, the Pontiac Trans Sport concept car was extremely well received. It featured futuristic styling, individually removable bucket seats with built-in stereo speakers, a gull-wing rear passenger door and extensive use of glass including a glass-paneled roof as well as many other "dream car" features such as a built-in Nintendo Entertainment System. The original concept version of the Trans Sport was placed on display in the TransCenter post-show area of the former Epcot attraction, World of Motion, at Walt Disney World, which was sponsored by General Motors.