The 1980 Pontiac Engine Lineup - Dealer Film (GM125)

Intended for showroom viewing, this video puts a focus on improved fuel economy, comparing Pontiac models to the competition and introducing several new engine options, such as the new turbo V8.
Digitized from laserdisc GM125B; audio has been enhanced.

[@mattt198654321]

When I was growing up, my friend John and I would ride around in the trunk of his mom's wood-vinyl 1981 pontiac parisienne wagon. Of course his mom could not be bothered with seatbelts, probably because she was too busy lighting up her unfiltered Pall Malls. This film brought back a lot of nostalgia, thanks!

[@pl5624]

When the 400 disappeared...that was the beginning of the end of true pontiacs.

[@eddiew.6485]

It was a sad day in GM history when the Pontiac division was dissolved!😕

[@velvetbear7184]

True then they keep the junk Buick and Cadillac lines

[@michaelchan8915]

The Aztec was likely the nail in the coffin for that division.

[@Toolaholic7]

You can thank Obama for that.He told GM to drop Pontiac and their heavy duty truck line to recieve the bail out money

[@Toolaholic7]

@@velvetbear7184 Buick was not junk.Had good cars,one was the Park Avenue including the Lesabre

[@hank1556]

I've never been a Chevy 'hater' type. I certainly hate GM though. Pontiac, Olds, Saab, Holden

[@maplemanz]

The Diesels was the one of the biggest blunders in GM history.

[@fixinggrace]

GM was more about cutting costs in the 1970’s and 80’s. Most of their cars ran like crap and didn’t have a long lifespan. Customers used to having quiet and smooth running V8s now had to deal with fours that would’ve been better off in a tractor. The transmission attached to that diesel, the THM 200 was for a time one of the largest source of complaints for an automotive transmission in history. I had one of those in my 1977 olds delta 88 and it was a POS. It didn’t even last 100,000 miles.

[@robertdiehl9003]

Beautiful video filled with beautiful & classy automobiles unlike today's plastic junk.

[@kennethsouthard6042]

This was the golden age of plastic junk

[@fixinggrace]

Too bad that GM didn’t include a water separator and not used torque to yield bolts for the cylinder heads on the diesel engine. It would’ve at least had a fighting chance of not destroying itself before the car note was paid off. On an unrelated note, our best cars have been Pontiacs. Our Grand Am nearly lasted us nearly 20 years before the Michigan rot got it.

[@12yearssober]

It's almost as if they didn't want diesel engines to take over the market.

[@markfierke8565]

3:50 but it will need; Head gaskets Starter Glow plugs Batteries Water separator Fuel pump solenoid Heads Block

[@andyali13]

This host also did the DuraLube infomercial back in the early 90s.

[@johnhall8364]

My uncle had a new 80 Bonneville with the diesel. Good mileage but unbelievably bad acceleration and the entire engine was replaced under warranty, twice!

[@michaelchan8915]

That engine was easily the worst ever engine put into production by GM, so much so that even today, there are some folks who still have a bad taste in their mouths for any diesel engine made by them.

[@67marlins]

It's funny, MY Uncle Bob bought an Oldsmobile Cutlass 4 door sedan in August 1980 with the diesel, same story of expensive woe. Although.....people forget that the much-improved DX block came along quickly ( for 1981 I think..? ) to almost save the reputation of the diesel.

[@jayelbee1111]

Numerous Pontiacs during the 1980s were equipped with engines produced by other GM Divisions. They were: 1.8 Liter L-4 by Chevrolet 2.0 Liter L-4 by Chevrolet 2.3 Liter L-4 by Oldsmobile 2.5 Liter L-4 by Pontiac 2.8 Liter V-6 by Chevrolet 3.0 Liter V-6 by Buick 3.8 Liter V-6 by Buick 3.8 Liter V-6 Turbo by Buick 4.1 Liter V-8 by Cadillac 4.3 Liter V-6 by Chevrolet 4.3 Liter V-8 by Oldsmobile 4.4 Liter V-8 by Chevrolet 4.9 Liter V-8 by Pontiac 4.9 Liter V-8 Turbo by Pontiac 5.0 Liter V-8 by Chevrolet 5.0 Liter V-8 by Oldsmobile 5.7 Liter V-8 by Chevrolet 5.7 Liter V-8 by Oldsmobile 5.7 Liter V-8 Diesel by Oldsmobile 6.6 Liter V-8 by Chevrolet 6.6 Liter V-8 by Oldsmobile

[@googleusergp]

Don't forget the 5.7L V8 VIN code "X" engine by Buick as well.

[@thecelticprince4949]

The 1.5l i4 by Dae Woo powering the Kadett bodied Pontiac Lemans.

[@Toolaholic7]

The 2.5 was a Chevrolet.Last of the Pontiac engines was 1979

[@googleusergp]

@@Toolaholic7 That is completely incorrect. Pontiac produced their divisional V8s through the spring of 1981. The 265 and 301 Pontiac engines were available in 1981. Also, the 2.5L Iron Duke was a Pontiac, not Chevrolet designed engine.

[@googleusergp]

Also missing is the 4.3L (265) Pontiac V8 used in 1980-1981.

[@honda350racer6]

There's a 301 4 bbl in the Trans am , I think the timing gears are vinyl plastic things, other then that it seems ok.

[@BogattheMoon]

Sorry Bud, but the '62 Olds Jetfire was the industry's first turbo V-8.

[@67marlins]

Correct. In addition, I distinctly recall a GM-fanatic friend at the time bemoaning that the Pontiac 301 Turbo was a 'draw-through' turbo design....which meant it was basically ineffective. As a Ford guy, my preference would have been a good old Pontiac 428 or 455!

[@BogattheMoon]

@@67marlins actually, upon further research just a few days ago, there is official GM documentation that the Corvair was the first available to consumers. Those 301 T/A Turbos weren't impressive at all. Post 1972 really sucked for Americans lol.

[@67marlins]

@@BogattheMoon I myself like most American cars from 1958 through 1977, remember I was a happy little kid in the mid '70s so I loved seeing the stylish new Pontiac Grand Ams of 1973 and 1974, for example. I also loved the Toronado. And when rectangular headlights came along for some cars in 1975, it was really neat to my kid's eyes as the stylish 'face' had changed for these GM cars that my youth aspired to. I can appreciate your perspective that post-1972 was underwhelming though.

[@antoniocampos1977]

Ahead of their time, we’re back to the turbo

[@12yearssober]

The 301 was actually a good engine. Yes it was underpowered but was very reliable and gas mileage was decent as well.

[@braddietzmusic2429]

At 2:57, NO it’s not “the industry’s first turbocharged V-8.” Oldsmobile had one in 1962 in a car called the Jetfire. Come on Pontiac and GM, get your story and history straight.

[@fixinggrace]

There are some who also point out that the Chevrolet Corvair Monza Spyder Turbo came out a couple weeks earlier than that. In truth the Jetfire was a PITA because it needed a mixture of methanol and water to help keep the engine from running like crap. It was a part of history that GM would’ve liked to of forgotten. BMW added a turbo to their 2002 in 1970.

[@willmetz1490]

@@fixinggrace that water methanol injection is crazy back then, that is something you only get in high performance track cars nowadays, imagine that

[@maplemanz]

The Diesels got great mileage while they were running

[@owenm7085]

Tucker Carlson has aged incredibly well, this is 42 years ago!

[@chada75]

5:38 Wow, That's a big ennnnnggggine.

[@wincrasher2007]

LOL. Fuel Efficient V8 means 15mpg highway.

[@maplemanz]

The air back in those old days always looks smoggy.

[@ProjectFairmont]

It’s the comparatively low-resolution and camera lighting filters.

[@wilsterone6689]

Thank God we now have the EPA.

[@ProjectFairmont]

John Delorean’s son?

[@daveo532]

RUN PEOPLE, RUN! The dark days of Genital Motors is about to begin!

[@lavitabella9069]

Max headroom 🏁🌐 @5.39

[@bluefever02]

If only the head bolts and bolt numbers were increased, roflmao

[@smarternu]

Diesel engine only available in California. Ironic these days.

[@ProjectFairmont]

301 was and is unworkable as a small performance V8 beyond an OEM application.

[@abckirov1929]

Pshhh Turbos....doesn't pontiac know this tech isn't going anywhere and is just a temporary fad.....

[@willmetz1490]

Just wait for Buick to upstage you with a turbo V6

[@willmetz1490]

Since when did diesel cost less than gasoline? Cost less to operate yes but the actual price of the fuel no

[@cadmanist]

Up until the 2nd energy crisis, diesel was typically half the cost (or even less) compared to a gallon of unleaded. Caught a lot of folks off guard when diesel crossed the $1 barrier in '79/80.

[@willmetz1490]

How come it surpassed the preceding of gas and never seems to have been cheaper in recent memory

[@wilsterone6689]

Back then diesel cost about a third of what gasoline did. Money hungry politicians imposed taxes over the years raising the cost.

[@wilsterone6689]

@@willmetz1490 Greed!

[@TIJoe-te9qu]

There was a time when the fuel was less. Seemed to change when diesel pickups got popular. Diesel is supposedly cheaper to refine as it is more of an oil than gasoline.