1970 · Buick · United States
1970 Buick GS 455 and GSX: A Brand-New Brand of Buick
Buick's GS went to a 455 rated at 510 lb-ft, the Stage 1 option added 10 advertised hp, and a mid-year GSX package was built 678 times in two colors.
United States · researched through 2026-09-22
In early September 1969, according to Old Cars Weekly, Buick pulled two identical white 1970 GS Stage 1 hardtops off the assembly line and turned them into show cars. One became the GSX show car; the other was refinished in Fireglow Red Pearl as a GS 455. Both went on circular stands at the Chicago Auto Show, which ran from February 21 to March 1, 1970. Alan Oldfield of the Buick Heritage Alliance told the magazine that the white car's windows were left untinted because “any tinting would not properly demonstrate the appeal of that white interior.” Buick was selling an attitude that year, and it began by staging one.1
The show cars' later life was nearly shorter than the GSX's own. Oldfield told Old Cars Weekly they “were retired and supposed to be crushed,” and that Columbus, Ohio, Buick dealer Len Immke persuaded Buick to sell them to him on the promise that he would keep them, only for them to be sold into private hands while he was out of town. The red GS 455 survived, passed through several owners and, the magazine reports, was donated in 2023 to the Buick Heritage Alliance, which displays it at the National Auto and Truck Museum in Auburn, Indiana. The production cars that followed the show had a short life of their own, built over a few months of 1970.1,2
What made 1970 different for Buick was size. The division split its intermediate performance line in two: the GS, with a 350 rated at 315 gross horsepower, and the GS 455. Buick's 1970 full-line catalog lists the GS 455 at 350 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque, and the Stage 1 version at 360 horsepower with the same 510 lb-ft. Motor Trend's January 1970 specifications put the Stage 1's peaks at 4,600 rpm for power and 2,800 rpm for torque. Buick's GSX brochure quoted both numbers, 350 horsepower and a maximum torque of 510 lb-ft, and it was that torque, arriving at 2,800 rpm, that the period road tests went on to measure.3,4
The Stage 1 was more than a label. Buick's GSX specification sheet lists the standard 455 with 10.0:1 compression and a camshaft of 290 degrees intake and 322 exhaust duration, and the Stage 1 with 10.5:1 compression, a longer 316/340-degree camshaft and 0.490-inch lift on both valves. Motor Trend's test-car panel, by contrast, printed 10.0:1 for its Stage 1, so the compression figure is itself disputed between Buick's literature and the magazine. The same Buick sheet gives the GSX a 3.42 positive-traction axle as standard and the GSX Stage 1 a 3.64, or 3.42 with air conditioning, and it lists power front disc brakes on the GSX.4
Buick's own brochure announced the GSX as “a brand-new brand of Buick,” and then itemized it: a hood-mounted tachometer, G60-15 tires on seven-inch chrome wheels, front and rear spoilers, sports mirrors, bucket seats, a close-ratio four-speed with Hurst linkage as standard and Turbo Hydra-Matic available, rallye gauges and heavier suspension. The dealer order form confirms the narrow choices: Apollo White or Saturn Yellow only, and black vinyl bucket-seat trim 188. Old Cars Weekly describes the result more bluntly, as essentially a slightly dechromed GS 455 with spoilers, painted trim and decals, “a decidedly youthful and in-your-face Buick.” Both descriptions fit.5,1
It was expensive by the standards of the class. Motor Trend and High Performance Cars both give the GS 455 sport coupe's base price as $3,283; Over-Drive Magazine's compiled table prints $3,685 on an unstated basis, and both figures are kept. High Performance Cars reported the GSX package at $1,195.87, which is more than a third of that $3,283 base. Motor Trend's test car carried the Stage 1 at $199.05, Turbo Hydra-Matic at $227.04 and the four-speed at $184.80. The GSX Stage 1 that High Performance Cars tested stickered at $4,932.05. A GSX buyer paid for looks and equipment before choosing an engine, and the Stage 1 cost extra on top.4,6,3
The production numbers show how selective that was. Over-Drive Magazine counts 9,948 GS sport coupes with the 350, 8,732 GS 455 sport coupes and 1,416 GS 455 convertibles; Wikipedia, citing Flory's American Cars 1960-1972, gives the same 10,148 GS 455 two-doors. Over-Drive notes that the GSX is counted inside the coupe figure, so its 678 cars were about 7.8 percent of GS 455 coupes. Across Buick's 214,180 Skylark-family intermediates, GS models of either engine made up a little under 10 percent, and the GSX about three cars in a thousand. Those are secondary compilations; the GSX figure rests on the registry described next.3,7,2
The GSX registry, working from Buick daily car reports and warning that they may be inaccurate or incomplete, breaks the 678 down in detail. It counts 491 Saturn Yellow and 187 Apollo White cars, and Muscle Cars Illustrated agrees; Wikipedia reverses the colors while citing that same article, and the reversal is kept as a disputed claim. The registry counts 400 Stage 1 cars, about 59 percent, and 278 with the standard 455; 479 automatics and 199 manuals; 120 Stage 1 manuals and 280 Stage 1 automatics; and 613 cars with power steering. Its registry column records 246 surviving cars known to it.2,8,7
The magazines confirmed what the torque rating promised. Motor Trend's January 1970 test ran two GS 455 Stage 1 cars on 3.64 axles: the automatic reached 60 mph in 5.5 seconds and ran the quarter mile in 13.38 seconds at 105.5 mph, and the four-speed took 5.8 seconds and 13.79 at 104.5. High Performance Cars' October 1970 GSX Stage 1, an automatic weighing 3,988 pounds, reached 60 mph in 6.2 seconds and recorded a top speed of 115 mph. Oldsmobile's rival from the same corporation, the 4-4-2 W-30, carried a higher 370-horsepower rating, but Car Life's automatic W-30 test car ran 14.36 seconds at 100.22 mph. Different cars on different days, but the Buick's numbers held up.4,6,9
The GSX outlived its first season, but barely. Muscle Cars Illustrated counts 124 GSXs for 1971 and 44 for 1972, 846 across the three years, so the 1970 run of 678 accounts for most of the cars that ever wore the name. The registry dates the 1970 bodies to roughly February through June of that year. A Stage 1 total for every 1970 GS 455 body circulates, but it rests on one unsourced article. What is documented is enough: two white show cars pulled from the line in September 1969, a Chicago debut, and 678 yellow or white Buicks built in a few months of 1970.8,2,1
Fact sheet · 1970 · United States
The numbers
1970 Buick GS, GS 455, Stage 1 and GSX — Buick's GS went to a 455 rated at 510 lb-ft, the Stage 1 option added 10 advertised hp, and a mid-year GSX package was built 678 times in two colors.
Coverage: Partial — researched sections are shown; missing ones are not yet sourced. Researched through 2026-09-22.
Every figure is labeled with how sure we are. Reported means a manufacturer, registry, or reference figure we cite but have not reconciled against factory records ourselves. Disputed means credible sources disagree and both are shown. Rows are separately scoped; don't add them together unless the note says they make up a total.
Key facts
- GSX production 678: 491 Saturn Yellow, 187 Apollo White.2
- GSX engine and transmission: Stage 1 400 (120 manual, 280 automatic); standard 455 278 (79 manual, 199 automatic).2
- GS 455 sport coupe 8,732 and convertible 1,416; GS 350 sport coupe 9,948.3
- Motor Trend (January 1970) timed an automatic GS 455 Stage 1 with a 3.64 axle at 13.38 s and 105.5 mph in the quarter mile.4
Production
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS sport coupe (350), body 434373,7 Gran Sport (GS 350) · 2-door hardtop coupe · 350 · not stated by source No GS 350 convertible is listed. | 9,948 | built, model-year | Reported |
| GS 455 sport coupe, body 446373 GS 455 · 2-door hardtop coupe · 455 · not stated by source Includes the 678 GSX cars per the table note; includes standard 455 and Stage 1. | 8,732 | built, model-year | Reported |
| GS 455 convertible, body 446673 GS 455 · 2-door convertible · 455 · not stated by source | 1,416 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS 455 two-doors, all bodies7 GS 455 · coupe and convertible · 455 · not stated by source Stated as a total by the Flory lineage; equals the two Over-Drive body rows. | 10,148 | built, model-year | Reported |
| All Buick intermediates (Skylark, Skylark 350, Skylark Custom, GS, GS 455)3 all Skylark-family series · not stated by source Sportwagon is not in this table. | 214,180 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| GSX package, all2,3 GS 455 GSX · 2-door hardtop coupe (44637) · 455 or 455 Stage 1 · not stated by source Registry states its figures come from Buick daily car reports and 'may be inaccurate or incomplete'. Subset of the GS 455 coupe row. | 678 | built, model-year | Reported |
| GSX with power steering2 GSX · 2-door hardtop coupe · not stated by source Manual steering 65. | 613 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| GSX, Saturn Yellow2,8 GSX · 2-door hardtop coupe · not stated by source Muscle Cars Illustrated gives the same split; Wikipedia reverses it while citing that article (see conflicts). | 491 | built, model-year | Reported |
| GSX, Apollo White2,8 GSX · 2-door hardtop coupe · not stated by source | 187 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| GSX with Stage 1 4552 GSX · 2-door hardtop coupe · 455 Stage 1 · not stated by source | 400 | built, model-year | Reported |
| GSX with standard 4552 GSX · 2-door hardtop coupe · 455 (350 hp) · not stated by source | 278 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| GSX, automatic2 GSX · 2-door hardtop coupe · automatic · not stated by source | 479 | built, model-year | Reported |
| GSX, manual2 GSX · 2-door hardtop coupe · manual · not stated by source | 199 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| GSX Stage 1, manual2 GSX · 2-door hardtop coupe · 455 Stage 1 · manual · not stated by source | 120 | built, model-year | Reported |
| GSX Stage 1, automatic2 GSX · 2-door hardtop coupe · 455 Stage 1 · automatic · not stated by source | 280 | built, model-year | Reported |
| GSX standard 455, manual2 GSX · 2-door hardtop coupe · 455 (350 hp) · manual · not stated by source | 79 | built, model-year | Reported |
| GSX standard 455, automatic2 GSX · 2-door hardtop coupe · 455 (350 hp) · automatic · not stated by source | 199 | built, model-year | Reported |
Rows are separately scoped. GSX rows are subsets of the GS 455 coupe row; the registry's colour, engine, transmission and steering rows each partition the 678 total according to the registry.
A Stage 1 count for all GS 455 bodies was found only in an unsourced secondary article and is held as a lead.
Body counts come from one secondary lineage (Over-Drive), with the GS 350 figure also appearing in the Flory lineage via Wikipedia.
Prices when new
| Model | Price | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| GS 455 sport coupe (44637), base4,6 | $3,283 | base price reported by period magazines, 1970 |
| GS 455 sport coupe (44637), factory price per secondary table3 | $3,685 | factory price as given by secondary compilation (basis not stated), 1970 |
| GS sport coupe (43437, 350), factory price per secondary table3 | $3,479 | factory price as given by secondary compilation (basis not stated), 1970 |
| GS 455 convertible (44667), factory price per secondary table3 | $3,871 | factory price as given by secondary compilation (basis not stated), 1970 |
| HPC GSX Stage 1 test car, as tested6 | $4,932.05 | magazine-reported sticker price of test car, 1970-10 |
Prices are the nominal dollars of the day, not adjusted for inflation.
Engines
| Engine | Factory rating | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|---|
| 455 V-8, GS 455 455 cu in · Rochester Quadrajet 4-barrel | 350 hp, 510 lb-ft (SAE gross (period factory advertised)) | standard, GS 455 | Not yet sourced |
| Stage 1 · 455 V-8 Stage 14 455 cu in · Rochester Quadrajet 4-barrel | 360 hp @ 4,600, 510 lb-ft @ 2,800 (SAE gross (period factory advertised)) | optional, GS 455 (and GSX) | Not yet sourced |
| 350 V-8, GS (GS 350)3 350 cu in · Rochester Quadrajet 4-barrel | 315 hp @ 4,800, 410 lb-ft @ 3,200 (SAE gross (as listed by secondary source)) | standard, GS (43437) | 9,9483 Reported |
Ratings are the manufacturer's advertised figures under the standard shown (SAE gross before 1972, SAE net after). They are not dyno results, and gross and net ratings can't be compared directly.
Transmissions
| Transmission | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|
| Turbo Hydra-matic 4005 | optional, GS 455 | Not yet sourced |
| 4-speed manual, floor shift5 | optional, GS and GS 455 | Not yet sourced |
Options and packages
| Code | Option | Price | Installed |
|---|---|---|---|
|
GSX package (GS 455 sport coupe)6 | $1,195.87 | 6782 Reported |
|
Stage 1 455 option4 | $199.05 | Not yet sourced |
|
Automatic transmission (Motor Trend test car)4 | $227.04 | Not yet sourced |
|
4-speed manual transmission (Motor Trend test car)4 | $184.80 | Not yet sourced |
Paint
| Code | Color | Built |
|---|---|---|
Q |
Saturn Yellow (GSX)2,5 | 4912 Reported |
10 |
Apollo White (GSX)2,5 | 1872,8 Reported |
10 |
Glacier White10 | Not yet sourced |
14 |
Silver Mist (iridescent)10 | Not yet sourced |
25 |
Gulfstream Blue (iridescent)10 | Not yet sourced |
28 |
Diplomat Blue (iridescent)10 | Not yet sourced |
34 |
Aqua Mist (iridescent)10 | Not yet sourced |
45 |
Seamist Green (iridescent)10 | Not yet sourced |
48 |
Sherwood Green (iridescent)10 | Not yet sourced |
50 |
Bamboo Cream10 | Not yet sourced |
55 |
Cornet Gold (iridescent)10 | Not yet sourced |
58 |
Harvest Gold (iridescent)10 | Not yet sourced |
63 |
Desert Gold (iridescent)10 | Not yet sourced |
68 |
Burnished Saddle (iridescent)10 | Not yet sourced |
75 |
Fire Red10 | Not yet sourced |
78 |
Misty Burgundy (iridescent)10 | Not yet sourced |
Color names are the factory's. We don't show color swatches, because a screen color is no guide for a restoration.
Interiors
| Code | Trim | Built |
|---|---|---|
188 |
Black vinyl bucket seats (GSX only trim)2,5 | Not yet sourced |
128 |
GS: Black, vinyl10 | Not yet sourced |
178# |
GS: Black, vinyl10 | Not yet sourced |
188* |
GS: Black, vinyl10 | Not yet sourced |
121 |
GS: Blue, vinyl10 | Not yet sourced |
181 |
GS: Blue, vinyl10 | Not yet sourced |
124 |
GS: Sandalwood, vinyl10 | Not yet sourced |
170# |
GS: Green, vinyl10 | Not yet sourced |
175# |
GS: Pearl White, vinyl10 | Not yet sourced |
185* |
GS: Pearl White, vinyl10 | Not yet sourced |
176# |
GS: Saddle, vinyl10 | Not yet sourced |
179# |
GS: Burnished Saddle, vinyl10 | Not yet sourced |
189* |
GS: Burnished Saddle, vinyl10 | Not yet sourced |
128 |
GS 455: Black, vinyl10 | Not yet sourced |
178# |
GS 455: Black, vinyl10 | Not yet sourced |
188* |
GS 455: Black, vinyl10 | Not yet sourced |
121 |
GS 455: Blue, vinyl10 | Not yet sourced |
181* |
GS 455: Blue, vinyl10 | Not yet sourced |
124 |
GS 455: Sandalwood, vinyl10 | Not yet sourced |
170# |
GS 455: Green, vinyl10 | Not yet sourced |
175# |
GS 455: Pearl White, vinyl10 | Not yet sourced |
185* |
GS 455: Pearl White, vinyl10 | Not yet sourced |
176 |
GS 455: Saddle, vinyl10 | Not yet sourced |
179# |
GS 455: Burnished Saddle, vinyl10 | Not yet sourced |
189* |
GS 455: Burnished Saddle, vinyl10 | Not yet sourced |
158 |
GS 455 Convertible: Black, vinyl10 | Not yet sourced |
188* |
GS 455 Convertible: Black, vinyl10 | Not yet sourced |
154 |
GS 455 Convertible: Sandalwood, vinyl10 | Not yet sourced |
175# |
GS 455 Convertible: Pearl White, vinyl10 | Not yet sourced |
185* |
GS 455 Convertible: Pearl White, vinyl10 | Not yet sourced |
179# |
GS 455 Convertible: Burnished Saddle, vinyl10 | Not yet sourced |
189* |
GS 455 Convertible: Burnished Saddle, vinyl10 | Not yet sourced |
Specifications
| Measure | Value | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Wheelbase4 | 112 in | GS two-door bodies |
| Overall length4 | 200.7 in | GS 455 coupe as listed by Motor Trend |
| Stage 1 standard axle ratio4 | 3.64 :1 | Stage 1, automatic and 4-speed |
Period road tests
| Test | Car tested | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Motor Trend, 1970-0140-60 mph | GS 455 Stage 1, automatic, 3.64 axle, G70x14, curb weight 3,810 lb | 5.5 s |
| Motor Trend, 1970-014standing quarter mile | GS 455 Stage 1, automatic, 3.64 axletrap speed 105.5 mph | 13.38 s |
| Motor Trend, 1970-0140-60 mph | GS 455 Stage 1, 4-speed manual, 3.64 axle | 5.8 s |
| Motor Trend, 1970-014standing quarter mile | GS 455 Stage 1, 4-speed manual, 3.64 axletrap speed 104.5 mph | 13.79 s |
| High Performance Cars, 1970-1060-60 mph | GSX Stage 1, Turbo Hydra-Matic 400, 3.64 limited-slip axle, weight 3,988 lb | 6.2 s |
A road test result belongs to the one car that was tested, with its engine, gearing, tires, and conditions. It is not a figure for every car of the year.
Identification
- GSX VIN
- The GSX had no separate VIN identification; it used the GS 455 coupe VIN (body 44637). Registry-observed VINs run roughly 446370H120000 to 446370H335000.2
- GSX cowl tag
- Paint Q-Q (Saturn Yellow) or 10-10 (Apollo White); trim 188. Bodies were built by Fisher roughly February to June 1970.2
- VIN
- E.g. 434270H000000 as printed: 4 = Buick; 2-3 = series (34 = GS, 46 = GS 455); 4-5 = body (37 hardtop coupe, 67 convertible); 6 = year (0); 7 = plant (H Flint, C South Gate, D Doraville, G Framingham, K Leeds, X Fairfax, Y Wilmington, Z Fremont); last six = production number.10
- Engine codes (all Buick, 1970)
- SB 350 285 hp 9.0:1 4-bbl; SO 350 260 hp 2-bbl; SP 350 315 hp 10.25:1 4-bbl; SR 455 350 hp 10.0:1; SS 455 360 hp 10.5:1; SF 455 370 hp 10.5:1. TeamBuick does not map the codes to series for 1970.10
Where the sources disagree
1970 GSX colour split
Lead with 491 Saturn Yellow / 187 Apollo White. The registry cites Buick daily car reports and Muscle Cars Illustrated (May 2022) gives the same split; Wikipedia attributes the reversed split to that same article, so the reversal appears to be a transcription error. Keep the conflict visible until corrected.
Identification
Read a 1970 Buick VIN
The VIN decoder runs in your browser and never sends the VIN anywhere. How the factory numbered this year's cars:
Same model year
Also in 1970
- AMC AMX The last two-seat AMX: a restyled nose, a 360 base V8 and a 325-hp 390. At 4,116 cars it was the rarest of the three two-seat years.
- AMC Javelin Penske and Donohue brought the Javelin to Trans-Am, and the showroom answered with 2,501 Mark Donohue Javelins and 100 red-white-blue Trans Am Javelins, while total production fell to 28,210.
- AMC Rebel and Rebel Machine AMC's intermediate supercar: a 340-hp 390, four-speed and Hurst shifter in the Rebel hardtop, first in white with red-white-blue stripes. Totals reported for the one-year run range from about 1,200 to 2,326.
- Buick Riviera The 455 (370 hp gross) arrived with a restyle; production fell to about 37,300 with some 3,505 GS cars.
- Buick Wildcat The final Wildcat, Custom trim only, with the 370-hp 455; 23,645 built.
- Chevrolet Chevelle and Malibu SS The year the Chevelle Super Sport split into RPO Z25 SS 396 and RPO Z15 SS 454, with the LS6 454 rated at 450 gross horsepower.
- Chevrolet Chevy II and Nova Last year the source engine table lists the big-block (as 402) in the Nova. Enthusiast-compiled production: 307,280 cars; Super Sport 19,558.
- Chevrolet El Camino SS The Malibu/Custom El Camino could carry either RPO Z25 SS 396 or RPO Z15 SS 454, including the 450 hp LS6; the El Camino share is not separately published.
- Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS The first Monte Carlo, with the SS 454 as RPO Z20: 3,823 of 145,976 Monte Carlos per Chevrolet-report-derived tables.
- Dodge Challenger Dodge's first pony car arrived as a 1970 model with nine advertised engines, base, SE, R/T, and R/T SE hardtops, two convertibles, and a one-year Trans-Am homologation special, the T/A.
- Dodge Charger The last year of the second-generation body: a new full-width grille, three series (Charger, 500, R/T), the 440 Six Pack added to the R/T, and production roughly half of 1969's.
- Dodge Coronet R/T and Super Bee The final Coronet-based R/T and Super Bee: the R/T fell to 2,615 cars, while the Super Bee added a 3-speed manual and kept its Six Pack and Hemi options.
- Dodge Dart GTS, Swinger and Demon With the GTS gone, the Swinger 340 was the only performance Dart; it kept front discs, Rallye suspension and a twin-scoop hood and sold about 13,800 beside the new Challenger.
- Ford Fairlane The last Fairlane year: the name survived only on the Fairlane 500 beneath the new Torino, with a mid-year Falcon sharing the body at the bottom of the range.
- Ford Maverick Grabber The Grabber appearance and tire package arrived in mid-1970 on the new two-door Maverick; no Grabber count for 1970 was found.
- Ford Ranchero GT The Torino-based Ranchero GT could take the 429 Cobra Jet and Super Cobra Jet; reference counts give 3,905 GTs, while Barn Finds rounds the GT figure to about 3,600 of 21,640 Rancheros.
- Ford Thunderbird The 429 at 360 hp was the standard and only engine listed in the 1970 catalog.
- Ford Torino A new, longer body on a 117-inch wheelbase; the Torino Cobra became its own model with the 429, offered in 360, 370 (Cobra Jet) and 375 (Super Cobra Jet) horsepower forms.
- Mercury Comet and Cyclone A new, longer Montego-based Cyclone in three versions: the 429 Cyclone, the small-block Cyclone GT that outsold both others, and the Ram Air 429 Cobra Jet Cyclone Spoiler.
- Mercury Cougar The last first-generation Cougar moved to the 351 Cleveland, kept the Boss 302 as an Eliminator-only engine, and built 2,268 Eliminators.
- Mercury Marauder and S-55 The second and last year of the 1969-70 Marauder: production fell to about a third of 1969's, with the X-100 near half of it.
- Oldsmobile Cutlass, 4-4-2 and Hurst/Olds The 4-4-2 got a standard 455 rated at 365 hp, the W-30 went to 370 hp, and the small-block W-31 moved to the Cutlass and F-85 coupes.
- Plymouth Barracuda and 'Cuda The E-body redesign split the line into Barracuda, Gran Coupe, and 'Cuda hardtops and convertibles, put every Chrysler performance engine through the 426 Hemi on the order form, and added the one-year AAR 'Cuda for Trans-Am homologation.
- Plymouth Duster 340 and 360 Plymouth's new Valiant-based fastback coupe arrived with a 275 hp 340 performance model priced at $2,547; the Standard Catalog lineage counts 24,817 Duster 340s among 217,192 Dusters.
- Plymouth GTX, Belvedere and Satellite Now hardtop-only, the GTX fell to 7,748 cars while its 440 Six Barrel option cost just $119.
- Plymouth Road Runner Production halved from 1969, the 440 Six Barrel became a regular option, and the winged Superbird was built as a Road Runner hardtop to put Plymouth back on NASCAR superspeedways.
- Pontiac Firebird and Trans Am A late-arriving, coupe-only second generation: 48,739 Firebirds, 3,196 of them Trans Ams, and 88 Ram Air IVs.
- Pontiac GTO A new Endura nose, a 455 added beside the three 400s, and GTO production falling to 40,149.
- Pontiac Grand Prix The SJ took a 370 hp 455, Hurst built the SSJ, and production fell to 65,750.
- Pontiac Tempest and LeMans The T-37 and GT-37 bring budget performance to the Tempest.