1981 Pontiac Grand Prix: The Brougham Replaces the SJ

This record's own dek states that 1981 brought a restyle, with the Brougham replacing the SJ at the top of the line. This record's own overview states that MuscleCarClub, crediting the Standard Catalog of Pontiac, gives 1981 Grand Prix production as 147,711, split between a base "J" hardtop at 74,786, an "LJ" hardtop at 46,842, and a Brougham hardtop at 26,083, and that the compiled engine tables list a 231 cid V6 at 110 hp and 190 lb-ft, a 265 cid V8 at 120 hp and 210 lb-ft, and a 350 cid V8 diesel at 105 hp and 205 lb-ft, all SAE net as compiled with no rpm given.¹

This record's own keyFacts section states that for 1981 the Brougham replaced the SJ at the top of the Grand Prix line, with factory prices running from $7,424 for the V-6 Grand Prix to $8,986 for the V-8 Brougham; it also states that Pontiac's 1981 brochure listed three Grand Prix engines, the Buick 3.8 V-6 standard, a Pontiac 4.3 V-8 said to be available only until about January 1, 1981, and an Oldsmobile 5.7 diesel V-8. This record's own prices section carries six factory prices across V-6 and V-8 drivetrains for the Grand Prix, LJ and Brougham.²

This record's own engines section carries these same three entries: the 231 V-6 standard federal and California, the 265 V-8 available but limited by the brochure's own early-availability note, and the 350 diesel V-8, Oldsmobile-built, with air conditioning required alongside it in California. This record's own transmissions section is empty for the year. This record's own production section carries four rows, the 74,786-unit J, the 46,842-unit LJ, the 26,083-unit Brougham, and the 147,711 total, with a note that the source presents the base, LJ and Brougham rows as summing to the total, and a second note stating that no production figure was found for the Evans Automotive Americana special edition, and that no engine, transmission, paint or trim counts were found.¹

This record's own options section itemizes three equipment groups by their own full content, an automatic-climate-control air conditioning upgrade, a heavy-duty 70-amp alternator, a limited-slip differential, a heavy-duty battery, a digital quartz clock, a remote deck lid release, an electric rear window defroster, rally gauges with instrument-panel tachometer, a removable hatch roof, tungsten quartz halogen headlamps, cornering lamps, a power antenna with an AM/FM/CB tri-band option, radios up to a 40-channel CB, a Rally handling suspension, 60/40 or bucket seats with console (not offered on the Brougham), power glass or metal sunroofs, a padded landau top standard on the Brougham, a light trailer group, specific two-tone paint, cast aluminum or Rally IV wheels, and the Americana package, a custom extended French-seamed elk-grain vinyl landau roof in body color with a Targa band in brushed silver or anodized gold, French-styled opera and rear windows, and a body accent stripe.

This record's own interiors section carries two entries: the nine recommended interior colors named on the 1981 color chart, Black, Camel Tan, Blue, Beige, Champagne, Jadestone, Maroon, Red and Silver; and the seat layout, a standard notchback seat, an available 60/40 seat standard on the Brougham, and bucket seats with console available on the Grand Prix and LJ but not the Brougham.

This record's own specifications section gives shipping weights of 3,166/3,287 pounds V-6/V-8 for the Grand Prix, 3,195/3,316 pounds V-6/V-8 for the LJ, and 3,231/3,342 pounds V-6/V-8 for the Brougham, along with a 201.9-inch overall length, 72.1-inch overall width, 108.1-inch wheelbase, front/rear tread of 58.5/57.8 inches, front/rear head room of 37.6/37.8 inches, front/rear leg room of 42.8/36.3 inches, front/rear shoulder room of 56.4/55.9 inches, front/rear hip room of 51.7/54.9 inches, 16.6 cubic feet of trunk capacity, an 18.1-US-gallon fuel tank (19.8 with the diesel), and 195/75R14 standard tires.²

This record's own performance and conflicts sections are both empty for the year, leaving no period road test and no disputed figure on record for the 1981 Grand Prix. This record's own identification section gives series 2G, body style J37 for the Grand Prix, K37 for the LJ, and P37 for the Brougham, sourced to the same Standard Catalog tables as this record's own production and price rows.²