1999 Pontiac Grand Prix: The GTP Becomes Its Own Model

This record's own dek states that the naturally aspirated 3.8 rises to 200 hp for 1999, while the supercharged 240 hp continues. This record's own overview states that MuscleCarClub, crediting the Standard Catalog of Pontiac, gives 1999 Grand Prix production as 155,317 across SE, GT and GTP without a split by trim or engine, and that the compiled engine tables list a 3.1-liter V6 at 160 hp and 185 lb-ft, a supercharged 3.8-liter V6 at 240 hp and 280 lb-ft, and a naturally aspirated 3.8-liter V6 at 200 hp and 225 lb-ft, all SAE net as compiled with no rpm given. This record's own keyFacts section is empty for the year.¹

This record's own production section carries a single total row of 155,317, with a note that the bodystyle column is printed by the source as SE/GT/GTP and that the Standard Catalog's own Note 4 calls it the model-year production total of Grand Prixs of all types; a second note states plainly that no published split of 1999 production by body, trim or engine was reached. This record's own unpublishedLeads section carries a Wikipedia claim that for 1999 the GTP became a stand-alone model in coupe and sedan form, previously a GT option package, that the naturally aspirated 3800 gained 5 hp to 200, and that 1999 was the last year the SE offered the non-supercharged 3800, held back as tertiary text without a traced primary citation, with this record's own reason field noting the pontiac.com price table does list GTP coupe and sedan as separate models.^1,2

This record's own prices section carries five MSRPs from pontiac.com's own archived pricing page, all including destination and effective January 19, 1999 for vehicles produced or tagged on or after that date: $20,050 for the SE sedan, $21,630 for the GT coupe, $21,780 for the GT sedan, $24,395 for the GTP coupe, and $24,545 for the GTP sedan, matching the five-model lineup the unpublishedLeads entry describes.

This record's own engines section carries the three entries matching the overview: the 3.1-liter V6, the supercharged 3.8-liter V6, and the naturally aspirated 3.8-liter V6 at its new 200-hp rating, none carrying an availability note beyond the compiled table's own bare ratings. This record's own transmissions section lists a single entry, the four-speed automatic, the only transmission for the year, with three separate EPA vehicle records covering the 3.1-liter, the 3.8-liter, and the supercharged 3.8-liter on premium fuel.^1,3

This record's own paint, performance and identification sections remain empty for the year. The archived pontiac.com pages for exterior colors, interior and option groups were captured only as not-found pages, and the colors page that was captured shows its swatches as images with no readable exterior color names, so no paint names, RPO codes or option prices are recorded here. The GTP's promotion to a full model line is documented in this record through its five MSRPs, its 240-hp supercharged 3.8-liter, and the standard-equipment matrix on the archived mechanical page that separates the GT and GTP from the SE sedan.

The archived pontiac.com specifications pages, captured in October 1999 and marketing material describing what was offered, give the 1999 car a 110.5-inch wheelbase, a 196.5-inch length, a 72.7-inch width, a 54.7-inch height and a 16.0 cubic-foot trunk, with base curb weights of 3,314 pounds for the coupe and 3,373 for the sedan, labelled preliminary. The engines page prints the 3.1-liter at 160 hp and 185 lb-ft, the 3.8-liter Series II at 200 hp and 225 lb-ft, and the supercharged 3.8-liter at 240 hp and 280 lb-ft, with rpm figures the compiled table lacks. The mechanical page lists ABS, four-wheel discs, Magnasteer as an option on the SE sedan and GT coupe, and dual bright exhaust outlets on the GT and GTP only.

General Motors' own 1999 Owner's Manual, a non-marketing document, adds capacities and service data: 11.0 quarts of coolant for the 3100 and 12.3 for both 3800s, 4.5 quarts of oil with a filter, engine codes M, K and 1, and firing orders. It disagrees with the archived pontiac.com page in two places. The manual gives a 17.7-gallon fuel tank where the web page gives 18.0, and front and rear treads of 62.0 and 61.5 inches where the web page gives 61.7 and 61.1, so this record's conflicts section shows both and corrects neither. Wheelbase, length, width and height agree. Interior trims are Doral cloth or Prado leather, each in Graphite, Taupe or Camel.⁴