1980 · Pontiac · United States
1980 Pontiac LeMans: automatic-only, and narrowing options
By 1980 the LeMans's strongest listed engine was a 301 four-barrel with automatic only, and its sporting content had narrowed to a Rally handling package and rally gages.
United States · researched through 2026-09-23
This record's own dek states that by 1980 the LeMans's strongest listed engine was a 301 four-barrel with automatic only, and its sporting content had narrowed to a Rally handling package and rally gages. This record's own overview states that Pontiac's 1980 catalog lists the LeMans and Grand LeMans as a coupe and a sedan, with the base Federal powertrain a Chevrolet-built 3.8-liter 229 V6, coded LC3, with a floor-shift three-speed manual or automatic, California cars carrying the Buick 3.8-liter 231 V6 coded LD5, and optional V8s of the Pontiac 4.3-liter 265 two-barrel L55 and 4.9-liter 301 four-barrel L37 in Federal form, and the Chevrolet 5.0-liter 305 four-barrel LG4 in California, all with automatic only.
This record's own key facts state that no manual transmission was listed with any 1980 LeMans V8, and that the four-speed of 1979 no longer appears in the LeMans powertrain table, a comparison this record's own key facts draw with citations to both the 1980 and 1979 sources. This record's own production rows document three separately scoped catalogue body totals from 9,110 LeMans two-door coupes to 20,485 LeMans four-door sedans, with the Grand LeMans coupe, sedan, and Safari rows not recoverable from the source's own OCR, so no Grand LeMans figure is shown for 1980.
This record's own production notes document an extensive 2026-09-25 search for a combined LeMans-nameplate total that found none in the Standard Catalog of American Cars, the Standard Catalog of Pontiac, automobile-catalog.com, or conceptcarz.com, describing 1980 as the least-covered of the LeMans gap years and naming a Pontiac Historic Services request or a period trade digest as the best remaining sources. This record's own prices section documents six catalogue price points across three body styles, from $5,274 for a V6 LeMans coupe to $6,041 for a V8 Safari wagon.1
This record's own engines section documents five powertrains without horsepower figures in this record: the base LC3 229 V6, the California LD5 231 V6, the L55 265 V8, the L37 301 V8, and the California LG4 305 V8. This record's own transmissions section documents the standard floor-shift three-speed limited to the LC3 V6 in Federal form, and automatic as the only transmission with any V8 and in California.
Fourteen exterior colors are documented for the year without production counts, and seven interior trims are documented with their own color codes, from LeMans standard Dover II cloth in blue, camel tan, and maroon to Grand LeMans custom Pompey-cloth buckets in four colors. This record's own specifications section documents the 108.1-inch wheelbase, a 198.6-inch overall length, a 71.9-inch width, an 18.1-gallon fuel tank, and standard 185/75R14 tires against 205/70R14 available and required with the 305 V8.
This record's own identification section documents that each engine carries its builder's own code, LC3 by Chevrolet, LD5 by Buick, and L55 and L37 by Pontiac, with LG4 by Chevrolet for California, five codes spanning three different divisions. This record's own performance and conflicts sections are both empty for the year, a documented gap rather than an assumption that no such data exists.
Fact sheet · 1980 · United States
The numbers
1980 Pontiac LeMans — By 1980 the LeMans's strongest listed engine was a 301 four-barrel with automatic only, and its sporting content had narrowed to a Rally handling package and rally gages.
Coverage: Partial — researched sections are shown; missing ones are not yet sourced. Researched through 2026-09-23.
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
- No manual transmission was listed with any 1980 LeMans V8; the four-speed of 1979 no longer appears in the LeMans powertrain table.
Production
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| LeMans 2-door coupe (D27)1 LeMans · 2-door coupe (D27) · not stated Catalogue production total for the body style, all engines. Rows are separately scoped by body and must not be added into a series total unless a source states one. | 9,110 | not stated (catalogue production total), model-year | Reported |
| LeMans 4-door sedan (D19)1 LeMans · 4-door sedan (D19) · not stated Catalogue production total for the body style, all engines. Rows are separately scoped by body and must not be added into a series total unless a source states one. | 20,485 | not stated (catalogue production total), model-year | Reported |
| LeMans Safari wagon (D35)1 LeMans Safari · 4-door 2-seat wagon (D35) · not stated Catalogue production total for the body style, all engines. Rows are separately scoped by body and must not be added into a series total unless a source states one. | 12,912 | not stated (catalogue production total), model-year | Reported |
Production for the LeMans coupe, sedan and Safari comes from the Standard Catalog of American Cars 1976-1999; the Grand LeMans rows and any sporting-package count were not found. The Standard Catalog of Pontiac 1926-2002, Pontiac Historic Services and the 1980 Pontiac MVMA specifications would close the gap.
Body-style rows from the Standard Catalog of American Cars 1976-1999 are catalogue production totals of unstated accounting basis and do not identify sporting packages; they are separately scoped from any secondary totals already in this record and must not be combined with them.
The 1980 Grand LeMans coupe, sedan and Safari rows were not recoverable from the OCR, so no Grand LeMans figure is shown for 1980.
A combined LeMans-nameplate total (LeMans + Grand LeMans, all bodies) for 1980 was searched for on 2026-09-25 and not found. The Standard Catalog of American Cars 1976-1999 (Flammang/Kowalke, 3rd ed.; archive.org item standardcatalogo0000flam_a4p7, searched inside) has no 'LeMans Total' phrase anywhere in the book. The Standard Catalog of Pontiac 1926-2002 (Gunnell, 2nd ed.; archive.org item standardcatalogo0002gunn, searched inside) likewise has no such total line for any year. automobile-catalog.com's LeMans 5th-generation production page (same-lineage secondary compilation, not registered as a source here) has no 1980 body-style rows or total at all -- its 1980 entries are limited to Pontiac-wide (all models) sales and production figures, not LeMans-specific. conceptcarz.com groups model years 1978-1982 under one representative page (its 1979 entry), with no separate 1980 page. This is the least-covered of the LeMans gap years; unresolved. Best remaining sources are a Pontiac Historic Services production-report request or a period trade digest (Ward's Automotive Yearbook / Automotive News Almanac model-year production tables).
Re-checked 2026-09-29: the conceptcarz.com LeMans series table (https://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/series.aspx?modelID=717) carries a production figure only for 1967, 1969-1973, 1975-1977 and 1979, so it has no 1980 row. No whole-year 1980 LeMans total was found in any other accessible source, and none is derived from the body rows here. A Pontiac Historic Services production report or a period trade table (Ward's Automotive Yearbook) would close it.
Prices when new
| Model | Price | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Factory price, LeMans 2-door coupe (D27), V-61 | $5,274 | factory price (catalogue column), base car before options; catalogue price note: figure left of the slash for the V-6, right for the V-8, 1980 model year |
| Factory price, LeMans 2-door coupe (D27), V-81 | $5,454 | factory price (catalogue column), base car before options; catalogue price note: figure left of the slash for the V-6, right for the V-8, 1980 model year |
| Factory price, LeMans 4-door sedan (D19), V-61 | $5,377 | factory price (catalogue column), base car before options; catalogue price note: figure left of the slash for the V-6, right for the V-8, 1980 model year |
| Factory price, LeMans 4-door sedan (D19), V-81 | $5,557 | factory price (catalogue column), base car before options; catalogue price note: figure left of the slash for the V-6, right for the V-8, 1980 model year |
| Factory price, LeMans Safari wagon (D35), V-61 | $5,861 | factory price (catalogue column), base car before options; catalogue price note: figure left of the slash for the V-6, right for the V-8, 1980 model year |
| Factory price, LeMans Safari wagon (D35), V-81 | $6,041 | factory price (catalogue column), base car before options; catalogue price note: figure left of the slash for the V-6, right for the V-8, 1980 model year |
Prices are the nominal dollars of the day, not adjusted for inflation.
Engines
| Engine | Factory rating | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|---|
| LC3 · 3.8-litre (229) V6, 2-bbl (Chevrolet) 229 cu in · two-barrel | base, Federal; 3-speed manual (2.73 axle) or automatic (2.41) | Not yet sourced | |
| LD5 · 3.8-litre (231) V6, 2-bbl (Buick, C-4 electronically controlled spark and computer-controlled catalytic converter) 231 cu in · two-barrel | base, California; automatic (2.41, 3.08 available) | Not yet sourced | |
| L55 · 4.3-litre (265) V8, 2-bbl (Pontiac) 265 cu in · two-barrel | optional, Federal, automatic (2.29) | Not yet sourced | |
| L37 · 4.9-litre (301) V8, 4-bbl (Pontiac) 301 cu in · four-barrel | optional, Federal, automatic (2.14; 2.41 available) | Not yet sourced | |
| LG4 · 5.0-litre (305) V8, 4-bbl (Chevrolet) 305 cu in · four-barrel | optional, California, automatic (2.29; 2.73 available) | Not yet sourced |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 3-speed manual, floor shift | base with the LC3 V6, Federal only | Not yet sourced |
| Automatic, column shift (floor shift with bucket seats) | all engines; the only transmission with V8s and in California | Not yet sourced |
Options and packages
| Code | Option | Price | Installed |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Rally handling package (larger front stabilizer bar, rear stabilizer bar, specifically tuned suspension; with 205/70R14 steel-belted radials) | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Rally gages and instrument-panel tachometer | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Cloth or vinyl bucket seats (Grand LeMans); console with bucket seats | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Power glass or metal sunroof (coupe only) | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Cast aluminum wheels; Rally IV wheels | — | Not yet sourced |
W50RPO |
Two-tone paint treatment with paint-break stripe (LeMans and Grand LeMans coupe and sedan) | — | Not yet sourced |
|
Trailer group, medium (not with V6) | — | Not yet sourced |
Paint
| Code | Color | Built |
|---|---|---|
11 |
Cameo White | Not yet sourced |
15 |
Platinum | Not yet sourced |
19 |
Starlight Black | Not yet sourced |
21 |
Baniff Blue | Not yet sourced |
29 |
Nightwatch Blue | Not yet sourced |
44 |
Piedmont Green | Not yet sourced |
50 |
Mariposa Yellow | Not yet sourced |
59 |
Stetson Beige | Not yet sourced |
63 |
Fremont Gold | Not yet sourced |
69 |
Castilian Bronze | Not yet sourced |
75 |
Bordeaux Red | Not yet sourced |
76 |
Montreux Maroon | Not yet sourced |
77 |
Agate Red | Not yet sourced |
85 |
Richmond Gray | 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 |
|---|---|---|
26B2 |
LeMans standard full-width seat, Dover II cloth, blue (coupe and sedan) | Not yet sourced |
62B2 |
LeMans standard full-width seat, Dover II cloth, camel tan | Not yet sourced |
79B2 |
LeMans standard full-width seat, Dover II cloth, maroon | Not yet sourced |
26R2 |
LeMans extra-cost Sierra vinyl, blue | Not yet sourced |
62R2 |
LeMans extra-cost Sierra vinyl, camel tan | Not yet sourced |
79R2 |
LeMans extra-cost Sierra vinyl, maroon | Not yet sourced |
|
Grand LeMans extra-cost custom bucket seats, Pompey cloth: 19C1 black, 26C1 blue, 62C1 camel tan, 79C1 maroon (coupe and sedan) | Not yet sourced |
Specifications
| Measure | Value | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Wheelbase | 108.1 in | coupe and sedan (2745 mm) |
| Overall length | 198.6 in | coupe and sedan |
| Overall width | 71.9 in | coupe and sedan |
| Fuel tank | 18.1 US gal | LeMans (69 litres) |
| Standard tires | P185/75R14 black fiberglass-belted radial | LeMans and Grand LeMans (205/70R14 steel-belted available, required with 305 V8) |
Identification
- Engine building division in the order code
- Pontiac's 1980 catalog marks each LeMans engine with its builder: LC3 3.8 V6 by Chevrolet, LD5 3.8 V6 by Buick, L55 4.3 V8 and L37 4.9 V8 by Pontiac, LG4 5.0 V8 by Chevrolet.
Identification
Read a 1980 Pontiac 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 1980
- AMC AMX The last car to wear the AMX name: for 1980 the Spirit AMX lost its V8 option and ran only with the 258 six. An unattributed secondary report puts deliveries at 865.
- AMC Gremlin X and Spirit AMX The last car to wear the AMX name: for 1980 the Spirit AMX lost its V8 option and ran only with the 258 six. An unattributed secondary report puts deliveries at 865.
- Buick Regal Turbo, Grand National and GNX Quad headlamps and an aluminum intake arrived, but turbo Sport Coupe production fell to 6,276.
- Buick Riviera Turbo S Type in its second year; totals agree at 48,621 but the S Type count does not.
- Chevrolet El Camino SS RPO Z15 Super Sport trim on the fifth-generation El Camino; no production count from a verifiable source was found.
- Ford Thunderbird The downsized eighth-generation Thunderbird; the 302 V-8 with Automatic Overdrive was standard only on the Silver Anniversary.
- Mercury Capri RS and ASC/McLaren 79,984 Capris were produced; the Turbo RS listed at $6,935 with the 2.3 turbo four.
- Mercury Cougar Outside the muscle focus: 58,028 Cougars for 1980 per Wikipedia's table.
- Oldsmobile Cutlass, 4-4-2 and Hurst/Olds The 4-4-2 (W-30) was a $1,425 black-or-white option on the Cutlass Calais coupe with the Cutlass line's only 350 V-8, and the Standard Catalog counts 886 installed.
- Plymouth Road Runner The final year of the Road Runner name in Plymouth's catalog.
- Pontiac Firebird and Trans Am The Turbo Trans Am arrives: a turbocharged 301, an Indy 500 pace car, and 50,896 Trans Ams, every one an automatic.
- Pontiac Grand Prix Final SJ year by the compiled tables; 7,087 SJ built.