Pontiac Trans Sport

The Pontiac Trans Sport, along with its siblings the Chevrolet Lumina APV and Oldsmobile Silhouette, were a trio of minivans that débuted with radical styling in fall 1989 as 1990 models..

Background

General Motors first attempt at producing a minivan to compete with the Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager, the body-on-frame Chevrolet Astro and the GMC Safari failed to make a noticible dent in Chrysler's almost total dominance of the minivan market in the late eighties, so this second attempt was made. The Pontiac Trans Sport and its sibling models, while more successful than the Astro/Safari duo in terms of market share, had significant perceived flaws that the public couldn't get past in a big way.

Original Concept

First shown to the public in 1986, the Pontiac Trans Sport concept car was extremely well received. It featured futuristic styling, individually removable bucket seats with built-in stereo speakers, a gull-wing rear passenger door and extensive use of glass including a glass-paneled roof as well as many other "dream car" features.

Based on the warm recption the concept vehicle received, the Pontiac Trans Sport was approved for production, but as is often the case, the styling and features showcased on the concept did not make the translation to the mass-produced edition. The gullwing door was deemed too expensive to produce and would probably have imacted overhead garage doors in suburban garages. The glass roof was too heavy and too expensive, so the resultant production vehicle made-do with high-gloss black painted panels for the roof to suggest the glass canopy the concept sported.

Chevrolet and Oldsmobile were also given production vehicles based on the Trans Sport in order to cover the widest possible range of potential customers. It was intended that the Lumina APV would be the value-priced version, The Pontiac Trans Sport would net the more "sport & style" oriented buyers, and the Oldsmobile Silhouette would be the minivan for the premium, luxury market.

Technology/ Innovative Features

Assembled in the now extinct General Motors Tarrytown, NY assembly facility, these U Platform vans consisted of a galvanized steel space frame wrapped in composite plastic body panels that were impervious to rust and minor dents and dings, a manufacturing technique developed on the Pontiac Fiero and used extensively on General Motors’ Saturn line of vehicles.

The Trans Sport was available with seating for seven, with the five light-weight (34 Lb.) rear seats being individually reconfigurable and removable. In 1994 built-in child seats were added to the option list, which provided the ability to switch two of the rear seats between adult and child seating with the pull of a seat-mounted tab.

Included with the level ride package, which utilized a compressor and air-pressurized rear shock absorbers to maintain vehicle height regardless of load, was a control panel and air hose kit that allowed the vehicle to be used to inflate tires, air mattresses, sporting equipment and the like.

In 1994, a remote-controlled power sliding door feature was added, a General Motors innovation, which is now found in almost every other minivan available.

For the 1994 and 1995 model years traction control was available with the 3800 engine option.

Modest Sales Success

The design of these mini-vans was controversial. At the time that the Pontiac Trans Sport and its siblings were conceived, no one had tried to market a stylish or sporty minivan, and GM felt that this represented a potentially large market segment that the class-leading Chrysler minivans failed to address. They styled these minivans to be lower and sleeker than any of the competing brands on the market. The extremely large, long and sloped windshield and the resultant long distance to the base of the windshield when sitting in the drivers seat made for a disconcerting driving experience until a person could adjust to the "different" proportions. Automotive magazines christened the new minivans "dustbusters" after a certain household appliance that shared a similar side profile.

The first engine in these vans was a meager 3.1 L V6, that produced only 120 hp, which was not up to the task of hauling these fairly heavy vehicles around with any authority.

In 1992, the Trans Sport and its siblings received the 170hp 3.8 L 3800 V6 as an option, which provided much better torque and accelleration for the vans, making them the most powerful as well as best handling minivans in production at the time.

In response to criticism (and relatively modest sales) attributable to the vehicles' avant-garde styling, feedback from potential customers, automotive publications, and even chiding in Chrysler Corporation's advertising, in 1994, the Trans Sport and Lumina APV received a facelift, shortening the nose by 3 inches and toning-down of the cladding to effect a more conventional look. Additionally a ridge was added to the interior dashboard to lessen the perceived distance to the base of the windshield.

Europe, which had grown accustomed to sleek people-movers thanks to the Renault Espace, did not object the the futuristic styling, and sales were respectable, so the decision was made to retain the original shape on the Euro-version which from 1994 model year onwards was an Oldsmobile Silhouette, transformed into a Pontiac Trans Sport by the addition of Pontiac badging and wheels.

Production of this generation of U Platform minivans ceased in 1996, at which time the Tarrytown, NY Plant which produced them and had been in operation since 1900 was shuttered and scheduled for demolition.

Year to Year Changes 1990 - 1996

1990

All new model-

Available as Trans Sport (with silver cladding) and Trans Sport SE (monochromatic)

Launched in Europe with minor differences in exterior trim required for regulatory concerns as well as engine and transmissions appropriate for the European's differing fuel cost and vehicle taxation structure.

1991

Customer complaints regarding glare reflected on the interior of the windshield from the massive expanse of dash board lead to the addition of black carpeting in lieu of the more reflective plastic used in the previous year.

Power windows and door locks made standard on US models.

1992

Newly available for 1992 was GM's 3800 V6 engine coupled with a Hydra-Matic4T60 4-speed electronically controlled transmission.

A new Trans Sport GT model debuted, equpipped with the 3800 V6 engine standard.

Base model dropped, leaving Trans Sport "SE" and the afforementioned "GT" as the two trim levels offered.

With the departure of the base model, silver cladding was no longer available.

Leather seating became available as an option on the GT Model. Previously, leather seating was an Oldsmobile Silhouette exclusive within the U Platform minivans.

The cowl-mounted fixed radio antenna mast was eliminated, and an integrated roof antenna was installed, sandwiched between the roof and the headliner.

Side view mirrors were changed to the folding type and were enlarged to provide better rear-ward visability.

Brakes were enlarged and anti-lock brakes (ABS) was added as standard equipment.

A pop-up sunroof was added to the options list.

Steering wheel-mounted controls for the stereo system were added as an option.

1993

GT model dropped, while GT features remained available as options. All Trans Sports would be called "Trans Sport SE" from 1993 to 1996.

A remote controlled power sliding side door was announced for 1993, but failed to actually make it into production.

A new color scheme with gold cladding, gold wheels and a body-colored roof behind the "c-pillar" was available as an extra-cost option with certain exterior colors.

A redesigned center console was added this year with revamped, larger climate controls, a large storage cubby and a large storage bin at its base.

1994

The exterior styling was revamped, three inches were trimmed off the nose, headlights lifted from the Pontiac Bonneville were installed, Bumper-mounted fog lamps were added as standard equippment, cladding was made less flamboyant and stylized.

In an effort to lessen the perceived distance to the base of the windsheild, a ridge was added to the interior dash finishing panel.

A remote-controlled power sliding door became available as an option.

Built-in child seats for the second row became available as an option.

A traction control system became available as an option.

Rear deep-tinted windows now featured a darker tint than previously used.

A driver's side steering wheel-mounted airbag became standard equipment.

The European edition of the Pontiac Trans Sport switched from being based on the Trans Sport to being a re-badged Oldsmobile Silhouette.

1995

Automatic power door locks that engaged/disengaged with the transmission shifting into or out of "park" added as a standard feature of the power door lock option package.

Rear portion of the roof, behind the "C Pillar previously painted black as standard with body color as a no-cost option, would be only available painted body color as a further effort to "normalize" the vehicles' looks as compared to competitors.

1996

Both 3.1 and 3.8 litre V6 engines dropped, a 3.4 Litre V6 3400 engine became the only powerplant available.

Traction Control dropped as an option.

1997 - 2005 2nd Generation: See Pontiac Montana

In the 1997 model year, the Trans Sport and its siblings got their first major redesign, ditching the one-of-a-kind construction and look to create a more conservative, conventional minivan. Gone were spaceframes, plastic body panels, and sleek styling. The new minivans were of unibody steel construction and styling was intentionally conventional to such an extent that contemporary reviewers remarked that without looking closely at the badging and grille treatments, these minivans could be mistaken for their primary competitors, the Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager, which at the time commanded a 50% share of the minivan market. Along with the roll out of this new generation of people mover, Pontiac debuted a "Montana" option package for the Trans Sport with special cladding and wheels intended to give it a more rugged SUV-like appearance.

Production of this generation was performed at GM's Doraville, GA. facility.

In the 1999 model year, the name Trans Sport was discontinued in favor of the name Pontiac Montana due to the popularity of the "Montana" appearance package, which by the time the "Trans Sport" moniker was dropped, accounted for over 80% of total Trans Sport sales.

Engine:

1997–1998 3.4 Litre LA1 3400 (207 in³) V6

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