Throughout a checkered history, the Pontiac Grand Am has always held a place in the hearts of Americans, and it is no surprise that the last of the breed – produced from 1999 until 2005 – are still treated with great affection today.Now completely removed from the monster that was the 1973 original, the Grand Am entered its fifth generation of production in 199, when a full redesign saw the emergence of a very good looking compact car with a wide range of options and engine specifications.No longer was the Grand Am hampered by low power, for this neat machine could be had with as much as 170bhp from a 3.4 liter V6 engine, more than ample for the everyday use it was designed for. With fully independent suspension, this version of the Grand Am provided excellent road holding and a comfortable ride, and the technological development continued inside the car.With music taking preference over a roaring engine as we entered the 21st Century it was no surprise that the Grand Am received not only an up market CD player, but the wonders of MP3, too. Comfort and pandering was never short in the fifth generation Grand Am, and this endeared the model to many.Come 2005, and the arrival of the modern and very sleek G6 coupe, the planned replacement for the Grand Am, spelled the end for this much revered name; the last Grand Ams rolled off the production line in that year, leading to the demise, once again, of a legendary name.Given the history of the name it would be little surprise were it to be revived in the future. The question is, though, was the Grand Am a great car, or merely a mediocre player in an over populated market?In truth, the compact Grand Am models provided affordable and comfortable motoring in some style, and were reliable and enjoyable motor cars; the original Grand Am is, and always will be, a throw back to the muscle car days, and will be held in wonder for that reason alone.

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