Pontiac Catalina
Today, exotic cars come in the form of Lamborghinis and Ferraris. But there was time when cars like the Pontiac Catalina were considered very glamorous. In the early 1950s, General Motors was the first to launch pillarless hardtop convertibles.
To increase their appeal, designers looked at far away destinations with names that were foreign. This occurred with a few models. The Buick Riviera was named after the coastlines of Italy and France. The Cadillac Coupe de Ville had a Gallic ring to it.
The model year of 1949 was also the period when GM completed its first restyling of post-World War II automobiles. Cars produced on the A and B platforms were redesigned and reminiscent of the 1948 C-body Cadillacs. This restructuring mainly affected Pontiacs and Chevrolets, both of which fared very well in terms of style. They also did well commercially. Bolstered by their first hardtops, production of GM vehicles rose again to record levels in 1950.
While Chevy offered only one pillarless coupe, the Styleline DeLuxe Bel Air, Pontiac released four. The Catalina was named after the scenic island 26 miles off the coast of southern California. The Catalina was in the Chieftain line. Variations were fitted with DeLuxe and Super trim six or eight-cylinder engines.
Advances in Technology and Style
From 1950 to 1952, technological and styling changes were gradual. The grilles of the 1950s had more vertical slants. The front bumper of the 1950 and 1951 models sported a large V in the center that cradled a large Pontiac crest. A staple of Pontiac since the 1930s, silver streaks of chrome continued to embellish the hood and rear deck. The stern visage of Chief Pontiac continued as the hood ornament and glowed when the headlamps were on.
At the time, many auto manufacturers used quirky names for their features in a futile attempt to stand out in a competitive market. Pontiac was no exception. The “Vision-Aire” was a slightly curved, larger “Safe-T-View” windshield that was divided down the center. The Catalina had a spacious “Carry-More” trunk and “Easy-Access” doors that were wider than previous models. “Tru-Arc Safety Steering” was also part of marketing campaigns though it was actually less responsive than in previous models.
All vehicles with the 119/122-inch split wheelbase were replaced by ones that were 120 inches. Telescopic shock absorbers were used to give riders a “Travelux Ride”. Performing as smoothly as ever, the L-head six and eight engines continued. The six generated 90 horsepower (this was upgraded to 96 a year later). The eight produced 108 (which was later bumped up to 116).
The Catalina had a boost in popularity thanks to an optional Hydra-Matic Drive. It was initially offered in 1948 for $185. The price was reduced to $159 the subsequent year and was installed in 78% of all models produced.
Catalinas, like many hardtops of the time, had strong sales at the beginning of its run. Those sales continued to trend upward. Two thirds of all Catalinas sold were eights. This proved that customers desired a hardtop vehicle that offered a maximum level of power in addition to a higher level of luxury.
The Catalina was discontinued after 1981. Pontiac chose to abandon the full-size market. When production came to a close, the Catalina nameplate had sold over 3.8 million vehicles since 1959.
