Pontiac Parisienne

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Pontiac Parisienne
Manufacturer	Pontiac
Parent company	General Motors
Production	1983-1986 (U.S.) 1958-1986 (Oshawa Car Assembly, Canada)
Assembly	Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Predecessor	Pontiac Catalina (For U.S.)
Class	Full-size
Body style(s)	2-door coupé 4-door sedan 4-door station wagon
Layout	FR layout
Platform	B-body
Related	Chevrolet Caprice Chevrolet Impala Buick LeSabre Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight Buick Electra Pontiac Safari

The Pontiac Parisienne was a full-size rear-wheel drive vehicle that was sold by Pontiac on the GM B platform in Canada from 1958 to 1986 and in the US from 1983 to 1986. The Parisienne wagon continued under the Safari nameplate until 1989.

For most of its life, the Parisienne was a Canadian nameplate, sold in Pontiac's Canadian showrooms, while American Pontiac dealers sold the Catalina, Ventura, Star Chief and Bonneville. Interestingly, Canadian Pontiacs were essentially Chevrolet platforms with Pontiac outer body panels installed. Therefore, the Parisienne used the same engines found in full-size Chevys, including the 283, 327, 350, 396, 409, 427, etc, as well as the Powerglide and Turbo-Hydramatic transmissions. This was done due to import/export tariffs between the U.S. and Canada, which made the manufacture of uniquely Canadian Pontiac engines and chassis components too costly. During the mid- and late-1960s, the Grande Parisienne introduced, based on the US-market Grand Prix, a larger, more luxuriously trimmed offering. The Grand Parisienne became a standard Pontiac again in 1969, while the US-market Grand Prix became a "personal luxury" model. In 1982, the Bonneville was downsized on the G-body while Pontiac's version of the B-body was dropped.

Right Hand Drive cars were manufactured in Canada for export to some countries such as Australia, U.K. etc., until 1969. They used a version of the 1965 Impala dash panel until 1969. Australian models were assembled in Australia from kits as this lessened tax on the cars. Parisiennes were produced there from 1964 to 1969. ^[1]

In early 1983, to gain back Pontiac customers who longed for a large rear wheel drive car, the Parisienne was imported from Oshawa, Ontario, Canada (where the full-size model had not been dropped) and sold in the United States. Externally, it was a rebadged Chevrolet Impala (1983-84 models had the Impala rear taillight panel fitted with Pontiac-spec taillight lenses, whereas the nose was borrowed from the Chevrolet Caprice fitted with a Pontiac grille). The 1985 to 1986 models resumed use of the rear-end styling from the 1980 to 1981 Bonneville.

Two Parisienne ranges were sold - a base model (similar to the former Catalina and the then-current Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale) in four-door sedan and Safari station wagon form, and a more-luxurious Brougham four-door sedan (with velour upholstery that featured loose-pillow fitted seats). No two-door models were offered for the United States market, although a coupe version was available in Canada through 1983.

The Pontiac Parisienne was a success, especially with customers who wanted a nicely appointed car at a reasonable price. The Parisienne still sold well when GM decided to drop the line after the 1986 model year. A front wheel drive model with the Bonneville name replaced the Parisienne; however, the wagon model (known just as "Safari") continued until 1989.

[edit] References

1. ^ 100 Years of GM in Australia, © Norm Darwin

[edit] Gallery

Parisienne convertible with custom paint

1969 Pontiac Parisienne

1986 Pontiac Parisienne

1983 Pontiac Parisienne in Nova Scotia

v • d • e Pontiac, a division of General Motors, automobile timeline, United States market, 1980s–present
Type	1980s										1990s										2000s
	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Subcompact	Sunbird	T1000/1000							LeMans																					G3
Compact			J2000/2000 Sunbird/Sunbird													Sunfire												G5
																								Vibe						Vibe
	Phoenix					Grand Am							Grand Am							Grand Am
Mid-size	LeMans		Bonneville																							G6
	Grand Am		6000
	Grand Prix								Grand Prix									Grand Prix							Grand Prix
Full-size	Bonneville			Parisienne				Bonneville					Bonneville								Bonneville								G8
	Catalina		Safari
Crossover																						Aztek					Torrent
Minivan											Trans Sport							Trans Sport/Montana								SV6
Sports	Firebird		Firebird											Firebird											GTO
					Fiero
Roadster																											Solstice