This Stunning 1960 Pontiac Bonneville Will Make You Forget About the Chevrolet Impala

Introduced in 1958, the Chevrolet Impala sold almost 200,000 examples in its first year on the market. Accounting for 15% of Chevrolet production that year, the Impala helped the company regain the number one production spot in America.

Deliveried increased dramatically in the 1960s, to the point where the Impala moved almost 900,000 units in 1964. Come 2022 and second- and third-gen Impalas are anything but rare, but they’re incredibly popular with the classic car crowd. To such an extent that other GM-built full-size vehicles from the era are pretty much ignored.

And that’s a shame because GM’s lineup included many awesome land yachts at the time. I’m talking about the Oldsmobile 98, the Buick Electra, and the Pontiac Bonneville. The latter is my absolute favorite for two reasons: it looks sexier than the Impala and it came with a powerful V8 engine as standard.

Just like the Impala, the first-gen Bonneville was a one-year wonder. The full-size was redesigned for 1959 when it was also slotted above the Catalina. That year also saw Pontiac introduce the iconic split grille and “wide track” design that added three inches of track width compared to other GM products.

The second-gen Bonneville was only offered with a 389-cubic-inch (6.4-liter) Tempest V8 engine. While restricted to just one mill, the standard Bonneville packed more punch than most Impala versions available at the time.

Not surprisingly, the 1960 Bonneville wasn’t as popular as the Impala: Pontiac delivered only 80,651 units that year. And only 17,062 examples were convertibles, which makes the 1960 Bonneville one of the rarest full-size drop-tops from the era. The Coronado Red example you see here is one of those cars.

Briliantly restored to original specifications, this Poncho looks like it could win awards at any Concours d’Elegance. The paint looks absolutely gorgeous from every angle, the chrome trim shines like new, and the interior is so clean you could eat off the floor. The same goes for the engine bay, which hides a spotless 389 V8 refinished in period-correct color and still rocking many of its original components.

On top of that, it purrs like a kitten while idling and roars like a lion when the pedal hits the metal. Since many of these drop-tops were abandoned in junkyards or barns, this 1960 Bonneville might just be the finest one in existence. So go ahead and hit the play button below for a walk around and in-car driving footage. 

This Stunning 1960 Pontiac Bonneville Will Make You Forget About the Chevrolet Impala

Related Posts

The Rare 1955 Chevrolet Corvette That Has Been Hiding For Decades Is Suddenly A Lucky Survivor

With about 69,000 units delivered, the first-generation Chevrolet Corvette was quite popular, but the sports car was off to a slow start. Chevy sold only 300 examples in 1953…

Remembering the 1954 Kaiser Darrin, the Forgotten Chevrolet Corvette Competitor

Introduced in 1953, the Chevrolet Corvette became widely known as “America’s sports car” and developed into an icon by the late 1950s. But it wasn’t the only sports car…

Hoard Of Abandoned Classics Found In The Woods, Includes Chevy Trucks And Pontiacs

If you’re into derelict classic cars, the junkyard is the best place to find them. But if you’re lucky enough, you might stumble upon a big hoard of abandoned…

Find A Rare Barn For A 1964 Ford Thunderbird Dressed To Impress, This Samoan Coral Wonder Is Truly Worth Exploring

It may sound impossible, but it really isn’t. Finding a super-rare car isn’t necessarily as hard as it sounds, though more often than not, getting your hands…

Roaring to Life with a Hidden Stroker V8 in the 1971 Dodge Demon 340

When talking about the Dodge Demon, we usually think about the modern Challenger SRT Demon, a street-legal dragster based on the Hellcat. But the name goes back…

Rescuing a 1969 Pontiac GTO Named ‘Babied’ After Years of Neglect, Strange Actions of Two Young Men Lead to a Stalled Restoration

For many GTO fans, 1969 is known as the year when The Judge got to see the daylight, but at the same time, Pontiac has also introduced…