1950s Pontiac

In the 1950s Pontiac had begun the decade with a restyled range of what would become classic 1950s cars.

The revamp was necessary as following the end of World War Two the company had been basically selling its 1942 models, albeit with minor changes.

Their Torpedo and Streamliner were fast becoming dated, though Pontiac had begun installing Hydra-matic automatic transmission in 1948.

The Torpedo line was superseded by the Chieftain. In 1950 the Chieftain was joined by the Catalina as Pontiac extended their range.

Two years later production of the Streamliner was ended and the Chieftain range was extended .

By 1954 Pontiac had produced the Star Chief. A year previously Pontiac began installing one piece windscreen, replacing the tradition split two piece units . By 1955 V8 engines were being installed in the Chieftain rage of motor cars.

In the mid 1950s Pontiac continued to improve their car design, the V8 replaced the six cylinder engine and the company were rewarded with a boost in sales.

In 1956, inspired by newly appointed general manager Semon Knudsen, Pontiac sought to revamp the brand. The famous silver streaks were removed from the bonnet of the company's 1957 range.

The Bonneville, a limited edition from the Star Chief range, incorporated fuel injection for the first time in a Pontiac car. The Bonneville retailed at almost $6,000 dollars, roughly the same price as the Cadillac, showing that Pontiac were capable of taking on the big players at the luxury end of the market.
 
By the end of the 1950s Pontiac had introduced a new brand design with a “V” emblem with a star motif at the centre.  The Starchief range actually had eight of these stars as chrome trim on the sides of the car.

The Starchief also included modifications with quad head lamps, a longer body which was set lower, and changes to the car's interior.

These innovations led to the magazine Motor Trend hailing the entire Pontiac line as the 1959 “Car of the Year.”