Introduced for the 1966 model year, this personal-luxury coupe was one of General Motors’ most striking engineering statements of the 1960s. It arrived with front-wheel drive at a time when that layout was still rare in American full-size cars, giving the nameplate an immediate reputation for technical boldness as well as distinctive styling. Early versions paired a long, dramatic body with a powerful V8 and an unusual packaging layout that helped set it apart from conventional rear-drive competitors.
Over its life, the nameplate moved through several distinct eras while staying true to its mission as a premium, two-door luxury car. The original generation ran through 1970, followed by a larger second generation that continued the front-drive theme into the 1970s. Later versions became more square-edged and then, in the mid-1980s, the car was downsized and reimagined as a more compact E-body coupe with a different mechanical layout. Despite these changes, it remained one of the division’s most recognizable halo cars.
The model is also historically notable for its role in GM safety development: it was among the vehicles used in GM’s early airbag testing and became associated with the company’s first regular-production air bag availability in 1974. Production ended in 1992, closing a 27-model-year run that left a lasting mark on American personal-luxury car history.