During the 80’s, the Muscle Car was in the early stages of making a comeback. NASCAR racing was also on the rise at this time, and there was a resurgence in NASCAR-inspired specials–while built for use on the street, they could double as track cars with little or no modification. One such car was the Monte Carlo Aero Coupe, and the other is the subject of this installment: the Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2.
The 1986 model year was significant because it was the only year for the Grand Prix 2+2. Taking the name from the famous Catalina Muscle Car of the mid-‘60s, the 2+2 was designed and built to homologate the body style for NASCAR competition. The body modifications that separated the standard GP from the 2+2 were implemented to give Pontiac’s NASCAR teams an advantage. It was Richard Petty, who originally proposed the idea of an aero-style Grand Prix for superspeedway racing. Richard Petty Enterprises built a prototype of such a vehicle in 1983.
The production 2+2 was able to cut through the air better than the standard passenger car. Up front, the fascia panel was constructed of urethane and was heavily sloped. The grille was of a honeycomb pattern, and a front spoiler provided additional cooling and reduced wind resistance. The rear section of the car was also heavily modified. The notchback roof design was smoothed over with a large bubble-like rear window and an abbreviated rear trunklid with a spoiler. The trunklid itself covered a very small opening, which would just barely admit a space-saver spare tire. The lack of a hatchback made the trunk access cumbersome, to the point of actually being useless.
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