The Bonneville was one of the first truly modern designs to roll outof the GM styling studios and it remains contemporary. Based on the same platform as the Oldsmobile Eighty Eight and Buick LeSabre, you'll see some family resemblance, though the Bonneville is the more youthful and sporty package. Indeed, its shape has had strong influence over the entire Pontiac model line. Bonneville is curvaceous without being soft, like some of the marshmallow designs that have become popular in recent years. And it continues to draw envious stares. Bonneville comes in two basic models. The SE competes with the Dodge Intrepid, Chrysler Concorde and Nissan Maxima, but it's one of the most well-equipped models in this group. The SSE goes up against the more upscale Chrysler LHS, Mazda Millenia and Toyota Avalon. From the outside, the SSE is distinguished from the SE by its ribbed side moldings and ground effects package. If you're looking for a little more performance, upgrade the SE to the Sport Luxury Edition, or SLE package. You'll get sporty 16-inch, five-spoke aluminum wheels, leather bucket seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and cobra-head shifter. If you need a bigger kick, add the supercharger option, pumping the 3800 Series II engine up to a tire-smoking 240 horsepower. The supercharged engine is also available on an upgraded SSE package, called the SSEi, which we drove.
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