The Pontiac brand from General Motors, pegged for racy styling and sporty performance in a collection of sleek coupes and sedans, also promotes minivans and crossover wagons. New models for 2005 include the sleek G6, a mid-size sedan developed to supplant the Grand Am, and the Montana SV6, a crossover sport van with seven-passenger seating.

Pontiac's new mid-size sedan, cast on a long-wheelbase front-wheel-drive (FWD) platform which also supports Chevrolet's Malibu and the 9-3 of Pontiac, looks sleek but athletic on a taut package with brief overhangs and wheels pushed out to the corners. The prow, with Pontiac's signature twin-port grille, shows chrome accents and reflective-optic headlamps plus projector-beam fog lamps with clear lenses. A spacious five-seat cabin in G6 brings a driver-oriented cockpit with bolstered bucket seats in front of a split bench which folds for flexibility when arranging riders and gear. An optional panoramic roof with four sliding glass panels opens the top almost like a convertible.

Two trims -- base G6 and G6 GT -- draw from a new 3.5-liter V6 with 200 hp through a four-speed automatic Hydra-Matic 4T45-E transaxle that adds a manual shift mode on the GT. Mechanical assets include four-wheel independent suspension with sport tuning, electric power steering and heavy-duty disc brakes with anti-lock brake system (ABS), plus the option of a traction control system (TCS) for the G6 GT. Side-impact air bags for front seats and curtain-style side air bags are also available, along with adjustable pedals and XM satellite radio service.

Pontiac revived the nameplate for its muscle-car icon from the 1960s in a modern interpretation that emerged in 2004 with a V8 engine from the Corvette sports car. The hallowed GTO badge applies to the shapely two-door body of a rear-wheel-drive (RWD) coupe called Monaro that's built by Holden, a GM subsidiary in Australia. Then it's spiked with Corvette's engine, which for 2005 upgrades to the new LS2 V8 pumping 400 hp. The GTO totes 'Vette transmissions as well. Standard is a heavy-duty four-speed automatic, but a close-ratio manual by Tremec with six forward gears is optional.

GTO also carries a limited slip differential linked to TCS and four-wheel disc brakes with ABS. The body, conformed to the GTO characteristics of a long prow and curt tail, reveals curvilinear shapes with scant overhangs fore and aft. A 2+2 cockpit contains bolstered buckets in color-coordinated leather, a steering wheel in satin-finish chrome, plus metal pedals and a premium sound system. New models gain a dual-exhaust system and such exterior options as a hood scoop.

Pontiac's mid-size sedan scored a makeover in 2004 that resulted in a smooth new exterior shape and a cabin with flexible flat-fold seats to carve out more room for cargo. Two trim designations with different powertrains work as the GT and GTP, but the latter also offers a Competition Group ('Comp G') package with suspension tweaking and sporty paraphernalia. The GT pulls from GM's 3.8-liter V6 racked to 200 hp. The GTP goes further through supercharging to pump the action to 260 hp.

The GTP's Comp G kit includes StabiliTrak Sport, a four-wheel vehicle stability system that enhances tire traction during cornering maneuvers. Further, two thumb-sized paddles -- labeled TAPshift for Touch Activated Power -- are mounted on right and left spokes of the steering wheel. A shift-it-yourself kind of driver can use the thumb and forefinger to move the paddles forward or backward and step up or down the powertrain's gear ladder in the same way race drivers control their open-wheel machines with finger-flicking upshifts and downshifts. OnStar telecommunications is the standard now for all Grand Prix issues, with optional gear extending to a new dual-zone air conditioning system, DVD-based navigation and a remote starter.

The full-size Bonneville sedan culminates with the GXP edition, which brings a performance powertrain and special exterior adornments like curvy fascia, unique shapes for headlamps and tail lamps, big exhaust pipes at the tail and a spoiler. The GXP's engine, a 4.6-liter NorthStar V8, delivers 275 hp through a four-speed Hydra-Matic 4T80-E automatic transaxle.

The Bonneville SE and SLE use a 3.8-liter V6 plant that makes 205 hp. The cabin for the GXP contains rich appointments like suede inserts on the leather seats and a shifter handle in brushed aluminum.

The sporty Pontiac subcompact continues strictly as a two-door coupe with four trim variations. All stock the EcoTec 2.2-liter in-line-four engine set at 140 hp. A five-speed Getrag manual goes to the first two trims, but a four-speed automatic Hydra-Matic 4T45-E works with the other two. Front styling includes cat-eye headlamps flanking a dual-port grille and integrated fog lamps in the fascia. Options this year range from the subscription-based XM satellite radio service to a sport package with 16-inch Chrome Tech wheels and tight sport suspension tuning, or Monsoon audio gear with eight speakers and a CD deck capable of playing MP3 format files.

Pontiac's five-door subcompact crossover wagon has agile road manners like a small four-door sports sedan plus the cargo capability of a sport-utility and the miserly fuel efficiency and attractive price points of an economy car. Exterior styling looks aggressive, with a new front fascia and grille styled like the G6 and Bonneville GXP. The Vibe's structure is tall, which accommodates seats that rise high like chairs and creates voluminous space for people and equipment. A track system in the floor of the cargo bay adapts with various accessory kits to mount sports equipment like a mountain bike or snowboard.

The price-leading FWD Vibe and Vibe AWD tote an economical four-cylinder engine that hits 130 hp. The Vibe GT with FWD skews toward the sporty side with a high-performance 170 hp engine tied to a six-speed manual transmission. Vibe's base model also offers a boost by supercharging through a SPO (Service and Parts Operations) kit installed at a Pontiac dealer. Expect to gain about 30 percent in horsepower and 18 percent more torque with the supercharger aboard. New options for the 2005 Vibe range from leather seats to StabiliTrak stability controller and curtain-style side air bags.

Pontiac tags Aztek as a sport-recreation vehicle (SRV) and casts it as a multi-purpose machine to accommodate active lifestyles with room aboard for hauling recreational equipment. Aztek stocks standard FWD traction or the AWD Versatrak system. The smart mechanism detects tire rotational differences between front and rear wheels during low-traction conditions, then directs power to either or both rear wheels momentarily before actual tire slippage occurs at the front wheels.

Aztek's power comes from a 3.4-liter V6 that produces 185 hp with a four-speed Hydra-Matic 4T65-E automatic transaxle. A Rally Edition sparks the series with the suspension dropped, 17-inch chrome wheels on the ground, a chrome-tipped exhaust pipe at the tail and the body coated in look-at-me paint like Fusion Orange or Silver Metallic.

A stretched wheelbase version of Pontiac's minivan -- with FWD traction and seats for as many as eight passengers -- is the only version offered in 2005 as production tapers to make way for the Montana SV6. The sole power plant is GM's 3.4-liter V6 for 185 hp with a Hydra-Matic four-speed automatic transaxle. Two new body colors -- Sedona Beige Metallic and Dark Blue Metallic -- pop up on the paint palette, and options extend to MontanaVision, a DVD-based video entertainment system for viewing by backseat riders.

Pontiac's class of 2005 includes a new crossover sport van (CSV) that usurps the moniker of the Montana minivan with an extra tag of SV6 to denote a V6 engine. Its wheelbase stretches for nine inches longer than Montana and the cabin has a capacity for seven riders plus cargo. Styling for the external package adopts beefy cues from a sport-utility vehicle with squared shoulders but Pontiac's dual-port grille in front. Space inside is organized with seats lined in three tiers and a flat load floor in back. Seats on the second and third rows may be removed to make room for more gear, or the back bench, divided in half, folds forward at the seatback.

Power comes from a new 3.5-liter V6 that makes 200 hp with a four-speed automatic transaxle. GM's Versatrak AWD traction mechanism is optional, along with the GM's StabiliTrak vehicle stability system. A package of DVD video entertainment equipment is stock for SV6, and the list of options has items like side-impact air bags, OnStar telecommunications, a 110-volt power outlet and a remote starter.