Photo Courtesy of General MotorsBy
Steve Eckelberry
Special to Motor Age
What a difference several years make. The 2000 Pontiac Bonneville truly
has what Pontiac calls ?luxury with attitude.?
Although the Bonneville has evolved through the years, I had only ever
sat in one before driving the 2000 sedan a 1982 model my grandfather still
owns. That model has no frills, and it?s just plain big and boxy. But
since then, the 2000 Bonneville has been entirely redesigned, giving the
driver a true luxury sports sedan. Climbing behind the wheel of the
top-of-the-line Bonneville SSEi, I knew I was in for more than just a ride
in a luxury car. From the dual climate-control system to the Head-Up
display projecting my speed onto the windshield, I was not let down.
What power The SSEi is outfitted with a supercharged V6 engine <\m> more than
enough power for just about anyone that offers the power of a V8 with
better fuel economy. Pontiac says the car should average 17 mpg in the
city and 28 mpg on the highway. My mixture of driving brought me an
average of 16.5, according to the car?s on-board computer, which conveys
the vehicle?s fuel economy through the Driver Information Center on the
instrument panel. The engine generates 240 horsepower (hp) at 5200 rpm and
280 ft.-lbs. of torque at 3600 rpm. The SLE and SE versions feature the
same engine but without the supercharger to generate 205 hp at 5200 rpm
and 230 ft.-lbs. of torque at 4000 rpm.
Pontiac?s advanced stability control system, StabiliTrak, helps
brings the 2000 Bonneville?s level of responsiveness and safety to a new
high. Standard on the SSEi, this system employs a number of sensors that
monitor steering, wheel speed and yaw, the rotation of a car around its
center of gravity. Magnetic Speed Variable Assist (MSVA) power steering is
another advanced technology that offers SSEi drivers more control. The
system adjusts the level of steering sensitivity to changing driving
needs. For example, it requires more input at higher speeds and less
effort at lower speeds, when more sensitive response is needed for such
tasks as parallel parking.
To protect the battery from the harsh engine environment, Pontiac
located the battery beneath the rear seat. But the vehicle continues to
offer easy access to the battery terminals under the hood in case a jump
is needed. The need for this is reduced, however, with the standard Delco
Freedom II battery with rundown protection feature. The system turns off
any lamp that is left on 10 minutes after occupants exit the vehicle.
For your comfort The SSEi is outfitted with 12-way leather seats for the driver and the
front seat passenger. The seats adjust to individual drivers? settings,
depending on which remote transmitter is used to unlock the car. Along
with the seats, the mirrors, radio presets and climate-control settings
are changed.
Although the climate-control system in the test car failed to work
properly after the first day, the system is designed to make it easy to
keep everyone comfortable in the vehicle. There are separate controls for
the driver and the front seat passenger each may dial up a temperature on
the digital display. The auto setting then adjusts the fan speed and air
temperature output accordingly. All of the climate controls are within
easy reach of the driver, alleviating the need to lean forward to reach
them. The SSEi also has optional heated seats for the driver and front
passenger.
All of the Bonnevilles feature a Delco Electronics 100 Series radio
with Radio Data Systems (RDS) technology that can be programmed to alert
the driver of important traffic or weather conditions. Station call
letters are indicated on a display, and the radio can also search for
stations with preferred formats, such as jazz, classic rock and talk
radio. Because many radio stations do not yet broadcast with RDS, the
search feature was somewhat limited. The stereo in the SSEi features an
eight-speaker Bose premium sound system and a programmable equalizer.
Getting the message The Driver Information Center included on the dashboard of the Bonneville
SSEi is quite extensive. More than just a ?Service Engine Soon? light,
this digital readout has more than 15 messages, including oil life, tire
inflation pressure, miles per gallon and the number of miles you can
travel before you have to refuel. This is also where drivers can configure
their preferred settings, and a ?Check Tire Pressure? message appears
if a single tire?s pressure falls 8 psi or more compared with the other
tires.Starting with Bonnevilles manufactured in January, Pontiac began
offering its OnStar system on the SSEi. One of the system?s features has
an OnStar representative call the vehicle?s occupants if an airbag
deploys. If there is no answer, the representative calls emergency
services and provides the vehicle?s location through the built-in global
positioning system (GPS). In addition to the safety and security benefits
OnStar, motorists can take advantage of its locator service for such
places as restaurants, hotels, gas stations and entertainment spots.
Stepping UpEach 2000 Bonneville comes equipped with more than enough to make any
driver happy. The models are equipped as follows:
SE Key standard features include independent front and rear touring
suspension with electronic level control, tire pressure monitor,
four-wheel antilock disc brakes, daytime running lamps with twilight
sentinel, driver and passenger front and side-impact airbags, PassKey III
security system, power windows with express down, power outside rearview
mirrors and trunk pass-through.
SLE An even stronger emphasis on style, performance and convenience is
offered with this mid-range model. In addition to features offered on the
SE, the SLE offers a six-way power driver?s seat, six-speaker sound
system, remote keyless entry, anti-theft alarm system, a leather-wrapped
steering wheel with radio controls, dual zone climate control, independent
front and rear performance suspension with electronic level control,
aluminum wheels, a 3.05 performance axle ratio, heated and tinted outside
rearview mirrors, a rear deck spoiler, a Driver Information Center and
more.
The SSEi takes the Bonneville?s performance and feature content to
the highest level with a standard supercharged V6 engine that performs
like a V8 with excellent fuel economy. In addition to features found on
the SE and SLE, the SSEi includes the StabiliTrak system, Head-Up display,
variable effort steering, 12-way driver and passenger leather bucket seats
with memory, a Bose eight-speaker premium sound system, a trunk accessory
kit, the right-hand outside rearview mirror "dip" and more.
Check out http://www.nhtsa.gov to see how the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration rated the
vehicle.<
