The Sunfire replaces the 13-year-old Sunbird. Pontiac officials felt the car was so different from its predecessor that it deserved a new name. Five General Motors (GM) divisions, including the Cadillac offered J variants, but only two survive today, and just one of them, the Chevy Cavalier bears its original name. The Pontiac descendant started life as the J2000, dropped the J for '83, became the 2000 Sunbird for '84,and the Sunbird for '85.The design concept was to provide the same fun-to-drive feel and signature styling as Pontiac's larger cars, but in a small, affordable package.

 

Another mission Pontiac designers had was to make the sedan as sporty looking as the coupe so that buyers, particularly young families, could enjoy the advantage of 4-door utility without sacrificing exciting coupe styling. The front-drive Sunfire coupe comes with a 140-bhp 2.2-liter Ecotec 4-cylinder and a 5-speed manual or an optional 4-speed automatic. A new sport appearance package is available on top-line Sunfire models and includes 16-in. chrome tech wheels, P205/55R-16 performance tires, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, dual chromed exhaust tips and body-colored door handles.

 

The Sunfire is also available with Monsoon sound systems and a Sun and Sound Package that includes an MP3 CD radio. When the Pontiac Sunfire was born in 1995, only SE sedan and the SE coupe were its available model trims, but in the mid-1995, an SE convertible and GT coupe were added to the lineup. Pontiac officials are convinced they have succeeded on this count and have bet that the sedan will attract a larger audience than it had as the Sunbird, when it was far outsold by the coupe.