PRESS RELEASE
Pontiac Intros Rageous Concept Car at North American Auto Show
9 January 1997
Pontiac's Outrageous Rageous Full of Surprises
DETROIT, Jan. 7 -- No one ever accused Pontiac concept
vehicles of being wimpy and bland, but the latest creation from the
Excitement folks is nothing short of Rageous!
Unveiled here at the North American International Auto Show, the
rear-wheel-drive Pontiac Rageous has all the bold, exciting design cues
Pontiac is known for and a hot Ram Air V8 engine. But it also reveals a
cunning functionality that belies the extremes in the sweeping lines and
22-inch wheels.
"The Rageous is outrageous and full of surprises," said Pontiac-GMC
General Manager Roy Roberts. "Pontiac character jumps out at you from
every part of this vehicle. Its bold, its aggressive, its fun to drive
and you can do things with it you can't do with a conventional sports
coupe."
The sporty, knock-down, drag-out super-aggressive look of the Rageous
is distinctively Pontiac. The Red Rush exterior color screams
Excitement, accenting the promise of power and performance in the low
cowl design, the Ram Air hood, the high, racy spoiler and the
Rageous-specific P315/3OR22 Goodyear tires.
The front of the Rageous incorporates the classic Pontiac dihedral
-- or "V" shape -- especially in the center where the Ram Air intakes
flow downward into the aggressive lower fascia. Even the signature
Pontiac round fog lamps are nestled into dihedral recesses in the lower
fascia.
Rib treatment on the sides, front and rear fascias, the spoiler and
even the mirrors give the sleek machine a rugged, protective look. The
high belt line along the rear seating area was designed to give a feeling
of protection without compromising visibility.
Sports coupes are traditionally low in overall height, seat height
and ground clearance. The Rageous overcomes these compromises with an
overall height of 55.5 inches, a front chair height of nearly 10 inches
and ground clearance of 6.4 inches. Not only do these dimensions provide
a commanding view of the road, but the higher structure also makes it
easier for occupants to enter and exit the vehicle.
Another entry/exit problem on conventional sports coupes is that they
have long, cumbersome doors and limited rear seat space. The outrageous
Rageous doesn't have that problem. Two 48-inch doors provide plenty of
entry/exit room for the driver and front seat passenger while two small
rear-hinged panels provide easy access to the rear seat area without
diluting the bold sports coupe appearance.
And once passengers get comfortably into the two rear bucket seats,
they have plenty of legroom, an amenity often missing from two-door
coupes.
And here's one of the big surprises about the Rageous:
When activities call for carrying cargo rather than people, the front
passenger seat and two rear seats fold down flat to provide extra space
not available in conventional sports coupes. To access this spacious
interior, the Rageous is equipped with a rear liftgate AND a drop-down
tailgate. In addition to enhancing access to the cargo space, the
tailgate eliminates liftover.
"The Rageous was designed and built to be an exciting display of
Pontiac brand positioning," said Pontiac Category Director Lynn Myers.
"We wanted to create a bold, aggressive and powerful sports car concept
that doesn't force compromises. This is especially important for younger
car buyers whose active lifestyles demand more functionality in their
vehicles."
The interior of the Rageous is designed for active lifestyles. Not
only can you haul big things like sports and camping gear, but you can
also carry and organize a lot of smaller things. Functionality abounds
in the seven map pockets, 10 net pockets, three glove boxes (one in the
dash, two in the center console), and the closed, lockable storage under
the driver's armrest. There are also molded cup holders for each of the
four bucket seats.
"People do everything with their cars these days," said Pontiac Brand
Character Director John Schinella. "Recently I saw somebody tying 4 x 8
sheets of drywall to the top of his car. You can put things like that in
the back of the Rageous."
A shrink-wrapped interior emphasizes the contours of the body and
door structures and contributes to a cylindrical design motif. These
cylindrical forms are evident in the center console and in the gauges and
air outlets that are molded into the instrument panel.
Controls are clustered around the driver in a cockpit designed to
deliver information quickly and easily to the driver. Full round gauges
feature readouts in both digital and analog formats while supporting the
cylindrical design theme.
Information about any of the Rageous' electctronic or electric system
is instantly available through the reconfigurable Head-up Display (HUD).
A track ball mouse on the steering wheel allows the driver to not only
access information such as speed, odometer reading and outside
temperature, but to also control features such as sound system, heating
and ventilation, seats, cell phone or navigation system.
"Any electronic device or system on the car can be controlled from
the steering wheel," said Interior Designer Tim Grieg. "The HUD allows
the driver to access information and make changes in various controls
while maintaining eye contact with the road."
The Rageous packs a 315-horsepower V8 engine under the hood to give
the rear-wheel-drive vehicle plenty of muscle for the sports car side of
its personality. A short-throw six-speed Borg-Warner transmission means
classic Pontiac launch excitement and the fun of a well-timed shift. Add
Pontiac's Ram Air induction system and you get the kind of blistering
powerplant that sports car enthusiasts crave.
To keep the rear suspension fully independent for enhanced control,
the Rageous is equipped with a transverse leaf spring.
The bold, aggressive 22-inch cast aluminum wheels feature an open,
three-spoke design that not only enhances the racy look of the Rageous,
but also facilitates brake cooling. Cross-drilled brake rotors add an
extra element of brake ventilation.
"This vehicle bristles with excitement," said Schinella. "We wanted
to make every detail very dramatic to state Pontiac's brand character
while adding value to the sports machine."
CONTACT: Mark Hitchins, 810-745-7951 or Dan Greene, 810-745-7976, both of Pontiac Photo available on AP PhotoExpress Network (Jan. 7, PRN4-PRN5); via NewsCom, 305-448-8411 or http://www.newscom.com; or via PressLink Online, 703-758-1740; photos also available on Wieck Photo DataBase, 972-392-0888