Rusty But Trusty

In about 1982, you might have thought the Opel by Buick was the final straw in GM’s long line of captive European imports. Pontiac itself had imported Vauxhalls briefly from 1957-62, but back in the 1980s they went looking for another import to throw their badge on so they could appeal to Americans looking for better fuel economy combined with driving excitement (and while they were at it, improve their CAFE numbers). And hey, why not throw their name on it? Everyone else was doing it, with the car variously sold as the Opel Kadett, Vauxhall Astra, Chevrolet Kadett, Chevrolet Ipanema, Passport Optima, and about 40 different models of Daewoo. Moreover, this car had won European Car of the Year in 1985 for its sharp aerodynamic looks, which in retrospect are indeed pretty smart. After Hyundai’s Excel debacle in North America, you’d think Pontiac would have chosen to source their LeMans from Opel, but instead they went to Daewoo in Korea. Equipped with a 74hp 1.5-liter four-cylinder, and later a 95hp 2.0-liter four, they had a guaranteed winner on their hands. However, they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, and now there are very few LeMans remaining, among them this 1992 Pontiac LeMans Aerocoupe for sale in Lake Stevens, WA for $1900.

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