The Pontiac Pursuit initially seems to fit in with other 1980s automotive fantasy. The Pursuit resembles an enormous computer mouse or a pair of white shoes more than a car because to its sweeping lines, small headlamps, and practically hidden wheels. However, Pontiac kept things straightforward under the hood. There were no alternative designs or fuels used in the Pursuit’s 4-cylinder inline engine, conventional turbocharger, or 5-speed manual transmission (via GM Authority ). Other events became interesting. The Pontiac concept car used a steer-by-wire technology that connected the steering wheel to battery-operated gears that turned all four wheels, making it one of the first ever vehicles to do so. The similar setup is used by modern Infinitis.

The Pursuit’s onboard technology also foresaw the future; it had an infotainment system with screens for the driver and back seats decades before such systems were ubiquitous. The navigation, media, and climate controls were all controlled by buttons on the steering wheel and were displayed on the driver’s screen. Thank a Pontiac Pursuit the next time you want to change the radio station or the air conditioning without taking your hands off the wheel. It is obvious that the Pursuit was never sold in this form. Following several years of falling sales, GM shut down Pontiac in 2010. Ironically, one of Pontiac’s final new models was the G5, which was first sold in Canada as the Pontiac Pursuit and then as the G5 Pursuit. Unfortunately, that model—a Chevrolet Cobalt rebadged—was the furthest thing from its ground-breaking forebear.

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