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Pontiac Trans Sport minivan behaves as a nimble sports sedan
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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HUNGRY HORSE, Mt. -- The road that follows Montana's Flathead River through Glacier National Park twists and turns with each flex of the whitewater sluice, forcing any vehicle to do the same.
The vehicle steered along this road during a test last fall handled the challenge admirably, hugging the roadbed through each turn set and acting aggressively when prompted into passing gear.
On-board hardware helped to make this one so lively, with 180 horses romping through six cylinders and a sporty stabilizer bar teamed with MacPherson struts of a malleable suspension system.
It's downright fun to drive, which -- considering that this tester happens to be a minivan -- comes as a surprise.
A minivan can be sporty and fun?
It can when it's a Pontiac, the sport-skewed division of General Motors which stocks a dramatically reconstituted Trans Sport minivan in the 1997 lineup of models.
A deluxe edition riding on an extended wheelbase goes by the badge of Montana, which coincided with my introductory Montana test drive followed by a week's worth of experience at home running errands around town and hauling a load of family members.
"Slow down," became the typical passenger's response to my active style of steering, followed by such questions as: "What do you think this is -- a sports car?"
No one would have ever uttered such a comment about Pontiac's previous minivan, a lethargic and boxy thing with sharply slanted nose that resembled a Dustbuster vacuum.
The new design, revamped from prow to tail in a new shape that looks sleek and round, represents a fresh approach from General Motors, which has also cast variations for Chevrolet and Oldsmobile.
Leave it to Pontiac to make the sport-tuned minivan.
Its active personality begins with a ladder-type chassis which forms a solid, flex-resistant platform to mount front independent suspension components with MacPherson struts and variable-rate coil springs.
In the rear, an open-section twist axle integrates stabilizer bar with gas shocks in base edition but for sport-like movements a special optional suspension package adds self-leveling air shocks and larger coil springs.
All Trans Sport versions get quick-to-turn power rack and pinion steering, and power brakes linked to computerized anti-lock control system.
A turning radius of less than 40 feet for even the extended-wheelbase edition allows the Trans Sport driver to chart a flexible course through traffic or take on a twisty set of curves like those I whipped through in Glacier National Park. Yet this minivan also handles well in the tight confines of a parking lot.
It packs a whopper of a powerplant too.
The GM 3.4-liter V6 in all issues hits 180 hp.
There's more than enough thrust behind this plant to pop Trans Sport through the passing lane and instill confidence in a driver, which some minivans cannot do.
A smooth 4-speed electronic automatic transmission connects to this engine via column shifter.
These standard ingredients show up in two formats, a regular edition with standard 112-inch wheelbase and the extended version with wheelbase stretched eight inches.
Layout of the shorter Trans Sport contains two hinged front doors, a right-side sliding door which leads into back seats, plus the rear swing-up gate.
The longer Trans Sport creates enough side-panel room to install an optional left-side sliding door to reach the left center seat, thus mimicking the plan of a conventional 4-door sedan or station wagon.
Another optional door feature allows power operation of the right sliding rear door. Touch a button on the overhead console or an alternate one mounted to the top of the right B pillar and the right slider rolls back and forth as easily as a power window moves up and down.
From driver's vantage, Trans Sport's bold windshield design sets up a superb field of view in combination with tall side windows.
The driver's bucket seat, perched high and facing a redesigned instrument panel, feels comfortable and adjusts in various directions for a custom fit.
Fingertip controls mounted to the sporty steering wheel and more on driver's door and dash make Trans Sport easy to operate -- so much so that this tester often forgot it was a minivan being steered and not something more racy.
And despite the bold but essentially boxy appearance, Trans Sport from the driver's seat also seems far smaller and easy to handle in the manner of a conventional car.
Riders will find this one a pleasant experience too, thanks to the low step-aboard height of a car that makes access easier.
The floor slopes up toward the rear in ramp-like fashion so seats in back rise higher than those in front and everyone gets a good view.
Seating arrangements for Trans Sport include five plans which begin with the regular-wheelbase base edition. It plants two front bucket seats separated by a walk-through aisle and followed by a 2-person center-row bench and 3-person rear bench -- for a total of seven.
Standard plan for the extended-length Trans Sport also stocks seats for seven but the second and third tiers of benches split and fold in modular fashion for flexibility.
Versions with all bucket seats also provide room for seven, and the deluxe edition uses plush captain's chairs.
Also, Trans Sport offers a plan for eight with three buckets in center row and a back split bench for three.
Rear seats with aluminum frames weigh half as much as competitor models, by the way, which makes them easy to move when more cargo space is needed.
Further, one or two toddler safety seats, integrated in center-row bench, show up on the option list.
Trim packages include monotone and 2-tone appearances, plus Montana with 7-person bench seating and luggage rack.
1997 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 1997 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT Specs |
| Description: |
Compact minivan |
| Model Options: |
Compact minivan |
| Wheelbase: |
Regular: 112.0 inches
Extended: 120.0 inches |
| Overall Length: |
Regular: 187.3 inches
Extended: 201.3 inches
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| Engine Size: |
OHV 3.4-L V6
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| Transmission: |
Auto/4 |
| Drive: |
Front |
| Braking: |
Power disc/drum/ABS |
| Airbags: |
2 |
| Gas Mileage: |
18/25 mpg |
| Price: |
$ 20,500 to $ 27,000 |
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