Pontiac officially went bankrupt in 2010 after more than 80 years of history. However, the brand didn’t completely disappear, and these cars are still loved and admired among car enthusiasts. In fact, there are plenty of cheap and reliable Pontiacs out there today. Unfortunately, there are some Pontiac cars that most fans will never have a chance to own or drive. There are also some cars that most people will likely never see in person: the 1957 Pontiac Star Chief Custom Bonneville.
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If you go to any classic car show, you’ll likely encounter some form of Pontiac Star Chief built between 1954 and 1966. But the ’57 Star Chief Custom Bonneville is in a league of its own. This car is characterised by its sleek looks, high performance and, of course, its incredible rarity. Pontiac only produced 630 Bonnevilles, with one given to each US dealer, plus a few prototypes. Now, more than 60 years after its release, the number of ’57 Pontiac Star Chiefs available has drastically decreased, further cementing its status as one of the rarest cars in the brand’s history. Naturally, the Bonneville’s extreme rarity makes it a rather expensive car to own — if you can even find one in the first place.
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If you see a ’57 Bonneville for sale, you’ll have to pay a fair amount.
Being a luxury vehicle, the 1957 Pontiac Star Chief Custom Bonneville comes equipped with all the bells and whistles you’d expect from such a car. Powered by a 315-horsepower 347 cubic inch V8 engine, the standard Bonneville comes equipped with a Strato Flight Hydra-Matic three-speed automatic transmission, power steering, power brakes, power windows, and much more.
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Back in the day, it would have cost you around $5,800 to buy one of just 630 ’57 Bonnevilles made, an incredible bargain in the modern automotive market. But today, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone willing to part with it for that kind of money. According to Classic.com, in the past five years alone, sales prices for these cars have ranged from $70,000 to $203,500, with the most recent sale at the time of this writing being $123,200. The website’s records show that only 20 have been sold in that five-year span, so it seems likely that there aren’t many on the market, or that those lucky enough to own one are reluctant to part with such a fine car.
The 1957 Pontiac Star Chief Custom Bonneville isn’t so rare that there’s only one in existence, but it is certainly a hard car to come by, so the used market has obviously adjusted accordingly, making it just as expensive as it is rare.
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