Cohort Vintage Snapshot: 1972 Pontiac Luxury LeMans – Brougham Suit

Photos by Hyperpack from the Cohort. 

For those who are fashion-conscious, a change in trends is always a matter of worry. Even if you’re not into fashion, you know what I mean. Pontiac had certainly been the fashionable brand throughout the ’60s, but by decade’s end, it was clear it was falling behind the times. Neoclassical formality and Brougham were coming in, and the Grand Prix had done quite well in that regard. But what about the rest of the lineup?

As with everything in fashion, some fads fit better in some bodies than others. So how does the Brougham look work on Pontiac’s A-Body that dated to 1969? Did it pull the trick, or did it look like someone desperate to fit in?

Not many of these Luxury LeMans have appeared at CC before. Only once in 2-door form, and a period review of the model (for a deeper look at the model, the links are further down). As explained in the review post, Pontiac was certainly entering a panic phase when the Luxury LeMans appeared. With its profitable mid-size models selling in lesser numbers by the end of the ’60s, a change of tactics was in order.

In that review post, a case is made that Pontiac could have tried to carve a sporty niche aimed at the spirit of the ’70s. Something along the lines of Holden’s Monaro GTS, creating an American take on the rising Sport Coupe segment that many imports were claiming.

Of course, that would’ve taken work and a leap of faith. Instead, the Brougham route was more expedient. And easier.

So for 1972, the Luxury LeMans arrived with all the options the burgeoning segment required; vinyl top, rear-wheel skirts, and Morrokide slathered seats. A good deal of plasti-wood (emulating Ceylon teak) on the dashboard and steering wheel, and a few nifty monograms.

That said, this was still a Pontiac, not an Oldsmobile. As the brochure says “We don’t claim the Luxury LeMans is the absolute luxury car.” Instead, you had to pony up for that. Options to pile on included: A/C, AM/FM radio, power windows, cruise control, and electric doors.

The car’s standard engine was a 350CID V-8, and the top setup was a 455CID V-8 with 4-barrel carburation. Besides that, the hardware options were myriad and it would take a whole post to explore. Needless to say, a Luxury LeMans buyer could option his car in endless ways; some even not so ‘luxurious.’

The Cohort photos come from a large upload of images by Hyperpack, some recent and some vintage. No information on this Luxury LeMans was available in the caption section, but looks to be in some dealer back in the day. Of the Luxury LeMans, this is the rarer 4-door that only moved 8641 units in 1972. This one is missing the rear skirts but carries the proper vinyl top and Luxury LeMans monogram on the C-Pillar.

Regardless of how we may feel about Pontiac’s Brougham turn, the changes did stop the bleeding. Not that the company would ever become trendy again, but hang on it did. As for the Luxury LeMans, I tend to prefer my A-Bodies looking cleaner, but even I wore stonewashed jeans as a teen. Admittedly, I was rather desperate.

 

Related CC reading:

Curbside Classic: 1972 Pontiac Luxury LeMans – Racing Stripes And A Vynil Roof

Vintage Review & Commentary: 1972 Pontiac Luxury LeMans – Motown’s Mid-Size Rebel Gets Broughamed