The Pontiac Grand Am nameplate first appeared in 1973 sporting a 455 cubic-inch V8. It’s not likely that any member of the five Grand Am generations will rank as one of the coolest Pontiac models ever built. From the Grand Am’s inception, Pontiac’s attempt to combine Grand Prix luxury with Trans Am performance was evident. Overall, the Pontiac Grand Am was hit-and-miss throughout its 33-year production run that ended with the 2005 model year, but some Grand Ams were way cooler than you might remember.
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Pontiac offered the 2003 Grand Am in two configurations, a four-door sedan or a two-door coupe. The base-trimmed Grand Am SE only came as a sedan, but the GT trims offered a choice between the sedan and coupe body styles similar to the one seen above. Since good photos of the 2003 Grand Am GT are hard to come by, we’ve used images of the 2004 model in this article, as both cars are visually similar.
In addition to the body style option, the GT also featured an engine upgrade. The base Grand Am SE featured a 140-horsepower 2.2-liter four-cylinder with 150 lb-ft of torque. Compare that to the Grand Am GT, regardless of body style, with its Ram Air 3.4-liter V6 delivering 175 horsepower and 205 lb-ft of torque.
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[Featured image by Mr.choppers via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 3.0]
What’s special about the 2003 Pontiac Grand Am GT?
As part of the fifth, and final, generation, Pontiac brought the Ram Air name back to the engine in the Grand Am GT. While the Ram Air 3.4 V6 present in the 2003 Grand Am GT won’t rank as one of Pontiac’s most powerful engines, it’s a nice throwback to the late-1960s 400 cubic-inch V8 Ram Air IV-equipped Pontiacs.
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The Ram Air 3.4 V6 likely can’t propel the 2003 Pontiac Grand Am through the quarter mile anywhere near the 14-second range of some of its predecessors. However, it received an EPA-estimated fuel economy rating of 29 mpg on the highway, compared to a four-cylinder equipped SE rated at 33 mpg.
In addition to impressive fuel economy, the 2003 Grand Am GT featured four-wheel-independent suspension, anti-lock disc brakes all around, a cold air intake system, and a low-restriction exhaust. One reviewer from 2003 referred to the GT’s performance “energetic, especially at passing speeds,” via Cars.com.
[Featured image by SsmIntrigue via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 4.0]
How much is a 2003 Pontiac Grand Am GT worth today?
The 2003 Pontiac Grand Am was sold to the public in three main configurations, SE sedan, GT sedan, and GT coupe, with minor variations among them. Kelley Blue Book (KBB) reports the original MSRP for the 2003 Grand Am SE sedan at $20,620 while the Grand Am GT MSRP is listed at $21,640 regardless of body style.
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Unlike models that achieve Classic Car status, values for the 22-year-old 2003 Grand Am GT have depreciated over the years. The average “Fair Purchase Price” reported by KBB for a 2003 Pontiac Grand Am GT Coupe is $2,324 while the GT Sedan fared slightly better at $3,172. For comparison, J.D. Power reports 2003 Pontiac Grand Am GT coupe current “High Retail” values at $5,425, “Average Retail” at $2,925, and lower-end specimens valued at $1,825.
As another point of comparison, Hemmings lists a 1973 Pontiac Grand Am for sale priced at $20,980. Located in Ramsey, Minnesota, the silver Grand Am in the listing features a 400 cubic-inch V8, automatic transmission, and power windows.
[Featured image by MercurySable99 via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 4.0]
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