[north]

Originally Posted by 'ol Pinion head

'70 recession and Fall of '70 UAW strike took their toll on '71 A body sales. Effects of recession, strike, perceived lower performance, and Toucan Sam nose styling didn't help the '71 GTO's. Think about it, Pontiac was only division with two distinctly different frontend treatments on their '71 Abodys, & for once, the look of the GTO frontend was not "the look". Not a lot of f/e differences in Chevy, Olds, and Buick camp... just upgraded performance styled grilles, hoods and occasionally, rear bumpers.

After recanting with several dealer principals, ex sale mgrs, along with quite a few original owners, my own belief is '72 GM A body sales were up with many wanting to get the last of the '70-72 body styles. Renderings and pics were out in the automotive press well before the '73's were introduced, due to this models delay, and many wanted to get one of the last of an era, not just convertibles.

Agree with Mike Noun 100% on effect of the styling of the new Camaro and Firebirds, definitely took a bite out of Chevy & Pontiac A body sales.

The climb in 72 Pontiac was all the GP, regular Abody stayed flat.

Apart from the Firebird and to some degree the GP early 70's Pontiacs were simply no longer the styling image cars they had been in the 60's.