The gullwing rear side door really added a futuristic touch. Even after 20 years, the Trans Sport is still one of the most radical minivan designs ever created. |
Though the proportions are different between the concept and production versions of the Trans Sport, the design cues are similar. The first Pontiac concept of the '80s became the first new Pontiac production vehicle of the '90s. |
The dash of the Trans Sport features a dizzying array of buttons and gadgetry. A Head-Up Display and buttons on the steering wheel soon became production realities, though in the case of the Trans Sport concept van, the buttons remained stationary, while the wheel turned. |
Here's the '86 Trans Sport on display at that year's North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The futuristic concept van was light years ahead of the competition and showed Pontiac was indeed capable of technical and design innovation, even in a minivan. |
A production version of the Trans Sport debuted for the '90 model year. While it was toned down a bit from the radical concept version, it was still a technical and design breakthrough, with its spaceframe construction and plastic body panels. It was a little too radical for the market, though, and sales picked up when it was replaced with a more conventional minivan design in 1997. This is a '93 model, the last year for the original exterior design before a '94 facelift. |
The taillamps were also innovative. Though the slotted motif had long been a Pontiac design icon, these were unique in that they displayed red for stopping, yellow for caution (when decelerating), and clear for backing up.
Another innovative feature of the Trans Sport was the rear passenger compartment. Most minivans have a sliding rear door on the passenger side-the Trans Sport used a single gull-wing door that made it easy to get in either of the two pairs of rear captain's chairs. Another pair was used up front. The side glass wrapped into the roof and combined with the helicopter canopy windshield, which gave an open and airy feeling. As a result, the headliner in the passenger compartment was a strip that was only three feet wide. A small wing on the roof added downforce and a swoopy appearance.
Once inside, the Trans Sport continued to exude a high-tech persona. A cathode ray tube (CRT) formed the instrument cluster, which was positioned above the steering wheel for easy viewing. Controls for the CRT were located in a fixed pod at the center of the steering wheel. A Head-Up Display unit (HUD) flashed vehicle speed and other driver-selected information onto the windshield, and a personal computer on the passenger side of the instrument panel featured a roll-out drawer that housed a pop-up screen and keyboard. The computer could access weather and hazard reports, navigational information, and could even book travel reservations, much like today's OnStar System.
The Trans Sport also featured electric transmission shift controls in the right articulating armrest. An overhead console housed a scanning screen, which replaced the conventional rear-view mirror. This TV-like display featured a readout that measured the distance of approaching traffic.
Rolling stock for the unique minivan concept was leading-edge for the time, and included non-production 17x8-inch five-spoke aluminum wheels with low-profile experimental Goodyear tires. Though the size doesn't sound all that remarkable today, keep in mind that 13- and 14-inch wheels were still common on domestic and foreign offerings in 1986.
Under the hood, the Trans Sport featured a turbocharged, non-production, all aluminum 2.9-liter V-6 engine that developed 235 hp. This engine was related to the production pushrod, GM 60-degree V-6 and was reportedly similar to the engine in the infamous red '85 Fiero GT prototype that was unofficially known as the "Corvette Killer." It was connected to a performance-oriented three-speed automatic transaxle driving the front wheels. Though performance figures were never released, it was likely to have been as quick as anything in the Pontiac production lineup at the time.
As Pontiac intended, a production version of the Trans Sport was released for the '90 model year. Though not as radical as the original concept, it was still a leading-edge design-perhaps a bit too much for buyers at the time. Though it possessed the same general shape as its predecessor and could certainly trace its roots to it, the production Trans Sport's proportions were quite different. It was significantly taller, and its wheels were not pushed out to the corners as much as those on the original concept van's.
Still, it had some attractive innovations of its own, like a Fiero-inspired space-frame chassis, non-structural composite body panels, and seating for up to seven passengers. That first-generation of the Trans Sport was in production through the '96 model year. It never sold in the numbers that Pontiac had hoped, and when its much more conventional replacement arrived in 1997, sales jumped dramatically.
Fortunately, the '86 Trans Sport has remained in excellent condition and is part of Pontiac's Historic Fleet. When GM returned to building true concept vehicles in the '80s, it decided these unique creations were significant pieces of its corporate history and the practice of destroying non-production-based show cars ended. This is why they are still displayed at events like the Eyes on Design Classic Car Show in Detroit and the Pontiac-Oakland Club International Conventions.
Though it would be easy to dismiss the '86 Trans Sport as just another minivan, it is actually a significant vehicle to Pontiac, and for multiple reasons. First, it was a sign that the division was a much healthier company than it was just a few years before. Second, it showed that Pontiac designers and engineers had a lot of talent and innovation to bring to the table. Last, a version actually made it to production and lasted seven model years. All in all, it was a successful launch back into show business.