When I was a kid, I was fortunate that, not only did my parents have interesting cars, my grandparents did as well. One that stands out was the 1973 Grand Prix that my grandfather bought as a used car in the mid-1970s to replace his 1969 Pontiac Custom S. I still remember seeing it on the used car lot just before he bought it. Burma Brown with a Beige landau roof, gold factory pinstripes and Chamois interior. It may sound over-the-top nowadays, but for the 1970s that GP stood out in the line of cars - in a good way.

Its design, to this 10-year-old kid, was bold to say the least. The overall body shape was striking from any angle, a merging of sporty Pontiac and classic luxury car styling cues. The side window shapes were aggressive and inside, the dash, door panel and console wrapped around the driver. Its instrument panel layout with full gauges (and a clock instead of a tachometer in this particular car) is still one of my favorites.

Under the hood was the 230-hp L78 400 four-barrel engine with dual exhaust, backed by Turbo 400 and a highway cruiser rear gear. It also had A/C and power windows, AM/FM stereo and a host of other options.

One Hemmings author reminisces about one of the most iconic Pontiacs.