ordered on the hatchback Ventura as well as the base and Custom coupes. The GTO was dropped in 1975, along with the Pontiac 350. The Ventura could be optioned with the Buick 350 V8 instead. The Ventura SJ was a new offering for 1975, when the Ventura and other GM compacts were restyled with new rooflines along with improved suspensions shared with the second generation F platform (Camaro/Firebird), plus standard front disc brakes. The Ventura SJ was marketed as an American rendition of a Euro-style luxury sport sedan that Pontiac created with the larger mid-sized Grand Prix in 1973, as well as a competitor to the new-for-1975 Ford Granada and Mercury Monarch, both marketed as luxury compacts designed to compete with the more expensive imports such as Audi and Mercedes. As such the Ventura SJ included an upgraded interior with reclining bucket seats in either cloth or vinyl along with a center console, rally instrumentation and other items and borrowed the trim package "SJ" from the Grand Prix. Only minor appearance changes were made to the Ventura for 1976 and 1977 including new grilles and revised taillights. 1976 saw the inclusion of the Oldsmobile 260 cubic inch V8. For 1977, the Chevy 250 six was replaced by Buick's 231 cu in V6 as the base powerplant and the Chevrolet 305 cubic-inch V8 was introduced as an option. The availability of the 2.5 liter "Iron Duke" 4-cylinder was optional along with the 301 cu in V8. One unique feature for 1976 was the availability of a 5-speed manual transmission (Borg Warner T-50) with the 260 cubic inch V8; it was the standard transmission with the Iron Duke. Under 700 units total with this combination were built in 1976. At the beginning of the 1977 model year, the Ventura SJ was the top-line model but at mid-year was replaced by the Phoenix, which featured a distinctive center grille and rectangular headlights and the most luxurious interior available in a Pontiac X-body car. Otherwise, the Phoenix was basically a plushed up Ventura much like the Chevrolet Concours was related to the more mundane Nova. For 1978, the Ventura nameplate was retired and all X-body cars were sold under the Phoenix nameplate through that year and into 1979 with a top-line Phoenix SJ designated as the top-line series. References Ventura Rear-wheel-drive vehicles Compact cars Full-size vehicles Coupés Sedans Cars introduced in 1960 1970s cars