The Chieftain line was renamed Catalina; the Star Chief was downgraded to replace the discontinued Super Chief series and for the first time did not have a two-door hardtop, only a two-door sedan along with a four-door hardtop and four-door sedan; in addition, there was no Star Chief wagon. The Bonneville was now the top of the line, coming in three body styles: a two-door hardtop, a four-door hardtop, and a four-door station wagon. The Star Chief's four-door "Vista" hardtop was also shared by the Bonneville. Catalina models included a two-door hardtop, two-door sedan, four-door sedan, and four-door hardtop as well as two station wagons, a six-passenger with two rows of seats, and a nine-passenger version with a rear-facing third row. Bonneville and Star Chief were built on a wheelbase with the exception of the Bonneville wagon, and all Catalina models and the Bonneville wagon rode on a wheelbase. Catalina was also shorter than Bonneville and Star Chief and weighed less than its long-wheelbase counterparts. All 1959 Pontiacs were equipped with a V8 engine with horsepower ratings from to a "Tri-power" carbureted version. All automatics were four-speed Super-Hydra-Matics or, as the Hydramatic Division that designed and built them called them, "Controlled coupling HydraMatic". Oldsmobile used this same transmission and called it Jetaway Hydramatic; Cadillac also used it and called it 315 or P 315 Hydramatic. A three-speed, column-mounted stick shift was standard on all Pontiacs. This coincided with major body styling changes across all models that introduced increased glass area, twin V-shaped fins, and lower hood profiles. Motor Trend magazine selected the Pontiac line as the 1959 Car of the Year. The 1959s featured a wider track. The increase to was because Knudsen noticed the new, wider bodies looked awkward on the carried-over 1958 frames. The new "Wide-Track" Pontiacs improved styling, handled better, and contributed to Pontiac's resurgence in the marketplace.
The Chieftain line was renamed Catalina; the Star Chief was downgraded to replace the discontinued Super Chief series and for the first time did not have a two-door hardtop, only a two-door sedan along with a four-door hardtop and four-door sedan; in addition, there was no Star Chief wagon. The Bonneville was now the top of the line, coming in three body styles: a two-door hardtop, a four-door hardtop, and a four-door station wagon. The Star Chief's four-door "Vista" hardtop was also shared by the Bonneville. Catalina models included a two-door hardtop, two-door sedan, four-door s.edan, and four-door hardtop as well as two station wagons, a six-passenger with two rows of seats, and a nine-passenger version with a rear-facing third row Bonneville and Star Chief were built on a wheelbase with the exception of the Bonneville wagon, and all Catalina models and the Bonneville wagon rode on a wheelbase. Catalina was also shorter than Bonneville and Star Chief and weighed less than its long-wheelbase counterparts. All 1959 Pontiacs were equipped with a V8 engine with horsepower ratings from to a "Tri-power" carbureted version. All automatics were four-speed Super-Hydra-Matics or, as the Hydramatic Division that designed and built them called them, "Controlled coupling HydraMatic". Oldsmobile used this same transmission and called it Jetaway Hydramatic; Cadillac also used it and called it 315 or P 315 Hydramatic. A three-speed, column-mounted stick shift was standard on all Pontiacs. This coincided with major body styling changes across all models that introduced increased glass area, twin V-shaped fins, and lower hood profiles. Motor Trend magazine selected the Pontiac line as the 1959 Car of the Year. The 1959s featured a wider track. The increase to was because Knudsen noticed the new, wider bodies looked awkward on the carried-over 1958 frames. The new "Wide-Track" Pontiacs improved styling, handled better, and contributed to Pontiac's resurgence in the marketplace.