The Safari name began with the two-door Star Chief Custom Safari, introduced on January 31, 1955, of which Pontiac built 3,760 that year. In 1957 it spread to all Pontiac wagons. From 1971 to 1976 the full-size Safari had a clamshell tailgate. For 1977 the B-body wagon was downsized, shedding up to 800 lb depending on powertrain, and engines changed with it. Pontiac dropped the full-size Safari after the 1989 model year, and the Trans Sport minivan arrived for 1990.
Pontiac's full-size station wagon on GM's rear-wheel-drive B-body platform, closely related to the Parisienne and Chevrolet Caprice wagon. It carried a Chevrolet-sourced 5.0-litre V8 and was one of the last body-on-frame Pontiac wagons before the line's 1989 end.
55years
2generations
5trims
104–247hp range
The Lineage
2 generations · tap any to explore2 trimsB-body wagon (1971-1976)
1971–1976
3 trimsB-body wagon (1977-1989)
1977–1989