So folks, what does 2+2 really stand for ?

ABC123 · Uber Guru

So folks, what does 2+2 really stand for ?

Prefectca · Poncho Master!

I always thought it designated a four seat automobile. Two in front and two in the rear seat. When sports cars were traditionally 2 seaters the automakers were looking at ways to keep the sports car oriented buyers a sporty sounding car with room for their children.

Paul

unruhjonny · Guru

That's a really good question.

I don't think it was ever clearly explained in Pontiac literature.

This prompted me to look, and one of the first well written articles suggested that the original 2+2 was supposed to be the GTO's "big brother";
One of the next well written sites had this to offer (I edited it a bit for clarity);

For 1964, in keeping with their quest to remain a major force in the performance genre, Pontiac introduced a Catalina based 2+2. It was a well optioned, full-sized, performance driving machine for the family.
The 2+2 was taken from the European style, sport touring models with seating for 4.

LandShark68_2+2 · Guru

If you get a chance to see the rear seat in the Catalina/Ventura 2+2 it looks like it's shaped for 2 people, hence the 2+2 concept.

My 68 2+2's back seat can fit 3 or 4, if I had too, so it's really falls out of the 2 person concept. But that's OK, I like trying to describe it at car shows.

Regards, Scott (LandShark ...)

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

It's the minimum number of vintage Pontiac's you should own on top of your daily drivers (Two daily drivers PLUS two vintage Pontiacs)

smile

seventy2plus2 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Yup, it's 2 people in the front seat, 2 in the rear seat. Other makers with 2+2's include:
Ferrari,
Ford Mustang,
Chevrolet Monza,
Datsun 240Z.
In the case of Ferrari & Datsun, the addition of a rear seat reduced insurance premiums.

It is intended to have a sporty overtone, as my 2+2's are basically a Parisienne with factory Ralley wheels, bucket seats, console & stripes.

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

Canadian Poncho wrote:
It's the minimum number of vintage Pontiac's you should own on top of your daily drivers (Two daily drivers PLUS two vintage Pontiacs)

Shoot, we are close but I guess it's only a 2 + 1 here.

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

I'm way off. Just a 2+0 here.

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

Its pretty straight forward as others have said a 4 seat sporty car, 2 front and two rear. Plenty of cars are not badged as 2+2 which are (Firebird and Camaro for example) and plenty are badged 2+2 that are not ( Pontiac Parisienne 2+2 for example) and then we have those badged as 2+2 which really are (Chevrolet Monza 2+2 for example).

see2xu · Addicted!

Correct. In the DeLorean era, Pontiac was fixated on European marques (as was Henry Ford II, although his interest extended beyond marketing and he tried to buy Ferrari).

The 2+2 was originally a C-body with a handling package, and high-performance engine options, 389 and 421, starting in '64. A '65, "prepped" by Royal Pontiac, was tested by Car & Driver, and a made-up comparison with the Ferrari 330GT 2+2 was included in the editorial material.