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2003 Pontiac Vibe news, pictures, and information

PONTIAC VIBE DELIVERS PONTIAC EXCITEMENT AND REPRESENTS A NEW ERA AT GM

Few vehicles can pay homage to the past while representing the future. The 2003 Pontiac Vibe adroitly handles the task by delivering Pontiac Excitement and ushering in a new, fresh competitiveness for GM in the arena of affordable small vehicles.

A segment all its own
Is the 2003 Pontiac Vibe a sports car? Its 100 horsepower-per-liter output (GT model) certainly puts it in that category. Is it a sport wagon? Vibe's interior roominess and flexible seating configurations take the best aspects of that category … and go even further. Is Vibe an SUV? One could say so. After all, it rides tall, has available all-wheel drive and can carry cargo. Simply put, Vibe is a vehicle that skillfully blends the best attributes of these three categories and enhances Pontiac's ability to attract new, younger buyers.

Athletic and bold
One look is all it takes to see Pontiac design reflected in the 2003 Vibe. It's purposeful, athletic and smoothly sculpted for a fresh, clean appearance. Its unique, integrated roof rack gives the car a sleek shape - a singular, distinctive, fastback look. Vibe also features traditional Pontiac styling cues, such as cat-eye headlamps, a twin-port grille and a wide, muscular stance. Recessed fog lamps and rear cornering lamps, short overhangs and large wheels and tires project an aggressive, ground-hugging stance while optimizing vehicle stability.

A 'have it your way' interior
Designed to ideally suit the lifestyles of young, active buyers, Vibe's interior delivers unprecedented convenience. Rear seats fold flat with just one touch, creating a level load floor - and 54.1 cubic feet of cargo volume.

To ensure cargo is properly secured, the rear floor features a unique, innovative system with two parallel tracks running the length of the compartment. Adjustable chrome tie-down anchors help secure unwieldy cargo. Vibe also features a console tray, storage bins - nine of which are concealed - and a number of functional spaces, holders and compartments.

'A place for everything and everything in its place.' That maxim perfectly describes Vibe's cockpit-like interior. A DVD-based navigation screen (when so equipped) sits atop of the center stack, flanked by stylish HVAC vents. Around that are the audio and climate controls and switches to control various functions. The front passenger seat folds flat into a worktable. Vibe features two 12-volt power outlets: one on the dash and one inside the console box, which allows a cell phone to be charged in a concealed location. The console also contains two cupholders, a small cover storage bin, a larger covered lower bin under the console lid, a cell phone holder and a coinholder.

In addition, Vibe features a 115-volt standard power outlet with a wall-type plug. Located in the front console, it will enable customers to plug a cell phone charger, portable vacuum, air compressor, laptop computer or electric shaver right into the front console, without an adapter.

What's not likely to get plugged into Vibe's standard power outlet is a portable stereo. That's because Vibe provides a host of infotainment systems, including an available DVD-based navigation system with six-disc remote changer, a six-disc in dash CD changer and a 200-watt premium audio system with six speakers. The standard sound system features an AM/FM stereo with CD player, programmable equalizer, TheftLock, Radio Data System (RDS) and four speakers.

Advanced safety features
Vibe provides an array of crash-avoidance and crash-protection benefits normally associated with larger, higher-priced vehicles, with two-stage dual front air bags and optional seat-mounted side air bags. All-wheel drive is available and an antilock brake system (ABS) is standard on AWD and GT models and available on the base vehicle. Vibe features a large safety cage and crumple zones, with the frame and body panels constructed of high-strength steel designed to absorb energy in a crash and resist passenger-compartment intrusion.

Front seats have comfortable lap and shoulder belts with pretensioners and force limiters, along with warning lamps that illuminate when seatbelts are not properly fastened. Front seat positions have adjustable upper anchors so the shoulder belt suits a wide range of physiques. Front seats also feature inboard-belt-to-seat attachments so that the anchor point moves fore-and-aft, in synch with seat-position adjustments, for outstanding versatility in positioning the belt. Uniform child restraint anchors are provided in the rear seat.

Other safety features and options include GPS navigation, remote keyless entry, anti-theft system, child safety door locks, a power window lockout switch, daytime running lamps and delay-entry lighting.

Powerful performance
Vibe unleashes surprisingly high performance. The performance model, Vibe GT, has a 1.8L 180 hp four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission - a powerful combination of 100 hp/liter of specific power output. The engine uses variable valve timing and lift (VVTL-i). The GT engine powers the Vibe from 0-60 mph in the low eight-second range. The power boost comes from a combination of tweaks, including modified heads and the VVTL-i system that increases the intake/exhaust lift when engine speed is high, improving output and fuel efficiency.

The 1.8L, DOHC all-aluminum four-cylinder makes 180 hp at 7600 rpm and 130 lb-ft of torque at 6800 rpm. It has a high-rigidity aluminum block, short stroke (bore & stroke 82 x 85mm), large diameter valves and a high compression ratio (11.5).

Vibe's base model powerplant is a 1.8L four-cylinder engine with variable valve timing (VVT-i) that makes 130 hp at 6000 rpm and 125 lb-ft of torque at 4200 rpm. The inline four is a front-mounted, transverse, pent roof design with dual overhead cams. A five-speed manual transmission is standard on the base engine; a four-speed automatic is available. The all-wheel-drive version is available exclusively with the automatic transmission.

Vibe's suspension is constructed for the optimal blend of crisp handling and a smooth ride. The front suspension is designed with a leading-arm MacPherson strut with a high caster angle. The rear suspensions of the base and GT vehicles have a twist beam. It ensures ample wheel stroke, improving riding comfort and quietness and providing outstanding handling and driving stability.

All-wheel-drive models are equipped with an independent rear suspension of a compact double-wishbone set-up, featuring optimized placement of the arms. This suspension improves ride comfort and provides outstanding handling and stability to complement the sure-footedness of the all-wheel-drive system.

The brakes are a vented front disc/rear drum combination - except on the GT model, where they are four-wheel discs with solid rotors at the rear. Vibe models offer three types of wheels - 16-inch steel, 16-inch alloy and 17-inch alloy. Tires sourced from Goodyear and Continental include a 16-inch P205/55R/16 all-season tire and an optional Dunlop 17-inch P215/50ZR/17 summer tire.

Source - Pontiac

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