This Banshee will have you wailing...with ecstasy

It’s rare to come across a concept car that is both fully functional and road legal. So this 1964 Pontiac Banshee XP-833 concept car is a real treat. It was created at a time when automakers were toying with two-seater sports cars, and when General Motors needed one to compete with cars like the Ford Mustang. The Banshee’s design drew inspiration from the Corvair Monza GT showcar.

The muse - Corvair Monza GT

The silver coupe was built from modified chassis parts of the ’64 Tempest and powered by Pontiac’s then new 230 cubic in. OHC straight-6, which is almost similar to the 3.8-litre Chevrolet straight-6 except for the unique block and head casting. The powerplant, mated to a four-speed transmission in the Banshee, was a great competition engine during its time, producing 207bhp at peak performance.

The Banshee remained only a concept, sadly, as GM feared in-house competition for the Corvette. Its existence is not for naught, though, as some of its design elements found their way into the '67 Firebird, the Corvette C3 and even the Opel GT. 

image: motortrend.co, carstyling.ru