See the newly restyled 1981 Grand Prix in detail in this original dealer film.

For 1981, General Motors’ mid-sized personal luxury coupes received a styling update on the downsized A-body platform introduced in 1978, and to our eyes, that’s when the package came into its own. The ’78-’80 coupes (Chevrolet Monte Carlo especially) looked a bit stumpy from most angles, while the ’81 reskin produced a longer, sleeker look. According to this 1981 dealer film for the Pontiac Grand Prix, the goal was lower aerodynamic drag for better fuel efficiency, but whatever the motivation, the result was an improvement. In our subjective view, anyway.

The top-of-the-line SJ was dropped for ’81 and rebadged as the Brougham, while the base Grand Prix and mid-range LJ trim level continued on as before. A Buick-sourced 3.8 liter (231 CID) V6 with 110 hp was standard across the line, though a real Pontiac-built V8 of 4.3 liters (265 CID) and 120 hp was also available. This was the final year of production for the Pontiac V8, note, as GM consolidated its engine portfolio. The 5.7 liter diesel V8 was also an option, but at 105 hp it offered less power than the V6. All this info and more are included in the video below.