For 1971, Pontiac introduced the compact Ventura II, a barely camouflaged version of the Chevy Nova, and with a few name changes it remained in the lineup through 1979.

It might be tricky to locate the exact point where the Pontiac division at General Motors began to lose its distinctive identity. After all, the brand shared platforms and components with the other GM divisions, especially Chevrolet, throughout its history. But one product that definitely blurred the lines was the Ventura II—aka Ventura, aka Phoenix. This Pontiac was little more than a Chevrolet Nova with a mild facelift and different badges.

Announced on March 11, 1970 as a 1971 model (above), the Ventura was offered in two body styles, a two-door coupe ($2,458) and a four-door sedan ($2,488), just like its GM counterpart the Chevy Nova, an upsized compact on a 111-inch wheelbase. Naturally, the Ventura II shared the Nova’s X-body architecture, a unit body and stub-frame layout first seen on the ’67 Camaro, and nearly all its exterior sheet metal. The name was borrowed from a full-size Pontiac produced from 1960 to 1970.

For 83 bucks more than a Nova, Ventura II buyers got a Pontiac-styled front fascia and tail lamps, additional sound insulation, and a mild interior upgrade. The standard engine was a 250 cubic-inch Chevy six, with a 307 CID Chevy small-block V8 optional, and for ’72 a 350 CID Pontiac became the standard V8 for California.

In 1973, the Ventura II became simply a Ventura, and a third body style was added: a three-door Hatchback Coupe with a swing-up tailgate (just like the Nova). The 250 CID straight six and 350 V8 with 150 hp carried on.

That same year, two more GM divisions  got their own X-body compacts as the Oldsmobile Omega and Buick Apollo were rolled  out. Like the Nova and Ventura, they were essentially the same car with variations in front fascias, trim, and powertrains. GM’s engine sourcing was rapidly becoming a jumble, and we won’t try to name all the possible combinations. But for instance, in 1975 the Ventura was available with a 260 CID Olds V8.

From 1971 though 1975 a Sprint package (lead photo) was offered, but easily the high point for performance enthusiasts in the Ventura story was the 1974 GTO (above). Transported  from the A-body intermediate chassis to the X-body platform, this new GTO received a 350 CID Pontiac V8 with a four-barrel Quadrajet carb and 200 net hp, sporting a shaker hood assembly and dual exhausts.

Also standard, along with the GTO badging and heavy-duty suspension, was a three-speed manual transmission with floor-mounted shift lever (4-speed manual or 3-speed auto optional). Offered as either a coupe or hatchback, the compact GTO comfortably outsold the mid-sized ’73 model at 7,058 cars, but it was disconinued at the end of the year. There was some talk of a 455 CID version, but it was never approved for production.

New name, same car: In 1977 the deluxe Phoenix (above) was added to the Ventura line. Its most visible distinction was its rectangular headlamps, while the Ventura’s were round. For 1978 the Phoenix name displaced Ventura entirely. A 231 CID Buick V6 replaced the Chevy straight six, and three V8s of both Chevrolet and Pontiac origin were offered. For folks in no hurry, the 151 CID inline four with 87 hp could be had.

By 1979 (below), the X-body compact lacked a clear lane in the Pontiac lineup. The A-body intermediates had been downsized the year before, and they were nearly the same size but far more contemporary in design. Sales were never stellar anyway, and dwindled from their 1973 peak of more than 96,000 to a quarter of that. The Nova-based Pontiac was discontinued after ’79, but the name carried on in the 1980 Phoenix, the division’s first front wheel-drive compact.