Now in its 15th year in production, for 1976 the Grand Prix was marketed as “Pontiac’s classic personal car.”

It feels a little bit wrong to say this, but our favorite part of this 1976 Pontiac spot is the opening scene that features a black 1963 Grand Prix Sport Coupe. Wow, that’s a gorgeous car, flaunting its faux-French driving lamps and eight-lug Kelsey-Hayes wheels. The ’63 is then followed by a ’69 coupe, both of which serve as the setup for the selling story, in which the ’76 Grand Prix was touted as “Pontiac’s classic personal car.” Retro marketing campaigns can be tricky that way: They may only make us long for the original, while the new model seems to pale in comparison.

Still, the 1976 version brought a lot to the table, with a nimble-handling 116-inch wheelbase chassis and far more advanced suspension tuning. The available engines included the standard 350 cubic-inch V8, with two 400 CID V8s and a 455 CID V8 (200 hp) optional at extra cost. The big, bold print at the end of the spot gets right the point: $4,798. It reminds us how the personal-luxury coupe category proliferated in the 1970s, splintering across the price spectrum from the $4,600 Chevrolet Monte Carlo to the $10,000+ Cadillac Eldorado. From that angle, the well-equipped ’76 Grand Prix seems like a sound bargain. Video below.