In the Motor City, some model names seem immortal while others come and go with the wind. The career of the Pontiac Super Chief spanned just two short years.

1957 Super Chief Four-Door Sedan 

The Super Chief arrived at Pontiac for 1957, just after the General Motors division got a new vice president and general manager, Semon E. “Bunkie” Knudsen. Bunkie was installed in July of 1956, while the ’57 models rolled out on November 19. In brand lore, it’s often noted his first order of business was to eliminate Pontiac’s dated Silver Streak trim for ’57, saying the chrome bands looked like “an old man’s suspenders.” However, Knudsen’s role in the new model alignment isn’t recorded.

1957 Super Chief Catalina Coupe

In 1955-56, the Pontiac line had included the Chieftain 860, Chieftain 870, and Star Chief, not the clearest identification system. For 1957, the lineup became Chieftain at the bottom and Star Chief at the top, with a new model name for the middle slot, Super Chief. A new flagship model arrived as well, the Custom Bonneville Convertible, but for ’57 it was  officially part of the Star Chief line. The Super Chief was the “bonanza buy for middlin’ budgets,” accoring to Pontiac.

1957 Super Chief Safari 

As the middle sister in the ’57 lineup, the Super Chief shared the shorter-wheelbase 122-inch platform of the Chieftain, but with slightly more deluxe interior and exterior trim. A 347 CID V8 with four-barrel carburetor and 270 hp was standard, same as the Star Chief, while in December the Tri-Power option arrived in three different outputs, from 290 hp in civilian tune to 317 hp in solid-lifter NASCAR form. Hot Rod magazine tested a Super Chief Catalina two-door with the 290 hp Tri-Power and Hydra-Matic and was duly impressed. Recording a quarter-mile time of 16.8 seconds, the Super Chief made the cover of the June ’57 issue.

The ’57 Super Chief body styles were limited to four: a four-door post sedan, two-door and four-door Catalina pillarless hardtops, and a Safari four-door wagon (in two trim levals, Safari and Custom Safari.) No two-door post coupe and no convertible, note. For ’58, the Super Chief was moved up to the longer 124-in wheelbase chassis but trimmed to just three styles, the post sedan and the two-door and four-door Catalinas.  Prices fell into the $2,600-$3,000 range, just above the Chieftain but a comfortable distance below the Star Chief. However, Super Chief sales trailed well behind the Chieftain or the Star Chief,  possibly because all the Super Chief body style and powertrain choices were also available in the Chieftain.

1958 Super Chief Catalina Sedan 

For ’59 the models were once again reshuffled. The Catalina name was reassigned from body style to base model in the Pontiac lineup, the Star Chief was demoted to mid-range model, and the Bonneville was now the division flagship with a full range of body styles. After just two years and without carving out a clear lane in the product catalog, the Super Chief was discontinued—an interesting footnote in Pontiac history.

1958 Super Chief Catalina Coupe