1988 Grand Illusion – This 2-page feature by John Baechtel appeared in the November 1987 issue of Hot Rod Magazine. Keeping in mind that retail sales of the new-for-88 Grand Prix would not begin until January 1988. I would sure like to know the development timeline for this concept car; the whole W-body program had I think a reputation for taking too long and costing too much, yet Pontiac was able to have this concept ready for journalists to evaluate it in the summer of 1987. John commented “the Turbo Grand Prix may well be the next step in the evolution of contemporary musclecars.” And this was no illusion; the concept became a production reality for the ’89 model year.