What Does 'GXP' Stand For On Pontiac Cars? The Internet Is Divided

Vehicles often feature several trims, so letters are often added to help identify the different variants. For example, an SE might mean "Sports Edition," and an LE might stand for "Luxury Edition," as it does on Toyota trim levels. Usually, the automaker indicates what the letters stand for so there isn't any argument among vehicle enthusiasts. However, in the case of Pontiac GXP — without official word — car enthusiasts are left guessing. That said, some on the internet have come up with compelling answers to the question, so you'll have to decide on a consensus for yourself.

GXP is a designation for Pontiac performance trims that showed up in 2005, and was featured on a few models prior to the brand shuttering. While some on the internet have offered up humorous guesses to the meaning of GXP like "Got Xtra Power?," others have uncovered clues that might help shed light on the true meaning. The most likely candidates are "G-Series Xtra Performance," and "Grand Xperimental Prototype." However, other theories have also made the rounds on the internet leading to several possibilities without a definitive conclusion.

Prior to GXP, Pontiac's Grand Prix performance model was called the GTP. GTP stands for Grand Touring Prototype, and is derived from an IMSA (International Motor Sports Association) class of racing. While the Grand Prix made a return to Pontiac's lineup in 1992, it wasn't until 1997 that the GTP model which featured a supercharger would launch.

The Grand Prix GTP isn't the only example of acronyms in the manufacturer's history, as the Pontiac GTO, a legendary part of muscle car history stood for "Grand Turismo Omolgato" — which is Italian, and means Grand Touring Homologation in English. Although, GTH doesn't quite have the same ring to it as GTO, which is likely why Pontiac chose the Italian version. This car was so influential over its lifetime, it makes you wonder why the Pontiac GTO was discontinued.

Also, it's common for other automakers to market their sportier trims as GT or "Gran Turismo" (Grand Touring). Given the history of performance acronyms, it seems quite likely at least part of the puzzle is becoming clearer.

In the late '70s, the IMSA switched one of its racing classes from AAGT to GTX. The "X" stood for experimental, and was chosen to represent a class of teams that featured exaggerated body modifications, unique aerodynamic properties, and robust engines. Considering that automakers have borrowed other naming conventions from the racing world, it's not a stretch to believe they incorporated them once again with GXP.

However, not everyone on the internet is convinced, and some have come to vastly different conclusions. For example, one automotive enthusiast conceded that while the Italian naming conventions line up, so does the fact that "GM has rebadged all [Pontiacs] with a G [designation]," meaning G-series. In the mid-2000s, Pontiac launched the G6 followed by the G8 a few years later, which both offered a GXP trim. 

Although another poster stated, "I could see the G series referring to the new designation, except it becomes a bit redundant on the G6 GXP. (Is it the gee series six gee series extra etc.)." Finally, another poster explained their position, "GXP stands for nothing. One of the developers of the Grand Prix GXP [used] to post on clubgp and he confirmed that it stand[s] for nothing."