For most of its life, the Parisienne was the Canadian nameplate for the top-of-the-line model sold in GM of Canada's Pontiac showrooms.

Parisiennes were distinct from other Canadian Pontiac models by their standard features: the luxuriousness of upholstery fabrics; standard equipment such as courtesy interior and trunk lights; bright trim mouldings in the interior; distinct exterior accent chrome pieces; and availability of two- and four-door hardtops and convertibles.

For decades, full-size Pontiacs took third place behind Chevrolet and Ford in sales, typically 70,000 plus units annually.

Pontiac continued with the Catalina and Bonneville nameplates it had used since 1973, but the cars failed to manage the sales volume of their divisional siblings and were dropped completely in 1981.

However, the Bonneville name was then simply switched to the smaller G-body Pontiac (the cousin of the Chevrolet Malibu, Oldsmobile Cutlass, and Buick Regal) for 1982.

Previously, those cars had been sold as the LeMans, but sales were poor and GM decided to swap nameplates on the grounds that Bonneville carried higher name recognition among customers.

Even though the re-sized Bonneville was also sold in Canada, the full-size Parisienne continued for 1982, although its distinct Pontiac front- and rear-end treatments and interiors were largely replaced with Chevrolet components (described in detail below).

At the request of US Pontiac dealerships who still wanted a full-size rear wheel drive car to replace the lost U.S. market share and gain back traditional Pontiac customers who longed for a large rear wheel drive car, the Parisienne was imported from Oshawa, Ontario, Canada and sold in the United States beginning in the 1983 model year, retaining the model name "Parisienne" and specs from the Canadian original.

Two Parisienne ranges were sold: a base model (similar to the former Catalina and the then-current Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale) in four-door sedan and Safari station wagon form, and a more-luxurious Brougham four-door sedan (with velour upholstery that featured loose-pillow fitted seats).

For 1977 model year, the full-sized GM cars (B-platform and C-platform) were greatly downsized, losing hundreds of pounds in weight and several inches in length while retaining the similar amount of interior space.

When the full-size GM cars were revised in 1980, Parisienne sedan and coupe gained the formal roof with near-vertical rear windscreen.

The revised grille became narrower in width, and the front turn signal indicators were moved from the bumpers to the positions between main and high beam headlights.

When General Motors revised the G-platform in 1982, Pontiac in the United States renamed LeMans as Bonneville Model G, moving the nameplate down from the full-size to mid-size car.

For both Canadian and American markets, Parisienne was again available as sedan, coupe, and station wagon along with both V6 and V8 engines from the various divisions.

Of all models based on B-platform (1977–1996), Parisienne and Bonneville (until its transfer to G-platform in 1982), were only one to have detachable rear wheel skirts.

With that differentiation the Parisienne returned to using the rear quarter panels, decklid and wraparound taillamps previously used on the 1980–81 Bonneville.

Oshawa plant assembly of RHD Chevrolets and Pontiacs ceased after 1968 at the behest of General Motors in the United States.

Parisiennes and Laurentians were shipped to Australia and assembled at GM's Holden plant in Dandenong, Victoria, using some domestic parts such as seats, heaters, opposing windscreen wipers and 2 speed ventilation systems.

This car featured front-wheel drive and a V6 as standard, in line with the contemporary Cadillac, Buick and Oldsmobile big models.