The Ventura started out as a higher content trim package on the Pontiac Catalina, and served as the inspiration for the luxury content Pontiac Grand Prix in 1962, then remained as a trim package on the Catalina until 1970.

The listed retail price for the Sports Coupe was $2,971 ($30,599 in 2023 dollars [4]) before an extensive list of optional equipment, that included several choices of radios, including the "Sportable" battery operated dashboard removable portable unit, electric extendable radio antenna, air conditioning, "E-Z-Eye" tinted glass, bucket seats, "Safeguard" speedometer, "Magi-Cruise" cruise control, windshield washer, under-hood utility light, remote adjustable driver-side side view mirror, power windows, power steering, power brakes, and two choices of heater and windshield defroster selections.

[1] In 1964 the Pontiac 2+2 was introduced with very similar equipment to the Ventura while installing bucket seats for both front and rear passengers.

V8 equipped four-speed, body color mirrors, custom carpeting, all-vinyl upholstery with either the standard bench or optional Strato bucket seats, Custom Sport steering wheel, blackout-grille trim, special striping, blackout grille, and 14x6" (36 cm diameter, 15 cm wide) wheels.

The package also came with a functional "shaker" hood scoop, tri-color GTO decals, Rally II wheels, and special grill-mounted driving lights.

The Ventura SJ was marketed as an American rendition of a Euro-style luxury sport sedan that Pontiac created with the larger mid-sized Grand Prix in 1973, as well as a competitor to the new-for-1975 Ford Granada and Mercury Monarch, both marketed as luxury compacts designed to compete with the more expensive imports such as Audi and Mercedes.

As such the Ventura SJ included an upgraded interior with reclining bucket seats in either cloth or vinyl along with a center console, rally instrumentation and other items and borrowed the trim package "SJ" from the Grand Prix.

For 1977, the Chevy 250 six was replaced by Buick's 231 cu in V6 as the base powerplant and the Chevrolet 305 cubic-inch V8 was introduced as an option.

[3] At the beginning of the 1977 model year, the Ventura SJ was the top-line model but at mid-year was replaced by the Phoenix, which featured a distinctive center grille and rectangular headlights and the most luxurious interior available in a Pontiac X-body car.

Otherwise, the Phoenix was basically a plushed up Ventura much like the Chevrolet Concours was related to the more mundane Nova.