Say Farewell to Pontiac

[BOOTMASTER]

poor ponitac..... but the point about them not having anything good in ten years (minus gto/g8/last firebird/solstice) is wayyyy true.... if they would have downsized it to just the gto/g8/solstice years ago, they would be closer to profitable, not guranteed, but closer.... and their name would still command respect, which is what a brand needs....

the corvette commands respect, and i don't remember the last time someone called it a chevy.... respect for a car sells, and the vette has it in spades

[AaronGTR]

Originally Posted by FastSteve

Bringing back a name plate to an existing brand is one thing. Bringing back a whole brand like you said is far from plausible and I am betting will be huge headaches and will likely take huge amounts of cash. Something GM will likely not have for many many years, maybe even decades.

While I agree it probably won't happen... I don't see it as being that hard to do either. At least as long as they didn't try to bring Pontiac back and give them their own dealerships like they had before. Look at what Toyota did with Scion. Created a whole non-existing brand, marketed it, and started selling cars. All they had to do was make a little space in existing Toyota dealerships for a few Scions. After all, it's really just a name. Wouldn't be that hard to sell a specialty brand in a chevy dealership.


All the same, I'm sad to see Pontiac go. I've owned four and they've all been good cars. Now they finally have a couple really nice ones that I'd be interested in buying and they are getting the ax. I'd buy a G8 right now, but I just don't have the cash for a new car right now. Story of america.

[SE'sarecool2]

Originally Posted by Mike Jung

They said in the news...

They will wind down Pontiac in 2010.

So maybe, you can still get one yet

Yeah, get 'em while you can... '09s that is. Have you seen an ad/commercial for a 2010 Pontiac yet? Nope. Niether have I. You won't because they don't exist. Really really really really really sad to see Pontiac get the ax like this; My GA will be paid off in Oct and I was gonna get a GTO. Now I'm not so sure.

[notsoaveragej0e]

Originally Posted by Mike Jung

So, who is going to go out & buy a Pontiac G8 GT/GXP now ?

Do you think the dealers are going to give you a firesale price or hold out for the most money ?

I don't think they'll "hold out," but since many are going out of business, they will likely be more inclined to make a deal... in some cases, GM might be able to buy back a majority of unsold cars to sell elsewhere- all depends on if they go BK or not.

Originally Posted by cmtapanes

Well.. start getting parts if you want to keep your GA for a long time; just in case is hard to find them later on.

I'm pretty sure they continue making parts for cars up to like... ten years after the end of production? I read the number somewhere once...

Originally Posted by AaronGTR

While I agree it probably won't happen... I don't see it as being that hard to do either. At least as long as they didn't try to bring Pontiac back and give them their own dealerships like they had before. Look at what Toyota did with Scion. Created a whole non-existing brand, marketed it, and started selling cars. All they had to do was make a little space in existing Toyota dealerships for a few Scions. After all, it's really just a name. Wouldn't be that hard to sell a specialty brand in a chevy dealership.


All the same, I'm sad to see Pontiac go. I've owned four and they've all been good cars. Now they finally have a couple really nice ones that I'd be interested in buying and they are getting the ax. I'd buy a G8 right now, but I just don't have the cash for a new car right now. Story of america.

I agree on the niche thing... that was sorta where I was going with my original post of it being "possible but not plausible." It is not plausible right now, but there is no reason they cannot do what they wanted to do, and become a niche sports car brand; who knows, maybe the next Pontiac can be electric sports cars--the name of that one electric sports car on the market now escapes me...

[SikMindz]

Originally Posted by notsoaveragej0e

...who knows, maybe the next Pontiac can be electric sports cars--the name of that one electric sports car on the market now escapes me...

Tesla.

[notsoaveragej0e]

Originally Posted by Mr.

Tesla.

Tesliac.

[bigbenSC]

Sad to see this happen, but the writing was on the wall. The first (and only) time I've driven a G8 GT was as a rental, I had the choice between it and a Dodge Nitro- nothing speaks more about what has become of the brand.

Personally, I'll remember all the fun Pontiacs my family and I have had over years- '76 Firebird, '96 Firebird, '01 GA GT, '05 G6 GT, '05 GTO, and '08 G6. All good cars that had their issues, but lots of good memories.

Maybe I'll be finding a killer deal on a G8 GXP before the lights go out forever!

[crazypontiac03]

Sad, at this point whatever it takes to save GM needs to be done. Pontiac use to be the performance brand, now just another rebadge job. Only two vehicle's fall under the Performance name brand the GTO and G8.

[PhantomLover007]

I wonder if you're gonna start seeing ads touting "The last Pontiac in the city, state, region, country"...

[AaronGTR]

Originally Posted by crazypontiac03

Sad, at this point whatever it takes to save GM needs to be done. Pontiac use to be the performance brand, now just another rebadge job. Only two vehicle's fall under the Performance name brand the GTO and G8.

You're forgetting the solstice GXP. And really the G6 GXP with a 252hp engine and 6spd trans isn't a bad performer either for a mid size car.

It's the cars like the G3, G5, Vibe, Torrent, Aztec, etc that did the brand in.

[PhantomLover007]

The Vibe wasn't too bad looking, nor the G-5 w/ a body kit. But the rest were horrendous, w/ the A$$tec as the leader of the pack. Sorry to say, the Solstice GXP looks just as bad to me, IMO. The GP stands out better than the G6 in looks, but both share basically the same look for the front clip. The '6 isn't a bad looking car. The lines are pretty clean, but it's missing something to catch your eye. The G8 has everything to stun the senses.

[[ChaosweaveR]]

Bad looks or not, the G6 GXP is a great platform. IMO, I would have made a special order for a regular G6 GT seda, but with the GXP's guts.

[FastSteve]

Something to think about. A few posts I put up on the F-Body forum.

Originally Posted by Fbodfather
Solstice will not survive even under another nameplate-- Fritz Henderson was asked that specifically - and he said "no"......

Originally Posted by David Hamburger
When the Aussie press asked, Henderson's response that G8 would be phased out of production by the end of this model year. The last boat load of 1200 cars is on the way now, so that's the very end of G8 and Firehawk


Second one

Yep from everything I am reading I guess you can expect PONTIAC to go out with a whimper instead of a performance roar. What they are known for. Pontiac goes on through 2010 but G8 leaves after 2009. My guess the Solstice also gone after 2009. So what is the last Pontiac available to the public? Oh I am guessing a stupid little stripper G5 or that damn G3. Hell the numbers I have seen on existing supply say there is about a two year supply of those things. Yes over 600 day supply of the new Pontiac G3!

Yep looks like GM is going to be sending Pontiac out in grand style!

[Panacea]

Originally Posted by FastSteve

Something to think about. A few posts I put up on the F-Body forum.

Originally Posted by Fbodfather
Solstice will not survive even under another nameplate-- Fritz Henderson was asked that specifically - and he said "no"......

Originally Posted by David Hamburger
When the Aussie press asked, Henderson's response that G8 would be phased out of production by the end of this model year. The last boat load of 1200 cars is on the way now, so that's the very end of G8 and Firehawk


Second one

Yep from everything I am reading I guess you can expect PONTIAC to go out with a whimper instead of a performance roar. What they are known for. Pontiac goes on through 2010 but G8 leaves after 2009. My guess the Solstice also gone after 2009. So what is the last Pontiac available to the public? Oh I am guessing a stupid little stripper G5 or that damn G3. Hell the numbers I have seen on existing supply say there is about a two year supply of those things. Yes over 600 day supply of the new Pontiac G3!

Yep looks like GM is going to be send Pontiac out in grand style!

You should really start thinking about the future and what this can do for GM instead of dwelling on the subject. Pontiac is gone, accept it, and move on. Hopefully with cutting down on the extra fat GM can actually concentrate on making good car. Hopefully they'll start bringing out really refined, well engineered cars instead of relying on their foreign divisions to do all the leg work for them.

[AaronGTR]

Originally Posted by Panacea

You should really start thinking about the future and what this can do for GM instead of dwelling on the subject. Pontiac is gone, accept it, and move on. Hopefully with cutting down on the extra fat GM can actually concentrate on making good car. Hopefully they'll start bringing out really refined, well engineered cars instead of relying on their foreign divisions to do all the leg work for them.

What do you call the Malibu and the Aura? I'd call those really refined well engineered cars and they were designed here in the US. Not in their foreign divisions. And both those cars have received awards and positive press.

[FastSteve]

Originally Posted by Panacea

You should really start thinking about the future and what this can do for GM instead of dwelling on the subject. Pontiac is gone, accept it, and move on. Hopefully with cutting down on the extra fat GM can actually concentrate on making good car. Hopefully they'll start bringing out really refined, well engineered cars instead of relying on their foreign divisions to do all the leg work for them.

Yes I have the future in mind. I am not dwelling on, nor am I going to just accept it for sometime now. Scott (FBODFATHER) who is well up in GM and a driving force on the new Camaro even understands how upset people are. He is encourging people to talk about it on the F-Body forum because he understands that Pontiacs customers are VERY UPSET right now as they should be. If it wasn't for numerous mistakes made in the past it wouldn't be coming down to this. Now when Pontiac has a group of arguable it best cars ever and some of the best within GM they get SCREWED. Thanks to GM's own mistakes and our lovely government. GM wants to cut down on the fat cut GMC whos EVERY vehicle in North America IS A REBADGE. Cannt say that about Pontiac in North America. As for a good car, GM had a few right within the Pontiac division. So needing good cars they should cut out a division that offering what the MEDIA has been calling some of their best cars currently! And they should at least let Pontiac go out with some respect which doesnt look like it is going to happen. Some rebadged cheap Korean piece of crap isn't PONTIAC!

[Panacea]

Originally Posted by AaronGTR

What do you call the Malibu and the Aura? I'd call those really refined well engineered cars and they were designed here in the US. Not in their foreign divisions. And both those cars have received awards and positive press.

I thought I read they were designed by Opel?

[Y2KGA]

Pontiac is basically being killed off to save GMC. The feds wanted GMC killed off but GM refused. In order to meet restructuring deadlines , they had to offer up another core division. Chevy and Cadilliac are automatically off the table. Buick was a possibility but they only have three models and received a lot of good press lately for their reliability ratings.
That leaves Pontiac.

The only reason GM wants to keep GMC is that they are highly profitable (when they sell). However almost every GMC model is available as a nearly identical Chevy.

Depending on how the next few weeks go, GMC and Buick might have to get the ax too.....

[PhantomLover007]

Originally Posted by Panacea

I thought I read they were designed by Opel?

IIRC, the Aura is an Opel design.

[FastSteve]

Originally Posted by Y2KGA

Pontiac is basically being killed off to save GMC. The feds wanted GMC killed off but GM refused. In order to meet restructuring deadlines , they had to offer up another core division. Chevy and Cadilliac are automatically off the table. Buick was a possibility but they only have three models and received a lot of good press lately for their reliability ratings.
That leaves Pontiac.

The only reason GM wants to keep GMC is that they are highly profitable (when they sell). However almost every GMC model is available as a nearly identical Chevy.

Depending on how the next few weeks go, GMC and Buick might have to get the ax too.....

Our government may ultimately be what KILLS GM!

PS,
Just realized this is my 638 post. The same number as the HP rating on the new ZR1-made by GM as we are talking about GM. Little bit interesting if you ask me.