Really Bad news, GM killing Pontiac

[Guest Richard D]

NEW YORK (April 24) -- General Motors is preparing to announce that the Pontiac car brand, once marketed as GM's "Excitement division," will be killed off, according to a source familiar with the decision.

I can understand killing Hummer, and selling Saturn and Saab but they should make Pontiac The Exitment Division again by having them offer only rear wheel drive cars. They already have the Solstice and G8, add a couple more and keep Pontiac alive. My 2 cents.

Richard

[LINC400]

That would require effort, money, and someone actually knowing what they are doing. Much easier to kill them off and save money.

[Guest imported_Fiesta]

The cars are all junk anyway, none will be missed especially the pathetic new GTO and G8. Saturn is another brand they should kill.

[GrayCav56]

Wow Fiesta, that's a bit harsh.

I agree that Pontiac has fallen hard since its glory days in the 60's...even from its strong sales with less than stellar products in the 80s, but I don't think their cars are junk.

The Solstice is a capable machine, though it could use an easier top and some more storage space. The Vibe, though a rebadged Toyota, is also well regarded. The G8 is a world class machine, and if you haven't really taken one for a ride, I'd recommend it as I think it would change your opinion. I do agree that the G3 and G5 are outdated and the G6 needs a complete redo, being outrun by the Malibu and the soon to be departed Aura.

The GTO was unfortunately not well received because of its first year styling. The lack of scoops and dual exhaust plus an overall "soft" look doomed it with its apparent target...a mistake NOT being made with the new Camaro. I think if the G8 had a 2 door model it would do much better.

My biggest beef with Pontiac was when GM took them away from being a slightly upscale performance division and tried to compete with BMW. That was NEVER going to happen. I don't know anybody who cross shops those brands. Add to that the loss of the old names (Bonneville, Catalina, Grand Prix, LeMans, etc) for a boring G series and you have the mess they are now in.

[Guest Bob Call]

I think by the time the fascist government (look up the definition of fascism) is finished with GM there will only be Chevrolet, cars and trucks, and Cadillac, upscale cars.

Chrysler is probably history with some other company (Fiat?) buying the Jeep division.

Ford, if they can keep the feds out of their business they can probably survive. May have to kill Lincoln-Mercury as a separate division and make Mercury the full size sedan in Ford division. Lincoln may survive to compete with Cadillac and foreign luxury brands.

[Guest Richard D]

DETROIT (April 27) - General Motors Corp. said it will cut 21,000 U.S. factory jobs by next year, phase out its storied Pontiac brand and ask the government to take company stock in exchange for half GM's government debt as part of a major restructuring effort needed to get more government aid.

Not a rumor, but still bad news for car guys & gals.

[poci1957]

Very bad news IF the goal is to produce cars interesting enough to get people who like cars to spend extra money to buy them. It was always said that, compared to a Chevy, it cost a little more to build a Buick/Olds/Pontiac/Cadillac but you could charge a lot more for it.

Looking back I still say many BOP buyers were not interested in a Chevy, only the higher end models, and that was good for GM profits. Pontiac could still be viable today if the cars were appealing enough, but alas, they are not. The last Bonnevilles were a letdown, as were the last Grand Prix, the GTO, and the lack of a Firebird. If the corporation WANTED to build an upgraded car to attract interested enthusiasts it could still be done, but the efforts were halfhearted and obviously now no one can muster the resources.

In summary, if the product people cannot produce an appealing upgraded car to be a suitable Pontiac, and the bean counters cannot justify it, Washington burecrats CERTAINLY have no idea what to do with it. RIP indeed.

[Guest Orphanauto]

It would be nice to get the last Pontiac made. Any of you Pontiac guys want to try to contact GM and be the one to buy it.

[OldsDoug]

Well, I guess the price of that '65 Catalina I've always wanted just went out of reach.

Welcome to the Orphans' Club, Ponti-yakkers...

[poci1957]

Yeah, thanks, I had a hard enough time finding 1957 Pontiac parts BEFORE it became an orphan.

[Guest Bob Call]

Adios Poncho mi amigo.

[Guest BJM]

Gm is simply done. Sad. They were discussing today on NPR that GM's plan is to "sell" it's debt to the government and the UAW.

[mrpushbutton]

Oh my, how the mighty have fallen. Pontiac used to represent a great value, and they made some very exciting cars. I'm afraid the 80s and 90s generic box vehicles that GM made in all divisions killed a lot of individual appeal the brands had. The T-6000 was about as vanilla a car as you could design. The 90s Bonnevilles were a great bargan, you got the Olds 98 and Buick bulletproof platform/drivetrain without paying the markup. GM has only invested real energy, it terms of product in Chevrolet and Cadillac, you can see the influence of Bob Lutz in those lines, and they have product and are selling, as well as anyone can sell anything in this economy. Everything in the middle is just holding it's own, Buick fairing a little better than Saturn and Pontiac.

sad, sad. I always liked Pontiacs, owned two of them, both good cars.

[Guest Bob Call]

Mr Push Button

I had 2 Ponchos myself. Really good cars. First was a 68 Bonnie convertible with a 2 barrel 389 and 20 plus gallon gas tank. It was good for no fuel stop trip from Tulsa to Houston or San Antonio, 525 miles more or less. Drove it all over the US from Maine to California and to parts of Canada and Mexico. The second one was a 69 Grand Prix SJ with a 4 barrel 428. Was a real gas hog good for maybe 10 MPG with a good tune up. Wish I still had it. It was loaded with all of the options and ran like a primate with a multi chromatic banded postier.