Pontiac to shed half its lineup in coming years

by iluvamericancarz #1, Posted: 12/15/2008

keep the g8 and bring more variants. bring the epica, and thats all. bring the daewoo winstorm here as a chevy.

by adamk #2, Posted: 12/15/2008

I still think GM has way too many brands, but as a stop-gap measure for BPG dealers, they should trim each of those three brands to a maximum of three distinct vehicles each (no badge engineering). Buick could offer three relatively upscale sedans (China loves them), Pontiac three sporty cars (preferably all from Holden or Opel/Vauxhall), and GMC would deliver a few cross-overs and SUVs (not twinned with Chevys).

Eight or nine vehicles is plenty for BPG. If the dealers can make a living with such a rationalized lineup, then they really should be bought off and shut down.

In the meantime, GM, please sell Saab to someone who will give it the attention it deserved all along. Also, shut down Saturn and re-badge its Opel/Vauxhall-based vehicles as Chevys, as you already do in some other parts of the world.

by Michael D #3, Posted: 12/15/2008

Other recent reports have indicated this, but if a single Pontiac model could remain, I'm glad, as sources have indicated, the grandest model, the G8 will!

Even if not the G8 ST pickup, at least the sedan and a GXP variant is in place. The Torrent is to be reborn a GMC model and the Solstice (that's speciality) will be missed, if cut.

The G3 (short-term) and G5 are unnecessary and (I hate to be critical) would not be missed at all if or when cut. A fairly recent article, possibly from www.Autoblog.com, indicarted that the much regarded Opel Insignia model may not become a Saturn (Aura successor) after all, but perhaps be imported as a Pontiac - maybe the handwriting was on the wall here. Maybe that could be 2-lines for Pontiac and Saturn is to be sold or eliminated.

by adamk #4, Posted: 12/15/2008

Michael, good thoughts. I agree that the G8 is the best that Pontiac has to offer, while the G3 and G5 are thinly badge-engineered and dilute what little brand equity is left there. Plus, the G6 is rental fleet fodder and the Torrent should have been a GMC all along.

The Insignia looks like a very competent vehicle and would probably enjoy more success anywhere except Saturn, which was handicapped at the start, starved along the way, and now left bereft of any identity except a low-pressure retail experience.

by NoNameDenton #5, Posted: 12/15/2008

How about bring over more Holdens to replace the current ones, and keep the G8

by IMC #6, Posted: 12/15/2008

this would be a good excuse to bring back the monaro in Australia, the coupe 60 was an awesome concept and if it had an export market would mean a new opportunity. although in oz holden has a large lineup i probably wouldn't recommend all of them as the commodore (G8) is the only fully developed vehicle holden produces. the rest are opels/vauxhalls and rebadged daewoes. i would like to see the sport wagon as a pontiac though. sure would break the stereotype of what is a wagon

by NoNameDenton #7, Posted: 12/16/2008

I am with IMC, they should bring the wagon here, I loved it.

by NaBUru38 #8, Posted: 12/16/2008

Pontiac needs a second sports car (e.g. production version of the Holden Coupe 60 Concept, ditto IMC) and a new rear-wheel drive G6 (reborn Holden Torana). Kill the G3 and G5, and keep light trucks away.

by jla #9, Posted: 2/22/2009

G8 has everything to be competitive, but go back to naming it with some of Pontiac's heritage names like Bonneville, Catalina or Ventura. And restyle the rear somewhat on a variant of the 1977-1978 models.
As for the other 3 remaining models-
smaller version of G8 but keep interior room
coupe version-ditto (call it Gran Prix) or hatch (call it Firebird) and mini version like a fwd Chevy Aveo but but more groundbreaking like a Nissan Versa or Honda Fit. You only have 2 platforms to deal with then.