Motor Authority - blog Category: G3

Pontiac will see half of its models dropped from its current lineup in the next few years, with speculation that the brand could end up with less than three unique middles by the middle of the next decade. Susan Docherty, vice-president of Buick-Pontiac-GMC (BPG) explained that General Motors is looking to "skinny” up Pontiac’s lineup.

Currently Pontiac sells six models, however this number will reduce as less money is pumped into developing models. Instead, GM may focus on using its Australian subsidiary Holden to provide future Pontiac products, including more derivatives of the G8. Speaking with Automotive News, Docherty... Pontiac will see half of its models dropped from its current lineup in the next few years, with speculation that the brand could end up with less than three unique middles by the middle of the next decade. Susan Docherty, vice-president of Buick-Pontiac-GMC (BPG) explained that General Motors is looking to "skinny” up Pontiac’s lineup. Currently Pontiac sells six models, however this number will reduce as less money is pumped into developing models. Instead, GM may focus on using its Australian subsidiary Holden to provide future Pontiac products, including more derivatives of the G8. Speaking with Automotive News, Docherty stated that the Pontiac G8 is a "perfect example" of a unique entry to GM's North American lineup spawning from minimal investment. While a number of Pontiac models are expected to be dropped soon, there will still be six Pontiac models on market in 2009. Additionally, the 2010 Pontiac G3 will also be arriving on time next year, taking the place of the Torrent crossover which is being eliminated from the lineup. As expected, the G3 will have a short life cycle. Docherty explained that the G3 will be used to help Pontiac "through this period of time where fuel efficiency and affordability are the two top reasons for people who are purchasing in that segment of the market." GM is also reportedly having second thoughts about bringing the 2010 G8 ST to market next year, with Docherty revealing that the model is currently the subject of "lots of discussions". For now, GM is reluctant to release any further information about the model, but a decision on the utility should be made within a few months.Pontiac G8 Read More

Today General Motors released pricing for its all-new Pontiac G3 compact hatchback and the GMC Sierra Hybrid pickup truck. Hoping to fill out its lineup with new and fuel-efficient offerings, GM is also pricing the cars competitively to rival offerings, though in the case of the G3, competition from Toyota and Nissan still undercut its price.

Starting at $14,995 including delivery charges, the G3 hatchback, which shares much of its construction with the similarly-priced Chevrolet Aveo, is inexpensive, but still at least $1,500 above the starting prices of the Nissan Versa ($12,990) and the Toyota Yaris ($13,300) hatchbacks.

All of the... Today General Motors released pricing for its all-new Pontiac G3 compact hatchback and the GMC Sierra Hybrid pickup truck. Hoping to fill out its lineup with new and fuel-efficient offerings, GM is also pricing the cars competitively to rival offerings, though in the case of the G3, competition from Toyota and Nissan still undercut its price. Starting at $14,995 including delivery charges, the G3 hatchback, which shares much of its construction with the similarly-priced Chevrolet Aveo, is inexpensive, but still at least $1,500 above the starting prices of the Nissan Versa ($12,990) and the Toyota Yaris ($13,300) hatchbacks. All of the cars in the segment offer similar fuel economy and performance. The G3's 106hp (79kW) 1.6L Ecotec engine is estimated at an EPA rating of 27mpg city and 34mpg highway (8.7L/100km and 6.9L/100km, respectively), roughly equivalent to its slightly cheaper Japanese rivals. The GMC Sierra Hybrid pickup truck, on the other hand, has no direct competitors either domestic or overseas, as its full-size truck build and hybrid-drive powertrain are a unique combination oon the market. Starting at $38,995 for the 2WD model with the 1HY trim package, the vehicle is also eligible for a $2,200 federal tax credit due to its hybrid powertrain. Fuel economy is very good for a full-size pickup, bordering on the lower end of mid-size sedan territory at 21mpg city and 22mpg highway (11.2L/100km and 10.7L/100km) in 2WD guise. Four-wheel-drive models average 20mpg (11.7L/100km) in both city and highway driving. That's over 40% better than the standard pickup in town and 25% better on the highway. GM says that despite the improvements in fuel economy, the Sierra Hybrid sacrifices nothing in terms of power or towing capacity. Mating a two-mode hybrid system with a 332hp (247kW) 6.0L gasoline V8, the Sierra Hybrid can manage up to 30mph (48km/h) in electric-only mode, even when towing at its 6,100lb (2,767kg) max towing capacity.2009 Pontiac G3 five-door Read More

General Motors has always been reluctant to bring the Pontiac G3 compact to the United States despite the car selling well in Canada and Mexico, but that has all changed as the car is due U.S. showrooms in the first half of next year. The decision to bring the Pontiac G3 was influenced by the explosion in the small car segment in recent months, growing a staggering 33% in the first six months of this year alone, according to Pontiac chief Susan Docherty.

Generating 106hp (79 kW), the G3’s 1.6L Ecotec four-cylinder engine is mated to a five-speed manual or optional four-speed automatic transmission. Some of its attributes include an... General Motors has always been reluctant to bring the Pontiac G3 compact to the United States despite the car selling well in Canada and Mexico, but that has all changed as the car is due U.S. showrooms in the first half of next year. The decision to bring the Pontiac G3 was influenced by the explosion in the small car segment in recent months, growing a staggering 33% in the first six months of this year alone, according to Pontiac chief Susan Docherty. Generating 106hp (79 kW), the G3’s 1.6L Ecotec four-cylinder engine is mated to a five-speed manual or optional four-speed automatic transmission. Some of its attributes include an EPA estimated 27mpg fuel economy rating in the city and 34mpg on the highway, plus the best shoulder and hip room in the segment for up to five adults. The rear seats also feature a 60/40 split to offer up to 42 cubic feet of cargo space. The G3 also comes with air conditioning, a CD/MP3 audio system with an auxiliary input jack, fog lamps, rear spoiler, optional OnStar, and a host of standard safety features. These include four airbags, allowing the car to score a five-star safety rating in frontal crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Pricing is yet to be announced but the car will come with GM’s five-year 100,000 mile powertrain warranty.2009 Pontiac G3 five-door Read More

Update: The Chevrolet Aveo's clone, the Pontiac G3, won't be part of GM's North American lineup, despite already being sold in Canada and Mexico. A Pontiac representative stated that the G3 has not been "approved for U.S. consumption" by General Motors, even though the EPA has already approved it for sale.

While the exact reasons the G3 won't be coming to the U.S. aren't entirely clear, previous speculation surmises that the G3 may not have fit in with Pontiac's performance image. The G3 has also encountered criticism for its relatively unimpressive mileage figures for a subcompact car, achieving just 27mpg (8.7L/100km) in the city and... Update: The Chevrolet Aveo's clone, the Pontiac G3, won't be part of GM's North American lineup, despite already being sold in Canada and Mexico. A Pontiac representative stated that the G3 has not been "approved for U.S. consumption" by General Motors, even though the EPA has already approved it for sale. While the exact reasons the G3 won't be coming to the U.S. aren't entirely clear, previous speculation surmises that the G3 may not have fit in with Pontiac's performance image. The G3 has also encountered criticism for its relatively unimpressive mileage figures for a subcompact car, achieving just 27mpg (8.7L/100km) in the city and 34mpg (6.9L/100km) on the highway for the manual model, reports Edmunds. Despite the lack of a G3 coming to American shores, Chevrolet is planning on building new compacts within the next few years that will make it to the U.S. - including one based on the Trax or Groove concepts shown at the New York Auto Show in 2007. While currently the G3 Wave (as the G3 is dubbed in Canada) and the Aveo are imported from Korea, a new GM plant built in Mexico will likely take over production for the next generation Aveo and G3, which are set to arrive in around 2 years. Original: GM’s Pontiac division in the U.S. is likely to expand with the introduction of the entry-level G3 subcompact sedan and hatch later this year. The car is based on the same platform as the Chevrolet Aveo and is already sold in Canada and Mexico. The information comes from a dealer source, who revealed to Automotive News that GM will also add a redesigned Aveo5 five-door to its Chevrolet lineup in July. The EPA has already approved both vehicles for sale in the U.S. and lists them as 2009 models. According to the EPA data, both the G3 and Aveo5 are powered by a 1.6L four-cylinder petrol engine matched to a four-speed automatic and deliver a fuel economy rating of 25mpg in the city and 34mpg on the highway. The current Chevrolet Aveo five-door starts at $10,895 and pricing for the redesigned model is expected to remain the same. The new Pontiac G3 will likely be priced higher but its price, too, is expected to fall below the $15,895 sticker price of the Toyota-built Vibe. Read More