The talk is also circling the GMC brand, though some consider that nameplate to be safer than the Pontiac brand despite the fact that it consists of little besides rebadged Chevrolet products and a slightly different target market. Pontiac, on the other hand, has a range of new RWD vehicles, based in part on the Zeta platform co-developed with GM's Holden brand out of Australia. The Solstice Coupe is breathing new life into the aging small sports car, and the G5 and G6 are expected to be joined by a G3 in short order. That does not sound like the product lineup or plans for a brand on the brink of retirement.
But according to speculation at GM Inside News, that's precisely what Pontiac is looking at. Saturn might be considered a more likely candidate by some, but the line of reasoning taken by the rumor's proponents suggest that the brand's partnership with Opel makes it a solid proposition for the future.
The smaller end of the Pontiac lineup will continue to be front-drive and shared with the rest of GM, though that alone won't be enough to save the brand, according to the source. It also doesn't fit with the intended redesign of the brand's image into the affordable, rear-drive, sport-oriented arm of GM's North American operations.
Reader Comments
Fri Sep 5 2008 2:24 PM
www.mywheelsonwalls.com says
The problem with Pontiac is it holds no brand recognition out side the U.S. killing it off makes as much sense to Americans as killing off Holden to Australians and further more killing off Vauxhall to Europeans.
Why not keep all three brands in their respective markets but share the same platforms across all three continents.
If anything kill off Saturn and have its FWD platforms make up the bottom end of Pontiacs line up here in the U.S., Holden in Australia and Vauxhall in Europe.
Just a thought I came up with by applying common sense!!!!!!!
Fri Sep 5 2008 4:48 PM
NoNameDenton says
How about make Pontiacs with rwd and some with awd performance. Saturn can stay because they have good customer service, and people appreciate that.
Fri Sep 5 2008 5:58 PM
Paulbe says
Trouble with Pontiac is its an anachronism. It relates to a time that has long since passed and that was the time when big American companies ruled the domestic US market be marketing their own competitors. The easy market share days are long gone and running several divisions just to get enough market share to support one (barely two) divisions is outmoded business practice.
Fri Sep 5 2008 9:21 PM
dcars says
Pontiac has an identity, Saturn does not. Pontiac is worth keeping.
Fri Sep 5 2008 9:54 PM
NoNameDenton says
Saturn now has an identity as the American arm of GM's Opel brand, just that GM's advertising for the brand well. for lack of a better word, sucks terribly.
Sat Sep 6 2008 12:38 AM
Cire says
I think Opel's true market potential is wasted on Saturn. Saturn began its existence as a quirky budget brand. GM is misguided in trying to move the brand upmarket. I don't think Saturn will ever fully transcend its humble "cheap and cheerful car" beginnings. The brand basically appeals to budget shoppers who are already favoring GM and want the most car they can buy for the money. Their priorities are maximum space for minimum price; style, sportiness, and driving dynamics are further down on their priority lists when looking for a new car. This is why the company has essentially stated that the Insignia will not appear in Saturn's lineup. The Insignia is built on the SWB Epsilon II platform and has "4-door coupe" proportions that limit passenger and cargo volume. The Insignia will never be accepted as the next gen Aura because of this. GM is essentially developing a much different product "based on the Insignia" to be the next gen Aura that will better meet the expectations of Saturn's clientele which will only end up sharing some Opel influenced design cues with the Insignia. Overall, I think Saturn was unnecessary from the start and should be discontinued. The money and effort GM invested in launching this brand could have been focused on making Chevrolet the strongest and most competitive mainstream brand in the market. GM doesn't need 2 mainstream, affordable divisions. Saturn should be closed down. It is redundant and just serves as an in-house competitior to Chevrolet.
Pontiac is the brand that should be reinvigorated with Opel products. Opel and its products represent what Pontiac should be in the North American auto market: edgy, sporty, and aspirational. Opel products could restore Pontiac to its traditional role of a sporty and moderately premium division that serves as a bridge between Chevrolet (mainstream) and Buick (luxury). The products are designed to fit the priorities of Pontiac's intended demographic; people who value style, sportiness, and driving dynamics more than maximum space and affordability. I think Opel's products could be fitted into Pontiac's lineup with fewer alterations than what is required to make them appropriate for Saturn. Since Pontiac has a brand image more aligned with Opel and a larger established dealership base to make the proposition lucrative for GM, it would make much more sense for Pontiac to become the North American version of Opel.
I can't quite understand trying to alter Opel to fit the requirements of a budget brand with a limited dealership base (Saturn) when GM has a sporty and moderately premium brand with an established dealership base (Pontiac) that could effectively and successfully represent Opel in North America. I admit that Pontiac's image had been diluted quite a bit by carrying so many rebadged Chevy clones in recent years, but I think it would still be easier to restore Pontiac's brand image with Opel products (along with a couple of RWD products) than to completely transform Saturn into something it's not and was never intended to be.
Sat Sep 6 2008 4:26 PM
NoNameDenton says
Cire, do you think your post is long enough?
Sat Sep 6 2008 8:25 PM
NaBUru38 says
I'd merger Pontiac and Holden lineups, since both emphasize non-luxury sportiness. For example, the rumoured mid-size sedan Holden Torana (rwd, Alpha platform) should be rebadged as the next-gen G6. Smaller cars (fwd, Gamma and Delta platforms) should point at sporty brands such as Mazda, Subaru and Seat.
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