Shno's House of Z

[ShnOmac]

Originally Posted by GTAHVIT

Love the G8... I really want my wife to get one when we trade in the Tahoe.

I have driven a lot of cars in my time (father being a GM proving grounds employee ) It really is one of the "funnest" cars I have driven, Yeah I know not a word....

[Mr. Wyndham]

Originally Posted by ShnOmac

I have driven a lot of cars in my time (father being a GM proving grounds employee ) It really is one of the "funnest" cars I have driven, Yeah I know not a word....

The critics were saying the GXP model was right up there with the M3 or M5 or some M...not too long ago...a shame Pontiac didn't move cars. That and the Solstice were great cars.

[ShnOmac]

Originally Posted by Dragoneye

a shame Pontiac didn't move cars.

To little to late.... unfortunately! They had some killer rides at the end!

[radz28]

Originally Posted by ShnOmac

Finally got to be able to do some driving today.... I went a little overboard and spent about 4 1/2 hours in the Cascade mountain range!

It was an incredible drive! You really forget how much you actually like something until you cant do it for two months.

Im bacccccccccckkkkkkk!

SWEET!!! I visited that area a long time ago but that was the most beautiful area I've ever seen. I thought Okinawa was beautiful, but I think the Tetons, Yellowstone, and Glacier were just about the absolute greatest places to visit.

I'm glad you had a great time, and that you're back It's just in time, too

Originally Posted by ShnOmac

To little to late.... unfortunately! They had some killer rides at the end!

Hopefully, Chevy will allow access to their police car

[Scarrzz]

.

Beautiful shot, Mac. I used to live in Tacoma & we would drive up to Mt Rainier whenever day off coincided with sunshine. That was the first place I lived after moving from Louisiana, and it was amazing up there.

BTW, does anyone besides me need an extra blood pressure pill today?


.

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by Dragoneye

The critics were saying the GXP model was right up there with the M3 or M5 or some M...not too long ago...a shame Pontiac didn't move cars. That and the Solstice were great cars.

Right cars, wrong brand. The Pontiac Dealer sales force had been out of the high performance world for too long. When the GTO, Solstice and G8 arrived in Pontiac showrooms they were not prepared to sell performance automobiles. Mr. Lutz has a sound strategy for the revival of Pontiac as evidenced by these cars. The economy and GM's balance sheet did not allow sufficient time to the strategy to be executed.

The new GM would have placed these cars in Chevrolet showrooms. Not every Chevy Dealer embraces performance, but many of them do. The GTO, Solstice and G8 would have been a perfect fit between the Cobalt SS and Corvette. Shoulda. Coulda. Woulda.

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

Right cars, wrong brand. The Pontiac Dealer sales force had been out of the high performance world for too long. When the GTO, Solstice and G8 arrived in Pontiac showrooms they were not prepared to sell performance automobiles. Mr. Lutz has a sound strategy for the revival of Pontiac as evidenced by these cars. The economy and GM's balance sheet did not allow sufficient time to the strategy to be executed.

The new GM would have placed these cars in Chevrolet showrooms. Not every Chevy Dealer embraces performance, but many of them do. The GTO, Solstice and G8 would have been a perfect fit between the Cobalt SS and Corvette. Shoulda. Coulda. Woulda.

All the people who have told me that they want a Camaro but need a four-door sedan would've been easy sales for the Commodore.

Should've been a Chevrolet, despite what the Pontiac fanatics say. Wrong brand at the wrong time.

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

All the people who have told me that they want a Camaro but need a four-door sedan would've been easy sales for the Commodore.

Should've been a Chevrolet, despite what the Pontiac fanatics say. Wrong brand at the wrong time.

Very wrong time.

[Mr. Wyndham]

I would have liked to see them replace vehicles in the Chevy Showroom....not add to them. The brand is bloated enough as it is...you risk loosing focus....that's one of the reasons I think they were placed in Pontiac in the first place. .02...

[LOWDOWN]

At one point, it was mentioned NA-consumed G8 production would move to Oshawa to be built beside its "stablemate" the Camaro...and that still wouldn't be a bad idea. Saving the scenic Pacific cruise wouldn't hurt profit$...assuming Chev or Buick can "rationalize" a Business Case.

[FenwickHockey65]

Looky!

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by Dragoneye

I would have liked to see them replace vehicles in the Chevy Showroom....not add to them. The brand is bloated enough as it is...you risk loosing focus....that's one of the reasons I think they were placed in Pontiac in the first place. .02...

2.99 disagrees. GM wanted to save Saturn and Pontiac. The vision at the time was Saturn would woo the Asian buyer, Pontiac German enthusiast, Chevrolet All American, Buick conservative luxury, Cadillac luxury / performance, Saab ummm, Hummer hummm.

In 1988 Pontiac was the 3rd Largest brand in the USA. I think it was Chevrolet, Ford and Pontiac. The market changed. GM combined brand engineering. Pontiac lost their identity. Mr. Lutz had a vision for Pontiac as possibly a RWD performance division. Unfortunately by the time he arrived and GM began to sort out brand identity they ran out of time and money.

I love the idea of Chevrolet with a small fleet of sedans worthy of the SS badge: Sonic SS, Cruze SS, Malibu (slightly larger than today) SS, next Gen RWD Impala SS and a Tahoe SS. A Solstice / Sky like small vert, Camaro and Vette. I see these in my Chevrolet dream showroom.

It will never happen, but I don't see how any car company can be bloated if the cars they build are great cars. I have a few questions for Mr. Dragoneye.

1. Can a restaurant be bloated with a menu full of great food?
2. Can a great sail boat be bloated with a vacuum bagged carbon fibre epoxy hull?
3. Can a person be bloated dating Kate BeckinZale and having too much.... fun??

[LOWDOWN]

Can I have a turn?

1) [BELCH!] No, but inventory becomes an issue...just how many coolers ya got?

2) [GLUB!] No, as long as it fits the locks of the Welland Canal...or the Erie Barge Canal...

3) [hmmmm] Sorry, that was a Freudian slip...

[Mr. Wyndham]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

It will never happen, but I don't see how any car company can be bloated if the cars they build are great cars. I have a few questions for Mr. Dragoneye.

1. Can a restaurant be bloated with a menu full of great food?
2. Can a great sail boat be bloated with a vacuum bagged carbon fibre epoxy hull?
3. Can a person be bloated dating Kate BeckinZale and having too much.... fun??

1. Yes. Simple menus make for easier decisions. And generally - you go to a restaurant knowing what sort of food you'd like...and so rarely ever "wish they served this...."

2. No....but it can be bloated with too many sails. Over-sailing a boat can lead to disastrous consequences...not the least of which being the need for crew to man them all.

3. No....But I doubt Ms. BeckinZale would be willing to have .....fun....with a bloated brand. Er.....person.



EDIT: Though I'd like to see plenty of SS models worthy of the name, too. Just...don't add to the lineup. Use what they've got, or replace them.