Gm needs to bring back the pontiac line

[franknbeans]

I had a 99 Grand Am. . . biggest POS car I ever owned. . . rusted through and started falling about with only 60k on it.

[AZCamaroFan]

no , pontiac shouldn't come back. it sucks, but there's no room for the extra brands anymore. Buick is now doing well, has a better defined status. Chevy's the entry brand, and Cadillac is on top.

[OrangeFury]

I was sad to see Pontiac go (my last 3 cars were 2 Grand Ams and a Grand Prix). If you look at sales, it is easy say they should have axed it. But it satisfied a very important part of the market...younger people who wanted a sporty car at a reasonable price. Now GM really has nothing to offer this segment...Caddy is too expensive, Buick is for old people so your choice is to move to Chevy and unless you can afford the increase in price to have a Camaro there's not much else of interest there (sorry, people in their early 20s are not going to be drawn to the Cobalt or the upcoming Cruze). Unfortunately, most of this segment will end up moving over to one of the foreign makers IMO.

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by OrangeFury

I was sad to see Pontiac go (my last 3 cars were 2 Grand Ams and a Grand Prix). If you look at sales, it is easy say they should have axed it. But it satisfied a very important part of the market...younger people who wanted a sporty car at a reasonable price. Now GM really has nothing to offer this segment...Caddy is too expensive, Buick is for old people so your choice is to move to Chevy and unless you can afford the increase in price to have a Camaro there's not much else of interest there (sorry, people in their early 20s are not going to be drawn to the Cobalt or the upcoming Cruze). Unfortunately, most of this segment will end up moving over to one of the foreign makers IMO.

But they weren't any sportier than their Chevy cousins. A Malibu with the 3.6 is just as fast as a G6 GXP, or a Saturn Aura with the same engine. And they were all about the same price too.

[OrangeFury]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

But they weren't any sportier than their Chevy cousins. A Malibu with the 3.6 is just as fast as a G6 GXP, or a Saturn Aura with the same engine. And they were all about the same price too.

When I used "sporty" I was more referring to the look as opposed to the performance. The two Grand Ams I had were sporty-looking and came at a much lower price tag than even the cheapest base Malibu (which I doubt your avg kid in their 20s would even classify as a "sporty" looking car).

I'm talking about the segment of the population that is coming out of college, entering the workforce, no longer wants to drive a beater but can't afford a $25K+ car. Pontiac filled this niche extremely well...sporty-looking cars and an affordable price. Now what are their options...a loaded up Cobalt?

[~Stacy~]

Originally Posted by franknbeans

I had a 99 Grand Am. . . biggest POS car I ever owned. . . rusted through and started falling about with only 60k on it.

After owning 3 Grand Ams my used ones ran better than my new one I ordered from the factory I couldn't tell you how many blower reistors, window regulators, factory warning lights that would pop up random, I love driving down the road when your speedo gauge sticks and you have a cop behind you. My new one was a 2003 Pontiac Grand Am GT1 30th Aniversary Edition but it sure was a lemon edition needless to say I traded it at 25,000 miles. Grand Ams look good but they are a electrical headache!

[~Stacy~]

Originally Posted by OrangeFury

When I used "sporty" I was more referring to the look as opposed to the performance. The two Grand Ams I had were sporty-looking and came at a much lower price tag than even the cheapest base Malibu (which I doubt your avg kid in their 20s would even classify as a "sporty" looking car).

I'm talking about the segment of the population that is coming out of college, entering the workforce, no longer wants to drive a beater but can't afford a $25K+ car. Pontiac filled this niche extremely well...sporty-looking cars and an affordable price. Now what are their options...a loaded up Cobalt?

My loaded Pontiac 2008 G6 GXP Coupe had a window sticker price of $29,800. I still have my window stickers from the 3 new Pontiacs I purchased.

[ShnOmac]

Our G8 GT is one of my favorite cars that we have ever owned. Something about driving that car just makes me happy.... Sounds cheesey I know.... lol

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by OrangeFury

When I used "sporty" I was more referring to the look as opposed to the performance. The two Grand Ams I had were sporty-looking and came at a much lower price tag than even the cheapest base Malibu (which I doubt your avg kid in their 20s would even classify as a "sporty" looking car).

I'm talking about the segment of the population that is coming out of college, entering the workforce, no longer wants to drive a beater but can't afford a $25K+ car. Pontiac filled this niche extremely well...sporty-looking cars and an affordable price. Now what are their options...a loaded up Cobalt?

Sporty looking cars that sold massively to fleet is more like it. No matter how much people try to twist it by saying Pontiac was a youthful, sporty division, it was nothing more than a unprofitable fleet division at the end.

[BEARS-SS]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

But Hummer's bread and butter was the H2 with an MSRP in excess of $60,000. Each one sold was very profitable for GM and they were unique enough that they probably didn't steal many sales from the Escalade. I wouldn't be surprised if the H2 brought in 10x the profit of a Firebird.

GM could market the same car (Camaro SS and Firebird) and sell the firebird for 5K more, even with the same specs. I love my Camaro SS, but the moc-ups I've seen of imitation firebirds are amazing. The pointed nose and the huge bird on the hood, I'm sure they'd to alright.

[brandotron]

Originally Posted by The_Blur

Pontiac had potential. It was a great brand that wasn't great in the end.

We're on a Camaro board talking about losing Pontiac. How many of us are also Pontiac forum members? For most of us, Chevrolet is our first choice, and Pontiac was always a close second. Why bother with second place when the top spot is available? Can you see how this mentality over time killed the Pontiac brand?

My feeling is that I'm only on a Camaro board because that's the only F body there is now. I never spent time on Chevy boards or Pontiac boards before this place--I spent time on Ls1tech and TGO--both F body boards.

While I may be driving a Camaro now (couldn't pass up the deal), I have always preferred the styling of the Firebird to the Camaro. They have always struck me as more futuristic looking--especially the third and fourth gens. Different strokes for different folks I guess...

If the Firebird returned, I'd be first in line.

[OrangeFury]

Originally Posted by ~Stacy~

My loaded Pontiac 2008 G6 GXP Coupe had a window sticker price of $29,800. I still have my window stickers from the 3 new Pontiacs I purchased.

I never said Pontiac didn't have over $25K cars...anything GXP was going to be pricey, but I'm not sure what your point here is? There were plenty of models available to the sub-$25K market and those are what I am referring to here.

[OrangeFury]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

Sporty looking cars that sold massively to fleet is more like it. No matter how much people try to twist it by saying Pontiac was a youthful, sporty division, it was nothing more than a unprofitable fleet division at the end.

Yes, unprofitable at the tail-end of an 80+ year run, lol. GM also had Buick on the chopping block a couple years ago and brought that division back just fine.

I'm still waiting for someone to tell me what GM now has left to offer this demographic...

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by OrangeFury

Yes, unprofitable at the tail-end of an 80+ year run, lol. GM also had Buick on the chopping block a couple years ago and brought that division back just fine.

I'm still waiting for someone to tell me what GM now has left to offer this demographic...

Buick was never on the chopping block due to its runaway success in China. Pontiac's fate was decided well before GM began prepping for bankruptcy.

The RS equipment package will be spread throughout the Chevrolet lineup to provide more sporty exterior styling. Next up after Camaro is Cruze RS. The next-gen Aveo is getting an RS model as well. No need for Pontiac and a whole separate division when Chevrolet can offer the same thing.