Pontiac is DEAD
It will kinda, and I use that term loosely, sad to see pontiac go. Though I would never drive any of their cars, I liked the Trans Am, especially with that throaty LS1.
Lexus Fanatic
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From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
Thanks. Interesting post, suislide.
I didn't know Chevy did the Holden platforms in the Middle East. I still think, though, that here in America (as I indicated in my above post) that a Chevy Holden-based sport sedan would compete too much with its already established, FWD Impala SS, though there is little doubt that true sport-sedan enthusiasts would prefer RWD to FWD.
Chevy did a FWD Lumina nameplate here in the U.S. for some years, but, IMO, it was an unimpressive car, cheaply made, and, in some ways, bordered on being a piece of junk....certainly not like a Holden product.
Last edited by mmarshall; Apr 23, 2009 at 06:25 PM.
Now I wonder if it's coincidence that I've been seeing an influx of brand new G8s rolling around the town the last few weeks. Perhaps they're practically giving them away right now. They seem like very nice cars... just bad timing.
Lexus Test Driver
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From: Miami, Florida
I'd get one over a IS, 3, and C class anyday
Lexus Fanatic
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From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
Well, there is GM's Opel Division, its German/European branch (several Opel-derived or Opel platform vehicles are sold here in America under other GM nameplates), and Germany, of course, is notorious for extremely powerful unions and some of the world's highest labor costs/benefits. In fact, Audi moved production of the TT out of Germany to a Hungarian plant for precisely that reason.
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Look I liked Pontiac a lot but the truth is they should have canned it over a decade ago.
What people are missing, the BIGGEST telling sign that Pontiac was in the dumps was that Lexus/BMW/Benz, LUXURY BRANDS were outselling Pontiac!!!
Think about that. Brands who's MSRP STARTS where Pontiac ENDS.
That is not a business case at all. Its not like Pontiac sold well in other countries. Nope.
RIP....
What people are missing, the BIGGEST telling sign that Pontiac was in the dumps was that Lexus/BMW/Benz, LUXURY BRANDS were outselling Pontiac!!!
Think about that. Brands who's MSRP STARTS where Pontiac ENDS.
That is not a business case at all. Its not like Pontiac sold well in other countries. Nope.
RIP....
Lexus Fanatic
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From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
And we would not have gotten the 2004-2007 GTO either. I know the GTO did not sell well, and got some panning in the auto press for so-called "rental-car" styling, but I disagreed...I thought it looked nice, and brought back a lot of the 60's aura with it, particularly when they added the twin-hood scoops for 2005, like on the original.
And, of course, we would not have gotten the Miata-fighting Solstice either, though I agree the Miata is a better car for several reasons.....overall build quality, ease of top operation, and its excellent reliability record.
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Well, if they had done that, we would not have gotten the G8 GT you liked so much (though it's possible that it would have come over as a Chevy). Didn't you say that you once considered buying one?
And we would not have gotten the 2004-2007 GTO either. I know the GTO did not sell well, and got some panning in the auto press for so-called "rental-car" styling, but I disagreed...I thought it looked nice, and brought back a lot of the 60's aura with it, particularly when they added the twin-hood scoops for 2005, like on the original.
And, of course, we would not have gotten the Miata-fighting Solstice either, though I agree the Miata is a better car for several reasons.....overall build quality, ease of top operation, and its excellent reliability record.
And we would not have gotten the 2004-2007 GTO either. I know the GTO did not sell well, and got some panning in the auto press for so-called "rental-car" styling, but I disagreed...I thought it looked nice, and brought back a lot of the 60's aura with it, particularly when they added the twin-hood scoops for 2005, like on the original.
And, of course, we would not have gotten the Miata-fighting Solstice either, though I agree the Miata is a better car for several reasons.....overall build quality, ease of top operation, and its excellent reliability record.
but the GT is fantastic as well. Bottom line, the car was too little too late. Pontiac had its head up its but years ago. Let me share my family experience again. Dad bought his company car, a Pontiac Grand Am SE. It was nice, good interior size, etc.
IT FELL APART. It rattled and the paint peeled and just turned to crap.
When it was paid off for not even a month passed and the engine quit on us. So he bought a new one. Then the suspension broke.
He got rid of it and that was pretty much his last straw buying anything American.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
Pontiac had its head up its but years ago. Let me share my family experience again. Dad bought his company car, a Pontiac Grand Am SE. It was nice, good interior size, etc.
IT FELL APART. It rattled and the paint peeled and just turned to crap.
When it was paid off for not even a month passed and the engine quit on us. So he bought a new one. Then the suspension broke.
He got rid of it and that was pretty much his last straw buying anything American.
IT FELL APART. It rattled and the paint peeled and just turned to crap.
When it was paid off for not even a month passed and the engine quit on us. So he bought a new one. Then the suspension broke.
He got rid of it and that was pretty much his last straw buying anything American.
Last edited by mmarshall; Apr 23, 2009 at 08:02 PM.
Lead Lap
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From: md
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 94,521
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From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
I don't totally agree that Pontiac should die, though, with a strictly Holden replacement. It currently makes some non-Holden stuff that is interesting, too, although not particularly well-built except for the Toyota-based Vibe.
Pontac, though, currently has a habit of making many, if not most, of their vehicle interiors look like all-black coal mines. THAT's something that needs to change; I agree.