Pontiac to bite the dust now?

[rustynuts]

Heard on the radio this afternoon that GM's latest plan is to hand over 89% of the company to the UAW and the government and then close down the Pontiac division.

I wonder how that's going to play out?

[Steveaux]

Heard the same this morning.

Sadly, I think it was bound to happen regardless of the current economic situation. Just too many brands in the market now.

In the early '80's, my girlfriend had a '68 Catalina. What a sled! Best road trip car ever.

[hover]

No offense, but that is one rebadge happy "brand" that needs to go bye bye. Name one model in their lineup that isn't just a light reskin or simple rebadge of another GM offering, or a captive import. And watch out if you say Solstice (opel gt).

[mike_v_s]

If GM wants to stay in the car business, I think this needs to be part of that plan. In the end, a streamlined GM with Chevrolet, Cadillac and maybe one other brand is more likely to survive.

Mike

[mike_v_s]

Originally Posted by hover

No offense, but that is one rebadge happy "brand" that needs to go bye bye. Name one model in their lineup that isn't just a light reskin or simple rebadge of another GM offering. And watch out if you say Solstice.

The Pontiac G8 (built in Australia by Holden). Unfortunately, that car came along too late in the game. Most automobile magazines gave it great reviews, but i imagine the writing was already on the wall for Pontica by the time this car's paint was drying.

Mike

[hover]

Originally Posted by mike_v_s

If GM wants to stay in the car business, I think this needs to be part of that plan. In the end, a streamlined GM with Chevrolet, Cadillac and maybe one other brand is more likely to survive.

Mike

Thank you. I've been saying this for a while now and some people look at me like I have 3 heads.

SAAB? Bye. They should have been ashamed reskinning a GM SUV as a SAAB too.

Pontiac? Bye

Saturn? Bye. Another marque succumbed to rebadging Opel.

Hummer? Good Riddance to bad rubbish
GMC? Overhyped Chevy. There used to be a difference in build. Lately, it's just badging.

Sell off the Daewoo acquisition too, and engineer a REAL fuel efficient stateside made small car, instead of reskinning a Leganza or Nubira or whatever nonsense Daewoo named their crap.

[hover]

Originally Posted by mike_v_s

The Pontiac G8 (built in Australia by Holden).

Missed my edit for the "captive import" segment. Nice car, but really kinda cheating.

[mike_v_s]

Originally Posted by hover

Thank you. I've been saying this for a while now and some people look at me like I have 3 heads.

SAAB? Bye. They should have been ashamed reskinning a GM SUV as a SAAB too.

Pontiac? Bye

Saturn? Bye. Another marque succumbed to rebadging Opel.

Hummer? Good Riddance to bad rubbish
GMC? Overhyped Chevy. There used to be a difference in build. Lately, it's just badging.

Sell off the Daewoo acquisition too, and engineer a REAL fuel efficient stateside made small car, instead of reskinning a Leganza or Nubira or whatever nonsense Daewoo named their crap.

Agreed on all counts.

Originally Posted by hover

Missed my edit for the "captive import" segment. Nice car, but really kinda cheating.

Yeah, I missed it. To your Solstice point, that cas was designed as a Pontiac from the start and then rebadged to Saturn and Opel.

Mike

[L-A]

Yeah, they can't Dodge this outcome anymore.

[hover]

Originally Posted by mike_v_s

Agreed on all counts.

Yeah, I missed it. To your Solstice point, that cas was designed as a Pontiac from the start and then rebadged to Saturn and Opel.

Mike

Ah, I had no idea, thought it was the Opel first. I retract my statement, thnx Mike.

[Honk'n_down-low]

I just kept thinking the value of Firebirds will increase significantly.

[Kruton]

Please excuse my ignorance, but how much money do these "light reskinnings" cost the company? It seems to me that these wouldn't be a huge money losers.

[hover]

Add the cost of importing the vehicles from Australia or wherever....

[mike_v_s]

Originally Posted by hover

Ah, I had no idea, thought it was the Opel first. I retract my statement, thnx Mike.

No biggie, your point is still very valid in my opinion.

Originally Posted by Kruton

Please excuse my ignorance, but how much money do these "light reskinnings" cost the company? It seems to me that these wouldn't be a huge money losers.

Well, the issue is that GM offers some vehicles under 2 or 3 different brands. Mechanically, they are the same car or truck. At this point, you are redesigning the same car in an attempt to give it wider appeal (at best) or sustain a historical marque (at worst). Both to no avail. It is money thrown away.

I know an easy argument is the Lexus/Toyota example. In that case, the vehicles are changed sustantially and made to appeal to two completely different income segments. The pricing issue between GM reskins can be almost negligible to the point where it is basically a "styling exercise" and a matter of option packages one brand has that another doesn't.

So, we have 2-3 cars, mechanically identical and priced within a grand or two of eachother. The redesign costs money. The dealer network and brand support is doubled or tripled to market the same car. More money. It's just needless.

I should add that I'm aware that a brand can successfully get more for their investment by making the car appeal to a wider audience, but I just don't see the audience differing that much from Pontiac to Chevy to Saturn. As I said earlier, they'd do well to keep an "everyman" division and a luxury/sport division. Hell, bleed a few of the cars from one to the other...but make the difference worth the dollar.

Mike

[Mike N]

Originally Posted by hover

GMC? Overhyped Chevy. There used to be a difference in build. Lately, it's just badging.

If it was me I'd get rid of the Chevy truck line and sell them as GMC's instead. That way you could sell trucks at every GM dealership.

[mike_v_s]

Originally Posted by Mike N

If it was me I'd get rid of the Chevy truck line and sell them as GMC's instead. That way you could sell trucks at every GM dealership.

Not a bad idea. Plus, you probably won't hear anyone complaining about having to buy a brand that was marketed as better, whereas the opposite might not be true.

Mike

[warwick.hoy]

Originally Posted by hover

Sell off the Daewoo acquisition too, and engineer a REAL fuel efficient stateside made small car, instead of reskinning a Leganza or Nubira or whatever nonsense Daewoo named their crap.

Late to the party....

Which GM cars are re-badged Daewoos? The Aero or Aveo or whatever?

I have a plan that would save GM. Modernize and re-release the Chevette.

[ryco]

I heard GM was ditching Buick too. I thought this was their top selling line.

I've also wondered why Chevy and GMC Trucks were marketed as different when they look to be identical. Unless it's the gearing - I never owned a Jimmy. I used to LOVE little Chevy trucks. Punchy and fast as all get out. Had electrical issues though.

Now I drive a Toy Tacoma. Not as fun, but well made.

[hover]

Originally Posted by warwick.hoy

Late to the party....

Which GM cars are re-badged Daewoos? The Aero or Aveo or whatever?

I have a plan that would save GM. Modernize and re-release the Chevette.

Yes, the Aveo. Chevy bought the tooling for Daewoo, so I would have imagined their best case, long term plan may have been to revamp all their platforms... And Mike N, that is a great idea re: the GMC trucks. Nix the Chevy truck line and really make the GMC Pro-Grade mean something.

[hover]

Originally Posted by ryco

I heard GM was ditching Buick too. I thought this was their top selling line.

Yeah, I didn't mention them because I thought the same thing, tho admittedly I've had disparaiging things to say about that brand lately too. Pretty sad when the "pepe" marque is your best seller.