GM recently announced that it will be “phasing out” Pontiac. This comes after news that Hummer will be discontinued as well as Saturn. I agree there is no place for Hummer in today’s world. I similarly see no place for Saturn since it lost its niche, plastic paneled, import fighting roots and became another one of GM’s redundant brands. However, what I would like this announcement to mean for Pontiac is the formation of a new niche brand of cars that are not found in American manufacturer lines. A brand that Americans want and that GM promised years ago. However, I would rather that GM cancel Pontiac if it won’t stand behind the brand and give it performance cars, which is what the division is for, rather than rebranded Chevys.
Back when I was an avid MotorTrend reader, I read that GM was going to reinvent Pontiac by turning it into America’s BMW fighter. I was very excited because with the looming demise of my favorite car, the TransAm, Pontiac ironically had nothing “exciting” in its offerings. They were supposed to start making lower priced alternatives to BMW with rear wheel drive (rwd) vehicles with bmw like handling. However, what came next was a sore disappointment: the g6. Obviously not a bmw fighter as it was fwd and had lackluster engine offerings. It was basically a grand am with a different name and a rebranded Chevy Malibu. Worse yet, it would prove to be less reliable and in my opinion, less physically appealing than the grand am that preceded it. Many a car magazine was quick to comment that using letters and numbers to badge a car does not make an import fighter.
More recently, however gm has been more true to its promise. The Pontiac G8 is a rwd sedan with great performance and handling and a beautiful interior free from the creaks and gaps that plague most American interiors. The g8 has found praise in magazines review it and I have seen it myself and find it to be true to the claims. The solstice also seems to be loved. In fact, at the Portland International car show, the Pontiac area was teeming with people and I could barely get into the solstice or g8. Things were not so crowded at the g6 or g5 exhibits. The point is, GM can make a decent car for Pontiac, but the g8 will not be here long, as gm has seemed hell bent on keeping good cars from Pontiac for ever.
Pontiac was on the right track with making the g8 as a 550i competitor, but it is too large for many people. Besides, Chrysler already has a rwd sedan that size in the 500/charger (though the platform is admittedly dated and the g8 is a much better alternative). Why pay the gas to move the extra weight through the air when you don’t need that much space? What is missing from American manufacturers is a smaller rwd sport sedan.
Those who know cars have already noted that saying rwd and sport sedan is redundant, but it helps make a point. Who decided that the only rwd cars should be luxury sedans and sport coupes? What about those who wand something fun to drive, but need a sedan? They would pay a premium for something rwd, but would rather not pay the hefty price of a luxury import. Pontiac should put the 3.8 liter v6 in a rwd sedan, give it bmw sport handling and a g8 like interior. Such an offering would be a competitor to the 335i, and maybe later if they get amibitious, they could try cramming a small V8 in to compete with the m3. The next generation g6 was to be just this, but now we’ll probably never know.
Pontiac should become a niche market for Americans who want exciting performance vehicles that aren’t offered by American manufacturers. Basically Pontiac should fill a void, rather than offer vehicles that are already found in GM’s lineup. The Solstice for a small roadster, G8 as the flagship sedan, and the sport sedan described above are perfect. My love for the Trans Am makes me want to say bring a flagship coupe, but I will resist such a temptation if it will be a rebranded Camaro. However, I do believe that vehicle would fit better in a Pontiac lineup than as a Chevy since Chevy already has the Corvette. The point is these four vehicles are all but missing from America’s offerings, yet gravely needed.
Of course, Pontiac is not needed in GM’s view. But the only reason GM does not need Pontiac is because GM has Pontiac without the name. Nobody needs something it already has. So GM’s reasoning for axing Pontiac is a classic logical fallacy. If GM was never going to change the Pontiac brand, then I agree with a decision to axe it, because it’s painful to watch Pontiac introduce a mediocre Chevy decorated with arrowheads and body molding.
Originally, I asked if “GM does create a niche brand like I have suggested, will it overcome the damage that GM has done to the Pontiac brand?” Apparently GM has decided not to find out. Pontiac has been tarnished by years of redundant vehicles, the Montana (minivan is the antithesis to “excitement”), and the Aztec (you just have to see it to know what I mean). The saddest part about this news is that the next g6 was scheduled to be rwd, and out in just the next few years according to some reports…too bad.
Maybe if GM had given Pontiac and its other divisions profitable vehicles, it would not be in a restructuring situation. Restructuring which was bound to require loss of Pontiac, the performance division, as President Obama likely does not favor performance cars as he is set on having American automakers make bland, gas sipping, slow-accelerating vehicles. This is demonstrated by his recent criticism of Chrysler not focusing on fuel efficient vehicles. His administration, of course must approve the restructuring. But what about Americans who want performance, rear wheel drive cars? Their money will be going to other countries. Along with jobs. Which seems to be happening in more and more industries lately.
GM only has itself to blame for demise of the Pontiac brand and loss of market share overall for continuing to make mediocre cars. They sat on their laurels too long because they were the biggest automaker in the world. I think something similar happened to Microsoft. They are losing market share because their products (Vista) are mediocre or bad compared to the competition, which is a result of holding nearly 100% of the market share for too long. They had no incentive to make better products, so they didn’t and now people are starting to realize it. Same thing for GM only they have been dealing with it for much longer and have failed to correct it. I hope all American companies can pull through and start making competitive products, so that American can become the economic powerhouse it once was.