GM To Axe Pontiac & Saturn!

[Brian Hamilton]

Check it out...

Jalopnik - GM To Officially Kill Saturn Brand, Most Of Pontiac - GM Viability Plan

REPORT: General Motors to kill Pontiac on Monday

Honestly, I like the G8 and the Saturn Sky Redline. Don't know what's gonna happen to those cool cars now.

 

[Randy V]

Totally un-freeking-believable...

And Buick goes unscathed?

Makes absolutely NO sense to me...

And no - I really don't care how much the Chinese like Buicks!!!!

 

[Al Jones]

Randy,it's a game of numbers. In my small town,there was a recent proliferation of 'senior housing' - adult communities with attached medical care - convalescent homes by any other name - and the Buicks showed up in BIG numbers,so much so I believe they now outnumber the beemers and benz's. Now,it's a matter of going to the local coffee shop or Stop and Shop at a stately rate of 25 mph,almost always stuck behind a Buick. For a company that has produced almost nothing that's automotively notable in recent years( I know somebody will jump on my case for that but be honest here),you would think they would have axed Buick and kept a progressive division like Pontiac. It's sales,I guess. I would like to see the figures but I believe it would show this true.

 

[David Sturch]

They will build what sells I guess. All we build here now are the Camero and the Impala. The Truck Plant closes in May. The Buick Le Crosse and the Grand Prix were dropped last year and the year earlier for the Pontiac. The G8 built by Holden In OZ. Opal could be bought by Fiat. They never made any money on Saab. As for the Saturn Redline ,Vue etc they will be gone. They will be shutting down 300 dealers here in Canada. Too much upper management in GM and now they are starting to lean it out. It's about time.
Dave

 

[Mike Christian]

the worst car I ever owned was a Pontiac.

 

[Ron Earp]

Totally un-freeking-believable...

And Buick goes unscathed?

Makes absolutely NO sense to me...

That is what I thought, until I starting thinking about it and looking around me on the roads.

Pontiac just doesn't have anything selling in volume that folks want. I think the G8 is cool, so do many other enthusiasts. But how many are buying one? Not many. And when my wife needed a new sedan the G8 wasn't even on the list for evaluation. The solstice is a niche product, always will be. So can a marquee make it with two products (the Torrent, Vibe, G3 - all destined for rentals from the get go)?

High time for GM to axe some stuff. What was more surprising to me was GMC staying on. If anything muddies the waters to understand GM's product line to me the GMC/Chevy thing is it. GMC sells the same trucks as Chevy.....so, what is the point of having them around? Contractor grade my ass, I've been in them, same truck. Ok, the spring rates might be different, the badge is different, slight trim changes, but that is it. All could be offered through Chevy.

If they asked me, and they didn't, I'd have done the following:

Chevy - All trucks and SUVs + Corvette
Pontiac - Whatever cars / sedans / crossovers were viable
Cadalliac - The stuff they do now

And while I'm at it Ford needs to kill that Mercury stuff too. Leave them with Ford and Lincoln.

 

[David Sturch]

Ron,
Truck's GMC/Chev all build in the same place. Just trim and colour scheme differences. They are leaning out manufacturing. They finished up the Hybrid last month here, rest going to Mexico. The Buick is still popular in China. They sell alot there. They have a plant in Shanghi. I still think the Impala is the best car(sedan) they build. I just wish they beef up the brake components. (Korean rotors)
Dave

 

[Mark Worthington]

Correct - they retained Buick because the car sells in China, not because of the US demographics.

Maybe all those folks who worked themselves into a frenzy last year buying Pontiac Solstices and Saturn Skys were onto something.

 

[David Sturch]

Mark,
That is main problem Chrysler. They rely on the North American only. When things are good they do well. Not having gobal market limits cash flow. Part of the Fiat deal is to get them to build Fiat's here for the North American market. Most of the Ford, GM and Chrysler Plant's here are what they call Flexible Manufacturing Plant's. They can build multiple platforms and stick anyones label on it. Ford was ahead of GM on conversion of plant's most all done before the credit crunch and finacing in place. That's why they are in better shape. The problem is now that if any go under the part's supply chain will crumble. This will cause havoc for all manufactures in North America.
Dave