No fond farewell for Pontiac

[Oracle of Delphi]

Automotive News

July 13, 2009 - 12:01 am ET

Recall that after General Motors gave Oldsmobile the brushoff, at least the vehicles got a classy send-off. The final 500 units of each model sported a special red paint job, embroidered upholstery and a colorful badge.

Pontiac gets bupkis.

"I wish I could say it was otherwise," said Pontiac spokesman Jim Hopson. "But given the situation and timing, there literally was not enough time to put together any special-edition packages."

The Pontiac wind-down looks like this: The G3, G5 and G8 already have gone out of production. The Solstice sports coupe and convertible are done this month. The total production run of 1,100 Solstice coupes, Hopson said, will have sequential serial numbers. The Vibe ends production in August.

A final insult to Pontiac: The last G6 models, to be built in September, will be for rental car fleets.

Link: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti...373360363921244

[Camino LS6]

Rotten Bastards.

[balthazar]

Question remains if any of the Solstice coupes will be withheld until after the G6 sales are done, making them the last Pontiacs sold. Not that I'm holding out any hope, but it's the least that could be done and wouldn't cost GM anything.

Edited July 16, 2009 by balthazar

[A Horse With No Name]

Rotten Bastards.

Agreed. This is a crime.

Chris

[Camino LS6]

Question remains if any of the Solstice coupes will be withheld until after the G6 sales are done, making them the last Pontiacs sold. Not that I'm holding out any hope, but it's the least that could be done and wouldn't cost GM anything.

It would at least be a gesture of decency.

[Robert Hall]

I wonder how many US spec G3s were built? I assume the Solstice GXP will be the rarest of the last Pontiacs.

[Camino LS6]

What was done to Pontiac amounted to an execution - if not an outright murder.

[Blake Noble]

Pontiac was good to GM for so many years. Too bad GM wasn't good to Pontiac.

Assholes.

[daves87rs]

Sad. Just sad.

[ocnblu]

They kill it because they see no future. They have no vision. I wish I had the means to purchase a Solstice Targa, just to drive a couple thousand miles a year, and keep forever.

[Satty]

No LAST EVAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! line? I bet the LAST EVAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! G3 will be worth a ton.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

I wonder how many US spec G3s were built? I assume the Solstice GXP will be the rarest of the last Pontiacs.

Actually, last I read MOST of the coupes were GXP models which would make the RPO coupe more rare.

The final number (on coupes) was supposed to be around 1100-1000 and 750 of those were supposedly GXP-ed.

[Robert Hall]

Actually, last I read MOST of the coupes were GXP models which would make the RPO coupe more rare.

The final number (on coupes) was supposed to be around 1100-1000 and 750 of those were supposedly GXP-ed.

Interesting. I have yet to see any Solstice coupes. Though I've seen two G3s in the last few months, though one was a Canadian one. Saw a G2 last month. Now that is Excitement!.

[hyperv6]

I don't need some cheap emblems or a Viking funeral to mark this.

Just make the last one built a Solstic coupe put it in the collection next to the first Pontiac Coupe and leave it on a high note. Let the last car be what Delorean wanted.

I hate to see the last one be a G6 or Vibe and show what Pontiac died of. At least make the last car a real performance car.

The truth is this happens so fast and there was no money to do anything. If this was planned out and GM was not chapter 11 I am sure they would have done something.

[Robert Hall]

I realized the other day that the Vibe rental I drove in May is probably the last Pontiac rental I'll ever drive. Previously, I've driven many Grand Ams and a few Grand Prix rentals over the last 14 years..

[hyperv6]

I realized the other day that the Vibe rental I drove in May is probably the last Pontiac rental I'll ever drive. Previously, I've driven many Grand Ams and a few Grand Prix rentals over the last 14 years..

And that is why they are not building anymore Pontiacs and my GP resale sucks.

[Camino LS6]

Well, maybe someday after Henderson gets the axe, we can get Pontiac back.

Unlikely, I know, but it sure would be nice.

[Oracle of Delphi]

They kill it because they see no future. They have no vision. I wish I had the means to purchase a Solstice Targa, just to drive a couple thousand miles a year, and keep forever.

If your nice, I'll have my daughter take you for a spin one day ...

[Z-06]

If your nice, I'll have my daughter take you for a spin one day ...

Is it a stick or an auto, Borger?

[Oracle of Delphi]

Is it a stick or an auto, Borger?

5 speed automatic ...

[Intrepidation]

Lame.

[Oracle of Delphi]

Lame.

She's 17, she doesn't need one more thing to distract her ... I'd like to keep the car in one piece ...

[pow]

The truth is this happens so fast and there was no money to do anything.

There wasn't any new product in the pipeline. Terrain replaced Torrent, and Solstice and G6 had no replacements coming. This left the G8, and a host of rebadged Daewoolets and a Toyota.

In theory, an Alpha midsizer would have been nice... in reality, however, GM had no new cars planned for Pontiac. G6 replacement never broke ground.

[hyperv6]

There wasn't any new product in the pipeline. Terrain replaced Torrent, and Solstice and G6 had no replacements coming. This left the G8, and a host of rebadged Daewoolets and a Toyota.

In theory, an Alpha midsizer would have been nice... in reality, however, GM had no new cars planned for Pontiac. G6 replacement never broke ground.

The truth is the niche deal was just going to buy time to close Pontiac a model at a time till the end of the G8. With Rick leaving it just moved up the end.

[SAmadei]

Well, maybe someday after Henderson gets the axe, we can get Pontiac back.

Unlikely, I know, but it sure would be nice.

Yeah, because then I could buy a new GM product. I have no faith, though. Waiting for the GM liquidation.

[fightingbee]

"I wish I could say it was otherwise," said Pontiac spokesman Jim Hopson. "But given the situation and timing, there literally was not enough time to put together any special-edition packages."

More like in the bureaucracy that "new" GM still is it would take two years of committee meetings to arrange this, where our competition could knock that off before lunch.

Like that was really that hard to make.

Edited July 17, 2009 by fightingbee

[Intrepidation]

She's 17, she doesn't need one more thing to distract her ... I'd like to keep the car in one piece ...

Funny, my girlfriend learned to drive with a manual and has never been in an accident.

[Satty]

The last G6 models, to be built in September, will be for rental car fleets.

You've got to admit, that is a very appropriate ending to the last three decades of Pontiac.

[balthazar]

"3 decades" = 1979 :: nope - too long there.

>>"a very appropriate ending "<<

Yes, because 84 years should be distilled down to the last 15 only, the only way the ending can be "fitting"

[A Horse With No Name]

My son Joel is 16, and his 16 year old "friend" Amber drives a manual just fine, my sister learned on a manual, my wife learned on a manual, etc.

Chirs

[aaaantoine]

Just as I feared.

There really is no more automotive enthusiasm at General Motors.

[cletus8269]

my ex girlfriend in high school's car was a manual mandated by her father. she couldnt have an auto because everyone should know how to drive a stick to him. he is a South Carolina State Trooper btw.

[Blake Noble]

my ex girlfriend in high school's car was a manual mandated by her father. she couldnt have an auto because everyone should know how to drive a stick to him. he is a South Carolina State Trooper btw.

That's how my dad was. At first, I resented driving a manual, then I grew to love it. I would really love it if my next car to replace the Firebird was a stick.

And if it isn't, well, that can be fixed ... :AH-HA_wink:

[Satty]

"3 decades" = 1979 :: nope - too long there.

>>"a very appropriate ending "<<

Yes, because 84 years should be distilled down to the last 15 only, the only way the ending can be "fitting"

"15 years" = 1994 :: nope, not long enough there.

[Camino LS6]

Unlike poor, abused, Plymouth, Pontiac at least had something very worthwhile up to the end.

Never was Pontiac without at least one worthy car, and it ends with two.

[A Horse With No Name]

"15 years" = 1994 :: nope, not long enough there.

Look at the beautiful whtie 4 door in the back ground.

Mercury perhaps?

Chris

[A Horse With No Name]

Unlike poor, abused, Plymouth, Pontiac at least had something very worthwhile up to the end.

Never was Pontiac without at least one worthy car, and it ends with two.

One word-Prowler.

Funny how every carmaker seems to go out with a bang...

Golden Hawk/Avanti for Studebaker, Prowler for Plymouth, Caribbean for Packard, G8 and Solstice for Pontiac...

At that rate the rest of GM should live forever. Whatever the human race evolves into will perhaps be driving W body Impala's in a million years or so?

Chris

[Camino LS6]

One word-Prowler.

Funny how every carmaker seems to go out with a bang...

Golden Hawk/Avanti for Studebaker, Prowler for Plymouth, Caribbean for Packard, G8 and Solstice for Pontiac...

At that rate the rest of GM should live forever. Whatever the human race evolves into will perhaps be driving W body Impala's in a million years or so?

Chris

Hmm, wasn't Prowler given to Chrysler before Plymouth was killed?

Can't remember the sequence of events, but I do remember that the last Prowlers wore Chrysler badges.

[A Horse With No Name]

Think Prowler was with Plymouth till the end, I could be wrong. Think it became Chrysler when they wanted to continue building the car after Plymouth died.

However, I am going to steal a page from balthazars playbook. I'm going to thiunk of Plymouth in terms of RWD Fury's Superbirds and Roadrunners. I'm going to gracefully forget the crappy FWD minivans, the K cars, and the rest of the crap.

There is some sanity in living pre-1975 when it comes to domestic cars.

Chris

[Camino LS6]

There sure is.

It's in short supply these days.

[SAmadei]

Think Prowler was with Plymouth till the end, I could be wrong. Think it became Chrysler when they wanted to continue building the car after Plymouth died.

Only for late 2001-2002.

Also, the Prowler was a Chrysler outside the US...

[Chicagoland]

2002 Neon was the last Plymouth. And, Packards last cars were re-badged Studies.

GM hit an iceburg like the Titanic, and really couldn't save all the brands.

Edited August 3, 2009 by Chicagoland

[Camino LS6]

They didn't save the right one.