With the General Motors announcement that it will end production of Pontiac the news is filled with stories of how the American icon will soon be gone. In addition, GM will accelerate the wind-down of its Hummer, Saturn and Saab brands, ceasing production by year’s end. Pontiac will be terminated after 2010.
Fuzzy and I have been wondering how Pontiac has lasted this long. How can GM run a business model from the 1940s of having the same cars over and over under different nameplates? At the last auto show this was very evident Aura, G6, and the Malibu. Did we really need this? When the other carmakers have one VERY well built sedan. Yes, every car has it’s own set of workers and plants, and yes I lean socialist when it comes to workers rights. But now Pontiac is gone baby gone. Your job is gone.
Anyway, back to the news. I’ve seen no less then five pieces on how Pontiac brought us the GTO. Yes, it rocked. But, what I want to see is an article about how the gave birth to the Aztec. Remember the Aztec? I want the Aztec owners club president to explain that Pontiac is one of the great brands in history.
As you know, the Aztec was an amazing concept car that was “cost cut” to death by, Pontiac engineers called into the front office. Now it lives as the one of the fifty worst cars ever.
With Pontiac, Hummer, Saab and Saturn slated to be eliminated, GM will focus on four brands: Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC and Buick. Let’s hope that the focus will help them move the quality and design up to really compete with the Asian boys.
Buick - It ain't even my fathers car anymore.....but neither is Oldsmobile. Three fricking models and they keep this division? Shit can this one. Let's have 2 divisions - Chevy and Caddy. Only Buick drivers I see here in Florida are the blue haired babes going to church or the hairdresser. Or the looney old bastard running down a bunch of folks waiting at the bus stop on his way to the Cracker Barrel.
ReplyDeleteIt is true that GM has no idea how to separate its divisions. If Saturn was still producing cheap-ass plastic bodied run abouts it'd be a hit right now. Buick should've taken Opel's product range, not Saturn. Pontiac shouldn't bother with people movers, SUV's or family cars. focused performers like the Solstice, GTO and G8 are all it needs - Chev and Buick shouldn't attempt this market. GMC can be easily rolled into Chev and Cadillac can sit above, but no - because of shit management decisions made years ago GM is a smouldering pile of shit.
ReplyDeleteIt'll be sad to see Pontiac go, it won't be so sad to see cars like the G3 and G5 vanish though.
Now is your last chance to get into a G8 - don't fucking miss it. Mark my words, this is one of the best cars GM offers in North America, even better that its priced in the $30k range.
So the question is, have you put down a deposit on a Taurus SHO/SVT/SVO/RS/FPV (or whatever its going to be called) yet?
It just might be time to say goodbye to the Chief. I do wonder, if it cost the General over 1 billion to call in Dr. Kevorkian when Olds was on it's last leg. How much will it cost to put down Pontiac, Hummer, Saab and Saturn? Sad day when the American machine starts to collapse under it's own weight and irrelevance.
ReplyDeleteOn the up side....here comes FIAT!!!!