And they (GMC) did have the proprietary 4 wheel steer for a few years before they scrapped it because of problems, plus no one ordered it. The GMC design team is apparently tasked with coming up with gimmicks to add on to chevy trucks to justify their existence.
The point was, GMC is a rebadged chevy truck in 2009 and could have been done away with on the same grounds Pontiac was done away with, it was a redundant division of another GM division.
Pontiac had cars that other divisions didn't have in 2009 also, the G8 and the Vibe were those cars. And same as GM truck division currently, they were built by outside plants of other companies. After Pontiac folds GM takes the G8 platform and awards it to chevy. The Vibe/Matrix plant in CA is decommissioned and both cars disappear from the GM, and Toyota lines.
I own a Holden made GTO since new, it is a very good quality car, better than most continental north American made cars are. The G8 had to be a good quality car also, as it was never maligned as problem ridden by the automotive press. I may own one someday from the used market.
I also own a 2008 Pontiac Vibe since new, and have people in our family that have owned them. For an inexpensive commuter small wagon, they are incredibly durable. Both of the Vibes are well past 300, 000 miles. The odometers on Vibes stop at 299,999 miles, both cars exceeded that limit years ago. My wife drove hers recently from Ohio to Alabama and returned, zero problems.
GM, and the US Governments car czar both failed to axe the division for the reasons they stated. I believe either they were incredibly ignorant of the facts, or there is more underlying reasons than the average layperson knows as to why Pontiac was axed from GM. I know that all GM divisions were at the time incredibly mismanaged, so picking Pontiac as the worst of the batch, is something I'll never know if it was true, or not. It doesn't mean it stings any less though, and I'll never support GM by buying another car from them, as well as I'll never support any of their competitors by buying from them.
I have have been a mechanic (second generation, Dad worked at a Pontiac dealership back in the 30s, always owned Pontiacs too) and have very strong convictions about Pontiac. I will drive the cars I have, as well as look for well preserved lower mile examples to replace my cars as time passes, until they take my drivers license, or I die. I'm committed to continue driving Pontiac automobiles until that time. The Pontiaddict avatar that came from the shirt I designed, and sold, before the demise of Pontiac, is the torch I'll carry, until I can't. I've thought my plan out since 2009, and will stand by it. The signature about "100% Pontiacs in my driveway" isn't just words, it's conviction of a principle.
And the R.I.P. shirt I designed, and sold, shows fully about how I feel about Pontiacs demise. I have multiple shirts that I designed, and sold (15 different examples), that I wear daily as support to the Pontiac legend. I can't tell you how many hundreds of people read the shirts, and stop me to discuss their fond memories of Pontiac automobiles, and lament the decision to axe Pontiac, over buick.
I'm selecting the T shirt for today, I'm goin!g to wear the R.I.P. one..............
I'm done, carry on.