[ftwmlp]

Came across this story as I scanned the news feed this morning:
https://www.thedrive.com/news/the-la...nfortunate-end

Interesting read.

[GTOnly70]

"a white 2010 Pontiac G6 with a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder and spec'd for fleet use."

Talk about going out with a whimper...

[mgarblik]

Originally Posted by GTOnly70

"a white 2010 Pontiac G6 with a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder and spec'd for fleet use."

Talk about going out with a whimper...

Yes, I remember very well following the story 13 years ago about the last piece of garbage going down the assembly line. How demoralizing for the dedicated line workers building that junk and to realize they would all be unemployed the next day. Ruining and killing off Pontiac didn't happen overnight. It took years of bad decisions by many, many people from the very top down to finish the brand off. A perfect example for every business and marketing class in college of how to do EVERYTHING wrong. Still bitter after all these years. Ha!

[turbo69bird]

Yeah you think they would have sent something cool down the line like a G8 at least. Sure someone would have waited to have that be the last car.
Probably some bean counter at CHEVY sticking it to the Pontiac guys one last time.
I won’t own a Chevy after all the times the screwed US Pontiac owners holding stuff back so we didn’t compete w the camaro POS or the corvette . Honestly pathetic.
I own a Tesla though because it’s just like a Pontiac IMO it’s the underdog. May not thinks o these days because it’s doing well but it was BROKE at one time and it’s beat all odds even some A hole working for them and stealing their designs. (Fisker) it’s an interesting story. I think Pontiac guys would like it And I’m no greenie these cars aren’t exactly carbon neutral they use more carbon to build than a gas car and take 20 years of use to be greener . But they are awesome cars I think any Pontiac guy would like them.

[72projectbird]

Originally Posted by GTOnly70

"a white 2010 Pontiac G6 with a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder and spec'd for fleet use."

Talk about going out with a whimper...

That POS is the physical embodiment of everything that killed Pontiac.

That said, Pontiacs failure isn't Chevrolet's fault. They're just another brand that falls under the parent company.

[will slow gto]

“Great idea, let’s get rid of names like Bonneville, Grand Prix, GTO and Firebird and replace them with G5, G6 and G8”

Hello? They’re still calling them Bronco, Mustang, Corvette, Camaro, Charger, and Challenger after 50+ years…

I remember reading an opinion piece Pontiac Enthusiast about 20 years ago, around the time they rolled out the Aztek, and it was reported some people in the crowd literally boo’ed then president Lynn Myers. The guy writing the opinion complained how doing this to Ms. Myers was in poor taste but it was too little too late.

[59safaricat]

The last Pontiac built was 1981.

[Sirrotica]

I only have one thing to say about it:

[joegpho]

I was going to post the story - saved me the typing.
Should the very last Pontiac - even if it is "post-1981" - be saved?
For the record, the 2nd to last one (supposedly in Indiana) has a VIN of:
1G2ZA5EB3A4166961
The very last one:
1G2ZA5EB5A4166962
Both built Wednesday, 11/25/2009.

[kingbuzzo]

I remember...I was so bitter @ GM for killing pontiac to save buick I bought a dodge...

It was the first and last dodge I will ever own - was always in the shop on warranty

Then I went crawling back to GM...sigh

[Tom Vaught]

VP execs like Martin J Caserio did not help Pontiac engines at all and when the "Other" engines were installed,
it was different, but not going to say that some of the LS type engines in Pontiacs weren't good automobiles.

Tom V.

[Mr Anonymous]

Our fondness for a particular "transportation appliance" (brand loyalty) unfortunately doesn't drive the sales numbers - you have to appeal to the common folk who just want the most for their money generally. When you screw up that part of the equation, you're done. The manager of a brand has to be passionate and convincing to keep it going when its on the ropes. If its in trouble and you don't do something impressive - just more of the same boring garbage, there is no saving it.

[turbo69bird]

Originally Posted by 72projectbird

That POS is the physical embodiment of everything that killed Pontiac.

That said, Pontiacs failure isn't Chevrolet's fault. They're just another brand that falls under the parent company.

Chevy stifled Pontiac on every major project there was ever.
They worked very hard to keep Pontiac in line to not canabalize camaros and vettes that’s a pretty well known thing

Funny the racing ban came out after 63 anything spectacular happen in 63 that may have embarrassed the corvette , rubbed it face in the fact that Pontiac could destroy everyone and anyone????


Uh let me see
Maybe this?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aQbIwjBXQKA

[Formulabruce]

IIRC there were orders for Montana's that were not filled till 2011.
Also there were 2009 Solstices made AFTER a bunch of 2010 models were produced....
What Killed Pontiac? Really?
The Securities and Exchange Commission did.
Remember Enron? Many had bets they could Not back up.
Back then you could buy futures with credit. Default credit stock swaps were happening. Many traded GM stock to pay these debts as some had put "puts" on GM stock anyway. This drove the stock to a dollar, which is illogical because the real estate was worth much more. This is the root cause, add in some hatred for carbon( again) and you have GM Corporation becoming GM Company, minus Saturn, Pontiac.
Greed started this and the govt finished it off.

[Jonsie]

When GM dumped Pontiac, I dumped GM. Haven't and never will purchase another GM vehicle

[SRR]

I never understood Cadillac becoming the performance vehicle? Good grief.

[mgarblik]

Originally Posted by Mr Anonymous

Our fondness for a particular "transportation appliance" (brand loyalty) unfortunately doesn't drive the sales numbers - you have to appeal to the common folk who just want the most for their money generally. When you screw up that part of the equation, you're done. The manager of a brand has to be passionate and convincing to keep it going when its on the ropes. If its in trouble and you don't do something impressive - just more of the same boring garbage, there is no saving it.

The "Oldsmobile guy", had a "live preview" of what was coming for Pontiac. It was the same slow train wreck arriving just a little bit earlier that killed them off in 2004. The same type of mind set, (morons), that destroyed Oldsmobile, went right to work on Pontiac after killing off GM's second best division, (In My Opinion). What does GM have left? Chevy cheap crap. Buick for the over 90 crowd and Cadillac for people earning over $500,000.00 a year. Quite a portfolio.

[59safaricat]

Originally Posted by SRR

I never understood Cadillac becoming the performance vehicle? Good grief.

Who would have thought that an SUV (Escalade) would save a dying company targeted at the older population and that (c)rappers were the main audience that contributed to its success?

[59safaricat]

Originally Posted by mgarblik

Buick for the over 90 crowd

Buick hasn't built a nice comfortable, soft riding luxo-barge in years plus they recently dumped their entire car line in 2020 and only sell SUV's. A good portion on their junk is made in China.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by 59safaricat

Who would have thought that an SUV (Escalade) would save a dying company targeted at the older population and that (c)rappers were the main audience that contributed to its success?

Not the people that designed it.

I know, because I was one.

I worked in program engineering for the Escalade, the Denali, and the H2.

The whole rapper and celebrity thing took us all totally by surprise.

K