Last week it was rumored that GM could eventually kill Pontiac and GMC to cut costs. Now according to Inside Line, GM could kill Pontiac as early as this coming Monday.
Inside Line called Tom Wilkinson, news relations PR man for General Motors, who said: "There's nothing I can share with you at this time. Keep your eyes on our media site. Officially, nothing has changed with Pontiac's niche-brand status, until you hear differently."
Pontiac was officially labeled as a "niche" brand in GM's first viability plan that was released last December. According to a source GM is going to announce a "faster, deeper" reorganization plan that will likely include a death sentence for the brand that brought us the GTO, Firebird and most recently the G8.
Full Story: Inside Line
Related Stories:
GM May Kill Pontiac and GMC in an Effort to Cut Costs
Comments (22)
this opens up for the ability to start gloating
Posted by jebus | April 23, 2009 4:50 PM
Posted on April 23, 2009 16:50
so long!
Posted by Bradford | April 23, 2009 5:14 PM
Posted on April 23, 2009 17:14
Rename the G8 the Impala and I honestly can't see a reason for keeping the other models.
Perhaps the Pontiac "niche brand" can be resurrected when GM is in a better financial position. That way they can create some decent models for it.
Posted by Patrick | April 23, 2009 5:24 PM
Posted on April 23, 2009 17:24
bad move.
Posted by muscleoverrice | April 23, 2009 6:23 PM
Posted on April 23, 2009 18:23
where's the loss? Pontiacs are just differently badged GM chassis.
sigh.
it's all the same car in the end. brand engineering = fail.
Posted by Dan | April 23, 2009 7:07 PM
Posted on April 23, 2009 19:07
Finally. Now retire of GMC and Satrun next.
Posted by SteelCity1981 | April 23, 2009 8:06 PM
Posted on April 23, 2009 20:06
All American car companies should be dead by now, why is it taking too long?
Posted by Len | April 23, 2009 10:44 PM
Posted on April 23, 2009 22:44
I am a FORD man......................but I have to say I thought Pontiac should stay along with Cheverolet, and Caddilac. You have your Performance Division, Bargain Basement Division, and Luxury Division. All the rest could get killed and the best models absorbed into the remaining brands listed above. Caddilac could definetly use some of the models in Buick as entry level vehicles.
Posted by Fred "theflo" Oliver | April 24, 2009 7:05 AM
Posted on April 24, 2009 07:05
Well, GM has to keep Buick. Buick is the brand of choice for our new overloads (china) and is too profitable to drop.
At a minimum they have to keep it in China.
Too bad about Pontiac, but its probably time.
Posted by zippy | April 24, 2009 7:34 AM
Posted on April 24, 2009 07:34
Ok, I can't stop myself.
If we could just get the Mullet look back in style, the Pontiacs will fly off the lot!!!!
Sorry, I tried to control myself.
Posted by zippy | April 24, 2009 7:36 AM
Posted on April 24, 2009 07:36
He didn't deny it.
Posted by WVO | April 24, 2009 7:48 AM
Posted on April 24, 2009 07:48
About Time! Pontiac's have been giant pieces of crap for decades. The exterior designs have been OK, but the interiors have absolutely sucked. About as good as Mitsubishi.
GM only needs Chevy, Buick and Cadillac.
Chrysler only needs Dodge and Jeep. The Chrysler brand it's self should be killed off.
Posted by Jeepfanboy | April 24, 2009 7:49 AM
Posted on April 24, 2009 07:49
I think at a maximum GM should have Chevy (bread & butter) Buick (mid range) & Cadillac (High End Luxury Brand)
But what they should really do is just have Chevy & Cadillac. Move only the popular or profitable brand from Pontiac to Chevy & do the same with the good models from Buick to Cadillac...
They should also kill any duds in the Chevy & Cadillac line up...
Posted by American | April 24, 2009 8:13 AM
Posted on April 24, 2009 08:13
Finally looking forward to a Monday for a change.....
Posted by mel | April 24, 2009 9:18 AM
Posted on April 24, 2009 09:18
RIP G8
although i never had any intention of owning you...
you sure made some people happy owners.
now its only a matter of time before the hammer falls on the other "non-essential brands" :(
Posted by blubbabutt | April 24, 2009 9:42 AM
Posted on April 24, 2009 09:42
I don't really care for Pontiac personally, but I'm concerned about all the jobs that will be lost in the process. Hang in there fellow Americans!
Posted by cxspan | April 24, 2009 9:58 AM
Posted on April 24, 2009 09:58
zippy, about the mullet. You need to come to Pittsburgh. Apparently the mullet never left.
Posted by GPFan | April 24, 2009 9:58 AM
Posted on April 24, 2009 09:58
I'll be glad to see pontiac go, but I hope they move some of their styling over to Chevy. Their cars are generally better looking. And why haven't they killed Saturn yet? They're even more useless than Pontiac. I only see maybe 2 Saturns on the road in a day.
Posted by gm0n3y | April 24, 2009 10:46 AM
Posted on April 24, 2009 10:46
I always wondered when they would let go of the honeycomb grills and rubbermaid side fenders but I never imagined this is how it would be done.
Pontiac has for many years been considered unreliable crap. But I must say, it looked like they were trying really hard to turn it around when they introduced the Vibe (thanks Toyota) and the G8. I actually like the looks of the G8 and it is getting good reviews. Oh well....
Posted by Subpra | April 24, 2009 1:01 PM
Posted on April 24, 2009 13:01
Well I had a '69 Firebird and a 66 Slip-Slide-PowerGlide GTO. Will hate to see those names gone forever.
Although, I do still have an 87 Grand National so I am glad they are going to keep Buick around... for a little longer.
Hope the Camaro stays around for a while too!
Posted by ChipHead | April 24, 2009 1:16 PM
Posted on April 24, 2009 13:16
This is the most stupid move ever in the history of the car business. This is going to cost them brand loyalty! I'm really looking forward to a 2010 G8 with the Pontiac emblem on the vehicle. I don't want my car looking like my Tahoe! The camaro is a nice substitute, but you lose the 4 door option.
They shouldn't be getting rid of the poor mans Cadilac.
I still have my Trans Am at least, but dammit all if I can't also have the ROBOCOP icon G8!
Posted by Wayne | April 24, 2009 2:47 PM
Posted on April 24, 2009 14:47
Big deal, predicted this last year, but many were in denial, including management, unions, and politicians. I feel vindicated.
Caddy, and Chevy, everything else must go. Excludes some other Euro or Asian brands, as long as they are not sold in the US, and make money.
Chrysler/Dodge, should be killed off, sell the Jeep brand to someone; and Ford needs to shed low volume brands also, even though they are in better shape. As long as Obama does not force the car makers to make 'green' cars, no one wants, they will much better off.
Posted by Cargasm | April 25, 2009 12:33 AM
Posted on April 25, 2009 00:33