Edmunds InsideLine: Pontiac Kills Rear-Wheel-Drive G8

[nadepalma]

SOURCE: InsideLine.com

Driving Away Excitement: Pontiac Kills Rear-Wheel-Drive G8
Date posted: 10-22-2008

DETROIT — After acknowledging that there will be no replacement for the Solstice roadster, Pontiac looks like it will lose a little more excitement when the rear-wheel-drive G8 sedan goes out of production in about five years' time.

According to sources, Pontiac will not get a version of the next rear-drive platform that underpins the Australian Holden Commodore. This move is indicative of a fundamental switch in direction for Pontiac, the General Motors division that just a few years ago was envisioned by Bob Lutz to be the American BMW. The deaths of the Solstice and the eventual discontinuation of the next-generation G8 will leave Pontiac with zero rear-wheel-drive vehicles.

Pontiac already sells the G5, a Chevrolet Cobalt with the ol' excitement treatment and soon will begin selling a version of the subcompact Chevrolet Aveo called the G3. Not exactly sporting propositions, those.

MORE HERE

[Hunter]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWaLxFIVX1s

[nadepalma]

If this is truly the case, I'm very sorry to hear it.

I know that GM has some funding problems and issues with CAFE regulations - that's a given.

However, I hope that whatever path they chart, Pontiac remembers to make sporty models - even if all there products are rebadges. You can tweak even the most basic set of underpinnings to deliver sporty handling and a unique ride.

Let's hope they listen.

[GMCSonoma]

It's the beginning of the end folks...I'm afraid....

Either the Pontiac fans start buying...or otherwise come 5 years from now the dart will disappear...

[nadepalma]

Originally Posted by Hunter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWaLxFIVX1s

Hahahahaha.

Well even Darth Vader had a redemption once Luke brought him back from the Dark Side and he killed the Emporer --- maybe Pontiac has a redemption as well.

Yes, in my spare time I'm a bit of a dork -- so what?

[HHRDude]

Well, That really sucks! I really like the Commodore..and the rest of the Holden lineup, especially the HSV's. Maybe they should have rebadged the Commodore as a Chevy and given it a new name...like Caprice SS. These cars from down under are the best in performance and quality that GM has to offer in todays market. Well, at least its around for another five years....and who knows...maybe they can turn it around. I like the G8 styling...but maybe its a little too late considering the upcoming stringent CAFE standards the Bush adminstration has put on the US..and unfortunately, that will reflect cars for Canada as well.

[Olds88]

Please say this is Bulls***!!! Or at least that Buick is getting a Zeta-II.

Here's a strange chaos theory. Maybe GM canned G8 as they prepare to buy Chrysler because Dodge will replace Pontiac. All the signs are there
1) Chrysler is in development of the LX successor, LY which looks to be superior to Zeta.
2) GM cancels nearly all of Pontiac's product
3) Dodge is clearly recognized as a brash American performance brand and has a larger customer base than Pontiac.
4) GM talks about buying Chrysler

I can easily see Dodge replacing Pontiac as a much stronger and more focused brand.

[gardnet1]

A lot of things change in 5 years. This car could be on again off again on again...

[Xtreme08]

I also heard GM is canceling the Silverado, CTS, Malibu and Corvette.

[SuperSS27]

Even if they do cancel production for the Australian G8, they might just be moving production to Oshawa.

[Rocket 88]

Originally Posted by Olds88

Here's a strange chaos theory. Maybe GM canned G8 as they prepare to buy Chrysler because Dodge will replace Pontiac. All the signs are there
1) Chrysler is in development of the LX successor, LY which looks to be superior to Zeta.
2) GM cancels nearly all of Pontiac's product
3) Dodge is clearly recognized as a brash American performance brand and has a larger customer base than Pontiac.
4) GM talks about buying Chrysler

I can easily see Dodge replacing Pontiac as a much stronger and more focused brand.

Talk about putting the cart in front of the horse... GM doesn't own Dodge and Renault is just as likely to end up with it. No the G8 discontinuation has anything to do with Dodge. Besides, IF GM does end up with Dodge it will be 3 years minimum before they realize they have too many brands.

My theory is GM figures they are going to need to kill one of the divisions (regardless of the mearger) and Pontiac has replaced Saturn as the corprate B&T@H.

Seriously, considering how comfortable Cerberus and GM seem to be with snuffing out Chrysler and Dodge you have to figure killing off Pontiac isn't that much of a stretch.

[tama z71]

No, if they really are cancelling these two cars the writing is on the wall. Should these reports all turn out to be legit, Pontiac will be dead by 2013, if not sooner.

[dtowndog420]

I'm going to take this with a grain of salt and wait for the General to say so. But for the record I felt this might happen due to CAFE, and slow sales and thats why I bought one. My next buy is a Camaro in 2011. But then again a lot can happen in 5yrs.

[jasaero]

How are all Lutz's visions for GM's brands getting marginalized so much? Who are the people at GM he is hitting walls with??

[1G6]

Where is Lutz in all this? Pontiac is turning into a huge tease.