Pontiac G3 Comes State-Side!

[silentgarth]

GM needs to stop rebadging everything into pontiac from chevy. They either need to drop Pontiac all together or give them their own cars!

[enlsides]

My GM Rep says starting price will be under $13,000 If anybody was wondering. It will be there base entry level car.

[Xenon]

Under $13K, for this? If the price is going to be $12,999, I'd rather spend the extra money and get a better car like a Fit, or even the G5.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by Skank Boy

Who do think is gonna be the first on this board to buy one?

There are already people on this board who have one.

For example, this guy:

http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/m...ime-33427.html

[lio45]

Originally Posted by GMCSonoma

Actually those looking for a sedan in Pontiac along the G5, are shown the Vibe...my sales department says if that isn't acceptable (we also have Chevy) then a Cobalt sedan...however 80% love the Vibe after seeing it..

Yeah... how can one not immediately love the Toyota at first sight when the only alternatives in the showroom are GM vehicles?

(That was your point, right?)

[ne_one]

Originally Posted by MrCritical

There'll never be a 4 door G5. They want those buyers to move up to a G6, or go to a Chevy dealer...

Oh? The G5 sedans seem to be selling quite well here in Canada.

No offense, but a lot of the site faithful seem to forget that the auto industry is a global market and "we" also design, build and buy the same cars.

And before anyone pays the ultimate sacrifice, the G3/Wave is a decent car for the price. Enthusiasts tend to forget that consumers in the largest demographic don't buy high performance or luxury cars. But, they do roll in to dealerships and expect parity in different product segments.

[04bonnie]

Originally Posted by FierySolstice

Thanks for the compliments, but to address the other issue of me giving up on GM, let me make you understand where I'm coming from. All the cars you listed, with the exception of a few are very big. The Camaro is nice, but its not what I'm looking for. I would love a G8 one day and I think all Pontiac should use the G8 formula, but it will probably be cut before I will want a bigger car. I've had a G6 so I don't want another one in any form. I would love a CTS one day too, but I'm only 28. I want other things in life before a luxury car. That goes for a Corvette too. I want a small performance hatch that I can drive in the city and that is good on gas. Perfect for the Pontiac image, yet they give us rebadged Korean and Japanese hatches instead. Where am I to go other than VW? GM has no car that I am looking for. And yes I would like a Firbird back in the stable, but I'm not pissed about it. Right now it doesn't make good business to build one. There is also a difference between rebadging and creating another car off the same platform. A Trans AM would be more than just changing a grill insert.

Ok, I need to finish my list of cars that should appeal to you: Saturn Astra, Pontiac Solstice Coupe (coming out), Chevy Cobalt SS, (didn't put the G5 here, because you seem to not like rebadges), Chevy Malibu (you've had a G6 before, same size). Oh, and the Aura and the G6 totally different cars? I guess, but the tail lights look 99% the same to me. don't get me wrong, both have a little different "flavor" but still, coming up to both of them from behind, they look so much alike. I guess that's all the cars I can come up with from GM for you to look at. VW is nice, and I have nothing wrong with them, but I still am a GM enthusiest, and will always look there first for anything.....mostly, because every car I've owned has been GREAT, and I don't see the need to change to a brand I know nothing about. VW is a totally different animal. Thing is, how is the Rabbit much different in profile, and rear end design to the new G3 and Aveo? I think they look very similar. All I can say is...you get what you pay for. If this thing is going to be around $13,000 BRAND NEW? WOW, my 95 Sunfire GT wasn't even that cheap, it stickered for over $16,000, so for the G3 to be in that price range, I think it's fine. Now, if it were $20,000 base price, that would be a problem. Someone on here mentioned Mini,....well have you looked at the price of those? And, what do the Rabbits cost? (haven't researched them). I'm afraid some people are comparing apples to oranges here. Anything over $15,000 to start with, shouldn't be in a comparison.

[cire_1wb]

My major problem with the G3 is that it is a rebadged Chevy that is sold in the same market as the Chevy product. I don't have a problem with GM using rebadged products to fill in lineups as long as the products aren't sold in the same market.

For those of you that disillusion yourselves with the hope that Chevy rebadges are just a stopgap measure to keep Pontiac going, I don't accept this argument anymore. Anytime it appears as though GM is steering Pontiac away from a Chevy clone lineup, it reverses direction and reverts back to badge engineering again. If GM doesn't reconfigure their dealer networks, I don't see the rebadging practice ending anytime soon for Pontiac. The major shifts in the market and government regulations have convinced GM to abandon much of their RWD plans. I don't think a second gen Solstice or G8 will ever appear in the market (at least not in their current RWD form). Pontiac is exclusively a North American division (Saturn is too, but it is supposed to be "aligned" with Opel). I don't see GM pumping a lot of money (that it doesn't have) into designing unique vehicles just for Pontiac to sell in North America. I hope I'm wrong about this, but I have a feeling that rebadging is here to stay for Pontiac.

I don't have a problem with GM transforming Pontiac into a small car division to complement the dealer network lineup it shares with Buick. I would just like to see Pontiac's future small car lineup be unique and not just a series of blatant rebadges. At this point, I have little faith in GM's ability or desire to do this.

[cire_1wb]

I do have a strategy to fix the Chevy rebadge situation for Pontiac as well as eliminate some model overlap issues for the corporation. I did not include it in my previous post because I didn't want to make an already long post longer. The strategy would be a cost effective way for GM to establish a strong midmarket dealer network without the headaches and hassles of closing or discontinuing divisions. Opel plays a large role in this plan in an attempt to keep ground up development costs low and to assist GM in meeting changing market expectations and government regulations.

Essentially, GM needs to abandon their plans to make Saturn a full scale division. It needs to be downsized, focused, and combined with the BPG network to form a strong Buick/Saturn/Pontiac/GMC premium midmarket dealer network. This network would serve as a bridge between Chevrolet and Cadillac/Saab. Opel products could be split between the Buick, Saturn, and Pontiac brands to either form or augment the brands' lineups (GMC would revert back to its traditional role of premium "Professional Grade" truck/SUV division). Buick would take the lead as the volume brand of this dealer network since it is the division that has the most premium image of the 3 brands. The divisions would basically be defined and identified by grilles, badging, and body styles. Since the network would have small rebadged Opels in its lineups, there would be no need to rebadge Chevys to fulfill the needs of the network.

The lineup would look something like this:
BUICK: Premium volume division (sedans, wagons, crossovers)
* Regal: Rebadged next gen Opel Astra compact sedan/wagon (Delta)
* Invicta: Rebadged Opel Insignia midsize 4-door coupe/wagon (SWB Epsilon)
* LeSabre: Upcoming LaCrosse midsize sedan replacement (LWB Epsilon)
* Rendezvous: Rebadged next gen Opel Antarra (SWB Theta)
* Enclave: FWD/AWD large crossover (Lambda)
SATURN: Premium small hatchback/MPV sub-brand
* Corsa: Rebadged next gen Opel Corsa subcompact 3-door/5-door (Gamma)
* Astra: Rebadged next gen Opel Astra compact 3-door/5-door (Delta)
* Meriva: Rebadged next gen Opel Meriva subcompact MPV (Gamma)
* Zafira: Rebadged next gen Opel Zafira compact MPV (Delta)
PONTIAC: Premium coupe-cabrio sub-brand. I would actually prefer regular coupes to supplant or complement the coupe-cabrios (regular coupes would be less costly while providing higher volume), but only if they were already included in Opel's product development plans.
* Fiero: Rebadged next gen Opel Tigra subcompact "TwinTop" roadster (Gamma)
* LeMans: Rebadged next gen Opel Astra compact "TwinTop" coupe (Delta)
* Grand Prix: There are 2 different ways this product could be developed. GM could create a midsize "TwinTop" coupe version of the Opel Insignia (SWB Epsilon) or they could restyle the current Pontiac G6 midsize coupe/convertible with an Insignia derived front/rear treatment and interior (LWB Epsilon)
GMC: Premium truck/SUV division
* Sierra: Fullsize truck
* Safari: Fullsize SUT (Reassigned and restyled Avalanche)
* Denali: Fullsize SUV

Under this strategy, the only ground up development money required outside of Opel would be for the LeSabre, Enclave, and possibly Grand Prix (plus any Alpha and dedicated E-flex products). The Opel products would only require money to alter the grille/badging and any modifications needed to ensure the products meet governmental regulations and U.S. market expectations (as well as marketing, which would require some funding no matter what strategy GM follows). The biggest obstacle facing GM would be what to do with the free standing Saturn dealerships.

I would prefer to see Pontiac receive an all RWD lineup, but it doesn't appear as though GM will follow through with this. GM has announced that it is abandoning the Kappa platform and seems to be shying away from Zeta. From what I have seen so far, Pontiac might not be in line to receive an Alpha product either. If GM isn't going to give Pontiac a RWD lineup, then the strategy above seems to be the next best thing. It sure would be preferable to seeing Chevy clones in Pontiac's lineup.

[69Firebird400]

I'm late to the game here.

I'm also disgusted with this rebadge. Their rationalization on the FastLane Blog about how Lexus shares components with Toyota is such a crock of Lutz, too. You can't replace a Camry door with an ES350 door, but you sure as heck can do that with an Aveo and G3.

I will give this awful thing credit that at least its "face" looks slightly happy instead of surprised like that ridiculous maw on the Aveo5 does.

[johnstarnes]

Today I saw my first G8 on the road here in Tampa, a red one....looks better in real life than pics, to me the front has a slight touch of BMW to it. But all in all it struck me anew as bland compared to the storied Grand Prix models of the past...very "safe" looking, with the obligatory twin grille slapped on to make it a "Pontiac". I hope the rumors of a fine looking next-gen one designed and built here are true.....Pontiac has lost so much of its original "soul" since the Firebird was killed off.

[LeSabre]

There is no reason that GM/Pontiac could tell me(& other like-minded people) for why the G3 makes good sense in any angle of an argument for it. Its a complete abomination & disgrace to the legacy & history of Pontiac!!!

[TechnoAura]

I thought GM was trying to get away from re-badging and Pontiac was supposed to be the "performance" division of GM? Yea, right! Sorry folks, I don't care whether or not gas is still hovering around $4.00 per gallon, this is a bad idea! I know GM is concerned about Pontiac's sales numbers, but this won't cut the mustard. Sure, they might sell a few more units. Is it worth it? Don't think so.

Detect any sarcasm in my post?

[FoMoCo Fan]

Why does Pontiac exist?

[Uzzy]

Originally Posted by LeSabre

There is no reason that GM/Pontiac could tell me(& other like-minded people) for why the G3 makes good sense in any angle of an argument for it. Its a complete abomination & disgrace to the legacy & history of Pontiac!!!

One word...dealerships. That's not only the main reason, it's the only reason.