My ideal Pontiac lineup (Update 13)

[mgescuro]

Originally Posted by AmericanRevolution

I'm seeing it as a step below the GTO... less expensive (though more so by a little over the 'maro), less powerful, and less performance... a stronger pony car vs. a 450 hp muscle car... (big!) advantage: GTO.

Well... then why have the solstice in that price range. There's a little too much cannibalization there for my personal tastes.

[paul8488]

Hmmm... the least powerful car in your lineup is 200 hp! I guess you're aiming to take Pontiac into the market it claims to be in already. Sounds like a fine lineup... but the price increases required (or that GM would insist on) for those kinds of upgrades would be hard to swallow. Still, in a perfect world that'd make a fine Pontiac lineup!

[kain01]

Here 's my stab at Pontiac's lineup, I'll wind up posting in all of these before too long.

Firebird
Kappa platform, placing it closer to original size. Placed slightly upmarket from G4. Engine choices would be:
Base: 3.9 290 HP/RWD/AWD/$19k
Trans Am: 5.3 LS4 350 HP/RWD/AWD/$22k
Firehawk: 6.0 420 HP/RWD/AWD/$25k

G4
Pursuit, increase in HP over Cobalt. Make supercharged engine availabe in sedan, alone with coupe styling only for SS sedan. Trims:
Base: 2.2 160 HP/FWD/$13k
GT: 2.2 160 HP/2.4 200 HP/FWD/more standard stuff/$15k
GXP: 2.0 SC 270 HP/AWD/$19k

G6
Pretty much as is, increase horsepower in all engines. Trims:
Base: 3.5 250 HP/FWD/$19k
GT: 3.5 250 HP/FWD/AWD/more standard options/$21k
GXP: 3.9 290 HP/AWD/more standard options/$23k

G8
Full size sedan, Zeta, RWD with available AWD. Trims:
Base: 5.3 350 HP/RWD/AWD/$27k
GT: 5.3 350 HP/RWD/AWD/$30k
GXP: 6.0 400 HP/RWD/AWD/everything Chevy has is on this bad boy/$32k

GTO
Zeta platform, midsize musclecar. Obviously a redesign, with maybe a hint of the old GTO, and the concept in the design. Trims:
GTO: 6.0 420 HP/RWD/AWD/$27k
GTO Judge: 6.5 480 HP LS5 V8/RWD/AWD/$30k

Solstice
As is. Trims:
Base: 2.4 200 HP/RWD/$19k
GXP: 2.2 SC 300 HP/RWD/AWD/more standard options/$22k

Remove all suv's, vans and otherwise from pontiac's lineup, let GMC be attached to Pontiac, and make sporty GMC's with GXP badges. Sierra GXP would be equivalent to a Silverado SS. Keep Denali moniker for the luxury crowd. Drastic increase in power across all the engines, and slight increase in price over my Chevrolet lineup. This is my idea of a performance car company. Also you may notice no DOHC engines (minus the four cylinders of course), this is to keep prices cheap. DOHC engines have a luxury/high-tech image, so I would only place those engines in my luxury/high tech car companies (i.e. Buick, Cadillac, Oldsmobile, Saab).

Edited: Remove Pontiac Grand Prix and Wave. Keep lineup slimmed down to 3 sedans, 2 coupes, 1 roadster.

[IAMCANADIAN]

Originally Posted by AmericanRevolution

Umm.. I'd put hybrid as an OPTION, not standard on all engines... would you want a T/A V8 hybrid Firebird? I didn't think so...

Well its either that or ethanol fuel since a 7.4L V8 needs decent gas mileage, but the hybrid would be similar to the GM Trucks, so it shuts down the engine at idle only which saves fuel and DOD helps as well. One thing that puzzles me is why would GM try to use hydrogen fuel instead of using ethanol which is clean, easy to use and comes from corn. but i'll make hybrid a no cost option for firebird and grand prix since they are performance

[AmericanRevolution]

You forgot the GTO...

[kain01]

Originally Posted by AmericanRevolution

You forgot the GTO...

Is that why Timon (think thats how its spelled) looks so shocked?

[AmericanRevolution]

Originally Posted by kain01

Is that why Timon (think thats how its spelled) looks so shocked?

lol, took me a sec to realize what you were talkin about before I saw my av... lol, yip... That's why!

[kennard04]

Originally Posted by AmericanRevolution

Yes, I see your point... I'm not a big fan of Platform sharing, unless the two cars are very different (which is why I think the Torrent needs redesigning a bit to get away from looking like a rebadged Chevy)...

Platform sharing is the way, it aint gonna change, not if the car co's are going to stay in business. Like it ? Nope, but accept it I will have to.

The STS as a Pontiac to me is a good idea. I love the new STS, but 62 large ? Nope, not gonna, for that price we're talking BMW/Benz. The 4.6 Northstar in a paltform sharing Bonneville with less bling is a cool idea. Look at a 59 Bonneville. 389, tri power, miss the red to green light and your competition is gone, courtesy Poncho power, in a big car.

[acascianelli]

the bonneville is on the same platform as the older sts. id imagine the new g8 or bonneville will be on the current sts platform.

[IAMCANADIAN]

Originally Posted by AmericanRevolution

You forgot the GTO...

Actually I didn't really want a GTO in the lineup, the firebird seemed good enough and for years we didn't have a GTO and things were fine and now that they brought the monaro here it doesn't seem to make a big influence in pontiac sales where firebird is more like cheap thrills, lots of power for a low price

[AmericanRevolution]

Originally Posted by IAMCANADIAN

Actually I didn't really want a GTO in the lineup, the firebird seemed good enough and for years we didn't have a GTO and things were fine and now that they brought the monaro here it doesn't seem to make a big influence in pontiac sales where firebird is more like cheap thrills, lots of power for a low price

I think the reason for that is because of its styling... people looking for a muscle car want a more aggressive American styling, not a nice Euro-sleeper-style... if it had that American GTO design to go along with its interior and engine, I think they'd be flyin off the show room faster than you can say "GOAT!"

[AmericanRevolution]

The Pursuit has been updated!

[AmericanRevolution]

bump for comments.

[New_Mexico_Sunset_on_Rt66]

I would say:
Solstice
GTO
T/A
G6
G4 (Pursuit)
G8 (Zeta/Sigma)
Torrent
Vibe

The G8 would be a performance sedan, similar to BMW, with similar style and materials to the G6 and Solstice. I'm not sure if a larger Bonneville, fits in. With families getting smaller, I'm not sure if it makes sense to make larger cars like the Bonneville, or Olds 98, since that market seems to be getting smaller.

[AmericanRevolution]

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