AN: Dealer Sources Say GM Plans To Add G3 To Pontiac Line

[kenman923]

So much for Pontiac's all RWD lineup. I guess a RWD G6 is off. Before you know it, the G8 will become FWD.

[CadiEldo67]

Originally Posted by nsap

And people wondered why I call for the death of Pontiac...

The dealerships cannot accept a Pontiac in the form that it needs to be!!!!

You're absolutely right! My B-P-G dealer has 15 Sierras, 1 Canyon, 1 Enclave, (they sold at least 6 Acadias, 1 Enclave) 1 LaCrosse, 1 Lucerne, 0 G6 (They had like 3) 0 G5 (had at least 2) 1 Solstice (have sold 4) 2 Vibe('09, sold 2)

Really, they are selling every Pontiac that isn't a true Pontiac. We had one G6 'vert, a handful of Solsti and there isn't anything about a G8 showing up anytime soon. No, all my dealer sells is LaCrosses, and Vibes, and lots of Torrents.

[CadiEldo67]

Originally Posted by Ming

It's a great argument. I'm guessing GM will be watching Solstice sales very closely. In theory, the RWD, small, relatively fuel efficient Solstice should be taking up the slack from thirstier sports cars these days. If the Solstice's sales don't jump (especially with the hardtop), then I doubt the viability of the "all RWD" with a RWD small 4-seater coming to fruition.

I've been saying for a few months that a Solstice sedan on Kappa II would look great. And about the styling of the Solstice, I think that its a lot like the first generation Audi TT. The first was different, cute almost, sporty, but the 2nd generation is more aggressive, builds on the pros, and corrects the cons, maybe Audi should be the benchmark for Pontiac. And I would buy a Solstice sedan, no matter what happens.

[andretti2008]

just when the people are praising your products, inside and out...the buick enclave, two mode hybrid, and for gods sake the new cts-v gm...and are sweeping you already badge eng. under the carpet. and you put this out! out of all your cars around the world you choose this heap of junk. sad indeed. lutz if your ready this maybe it time to retire dogg. ohh does this mean no volt? we see where your euro sales dollars are going.

[SierraGS]

When will the G2 hit the U.S. market?

Image © General Motors
Pontiac Matiz G2
http://cars.about.com/od/detoursandd...c-Matiz-G2.htm

No sense stopping now.

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by DiRF

Am I wrong in thinking that this looks a LOT better than the new Aveo5? How about Chevy keep the sedan Aveo, and Pontiac gets this, so there's no overlap? This thing could be marketed alongside the Vibe.

Hmm...you may be on to something...looks more sporty too.
Aveo5 looks like a big fish in front...


GM...you're killing me. Slowly...killing...me.
I can already hear the jeers of the import fanboys...

[AmericanRevolution]

*cries*

[Hunid Racks]

Don't kid yourself, there's a huge market for cars of all sizes with red lights in the dashboard

[F14CRAZY]

Be positive guys...watch, it'll be released in base form with the 2.2L Ecotec, making for a rather fast and efficient subcompact (hell the G5/Cobalt gets 36 freeway with it, and the Aveo/G3 is lighter...), and the GT comes with the 2.0L turbo Ecotec which spanks the Cobalt SS for $10k less




(the above post was a joke)

[AdmiralViscen]

lol @ pontiac

34 mpg is still pathetic in this car.

Originally Posted by DiRF

Am I wrong in thinking that this looks a LOT better than the new Aveo5? How about Chevy keep the sedan Aveo, and Pontiac gets this, so there's no overlap? This thing could be marketed alongside the Vibe.

This is actually a good idea.

And damn is this site slow now.

[paul8488]

Originally Posted by SierraGS

When will the G2 hit the U.S. market?

No sense stopping now.

That makes no sense. Chevrolet doesn't have the Matiz yet.

[Uzzy]

This is what happens when you don't sell all of your brands under one roof. The brand gets watered down with cars that apease the dealers, so that they can move more volume. Not every GM brand can be, or should be full line brands, most need to be niche sort of brands, but that can't happen when dealers need to move volume.

[Geotpf]

Originally Posted by joemac

I'm not sure I understand how GM greatly benefits with the G3 under CAFE. For all we know, or would seem this is simply a badge job. Nothing dramatically different in powertrains. Doesn't this just dilute GM's own sales?

Example theory:

Previous year GM sells 50k Aveos
This year with Aveo sells 40k and G3 10k = the previous 50K volume

Certainly GM isn't of the mind set that just because it has the Pontiac arrow, that it's going to sell enough to be of significance, especially when your value volume brand Chevrolet has the exact same model.

Not sure I get this one.

They may think that they will sell more Aveos + G3s than just Aveos.

Or, this is much ado about nothing. The Pontiac Wave was also US EPA-certified, but it was a Canada-only model. Since it too was a clone of the Aveo, it didn't cost GM much to make it US-legal, even though they had no intent to sell it here. It just makes it so that a Canadian Wave-owner who moves to the US can keep his car. That is, the G3 may be Canada-only.

[DiRF]

Uzzy... I think this has more to do with appeasing the new idiotically strict CAFE regulations rather than appeasing dealers.

Do you think a dealer WANTS a slim-profit-margin vehicle cluttering up their lot, bringing in cheapskates that would never even LOOK at one of the higher-priced, exciting vehicles?

[Uzzy]

Originally Posted by DiRF

Uzzy... I think this has more to do with appeasing the new idiotically strict CAFE regulations rather than appeasing dealers.

No it's not. CAFE has zero to do with Pontiac and everything to do with GM.

Originally Posted by DiRF

Do you think a dealer WANTS a slim-profit-margin vehicle cluttering up their lot, bringing in cheapskates that would never even LOOK at one of the higher-priced, exciting vehicles?

I know dealers and yes. If they can sell 2 or 3 of these cheaper cars over 1 of the more expensive, they'll take it. GM is the one taking the bigger hit with the slim profit margin, not the dealer. Higher priced excting vehicles get people in the door. Lower priced vehicles are what they leave with if anything the majority of the time.