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Pontiac Canada Models. Can anyone explain this to me, Please?

7K views 28 replies 16 participants last post by  Smaart Aas Saabr 
#1 ·
Hello People!

Sorry for Bother...

Can anyone explain to me, what are the Specific Pontiac Canada Models?

I Only know, that the Pontiac Pursuit which is based on the Chevrolet Cobalt is sold only to the Canada.

But, I've heard that there other models, including even the Vauxhall Astra MK2 (Opel Kadett E), which was sold as Pontiac Lemans.

But I also heard, the Opel Kadett E was sold as "Passport Optima"; I wonder if it was sold as "Pontiac Passport Optima" or it was just "Passport Optima"?

And what's up with the Canadian Pontiac Tempest? Is that really a Chevrolet Corsica rebadged as a Pontiac?

Why GM do this? Why they sell a Different car for Canadians and a Different Car for the Americans, if sometimes is basically the same car, only with Different Badges?

I Mean, Canada is very close to the U.S.A so I don't see why sell different cars if the Countries are so close.

It's something to wonder, if the Canadian Taste is Really Distinct to the American Taste.

Best Wishes. :)
 
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#2 ·
I'm not sure about all the Canada only models, but we also have the Pontiac Wave which if I'm not mistaken is also a Canada only model. I think part of the reason we get different models as well as the ones that are sold in the States is because Canadians buy more small cars per capita than Americans do. I'll guess that anyway. We get both the Cobalt and the Canada only model Pursuit. I really don't know why that's the case, but it just is. And it's nice having choice. Though, I personally know almost 10 people here in Canada that if Pontiac sold the GTO here, they have the money to buy one. :(
 
#3 ·
Swahili said:
I'm not sure about all the Canada only models, but we also have the Pontiac Wave which if I'm not mistaken is also a Canada only model. I think part of the reason we get different models as well as the ones that are sold in the States is because Canadians buy more small cars per capita than Americans do. I'll guess that anyway. We get both the Cobalt and the Canada only model Pursuit. I really don't know why that's the case, but it just is. And it's nice having choice. Though, I personally know almost 10 people here in Canada that if Pontiac sold the GTO here, they have the money to buy one. :(


Why can't Canadians can have the New Pontiac GTO ?

Why can't American can have the Pontiac Pursuit?

That's bad for both sides.

Because I think would great if the Canadians could have the New Pontiac GTO available to the Canada.

OK then so the Canadians prefer to buy more Compact Car rather than Sports Cars, but as You said, it would Wonderful if the Canadians had the choice of the New GTO.

And so as the Americans could have the Pontiac Pursuit available to the USA.

American are wondering what will happen to the Pontiac Sunfire, which it is already a Very Outdated car needing a Replacement.

So, why don't Pontiac launch the Pursuit to the American Market as a Replacement for the Sunfire?

Pontiac Pursuit


It's available only as a 4-Door Sedan.



In my opinion, the Pontiac version looks Better than the Chevrolet Cobalt, car which the Pursuit is based on.

If the Sunfire is based on the Chevrolet Cavalier, then would logical to replace it with the Pursuit since is based on the Cobalt.


P.S: I've been looking at the Google for Pontiac Wave and when I found the Pictures, I was surprised to see, that is basically a Chevrolet Aveo rebadged as a Pontiac.

Pontiac Wave 4-Door Sedan



Pontiac Wave 5-Door Hatchback



The Pontiac is just as Ugly as the Chevy.

Best Wishes. :)
 
#4 ·
Kowalski said:
Why can't Canadians can have the New Pontiac GTO ?
The GTO doesn't meet our safety standards in terms of the bumpers I believe.
Kowalski said:
Why can't American can have the Pontiac Pursuit?
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that GM brass didn't believe the Pursuit would do well in the States. Though, by the same rationale, our maket is a tenth of the size so I'm not really sure why we get the Pursuit and they don't. Maybe there are some contracts that need to be satisfied between the unions and such.

And about the Wave, the commercial is kinda cool, although not a good example for younger people and older people who just don't know better. It shows a Pontiac Wave driving through some streets and you can hear a police siren right close, the Wave parks up some tiny alley and because it's so small, it fits, the cop drives by, the Wave backs out and carries on from the way it came. Hope you know what I mean, I know at least a few other Canadians will have seen this one.
 
#5 ·
I guess people in Canada like Pontiacs better since it seems they have so many rebadges out here. We along with Mexico get the sunfire sedan and it's a nice car, in fact it looks better than the coupe. I wonder if GM will bring out a Pontiac out here i.e. tempest that fits right between the Pursuit and the G6, it will be priced similar to the Pursuit SE and it could have the 170 HP 2.4L Ecotec or the 3.5L V6
 
#7 ·
top selling in Canada
Top 10 Best Selling Passenger Cars in 2004 in Canada


1 Honda Civic Sedan/Coupe 61,041
2 Toyota Corolla 44,563
3 Mazda3 42,680
4 Pontiac Sunfire 33,724
5 Toyota Echo 31,252
6 Chevrolet Cavalier 29,229
7 Ford Focus 28,391
8 Honda Accord 25,814
9 Chevrolet Impala 20,876
10 Toyota Camry 20,135
Total number of Passenger Cars sold in 2004: 820,098
 
#9 ·
Pontiac Wave Sedan looks pathetic! It looks like some kind of alien vehicle... Maybe if it could fly there would be some sense in it... Does GM try to tout Pontiac as a performance badge in Canada???

I believe the reason GM keeps Sunfire in the US and does not in Canada is that they want to get as much money as they can from the old model (that's why they kept Malibu Classic and old Blazer). US market seems to be more tolerant to leftover models, and if you say Pontiac is GM's sales leader in Canada, than they probably wanted it to have the new model ASAP.
 
#10 ·
Pontiac dealers in Canada do receive some Chevrolet rebadges because of the dealer structure here in Canada. Canadian dealers are grouped together and licensed to sell specific brands (i.e. Chev/Olds/Cadillac and Pontiac/Buick/GMC). We do not have stand alone dealers nor do we allow dealers to team up with competing brands (i.e. Chev/Toyota) or mix GM brands other than the above specified arrangement.

The U.S. dealer structure allows stand alone dealers and those dealers will quite often sell multiple brands and competing brands.

Canadian Pontiac dealers request these rebadges to allow them to compete with their cross-town Chevrolet dealers since they are not allowed to sell those products on their site. U.S. dealers are free to sell Chev and Pontiac in the same facility if they so choose.
 
#11 ·
Bravada said:
Pontiac Wave Sedan looks pathetic! It looks like some kind of alien vehicle... Maybe if it could fly there would be some sense in it... Does GM try to tout Pontiac as a performance badge in Canada???

I believe the reason GM keeps Sunfire in the US and does not in Canada is that they want to get as much money as they can from the old model (that's why they kept Malibu Classic and old Blazer). US market seems to be more tolerant to leftover models, and if you say Pontiac is GM's sales leader in Canada, than they probably wanted it to have the new model ASAP.
They do keep the Sunfire in Canada, its demise will be at the same time as in the US
 
#12 ·
Bravada said:
Pontiac Wave Sedan looks pathetic! It looks like some kind of alien vehicle... Maybe if it could fly there would be some sense in it... .
Are you saying that the virtually identical Chevrolet Aveo (Daewoo Kalos) looks fine, but the Wave doesn't?

I find this study in aesthetics quite hypocritcal after seeing some of the offerings from Europe over the years.
 
#13 ·
I find the Daewoo Kalos/Chevrolet Aveo/Whatever They Call It absolutely ugly all the way, the hatchback looks like a giant vacuum cleaner, and the sedan... Well, I have never thought there could be a sedan version of a vacuum cleaner... I use a hatchback at home ;)

Wave sedan now has a special place in my heart because of the outer-space instectoidal front.
 
#14 ·
Kowalski said:
Hello People!
I Only know, that the Pontiac Pursuit which is based on the Chevrolet Cobalt is sold only to the Canada.

But, I've heard that there other models, including even the Vauxhall Astra MK2 (Opel Kadett E), which was sold as Pontiac Lemans. But I also heard, the Opel Kadett E was sold as "Passport Optima"; I wonder if it was sold as "Pontiac Passport Optima" or it was just "Passport Optima"?

And what's up with the Canadian Pontiac Tempest? Is that really a Chevrolet Corsica rebadged as a Pontiac?

Why GM do this? Why they sell a Different car for Canadians and a Different Car for the Americans, if sometimes is basically the same car, only with Different Badges?
Hi,

Pontiac pursuit is a Cobalt with a pontiac grille. It is exactly the same car.

I've never heard of Passport Optima.... And i don't know about the 90's Lemans.

The 90s Pontiac Tempest was a pontiac version of the Corsica.

There was also the pontiac firefly, which was identical to the suzuki swift and geo metro.

now we have the pontiac wave, which is like the Aveo.... just as pathetic in other words.

They do this because people here are too stupid to know that for example cavalier and sunfire are the same car. Or maybe people will only buy one brand (chevy or pontiac) even though the cars are almost the same....
 
#15 ·
Kowalski said:
Why can't Canadians can have the New Pontiac GTO ?

Because I think would great if the Canadians could have the New Pontiac GTO available to the Canada.

OK then so the Canadians prefer to buy more Compact Car rather than Sports Cars, but as You said, it would Wonderful if the Canadians had the choice of the New GTO.
The Pontiac is just as Ugly as the Chevy.

Best Wishes. :)
The GTO doesn't meet canadian crash standards.

Yes, it would be great to have a gto.

And even though most idiots here would rather drive a hyundai accent that a sports car, it does't explain why the camaro/firebird was so popular here. They sold very well in canada. But no GTO... I don't think it would be that hard for them to bring it over.

The thing is though as much as i'd want a new RWD, v8-powered GM sports/pony car... I wouldn't buy the GTO. It's just too expensive and too plain looking. For example, the Camaro and Firebird were cheap and looked attractive. I don't need 300000 square feet of leather or a powerful stereo or an independant rear suspension to be happy, and I suspect it's the same for most canadian pony car fans.

As I said, the Aveo and Wave (and optra and whatever other korean crap they're selling here under chevy/pontiac brands) should go straight to the crusher. I don't see how anyone in their right mind would ever prefer some of this garbage to larger/better and similarly priced cars. You can get a well-equipped sunfire for 13000 canadian here, and it is infinitely better than a similarly priced aveo or wave.
 
#19 ·
I sent an email to GM Canada about the GTO and I was told that it also didn't meet our emission standards. But my next question is: Is the GTO available in California b/c if it is then this 'reason' I was given doesn't make much sense b/c I'm sure they have stricter emissions standards than us.
 
#20 ·
Voice-O-Reason said:
Pontiac dealers in Canada do receive some Chevrolet rebadges because of the dealer structure here in Canada. Canadian dealers are grouped together and licensed to sell specific brands (i.e. Chev/Olds/Cadillac and Pontiac/Buick/GMC). We do not have stand alone dealers nor do we allow dealers to team up with competing brands (i.e. Chev/Toyota) or mix GM brands other than the above specified arrangement.
.
Pretty much it. But GM is trying to make more 4 line dealers here in smaller centers.

Canada is big on compacts, much bigger than the USA. Pontiac needs a small family car to compete with Chevy dealers. Chevy always seemed to be GM's baby though, Sunbird/Cavilier the only difference was tthe $250 premium you had to pay for the Pontiac. It was that way with the Sierra/Silverado aswell.
Chevy had Geo while us Pontiac dealers had the LEMANS (lost more than a few customers with that car)

Passport Optima was a precurser to the Lemans but not from Pontiac dealers.
Tempest was a Corsica,
 
#21 ·
Well, here is the story.

Once apon a time, there were tariffs on everything imported to Canada. Canadian goods had no tariff.

So GM Canada produced cars for local consumption, and export to other locations in the world usually. Chevrolets were made. Other GM cars were just imported as the volume was not sufficient.

In 1926, the Pontiac is introduced. The car is imported here and is successful (hell, Pontiac was from here...).

1937 GM Canada begins to produce Pontiacs. In order to reduce costs, they utilize Chevrolet (Canadian made) parts in them. Chevrolet engines, Chevrolet chassis, modified Pontiac bodies and interiors.

And so it begins...

You'll hear of many "odd" Pontiacs. The Pontiac Beaumont, was a Chevy Chevelle with slightly different styling. For example, the 1968 Beaumont looks a dead ringer to the Chevelle (much like Pursuit -> Cobalt), wheras the 1968 LeMans is a completely different look. The Pontiac Laurentian and Parisienne were based off Biscayne and Impala chassis and drivetrain. Many such models were made.

The Pontiac Astre was a Chevy Vega, introduced at same time. This was unique as in 1974, Astres were sold in the USA as the oil crisis heated up.

Throughout the 1970's, Canada-USA relationship strengthened, and we moved more and more towards the free trade of today. As a result, "normal" Pontiacs gradually replaced the "GM" (genetically modified) Chevrolets we normally had (of course, USA Pontiacs were availible special order, and ones with no Canadian equivalence (GTO, Firebird, etc) were sold here.

By 1983, Parisiennes are imported to USA, and soon recieve the rear-end treatment of the 1981 Bonneville. (formerly Parisienne had a Chevrolet Impala body).

1988 the last true Canadian Pontiac is manufactured. The Pontiac Tempest. The Tempest is a clone of the Corsica, in classic Canadian Pontiac style - a grille split into two parts and Pontiac lettering replacing that of Chevrolet. The Tempest also wore the hubcaps from the 6000 and the alloy rims from the Sunbird. A model of the Ontario-made Geo Metro was also sold as the Pontiac Firefly, which was produced between 1986 and 2000.

The Opel Kadett was manufactured by Daewoo in the late 1980's early 1990's and sold in North America (reminds me of Aveo...). The Passport Optima was the first such model in the late 1980's. 3-door or 4 door sedan. This was later sold here and in USA (1990) as the Pontiac LeMans.

Passport was an entirely new dealer network formed by GM Canada, and an entirely new brand. When GM acquired 50% of Saab Automobile AB, Saabs were also sold at Passport establishments. Passport was soon killed off with the Optima around 1991-92. And in came:

ASUNA. Asuna was an entirely new brand formed by GM Canada around 1992. The products of Asuna were mostly the Asuna Sunfire, which was a rebadged Isuzu Impulse. They were sold by Passport dealers (who also sold Isuzu, and Saturns). By 1994 Asuna was dead.

Passport was disbanded around the fall of Asuna. Most of the dealer network died, but some came around again as SSI - Saab Saturn Isuzu dealers. For 2004, Isuzu pulled out of Canadian market and most dealers have since pulled Isuzu signage off their buildings. Today's GM Canada is mostly an importer/manufacturer of GM cars, and the offerings in Canada are identical to that of the USA. There are still a few GM Canada one-off's today:

Pontiac Wave (Aveo)
Pontiac Pursuit (Cobalt)
Chevrolet Optra (Suzuki Forenza)
Chevrolet Epica (Suzuki Verona)



 
#22 ·
Bravada said:
Pontiac Wave Sedan looks pathetic! It looks like some kind of alien vehicle... Maybe if it could fly there would be some sense in it... Does GM try to tout Pontiac as a performance badge in Canada???

I believe the reason GM keeps Sunfire in the US and does not in Canada is that they want to get as much money as they can from the old model (that's why they kept Malibu Classic and old Blazer). US market seems to be more tolerant to leftover models, and if you say Pontiac is GM's sales leader in Canada, than they probably wanted it to have the new model ASAP.
Bravada, I have never ever seen a Pontiac Wave Sedan. In fact, I didn't even know they were produced, I thought they were al; 5-door.

And plus, I have seen one ugly pale green pastel (looks like a 1956 Chevy...) Wave 5dr and the rest are all that orange colour, like the one across the street I'm looking at now.



 
#23 ·
GPGuy said:
I sent an email to GM Canada about the GTO and I was told that it also didn't meet our emission standards. But my next question is: Is the GTO available in California b/c if it is then this 'reason' I was given doesn't make much sense b/c I'm sure they have stricter emissions standards than us.
For many years, we had no emission standards. This was until 1987 or so, when we said "Alright, we're supposed to be like the USA. Alright? So let's be like them, eh?" This is how junk like the Hyundai Pony could ever have been sold here...

GTO meets Canadian emission. The bumper issue seems like a non-issue. The real reason is unknown, although it is most likely that American GM dealers wanted all the allocation to them!



 
#24 ·
Smaart Aas Saabr said:
Well, here is the story.

Once apon a time, there were tariffs on everything imported to Canada. Canadian goods had no tariff.

So GM Canada produced cars for local consumption, and export to other locations in the world usually. Chevrolets were made. Other GM cars were just imported as the volume was not sufficient.

In 1926, the Pontiac is introduced. The car is imported here and is successful (hell, Pontiac was from here...).

1937 GM Canada begins to produce Pontiacs. In order to reduce costs, they utilize Chevrolet (Canadian made) parts in them. Chevrolet engines, Chevrolet chassis, modified Pontiac bodies and interiors.

And so it begins...

You'll hear of many "odd" Pontiacs. The Pontiac Beaumont, was a Chevy Chevelle with slightly different styling. For example, the 1968 Beaumont looks a dead ringer to the Chevelle (much like Pursuit -> Cobalt), wheras the 1968 LeMans is a completely different look. The Pontiac Laurentian and Parisienne were based off Biscayne and Impala chassis and drivetrain. Many such models were made.

The Pontiac Astre was a Chevy Vega, introduced at same time. This was unique as in 1974, Astres were sold in the USA as the oil crisis heated up.

Throughout the 1970's, Canada-USA relationship strengthened, and we moved more and more towards the free trade of today. As a result, "normal" Pontiacs gradually replaced the "GM" (genetically modified) Chevrolets we normally had (of course, USA Pontiacs were availible special order, and ones with no Canadian equivalence (GTO, Firebird, etc) were sold here.

By 1983, Parisiennes are imported to USA, and soon recieve the rear-end treatment of the 1981 Bonneville. (formerly Parisienne had a Chevrolet Impala body).

1988 the last true Canadian Pontiac is manufactured. The Pontiac Tempest. The Tempest is a clone of the Corsica, in classic Canadian Pontiac style - a grille split into two parts and Pontiac lettering replacing that of Chevrolet. The Tempest also wore the hubcaps from the 6000 and the alloy rims from the Sunbird. A model of the Ontario-made Geo Metro was also sold as the Pontiac Firefly, which was produced between 1986 and 2000.

The Opel Kadett was manufactured by Daewoo in the late 1980's early 1990's and sold in North America (reminds me of Aveo...). The Passport Optima was the first such model in the late 1980's. 3-door or 4 door sedan. This was later sold here and in USA (1990) as the Pontiac LeMans.

Passport was an entirely new dealer network formed by GM Canada, and an entirely new brand. When GM acquired 50% of Saab Automobile AB, Saabs were also sold at Passport establishments. Passport was soon killed off with the Optima around 1991-92. And in came:

ASUNA. Asuna was an entirely new brand formed by GM Canada around 1992. The products of Asuna were mostly the Asuna Sunfire, which was a rebadged Isuzu Impulse. They were sold by Passport dealers (who also sold Isuzu, and Saturns). By 1994 Asuna was dead.

Passport was disbanded around the fall of Asuna. Most of the dealer network died, but some came around again as SSI - Saab Saturn Isuzu dealers. For 2004, Isuzu pulled out of Canadian market and most dealers have since pulled Isuzu signage off their buildings. Today's GM Canada is mostly an importer/manufacturer of GM cars, and the offerings in Canada are identical to that of the USA. There are still a few GM Canada one-off's today:

Pontiac Wave (Aveo)
Pontiac Pursuit (Cobalt)
Chevrolet Optra (Suzuki Forenza)
Chevrolet Epica (Suzuki Verona)
you forgot about the Asuna Sunrunner :D The Rebadged Geo Tracker :D Which was a rebadged....Isuzu something right? :D
 
#25 ·
WTF? Why is Chevy rebadging all of their cars and sending them to canada? Are they afraid canada wouldn't like the chevy version, so they stick a pontiac sign on it just so they dont take the rap? honestly, I see no sense in rebadging...the only good it does is braggin right on the brand your driving...and hey, common, let's play fair, canada and US are buddies...can't we share cars?

P.S, just a funny sidenote...but Am i the only who sees some resemblence between the Pursuit and the Pringles Dude?




and this

 
#26 ·
i do not see any resemblance between the pursuit and the pringles face...
And yes, i did try.

If its any indication, the first non-Saturn Ion Delta car i saw on the road with a purchased plate (not a dealer or rental plate) was in fact a Pontiac Pursuit.....

Funny thing, the first 04 Malibu's I saw on the roads happened to be rental car ones :D (which was way back when it was introduce. now i see a handful of them every now and then.)
 
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