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Even Humble Aztek Outselling Pontiac's Touted GTO
June, 2004
JIM MATEJA
Chicago Tribune
There are a few red faces at General Motors.
In the first four months of this year, sales of the Pontiac Aztek sport utility, considered by many the most gosh-awful-looking vehicle on the planet, totaled 7,416 units, down from 11,311 a year earlier.
But the countdown to Aztek obscurity is not what's causing the red faces.
In the same period, sales of the Pontiac GTO totaled 2,800 units, meaning Aztek outsold the highly touted performance coupe by more than 2½-to-1.
GTO is derived from the rear-wheel-drive Monaro produced by GM's Holden operations in Australia.
Even before GTO went on sale in late December, critics complained that the styling was plain and not suited to a nameplate that kicked off the muscle-car era in the 1960s.
Although Pontiac is considering styling tweaks on future models to soothe the critics, it insists that as many people like the look as object to it and that styling isn't what held back sales.
"While we'd always like to sell more, we haven't been disappointed with GTO sales so far," Pontiac spokesman Tom Beaman said.
Not disappointed even though Pontiac forecast sales of 16,000 to 18,000 units a year, and is on target to sell only about 7,400?
Beaman cites a winter launch of a rear-wheel-drive performance car as one reason for slow early sales in the Northern states.
He also said that although the GTO did not fare well in the Snow Belt during the winter, it has done well in southern California, where Pontiac is traditionally weak.
There, more than 40 percent of GTO sales are conquests - captured from rival brands - so more GTOs will be shipped there.
Full Article Here
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June, 2004
JIM MATEJA
Chicago Tribune
There are a few red faces at General Motors.
In the first four months of this year, sales of the Pontiac Aztek sport utility, considered by many the most gosh-awful-looking vehicle on the planet, totaled 7,416 units, down from 11,311 a year earlier.
But the countdown to Aztek obscurity is not what's causing the red faces.
In the same period, sales of the Pontiac GTO totaled 2,800 units, meaning Aztek outsold the highly touted performance coupe by more than 2½-to-1.
GTO is derived from the rear-wheel-drive Monaro produced by GM's Holden operations in Australia.
Even before GTO went on sale in late December, critics complained that the styling was plain and not suited to a nameplate that kicked off the muscle-car era in the 1960s.
Although Pontiac is considering styling tweaks on future models to soothe the critics, it insists that as many people like the look as object to it and that styling isn't what held back sales.
"While we'd always like to sell more, we haven't been disappointed with GTO sales so far," Pontiac spokesman Tom Beaman said.
Not disappointed even though Pontiac forecast sales of 16,000 to 18,000 units a year, and is on target to sell only about 7,400?
Beaman cites a winter launch of a rear-wheel-drive performance car as one reason for slow early sales in the Northern states.
He also said that although the GTO did not fare well in the Snow Belt during the winter, it has done well in southern California, where Pontiac is traditionally weak.
There, more than 40 percent of GTO sales are conquests - captured from rival brands - so more GTOs will be shipped there.
Full Article Here
