[mason]

Is it just me or does the new Vauxhall Astra totally fit the Pontiac small car performance / excitement image? Vauxhall's even made it easy by splitting the grille for us.

No "Pontiac Pursuit" Cobalt clone for Pontiac, please. Why can't Pontiac just use the Vauxhall interior trim parts / the sheetmetal design and just change the grille? The interior looks so much better than what we are probably going to get in the Cobalt (which will look good, but not "premium" - Great for Chevy, but not for Pontiac).

The 2 door coupe model would blow away the discount-happy Sunfire, and maybe I'd buy a car in the price range of the Vibe if it weren't a Toyota...

Maybe I've answered my own question. Pontiac can't have a premium compact, because it already has the Vibe. Which is selling well...

http://vauxhall.com/futureModels/newAstra/.../interior.jhtml

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/?http://www.a...ry.php?id=36976

his Astra is the best yet, right up there with the class leader, the Ford Focus. The car has good presence thanks to a square-jawed front air dam reinforcing the chunky theme. Inside, controls are great and, as we expect from Vauxhall, the seats are superb, though the bluntly symmetrical centre console is a touch too basic and dull. But there is more than enough head and legroom up front and in the back in the hatchback, saloon and estate. There's a solid feel to the Astra that few rivals can match, the doors closing with a reassuring 'thunk', the switchgear all feeling like it'll last forever

The steering and handling of the Astra are good too, with great feel and precision from the steering and excellent chassis control in corners. With its steeply raked windscreen, the Astra feels like a much bigger car. This sensation is enforced by the ride; firm but smooth and unruffled at all speeds. There is a massive range of engines to pick from, nearly all are good, some really rather rapid indeed, with some great turbo-diesels too.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/ae_roadtest_p...632111.jpg?7651

http://www.geocities.com/jgera5/astra_club...lue_5h_2002.jpg

:type:

 

[hockey81289]

it is a great car but they would have to clean up some of the sharp edges to make it fit in with the new pontiac design theme better

 

[SHUJeremy]

i agree with you.. i was reluctant to buy my Vibe because the engine and transmission are toyota.. but overall most of the parts are Delphi (GM pasrts supplier) and it is manufactured in california.. but i did want to use my GM discount and i did want a car with a manuel transmission, so what choice did i really have..

 

[gerardo_zg]

Yeah, as they're been under the Chevrolet badge here in Mexico, they could rebadge them and send them to USA and Canada.

 

[Pontiaddict]

Probably because they don't want a repeat of this.

 

[Josh O]

No thanks, we dont need any more imported cars/trucks coming into the United States.

Lets keep the jobs here, eh?

 

[mackingu]

Originally posted by Josh O@Nov 9 2003, 05:46 AM
No thanks, we dont need any more imported cars/trucks coming into the United States.

Lets keep the jobs here, eh?

tell the UAW to ease their death grip on the throats of GM, Ford and DCX, as well as increase the quality of the raw parts coming into the plants and increase interior/exterior fit and finish beyond what the asians have, and above what is already being produced by themselves, and yeah, maybe we'll all start buying american again.

on a side note, maybe i'll just buy a 'vette seeing as how the motor is built here in ontario

 

[Ming]

Originally posted by mackingu+Nov 9 2003, 02:19 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (mackingu @ Nov 9 2003, 02:19 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Josh O@Nov 9 2003, 05:46 AM
No thanks, we dont need any more imported cars/trucks coming into the United States.

Lets keep the jobs here, eh?

tell the UAW to ease their death grip on the throats of GM, Ford and DCX, as well as increase the quality of the raw parts coming into the plants and increase interior/exterior fit and finish beyond what the asians have, and above what is already being produced by themselves, and yeah, maybe we'll all start buying american again.

on a side note, maybe i'll just buy a 'vette seeing as how the motor is built here in ontario [/b][/quote]
100% agree. Look at the rave reviews the Pontiac GTO is getting.

Anyway the UAW could build it - they should just make sure not to CHANGE the design like they bitchered the sweet Opel Vectra interior into the Malibu Blanderizer.

 

[Tone]

THAT would get me to seriously consider a Pontiac for the first time in a long time! Especially with an approriate motor (The Ecotec would do just fine), a manual trans and a base price below $CDN20,000.

As a guy with a small (but growing) family and a tight budget, but who likes cars, this speaks to me in a way a WS6 Firebird or a GTO can't - i.e. I might actually be able to afford it sometime before my kid goes to university! And it's way more appealing than the current Sunfire.

 

[doh]

Originally posted by Pontiaddict@Nov 9 2003, 05:01 AM
Probably because they don't want a repeat of this.

:mf_boff: Lol I think Chevy has already spoken for that one with the Aevo