Pontiac to die on Monday

  • Thread starter Thread starter McLaren
  • 137 comments
  • 11,057 views
Paulie
Just curiously, what kind of money does Holden get for making the Camaro?
Click to expand...

I'm personally not sure. I think they scrapped the plans to build the car in Australia didn't they? I'd think that outside of the development funding, that would have been the only way that they'd have made any extra money off of it.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Although this certainly has some interesting things coming out of it:=

Los Angeles Police Department to buy Chevrolet-badged Commodores as Police Vehicles?

Jalopnik
Starting with the LAPD, up to 40,000 Chevrolet-badged Commodore police vehicles could be exported annually in a deal to replace Pontiac G8 volume lost by GM killing Pontiac. A re-badged Commodore police car? Sweet.

This after the folks at Melbourne's National Safety Agency put together the above LAPD-liveried Chevy-badged Commodore for the 2009 APCO Australasia Conference & Exhibition last month in Sydney. The expectation is the LAPD would be the first police force to buy the new vehicle, with more exports potentially going to Canada, the UK and the Middle East.
Click to expand...

NSA-Chevrolet_Commodore_LAPD_2.jpg


As a backdoor to bringing a legitimate Chevrolet-badged Commodore to the US, I pray that this will happen. I don't know if retail models are a possibility (the article sourced in the link seems to indicate that it is, along with a Chevrolet-badged Ute, again)... But, could you imagine how quickly these cars would be snapped up when "retired" from service?
 
Last edited:
I do wonder if it would be smart of GM to bring a few Chevy badged Commodores over to the US and put a few in dealers around the country as sort of a special vehicle for MY09 to see how quickly they get off the lots.
 
I think it'd also be easier to sell the car as a Chevrolet, simply because Chevrolet has a much stronger dealer network. The problem is that they're still gonna get the finger-wag from the government for building a big, V8-powered, RWD car, which I think they're afraid of.

If Chevrolet can sell the car as a legit competitor for the Charger, (which, by the way, I see quite a few of,) something which Pontiac rather failed at, they can really make money. The development money is already spent, and there is that 300+ hp DI V6 as well.

I can only think of two Pontiac dealers locally. There's well more than 4 or 5 fair-sized Chevy dealerships.

EDIT: NUMMI Thought...

What if GM started playing around with Toyota/Subaru's new little RWD machine...or offered Kappa bits for it...
 
Well, there are plenty of arguments that the Commodore should have come here as a Chevrolet first. Having them here as police vehicles certainly would put a HUGE spotlight on the car as a dependable form of transportation, and knowing how GM's 9C1 program has always had a high level of demand after their use in the fleet, you can imagine how well they'd do afterward.

So, question is, why not? I'm fairly certain that if it were offered as an Impala replacement, with either the LLT or the L98, they'll sell a bunch.
 
JCE
G8 not selling well? They sold like hotcakes around here. I see a G8 GT almost every day.
Click to expand...

I've seen 3 in my life, 1 (before release) in SF, and 2 (a month ago) in Fresno... Both the ones in Fresno were riced with big rims and other such things...
 
There's a handful around here, and then there was the couple at the Auto Show for the past couple years. But Chargers very much outnumber the 'ol Tigers.

BTW, if anyone wants to put a Pontiac in the ultimate orphans thread...
 
Interesting... it seems like the only car people are concerned about saving is the G8... which makes total sense. I could see it becoming a Chevy, and that is quite likely.
 
Well, don't assume too much right away. While there may be a significant push coming to place the G8 into the hands of Chevrolet dealers as a Lumina or Impala, I don't think it would be safe to actually expect it. Honestly, unless the police deal goes through, I'm not certain of GM even wanting to do it.
 
mPWRD
Interesting... it seems like the only car people are concerned about saving is the G8... which makes total sense. I could see it becoming a Chevy, and that is quite likely.
Click to expand...

Well the G8 is really the only car they have that you can't get with some other brand. I also doubt they would do anything with it now with the shape the company is in.
 
YSSMAN
Los Angeles Police Department to buy Chevrolet-badged Commodores as Police Vehicles?

As a backdoor to bringing a legitimate Chevrolet-badged Commodore to the US, I pray that this will happen. I don't know if retail models are a possibility (the article sourced in the link seems to indicate that it is, along with a Chevrolet-badged Ute, again)... But, could you imagine how quickly these cars would be snapped up when "retired" from service?
Click to expand...

Can I get a retired G8 Police cruiser in 8 years please? :D

mPWRD
Interesting... it seems like the only car people are concerned about saving is the G8... which makes total sense. I could see it becoming a Chevy, and that is quite likely.
Click to expand...

The Solstice, Vibe and the G6 convertible need to be saved alongside the G8. Those are good vehicles--especially considering GM's lack of brains.
 
JCE
Can I get a retired G8 Police cruiser in 8 years please? :D
Click to expand...

Wow, the Police hold on to cars for 8 years roughly? Here it is about 3 years during the new car warranty. A much faster turnover.
 
Depends on the area. I think the LAPD holds onto their vehicles a bit longer than average, but the turnover rate here in Michigan is a bit higher than usual. It seems like its a mileage cap, not a yearly thing here. When the cars hit 80,000 miles (129K KM), they go out the door.

The interesting question, at least for me, would be what engine the police force would choose: The direct-injection 304 BHP V6 or the 360 BHP V8 (with cylinder deactivation)?
 
Way back on September 11, 2006 this was posted on the forum:

impalassfv2.jpg


...An Impala-badged Commodore down in Oz...

The only way I can see GM doing it would be if the LAPD (among others) choose the Commodore as their replacement for the Crown Victoria. Being cheaper, and likely more-reliable than the current Charger, I'm willing to bet that it could happen. If it does, I'm willing to bet that GM will almost be forced to sell the car as a Chevy.
 
Ah that picture is clearly the work of Casio, which also appears to be the longer wheelbase Statesman based car rarther than Commodore.
 
Jay V
Wow, the Police hold on to cars for 8 years roughly? Here it is about 3 years during the new car warranty. A much faster turnover.
Click to expand...

No, most of the time the local cities run their Police cruisers from 80,000-100,000. What I meant was in 8 years it will be cheap enough for me to afford. :lol:

YSSMAN
The interesting question, at least for me, would be what engine the police force would choose: The direct-injection 304 BHP V6 or the 360 BHP V8 (with cylinder deactivation)?
Click to expand...

Probably the V8.

YSSMAN
The only way I can see GM doing it would be if the LAPD (among others) choose the Commodore as their replacement for the Crown Victoria. Being cheaper, and likely more-reliable than the current Charger, I'm willing to bet that it could happen. If it does, I'm willing to bet that GM will almost be forced to sell the car as a Chevy.
Click to expand...

Get rid of the Crown Vic? Not likely. As long as its being sold and it is dirt cheap to buy, run and maintain I doubt it will get replaced as a whole.
 
YSSMAN
The interesting question, at least for me, would be what engine the police force would choose: The direct-injection 304 BHP V6 or the 360 BHP V8 (with cylinder deactivation)?
Click to expand...
Probably the V6 or a mix. The majority of Dallas' Chargers are all the V6 models, except for a few highway ones being the bigger V8 ones.
 
Australia use the whole range of Commodore nearly, base model for city cruisers, and both SV6 and SS for Highway Patrol. They also use the Camry V6 (Aurion in Oz) for city cruisers.:)
 
JCE
Get rid of the Crown Vic? Not likely. As long as its being sold and it is dirt cheap to buy, run and maintain I doubt it will get replaced as a whole.
Click to expand...

As I understand it, 2008 was the last year for retail Vics, and 2010 will be the last year for the government-only model(s).

=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Jay Leno Remembers Pontiac

Jay Leno
But I guess if a brand had to go, it probably had to be Pontiac. I understand why they have to do it. You take your biggest divisions and you keep those. These days there are just too many car companies chasing too few customers and not enough to differentiate between the marques. GM already has a very exciting car—the Chevrolet Corvette. And if you need another one, you've got the Camaro. So really, GM was just competing against itself. I’m not an accountant or an automotive executive, but I’d guess if GM built another Firebird they’d only take sales away from the Camaro. Its just redundancy.

But I’d like to see the Pontiac Solstice get saved and brought back as a Chevy. It's fast, comfortable, fun and affordable. I think GM is taking the right steps now so I think they’ll come out of this in good shape. Cadillac is making world-class cars and Buick has become the number one brand in the 2009 JD Power Dependability Study. I think GM has the quality product. It’s just a matter of getting the word out.
Click to expand...
 
If the Crown Vics have to go in 2010 then they need to ramp up the Fusion Police Cruiser development. :D
 
I still can't see that Buick is so important in the US that its sales just make all of Pontiac's G5 and G6 sales disappear, because those cars are absolutely everywhere and only old people are interested in Buicks (minus the really nice crossover, whatever that's called - which shows just how interested I am...).
 
JCE
If the Crown Vics have to go in 2010 then they need to ramp up the Fusion Police Cruiser development. :D
Click to expand...

Na, they just need to stick in the 32 valve 4.6 in and it'd be fine.
 
I don't think I'd want to be driving around in an American version of a MG...ZS, is it?

Meh.

no, I dont' like the idea of hacking up the floor of a Ford Fusion simply to make the Mustang engine fit.
 
Jim Prower
I don't think I'd want to be driving around in an American version of a MG...ZS, is it?
Click to expand...

Nah he didn't mean the Fusion, he meant the Vicky. Crown Vic + 4.6 DOHC = win.

Although I'd say they should make a 351W with modernized heads + intake and use it. Cheaper than ever to build or repair sooo ;)
 
Eric.
I still can't see that Buick is so important in the US that its sales just make all of Pontiac's G5 and G6 sales disappear, because those cars are absolutely everywhere and only old people are interested in Buicks (minus the really nice crossover, whatever that's called - which shows just how interested I am...).
Click to expand...

I think part of Pontiac's problem could be that a good portion of their lineup is at the end of its lifetime, and GM just doesn't have the money to spruce up those offerings, especially for a brand that probably won't sell too many new vehicles.

Although I do wonder if it would be smart for not for GM to keep the G5 around as a sporty and cheap car once the Cruze gets here, similar to how Toyota is keeping the current Prius around.
 
I hope that by cutting Pontiac, they will be able to improve their Chevy line. Slap on a sport package and we have a pseudo-Pontiac.
 
Philly
I think part of Pontiac's problem could be that a good portion of their lineup is at the end of its lifetime, and GM just doesn't have the money to spruce up those offerings, especially for a brand that probably won't sell too many new vehicles.
Click to expand...

Model-for-model, Pontiac was pretty much a disaster in the last year or so:

  • G3: Too little, too late. A joke, really.
  • G5: A Cobalt LT Sport with a slightly better interior. Slightly with heavy emphasis.
  • G6: Way too far behind in technology compared to the Malibu, style updates didn't help, interior refresh didn't happen soon enough
  • G8: Where was the advertising?
  • Solstice: Let the market flood, not enough advertising later
  • Vibe: Excellent car, not enough attention elsewhere
  • Torrent: HA!

Blame the product planners at GM. At least they've made a worthwhile effort at Buick to build good cars at a fair price (again).
 

Latest Posts

Back