US will not get a next-gen Pontiac G8

[ifcar]

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=134167

DETROIT ? After acknowledging that there will be no replacement for the Solstice roadster, Pontiac looks like it will lose a little more excitement when the rear-wheel-drive G8 sedan goes out of production in about five years' time.

According to sources, Pontiac will not get a version of the next rear-drive platform that underpins the Australian Holden Commodore. This move is indicative of a fundamental switch in direction for Pontiac, the General Motors division that just a few years ago was envisioned by Bob Lutz to be the American BMW. The deaths of the Solstice and the eventual discontinuation of the next-generation G8 will leave Pontiac with zero rear-wheel-drive vehicles.

Pontiac already sells the G5, a Chevrolet Cobalt with the ol' excitement treatment and soon will begin selling a version of the subcompact Chevrolet Aveo called the G3. Not exactly sporting propositions, those.

Limited corporate resources and fear of rising fuel-economy standards look to be the prime drivers in the return of Pontiac to the badge-engineering days. Those limited funds might also explain why the midsize G6 sedan won't be substantially updated (to match the level of refinement of the recently revamped Chevy Malibu) for about another five years.

Inside Line says: You've still got plenty of time to pick up your very own G8 ? the high-horsepower GXP and the quasi-pickup-truck ST versions are still to be introduced. But you don't have forever.

[GoCougs]

The G8 has also been a sales disaster.

And the G6 rides it out for another five years?!

GM so wants to kill this brand, buy union contracts up and down the supply chain make it impossible.

[2o6]

I guess Pontiac WILL bite the dust.




Also, I haven't seen a single AD for the G8. Chances are, that no one knows about it, and yet again, GM overestimated production.

[SVT666]

There is only one other person in my office that has even heard of the G8.  That says a lot.

[the Teuton]

This is why people hate GM. 

Kill Pontiac.  The brand has apparently outlived its purpose.

[Vinsanity]

I'd love the opportunity to pick up a cheap used GXP in 4 years

[2o6]

This is why people hate GM. 

Kill Pontiac.  The brand has apparently outlived its purpose.

Pontiac still is a strong seller in the GM fold, and killing a brand costs too much money. (Money GM doesn't have at the moment)

[FlatBlackCaddy]

yet another thing GM gives up on when it doesn't light the world on fire or send the competition into a panic.

Sure the G8 sells poorly, they don't advertise it, they treat it like a golden goose(initial markups, no test drives) and overcharge for what is a crappy product in many ways.

While most(successful) automotive companies would hold on and continue to improve the product until it is at the top of its game(and top of its class), gm just throws in the towel and gives up.

They are just showing everyone what a sorry shit filled sack of loser they really are. Pick an plan and stick with it damnit.

[Vinsanity]

Or, while they're busy re-badging, they might as well keep the G8 around, put a Chevy grille on it and call it the next Impala.

[giant_mtb]

What a brash decision.  Does GM expect every brand new model they put out to sell like marijuana?  It seems like as soon as they don't sell as many as they planned it's back to "oh, well, kill it off and come up with a new plan".

Why don't they just fucking improve what they have instead of coming up with new shit all the time?  I'm talking all of GM, not just Pontiac.  Seriously.  They're going to fail.

[the Teuton]

Or, while they're busy re-badging, they might as well keep the G8 around, put a Chevy grille on it and call it the next Impala.

It isn't like they don't do that already, either.

GM is cutting a bunch of white collar jobs as of today.  I hope some of them are in their brand management departments. 

[Laconian]

There have been numerous times where GM does something amazing, and it's engineers and designers that do it. The stunts that really piss me off can always be linked to MARKETING and their damn focus groups!

They need to take a gamble by firing the marketers and promote the engineers. They'll succeed brilliantly or go down in a blaze of glory, but at least doing SOMETHING radical is better than maintaining this fatal malaise they are stuck in.

[Soup DeVille]

The G8 has also been a sales disaster.

And the G6 rides it out for another five years?!

GM so wants to kill this brand, buy union contracts up and down the supply chain make it impossible.

Its not the union contracts: its the dealership contracts. There are no "Pontiac" employees at GM anymore, and there haven't been for almost two decades. The lineworkers that make the G6 formerly made Buick Lesabres and Park Avenues, and before that they made Cadillacs.

The dealers however have contracts tying themselve to a particular brand, and buying out those contracts are a huge cost: as it was when they killed Oldsmobile.

[AltinD]

Or, while they're busy re-badging, they might as well keep the G8 around, put a Chevy grille on it and call it the next Impala.

The car has been sold for ages as Chevrolet Lumina in the Middle East and some other Asian markets.

http://www.chevroletarabia.com/content_data/LAAM/ME/en/GBPME/001/G1/1L/1L_home.html?cntryCd=AE&pdcmp=google_Chevrolet+Model+Retention_chevrolet+lumina

[Vinsanity]

It's not a real Lumina without the spoiler/luggage rack combo

[the Teuton]

It's not a real Lumina without the spoiler/luggage rack combo

It has half of that going for it.

I agree with Laconian.  GM needs to seriously restructure and have each company act as seperate entities.  Screw economies of scale; if the brands can't turn a profit individually, they should be cut.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Can Chevy just keep the B8 platform and replace the currently stupid Impala, or make a Caprice or an El Camino plz? I'm just assuming here, but I think the G8 platform is probably much better than the currently stupid Impala. I have driven a new stupid Impala, and it drove quite stupidly.

[the Teuton]

Can Chevy just keep the B8 platform and replace the currently stupid Impala, or make a Caprice or an El Camino plz? I'm just assuming here, but I think the G8 platform is probably much better than the currently stupid Impala. I have driven a new stupid Impala, and it drove quite stupidly.

I drove a W-platform LaCrosse, and I loved it.  My family rented a 2007 Grand Prix last year and absolutely hated it.  Those cars seem to be rather across the board.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I drove a W-platform LaCrosse, and I loved it.  My family rented a 2007 Grand Prix last year and absolutely hated it.  Those cars seem to be rather across the board.

It is a perfectly average boring family sedan, and even has a little pep in the motor, but it is ruined by totally numb, no sense of direction steering, and a transmission that had no idea WTF was going on. It's positively stupid that a brand new Chevy Impala can't even measure up to a beater Jetta or an old Volvo in such basic departments.

[the Teuton]

It is a perfectly average boring family sedan, and even has a little pep in the motor, but it is ruined by totally numb, no sense of direction steering, and a transmission that had no idea WTF was going on. It's positively stupid that a brand new Chevy Impala can't even measure up to a beater Jetta or an old Volvo in such basic departments.

I sorta disagree with you.  My bro's Accord is much more refined, quieter, and it rides better, but the automatic in the Honda is one of the worst I've ever experienced.  I'd say the Hydramatic is one of the best out there.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I sorta disagree with you.  My bro's Accord is much more refined, quieter, and it rides better, but the automatic in the Honda is one of the worst I've ever experienced.  I'd say the Hydramatic is one of the best out there.

How are Hondamatics so bad? I've never driven an auto Honda, but I've driven good automatics and bad automatics. The Impala is a BAD one, not because of shift quality, but because the the gears and lockup torque converter seem to operate completely independantly, and throttle position has no influce over it unless you just mash it to the floor. It has dain bramage.

[the Teuton]

How are Hondamatics so bad? I've never driven an auto Honda, but I've driven good automatics and bad automatics. The Impala is a BAD one, not because of shift quality, but because the the gears and lockup torque converter seem to operate completely independantly, and throttle position has no influce over it unless you just mash it to the floor. It has dain bramage.

The shift quality is terrible and the thing is all too willing to kick down to a lower gear.  The latter isn't necessarily bad, but the VTAK V6 can handle the situation with its abundant toarks.

[Eye of the Tiger]

The shift quality is terrible and the thing is all too willing to kick down to a lower gear.  The latter isn't necessarily bad, but the VTAK V6 can handle the situation with its abundant toarks.

If by shift quality is terrible, you mean it has good firm, solid shifts, then ok. If by all too willing to kick down to a lower gear, you mean it actually responds with a downshift when you press the gas, then ok. I've ridden in Hondamatics, and I thought they were good ones. What do you look for in an automatic? I like firm shifts so I know what it's doing, and I like consistent, linear response to throttle input. For me, that means most electronically controlled units just end up pissing me off. I love the Volvo's olde-tyme hydraulic and mechanical brain. It is consistent and predictible, and I can adjust the kickdown cable to my liking. No stupid electronics.

[the Teuton]

If by shift quality is terrible, you mean it has good firm, solid shifts, then ok. If by all too willing to kick down to a lower gear, you mean it actually responds with a downshift when you press the gas, then ok. I've ridden in Hondamatics, and I thought they were good ones. What do you look for in an automatic? I like firm shifts so I know what it's doing, and I like consistent, linear response to throttle input. For me, that means most electronically controlled units just end up pissing me off. I love the Volvo's olde-tyme hydraulic and mechanical brain. It is consistent and predictible, and I can adjust the kickdown cable to my liking. No stupid electronics.

I shall continue this later, but I mean that it feels as if someone let out a clutch too quickly...if an automatic car had a clutch.  It's kinda jerky in the 1-2 shifts.  Ask Rags.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I shall continue this later, but I mean that it feels as if someone let out a clutch too quickly...if an automatic car had a clutch.  It's kinda jerky in the 1-2 shifts.  Ask Rags.

Ok, I know exactly what you mean, and I don't think that makes it a bad transmission. Actually, I prefer it like that.

[Cookie Monster]

I shall continue this later, but I mean that it feels as if someone let out a clutch too quickly...if an automatic car had a clutch.  It's kinda jerky in the 1-2 shifts.  Ask Rags.

1-2 shifts are terrible in the Honda autos (with V6's at least), and I've found that the car doesn't want to downshift when I want it to. A car that does want to downshift is more preferable to one that keeps it in a higher gear and doesn't let you accelerate.

[CJ]

Our Honda auto is just fine.  Yes, it's practically new, but it's fine.  No jerky shifts.

[USA_Idol]

This is why people hate GM. 

Kill Pontiac.  The brand has apparently outlived its purpose.

Add Buick and GMC to that statement.  And GM needs to sell off HUMMER and Saab.

[Secret Chimp]

The shift quality is terrible and the thing is all too willing to kick down to a lower gear.

I've floored a Civic and it still didn't upshift.

[omicron]

Limited corporate resources? The expense of slapping red arrow badges and a new grille on Commodores must be higher than I thought.