Pontiac an Orphan

So today on the radio I heard that Pontiac is a gonner. North American plants being shut down. So our GTO is gonna be an orphan

 

Yeah, we should have all gone out and bought yellow Aztecs and this would have never happened...

 

maybe with some wide whites???

 

I don't get it, where the hell was the design team, the new GTO had balls and no looks, it out drove the mustang, but the mustang had the look and out sold the new GTO, what were they thinking ?

 

maybe the goat boys can tell ya on the new goat forums..i dunno ,i'm still trying to grasp the demise of the tucker and edsel.

 

... too much focus on the Camaro that's 5 years overdue...

 

i see that this thread has turned southward..

 

I agree, the new Mustang outsold the GTO 17 to 1. They got rid of Rick Wagoner about 15 years too late.

 

Well our '64 is safe and sound at least.

 

New GTOs Werent allow in canada.. GTOs were Holden Australia designed..

 

Well you being a Yankee way up North in Oklahoma....

 

Buick is next on the chopping block as well as GMC trucks!

Isn't it nice having a dumbass politician as head of GM?

Oh, I know they weren't doing too great a job either but at least they didn't plan on eliminating over 1/2 of the product lines that actually make profits for GM and its stockholders. Only a neigborhood organizer could dream that up as a way to save the company.

 

All thats going to be left is Chevy and Cadillac! And I liked GMC trucks they looked a hell of alot better than the chevys.

 

Yeah, it's amazing how much more stylish 3-letter emblems are than 9-letter ones, isn't it?

 

Wow, Buick were doing o.k. I thaught, big presence in China apparently.
A whole lot of the GM deal is badge engineering these days I guess, like folks above the GTO should have sold better but you can't rely on one line to keep them afloat either, I drove a G6 up there in Oct and it was pretty lacking insperation (can't even blame the aussies for that one).
This is what happens to you when you kill off the USA's oldest Marque I guess.......

Wonder how this is going to help Holdens in Aussie ?? they probably sell more to the Mid east anyway but interesting still, I think the G8/GTO is still a good car on the world stage as do the Brits they rate them as being good value bang for buck RWD platforms VS what the Eurpeans produce $ wise at least.

 

I have had Pontiacs for many years..my wife has a "Pontiac" Vibe..but we really have a Toyota/GM..Nummi..

There haven't been Pontiacs..or Buicks..or even Olds(deceased) for years..just rebadged platforms. The cost to make these platforms look "unique"..and then support so many nameplates and dealers..with flooring costs..incentives etc..is a dead model.

Toyota sells two basic brands..with the rebadged Lexus based on existing platforms..and sells as many units as GM.

The old stair step..start with a Chevy then work your family up through BOP to Caddy..to show the world you made it..is a dinosaur business model.

We all know that the different brands are really just reskins..and it's just nostalgia or a grille..that makes each brand. This is not working for folks today..

GM needs to change drastically.. I loved Pontiacs..but they been gone a long while..

 

my thoughts exactly. the only innovative idea theyve had in years was saturn and theyre goners too.

 

What is this I'm feeling? Shame? Indigestion? Self loathing? I find this car somewhat attractive now, I need to rinse my eyes with lye, I'll just be a minute...

 

The Mustang is 10K less. One of the first things we learned in Engineering 101 is that you must work within constraints. Price is a constraint. If it wasn't, we'd all have space ships. If I was CEO of GM and the GTO came to me for final approval, I'd fire every engineer that worked on it, and get engineers that have a clue, and figure out how to make it for less. If Ford can do it, why the hell can't GM. Ugh, don't get me started

 

The new Mustang is suck car for suck buyers. I don't like Holdens Much either but the GTO/Monaro at least has independent rear suspension and and is a genuine 175 MPH car and can be driven hard....very hard in fact. .In fact when they were sold in the UK as Vuaxhall Monaro's they made much of the speed potential in the advertising.
You have to tick all the high priced option boxes on a Mustang to get the same performance.
I see toyota mentioned...they atre n the shit up to their necks too so don't think it's only GM.
But consider this fact/question for a moment. Why is Obama supporting the crooks in the banks who caused all this but not supporting actual wealth creating industry . The very same Industry which made the USA what it was?

 

Let's get real here. GM products, except for engines have been bad for 20+ years. The quality of their product was crap. You would look at a brand new car at the dealership and the exhaust system, etc., would already be rusting. I've had plenty of Pontiacs through the years, stopped buying them after 4trans, etc., etc., in '89. Pontiac always had nice designs and a GM engine would last forever. GM kept producing crap for a long time and it's now caught up with them. Closing down plants across the board for 9 weeks! Chrysler going into bankruptcy or being partnered with FIAT?!?!? Hang on to you Pontiacs, it was and always will be GM's "Kool" division.

 

I went to look at a new GTO when they first came out.
I told the sales guy that came out I wanted to see one but couldn't find one.
Seems I was standing NEXT to it.

THAT'S why it failed. I was looking for a GTO, not a overpowered enema.

 

Someone already said it. The design teams fault. The hourly guys were asked to take a "pay cut" and all they were doing was making what they were told to make. I haven't seen where the designers were asked to take a cut. Their job must be "safe", but their company isn't.
Time for a new american car company, how about HAMB - american made, american assembled, dependable, always a dealer/repair dept. nearby, NO SENSORS

 

No surprise.

GM has been run into the ground.

I bet the only 3 standing in the end will be Chevy, Caddy, and Buick. Buick mainly because the Chinese like them so much. It's a major status symbol in China to have a black Buick.

As far as the new GTO? Give me a break. Can you say U-G-L-Y????

 

All of this reminds me of when Chrysler came out with the k-cars to save thier company. If I remember correctly they were built extremely poor. I wonder if that lack of quality will return to Detroit. They will not be able to afford to build quality vehicles.

 

OR MAYBE, they never should have built that ugly piece of Shizzle

 

Yeah , I had on on my ass when they first came back out and the guy would not get off my ass. I got tired of it and pedaled my 68 400 Firebird hard and left this thing in the dust. When I pulled in my driveway he went by , That's when I saw the GTO badge. Thought then that the car was in trouble cause it didn't have squat for power and it didn't look even close to damn GTO. Shit as far as I knew I was racing some import

 

Let's see 06 GTO 400 hp, 400 ft. lbs 13.0 1/4 and 4.6 0-60
68 Firebird 400 Ram Air 340 HP 445 ft. Lbs (by the old standard that generally is 10%+ higher than now) 12.9 1/4 and 4.9 0-60

Left it in the Dust? Not if yours was stock!

 

Well I remember going to the car lot to look at them and scanned the lot to see where they were and ..... well it too was right in front of my face, what a disappointment, and I said .."that's it" and turned and walked away. No physical attraction that's for sure.