Pontiac Is Still Dead
November 25th, 2009 8:11 PM
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Pontiac was declared “officially almost all the way dead” at about 12:45 p.m. today, when a white, G6 sedan rolled off the assembly line in Orion Township. The Detroit News reports a distinct lack of “cake or commemorative banner or senior GM official on hand.” Media was not invited. The DetN notes:
Unlike the last Oldsmobile, an Alero signed by hundreds of plant workers and donated to the R.E. Olds Transportation Museum in Lansing, the final G6 models will be sold as part of a fleet order.
Nearly unbelievably, Pontiac’s “officially official” demise will be even more depressing: a Mexico-built G3 Wave (neé Aveo) to be sold to a lucky Canadian. For real.
[Hat Tip: supremebrougham]
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Always liked Pontiac style, not sure why they, Chevy and Saturn couldn't all effectively divy up the US market with unique offerings. I for one can't read a red lit dash very well...not sure why every manufacturer can't offer mycolor.
don1967, those in marketing must always keep in mind that the bell curve has just as many people on the left side as there are on the right side. I'm appalled at the idea of an Aveo with giant windshield decals, twenty-inch wheels and a whale tail, but there are folks who like that sort of thing.
I had a G6 (note: HAD). In the beginning, it was a fine car for what I paid for it ($13K w/3.5l V6)...but then crap starting going wrong. Fit & finish sucked, started to really notice oddball gaps in doors, hood, trunk. Belt line trim failed on rear passenger door (ie, it just started peeling off on it's own). Front bumper paint began to fade (and I'm a waxin' machine). Interior was the worst of any car I've ever owned...a sea of hard black plastic. Paint failed on two to of the wheels due to brake dust (yes, I washed, waxed and rotated on a regular basis). Rattles in rear windows. GM's notorious ISS (intermediate steering shaft) problem...banging when you turn...that I had to fix myself with white lithium grease, yogaesque contortions and numerous F-bombs. The only (ONLY) redeeming quality of this car, IMO, was the fine old-school 3.5l they put in the '06 model (can't vouch for the 3.6l in the '07+). I could set the cruise control at 75mph, crank up the A/C and still get 30mpg while traveling over mountain passes. Fairly smooth, responsive in spite of the A/T and miserly to boot. But all the other shortcomings were too much to overcome...she went up for sale at $8999 w/49K and I had a cash buyer within 2 days. Don't miss it a bit, either.