Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, GM, Pontiac
Pontiac may get a G8 RWD sedan
General Motors' announcement last week to build the Camaro and other rear-wheel-drive product at its soon-revamped Oshawa facility is a perfect ignition source for all sorts of RWD product rumors, so let's get things started with talk about the Pontiac G8. The cancellation of the Bonneville has left the Poncho brand without a full-size vehicle, and the end of the GTO's run means that a combination of RWD and a V8 can no longer be found at a Pontiac dealer. So much for being the "excitement" division, huh?
Well, that may quickly change, as Pontiac wants to build a full-size RWD vehicle on the Camaro's Zeta platform. This would provide a flagship vehicle for the faltering brand, and would likely be the sportiest RWD GM sedan this side of Cadillac's V-series (Buick and Chevrolet are also likely to be receiving Zeta-based four-doors). Such a vehicle would likely follow the Camaro's showroom appearance in late 2008.
To us, this seems like a no-brainer. SUV buyers seem to be looking to migrate to a car without giving up much in the way of size or performance, and of course vehicles like the Chrysler 300C are doing well because of this market trend. Such a vehicle would give GM a way to flex its V8 powertrain prowess, would help Pontiac live up to its billing, and should be a strong contender in that oh-so-densely-packed $35-40K near-luxury segment.
[Source: Chicago Tribune]
_opt_thumbnail.jpg)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Sid 12:39PM (8/24/2006)
I just recieved this month's issue of Motortrend where they stop just short of declaring the new Monaro as the new GTO 'sedan' and/or the Grand Prix. They even have a photoshopped cover of a Pontiac badge on the Monaro SS. This is a golden opportunity for GM.
Reply
PiCASSO 12:47PM (8/24/2006)
The new Bonnevile is already here, all it needs is to change the badges from Holden to Pontiac. Here's a preview:
http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/22/holden-hsv-e-series-lineup-unveiled/
Reply
Daggy 12:49PM (8/24/2006)
I would like to see the RWD in small cars as well.
For example if the Cobalt were RWD, I think GM would have a real advantage over other brands. -Daggy
Reply
Bill 1:04PM (8/24/2006)
I'm sensing a pattern here:
Holden, aka Pontiac in the US
Opel, aka Saturn in the US
Reply
Steve 1:18PM (8/24/2006)
I would not mind if they made the Holden Commodore the next RWD fast and angry Pontiac. What's nice is that its not a rebadge of the Camaro, called the GTO or Firebird.
Reply
Dave 1:19PM (8/24/2006)
Nothing on my radar screens from Pontiac, but I do have a couple Zeta Buicks on the horizon. Too far away to know if they are just chaff or a real target, though.
Reply
rwdmtparkingonly 1:19PM (8/24/2006)
Holden's more conservative designs would maybe make a good fit a Buick, but for Pontiac and Chevy they need new metal, the GTO underselling proves that. It's unfortunate that redoing the exteriors is taking so long because of financial troubles.
They have previewed a Nomad on the Kappa (Solstice/Sky) platform. I would buy that in a second as a commuter car but it seems that GM has a lot of other stuff to do first.
Reply
ATL 1:32PM (8/24/2006)
Lot's of incorrect information...
The GTO has not been cancelled. Rather, as Pontiac has already stated, it is taking a brief 1 - 2 year hiatus.
Also, the Camaro is not due out late 2008 but early Spring 2009, as quoted by Scot Settlemire.
Reply
Corey W. 1:49PM (8/24/2006)
Have to agree with #7, GTO is a great car, but it needed a styling change to match the hype, and it never happened. I have no problem with it being built by Holden, but when it comes over here, it better feel and look like a Pontiac (minus any plastic body crap)
Reply
Vinny 1:57PM (8/24/2006)
I would count on a Camaro rebadge to Firebird / TransAm to be announced soon.
Reply
Gary 1:59PM (8/24/2006)
I'd be in the market at about that time. If they do it OK, and keep the costs reasonable, I would seriously consider one.
I have a real soft spot for GM, and Pontiac in particular, having been a big fan growing up in the 60s, which is why that last 30 years or so have been so disappointing.
Reply
Scott 2:12PM (8/24/2006)
I agree with most of the comments. The Aussies seem to be about 1 model generation behind in terms of automotive styling. The GTO would have been considered great if it was released in the mid-to-late 90's. It looked a lot like it was designed during the same period as the '97-'03 Grand Prix. But when it was released in '04 it was already behind the times. If it takes them a couple of years to bring over a Holden as a Pontiac they'll find themselves in much the same situation, especially considering that the new Holden already looks _slightly_ dated.
And then of course there's the cost associated with importing AUS-built vehicles. The GTO was originally meant to be a mid-$20k car but as we know ended up at $32k which was just unworkable. If they bring over a Holden and it costs significantly more than a current Grand Prix GXP they'd be pricing themselves out of the market. Heck, the Bonnie GXP was a great looking car (for a FWD sedan) but ended up costing WAY too much for what you were buying. Hence, nobody bought them and the entire model was killed off.
GM needs a 300C/Charger competitor in the worst way. Not only in terms of features (RWD sedans w/V8 options) but also in terms of price (~$30k).
Reply
james f. 2:39PM (8/24/2006)
I agree with scott. but to add the 300 fighter should be a buick (named roadmaster) and the the charger fighter should be a slightly smaller four door pontiac.
But geez I dislike the G# nomanclature. Why not call it Firebird? Having the camaro and firebird in direct competetion has always been a mistake. Ford figured that old long ago and stopped making the cougar a slightly dressy mustang. Why cant the firebird be a somewhat retro(ala charger) sport sedan? This seems all too obvious to me. Hell come out with a limited (ala charger daytone)t/a version with t-tops and a screaming chicken on the hood.
Theres 40-something gm fans all over this country that want that car, why not build it?
Reply
Jack of Shadows 2:39PM (8/24/2006)
Yes sir!!!!!!!!!!!
Bring in those GM cars from outside the U.S.
Put more people out of work and decrease further the buying power of the blue collar population.
The college boys don't care, why should the rest of us.
Reply
Lee Gibson 2:50PM (8/24/2006)
"Having the camaro and firebird in direct competetion has always been a mistake"
What? They were the SAME CAR. How are they in competition? That's like your right hand and your left hand being in competition.
Well, YOU might be into that sort of thing, but...yeah. I'm gonna stop now.
Reply
Dr. Woo 3:12PM (8/24/2006)
As long as they bring it over and make it LOOK like a Pontiac, I'd be interested. That "all-new HSV E-Series" is laughably boring and looks like a previous-gen model from the front. The back is pretty damn sharp, though.
Reply
james f. 3:16PM (8/24/2006)
How is that not in direct competition? Instead of having twice as many of one car out there like, oh say, the mustang, you dilute the product and their respective brands and end up not selling as many, as your competition, since your brandimage is fragmented and your product strategy is quite clearly meant to make dealers and not customers happy.
Of couse this has been the case with so many gm products but none so tragically illustrated as the camaro and firebird.
As for your hand illustration Lee Gibson imagine if you had two left or right hands as opposed to two hands that complement each other in form and function. The camaro/firebird have always been each others wosrt enemies. Making one a slick coupe and the other a slick sport sedan would be more than complementary Id bet there would be a healthy number of american garages with both if they ever built it.
Reply
Mike G 3:45PM (8/24/2006)
I think you can have two brands with similar versions as long as you differentiate the product in meaningful ways. For example, if the new RWD Holden/Pontiac G8 is somewhat more sporty with a V8 standard, and has a nice modern interior like in the link, you would have a great replacement for the current mediocre Grand Prix. A six speed auto with shift paddles on the steering column would be super sweet. Then a Buick Roadmaster variant might have the new high content GM 3.6 liter V6 as standard and focus more on luxury features and a smooth ride for a slightly older and wealthier demographic, that isn't going to be squealing the tires.
This approach would probably work for Ford's Mustang as well, by the way. Bring the Mercury Cougar back but give it a more upscale interior with the satin finish and options of the other Mercury vehicles, and make the strong new 250 horse 3.5 liter V6 that's going into the Fusion and MKS the standard engine. Then you're moving upmarket slightly, not competing with the Mustang but still selling more product. Have it price in at 27 or 29k and you might get a lot of buyers, women who want a sporty coupe with nice options, but who want a different image than the Mustang represents.
Reply
Dave 4:09PM (8/24/2006)
Oshawa's being retooled to build several RWD vehicles from a single plant, all derivatives from a common platform (Zeta).
That puts Camaro(confirmed), Buick (maybe two of them), G8/Firebird/whatever as likely candidates to fill that plant.
By the way...the plant is actually going to be a combination of the current #1 and #2 plants, so it will be quite capable of production the 300 killer, the Charger contenda' and so forth.
Oh....yea, another thing, its domestic production....just like the 300.
Reply
Eric Bryant 5:35PM (8/24/2006)
"Nothing on my radar screens from Pontiac, but I do have a couple Zeta Buicks on the horizon."
Interesting, Dave. It seems to me that Pontiac is going to be in huge trouble if they don't figure out how to pull off a Zeta sedan, as well as a more practical Kappa variant.
Reply