When we first got word earlier this year that GM was working on a new small rear-wheel-drive platform called Alpha, everyone thought that Cadillac and Pontiac would be the first brands to get it. A rear-wheel-drive replacement for the Euro-only BLS was a given, considering that Cadillac has to compete more aggressively with the BMW 3-series over there. The Pontiac model, meanwhile, was expected to replace the front-wheel-drive Epsilon-based G6. Its inclusion in Pontiac's lineup would give the brand two rear-wheel-drive sports sedans, finally offering customers some of that excitement they've been promised for so long.
Motor Trend is now reporting that the high-volume Alpha model will instead be a Chevrolet sedan. Given that Pontiac is supposed to be more of a performance brand with the Solstice and upcoming G8, this move doesn't really make sense if it's in fact true. Chevy already has what appears to be a winner with the new Malibu, and a smaller rear-wheel-drive sedan seems at odds with the brand's current ethos of mainstream, family friendly, versatile and affordable vehicles. We suspect a group of vocal bean counters convinced someone that more Alpha-based sedans would be sold in the U.S. if they wore a bow tie, and perhaps that's true, but if GM really wants a coherent brand strategy among its many marques, then the Alpha should be a Pontiac.
[Source: Motor Trend]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Andrew @ Dec 3rd 2007 11:16AM
I agree that it should be a Pontiac first. But everyone knows it'll be a Chevy AND a Pontiac before long.
MasterCKO @ Dec 6th 2007 3:44AM
It definitely should be a Pontiac before anything else. I thought I would move this link to the front comment page.
http://www.thegmsource.com/index.php?categoryid=10&p2_articleid=751&s=86ce47690917ead4797e3b7c61f46913
Lutz would seriously be smoking something if he really thought it was a good idea to bring out the Alpha on Chevy before Pontiac. Also the people ringing the death knell of the Pontiac line should really calm down. Not gonna happen soon. I think that it's pretty clear that GM wants to differentiate brands more with a portfolio that includes Pontiac.
Also does anyone else think that with the new CAFE requirements looming, selling high-performance vehicles in its highest-volume marque would actually be counterproductive for GM? I do.
Ruby007 @ Dec 3rd 2007 11:17AM
This car looks like a Mercury
Mercury Fan Forever @ Dec 3rd 2007 11:37AM
I agree it does have some Mercury Design in it.
Robert @ Dec 3rd 2007 11:37AM
all this is is a chop of a Holden concept from a couple of years ago with a Chevy grill.
FThorn @ Dec 3rd 2007 11:17AM
perhaps this simply foreshadows the demise of Pontiac
Shipey @ Dec 3rd 2007 11:20AM
Chevelle!
henrykrinkle @ Dec 3rd 2007 11:24AM
Chevette!
Shipey @ Dec 3rd 2007 11:26AM
LAWLZ. That was pretty funny, I'll give you that.
Robert @ Dec 3rd 2007 11:31AM
make it rear engined and call it the Corvair
JayP @ Dec 3rd 2007 11:50AM
Vega?
MikeSS @ Dec 3rd 2007 12:44PM
Citation!
Avinash machado @ Dec 3rd 2007 11:22AM
Perhaps the next Impala would use this platform. Hope the next G6 gets it too.
Kowell @ Dec 3rd 2007 11:24AM
The problem with GM is that every car with potential HAS to be chevrolet before it can be anything else.... Brand logic is almost inexistant.
why not the LS2LS7? @ Dec 3rd 2007 11:38AM
When you're clawing your way out of a string of losses, putting your money into your highest volume division is not the stupidest mistake you can make.
psarhjinian @ Dec 3rd 2007 5:56PM
@LS2
That's true, but then why have Pontiac around at all?
GM's problem is that they have no real idea what their divisions are for. I'm glad to see that they've sorted out Cadillac and Buick, but that still leaves crossover between Saturn, Pontiac and Chevy, Chevy and Buick and Pontiac, Saturn and Saab. They need to decide:
* Who will be the mainstream brand (Chevy, Pontiac or Saturn)
* Who will be the sporty brand (Pontiac, Saturn or Saab)
* Who will be the Euro pretender (Saturn or Saab)
There's an extra brand in there, and one of them needs to go. My wish would be Pontiac as Saturn and Saab still have some positive brand equity, and there's noting Pontiac could do that Saturn and Chevy couldn't do just as well.
MasterCKO @ Dec 6th 2007 3:01AM
Hrm, I've always seen Saturn as the brand with least self-identity in the GM lineup, personally.
Chevy = mainstream
Pontiac = sporty
Saab = Euro
Saturn = mishmash of the above.
That's just me, though.
MasterCKO @ Dec 6th 2007 3:58AM
Kowell, you make a good point.
I think that they are going to do more to distiguish the lines in the future (though Chevy will still have a crapload of models)
http://www.gminsidenews.com/naias/revitalization/
There's a overview on that page that shows at which other brands in the marketplace they are aiming each of their marques. The placements make sense to me and are very distinct. I think that it's a good plan.
Robert @ Dec 3rd 2007 11:33AM
Alpha would be too small for a new Impala, they'll probably use Zeta for that.
AMcA @ Dec 3rd 2007 10:48PM
I dunno. With CAFE standards going through the roof, maybe they need to plan to go smaller.
(Do you all realize that the Honda Fit wouldn't even fulfill the proposed 2020 standard? That's only 12 years away, boys. Shudder.)