Sigh. Pontiac G3 may be headed for U.S.
Looks like badge engineering is alive and well at General Motors. After decades of the practice damaging its brands, GM may sell the Pontiac G3 in the U.S. The G3 is nothing more than a rebadged version of what we know as the Chevy Aveo that's sold in Canada as the Wave. It's rebadged and sold elsewhere in the world under various brands, but we don't see those here in the U.S. The new subcompact would supposedly bolster the offerings at combined Pontiac-Buick-GMC dealers by adding a new fuel-efficient vehicle to the mix. Oddly enough, however, the G3 only achieves marginally better fuel economy than the already-available Pontiac Vibe, itself a slightly redesigned version of the Toyota Matrix, thanks to its diminutive four-banger and old-school four speed automatic tranny. Curiously enough, you can already EPA numbers for the G3 sedan and hatchback at the government's fuel economy website, which could be further support for the notion that it will be sold in the U.S. soon, or may indicate that it's sold in a U.S. territory like Puerto Rico.
[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Michael 2:33PM (6/02/2008)
Lame.
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AMcA 10:11PM (6/02/2008)
I'm going to be sick.
Franky 9:04AM (6/03/2008)
Why does it even matter when GM just announced that an all new Aveo and G3 variant are announced by 2010. This is just temporary until they build a new product.
P.S. It isn't called the Wave anymore in Canada, its G3. Same with the Pursuit being called the G5 now.
TriShield 2:35PM (6/02/2008)
Just kill Pontiac now and put the brand out of it's misery. No new Firebird to compliment the new Camaro is really the final nail in the brand's coffin.
Those nice Holdens can be sold easily through Chevrolet just as they are in the rest of the world. Stop embarrassing this brand GM.
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Disgruntled Goat 2:55PM (6/02/2008)
Exactly. When you have too many brands then you're forced to do stupid things like this. this is the perfect example of why GM needs to kill at least three divisions if not more.
Torrent 3:09PM (6/02/2008)
I agree. The Only Holden I can think of in the US is the G8, and that translated VERY well from the Commodore. If Pontiac can get more Holdens and change them into Pontiacs as good as the G8, they may have a hit. G3 is such a good name. Don't ruin it with this car.
YourNameHere 2:36PM (6/02/2008)
if they have there hearts set on this then at least give one brand the sedan only and one brand the hatch only.
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wrussi 2:37PM (6/02/2008)
and just when you though GM had learned from its mistakes.... oh well
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Xcountryflyer 2:44PM (6/02/2008)
Totally agree. Bad move. It would be one thing if it was a good subcompact--but it's dreadful and the worst one in that category.
henrykrinkle 2:38PM (6/02/2008)
Nice A-pillar vent.
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LloydChiro 3:44PM (6/02/2008)
That vent totally functional!
It cools the mirrors.
rouse42 5:03PM (6/02/2008)
thats the AC
dan spalinger 2:39PM (6/02/2008)
"The G3 is nothing more than a rebadged version of what we know as the Chevy Aveo..."
Which, itself is nothing more than a rebadged Daewoo...making the G3 a rebadge of a rebadge...
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Cornholio 4:54PM (6/02/2008)
...and even that much more pathetic.
Kill those brands, GM! That'll be the net effect anyway with products like this....
Joe K. 2:40PM (6/02/2008)
So when do they revise the slogan to "Driving Excrement?" Seriously, this is retarded, make the re-badging stop... I mean seriously, what new does it have to offer and how many car buyers are there left that actually care about the difference between Chevy/Pontiac/etc. or Ford/Mercury that this will help sales? I mean I know with CAFE standards force the brands into creating smaller more fuel efficient vehicles, but this is ridiculous...
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black 1:42AM (6/03/2008)
The slogan isnt Driving excitement no longer. Now its 'Pontiac is CAR'. I ;guess a half-hearted rebadge counts as a car...though not what I had in mind for whats supposed to be the "performance" company.
Tsunami Racer 2:42PM (6/02/2008)
why don't they bring back the name from that other "sucessful" korean built subcompact with a Pontiac badge: Le Mans.
do these people not learn from their past mistakes?
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Conor 2:44PM (6/02/2008)
Just get rid of the car... No one likes them anyway...
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ultima GT-R 2:46PM (6/02/2008)
i will not deny the aveo has the looks of the hunchback of notre dame and often beats a turtle in quarter mile, but the car sells pretty well. Chevy sells aveo's as many as toyota sells its yaris', so why not add pontiac version and hope it boosts the sales?
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Ken Stamper 3:16PM (6/02/2008)
Because that is the logic that has made the Pontiac brand the automotive equvilant to Conferderate dollars.
Brand equity>Short term profit