Citing expensive changes needed to meet 2007 emissions standards, Pontiac
announced Thursday it is dropping the slow-selling Vibe GT (shown) and AWD
models from its 2007 lineup. The company will continue to offer the base-model Vibe, which is selling fairly well at
its sub-$17,000 price point.
Vibe sales were up over 9-percent last year, totalling 63,271 units. The car
is a product of a GM/Toyota joint venture, in which Toyota provides the 1.8-liter VVT-i engines.
The 2007
emissions standards were also Pontiac’s excuse reason for discontinuing the current GTO, which may
make a comeback on a new-design platform. The Vibe GT and AWD models may also be resurrected if the company goes ahead
with a future redesign of the Vibe.
[Source: Automotive News]