Pontiac predicts 25% boost in '06 sales


Jamie LaReau
AN / October 31, 2005

LAS VEGAS -- General Motors executives have told Pontiac dealers to expect a 25 percent increase in retail sales next year.

Higher retail sales would ease Pontiac's heavy reliance on fleet sales, which are expected to generate 36 percent of its total sales this year.

Dealers say Pontiac wants to sell 340,000 retail units in the United States next year, up from an estimated 272,000 retail units in 2005.

 

hurray!

But, why do they predict that much of an increase?

 

Torrent, Solstice in full gear (hey that 20k units doesn't hurt), G6 in full stride. That should do the trick.

 

Yes, it sounds very optimistic... which kinda worries me.

But I don't know why Pontiac don't sell better anyhow. Solstice should breathe some new life into the performance division. G6 is very attractive and great value. Torrent hasn't exactly set the world on fire. Will the ramping up in sales of these models alone account for the increase?

All Pontiac need to do now is get the RWD G8 ASAP and all their problems will be over.

 

I'm already seeing Torrents on the road, and though I haven't seen any G6 coupes on the road, by the sounds from this thread, they're selling well elsewhere. That's on top of Solstice's projected 20K.

Pontiac's good for about 400K vehicles per year. I think Pontiac's newer rides, plus renewed intrest in the Grand Prix is worth another 100K, so 25% doesn't sound farfetched.

 

We sold our first one last week. It's odd when you have both the Equinox and Torrent to offer customers. In the end, it will be a matter of stylistical taste undoubtedly, but I like better the way the Torrent drives more-so myself.

 

I assume the GTO is selling much better than it ever has.

 

Well, I will say this...despite my other post claiming the Torrent is "85% of what it should be," a ton of people disagree with me. And those people, thank god, are the ones buying them. I've already seen 2 on the road (both were over a month ago, actually...), and we've had about 6 test drives of ours in the 8-9 days we've had it. There's a lot of interest here. I have a lead coming in this weekend who has an '03 Maxima SE to trade in, even She said its the first "cute ute" that's really piqued here interest.

She sounds like she's in her 40s, has never owned a domestic (I asked, because the quality issue came up, but the bias didn't seem as blatant as some of the others I've talked with), and is being wooed by a Torrent? All I can say is

 

BTW, as for the sales increase? I can completely see it. We finally got our first G6 coupe sold this week. Torrent interest is strong, at least initially. The G6 4 poppers are finally on line. The GP might get renewed interest with a better interior, an S/C GT and the GXP. The Solstice will help as well.

But IMO? The biggest news is the Torrent. That "blatant rebadge" (of which opinion I tend to agree with...) may be a savior for some Pontiac franchises, especially those of us that are Pontiac only...

 

I just bought a GTO from Pontiac so I am glad I am part of the 25% sales increase.

 

And in my favorite color, no less I like your taste in Pontiacs!

BTW, there is a guy around here who is a complete retard, IMO. He has a 10th Hawk. Its a vert. 1 of 9. The car has easily 150k+ miles on it now (it had just under 100k when I talked to him 2 years ago). He uses it for his courier service. A 10th Hawk. Vert. 1 of 9. Delivery vehicle.

I want to choke him until he's dead, then take his poor car. I cannot understand people like that...but I guess he's enjoying the car at least...

 

Beats leaving it in a garage and letting it gather dust...Cars are meant to be driven.

 

Does he know it's something special or does he not care and simply drives it like he would a normal applience? To me, it sounds like the latter.

There's enjoying a car and using it as a DD, and then there's blantant disregard and overuse of a car. It's like having a highly regarded race-horse and using him to work the fields. Just not right.

 

What is the projected production for the GTO in 2006, are they increasing it?

They are not going to increase by 25%, if they the dealers don't start having a decent inventory on hand, the local Pontiac dealers around here are horrible, as I posted in another thread.

 

GTO had a crappy September. Coming from me, you KNOW it's bad.

Try just 994 cars vs almost 2700 last year (62% drop in sales).

August was even worse at just 647.

Lesson in all this......

When you can get GTOs for less than $30K via discounts or incentives, you'll sell the living daylights out of them.
When you don't include them in your discounts, and demand $35K minimum for them, they sit on lots.

Ironically, I see them all the time around here (at least 1 a day).