There have to be a dozen names you could put on a Pontiac Sedan that would have a decent connotation. They could also just add another piece to the alphabet soup.

I see no reason why they should **** people off further making a GTO sedan.

Im actually more interested in the new GTO then Camaro as it would be much more usable for me by the time either comes out. I would have zero interest in a GTO sedan.

 

There was a post on a belowmentioned forum about a VE being loaded at the docks to be shipped to the US... wearing "Pontiac GT" badges.

Would anybody care to speculate? Will there be a VE Pontiac GT?

 

I think that will be tricky to manage. GM hasn't had a problem with the DTS and Lucerne sharing a platform, but they may with more enthusiast-oriented cars, it seems to me. If you look at today's engine offerings, an STS with a 320hp V8 doesn't compare too well with a hypothetical Pontiac GTP with a 400hp V8.

Maybe if the Cadillac has more aluminum or is built on a different line with higher quality, upscale equipment, GM won't get the negative buzz.

 

Would you rather see an alphanumeric name like G8 or a different historical name like Ventura or some new name?

 

My advice to GM is to save the money and keep the Holden nose. I actually like the Monaro nose more than the GTO nose.

 

That's the road they're going down. Remember, Sigma was originally going to be GM's global RWD platform. If GM can eventually merge Zeta and Sigma into one platform, they will. It makes little sense to carry the cost of having both. 99% of the consumers will not even know the difference.

 

They won't know if there isn't a point made of it. The Cimarron's origins were pretty clear to people, I think -- at least after a year.
I wonder, if the Cimarron had had unique body panels, would it be considered as much of a failure? Or was the problem as much the car itself?

But I think I agree that as long as the merged platform is competitive in its various markets, then it shouldn't be a problem. Although I've seen articles in the general press that say the problem with the Jag S-type are that it shares a platform with the Lincoln? I wonder how many potential S-type purchasers are turned off by that? What if the platform were shared with a Ford?

But then I don't recall seeing articles in the general press saying that the Audi A4 and A6 were the same as a Passat (no longer the case).

I don't know. GM better be careful

 

What if there were 2 suspension sets for the cars? SLA vs struts for the front and 4 link vs 5 link rear suspensions? Would that be enough differentiation? Also we know that NO body panels would be shared between Caddy and the lower tier brands.

 

Whoa there Branden!

That was my own speculation (even said "no winkie" ) based on Lutz confirming the Roadmaster and GTO at Geneva for 2008 (he didn't specify if he was talking about model or calender year), and Holden barely keeping to themselves that GMNA intends to bring the Commodore sedan over for Pontiac. Also, I considered the likelyhood that the GM coupes will be made at Oshawa, which won't be ready till 2009 by all indications, and that Camaro is only just now being approved.

There IS going to be a replacement for the Monaro & GTO coupes. There's going to be the Camaro, and there's going to be the big coupe.

Beyond that, I don't know how they will be divided up. Not sure which is going to which division outside of Chevrolet's Camaro and Monte Carlo replacement.

Turning back on the reality based speculation machine, Camaro's very likely to go on sale in Australia this round, Buick's getting a convertible based on one of the 2 coupes, the GTO could either be VE based, "Zigma" based (essentially a streched Camaro), or could be a model level for a RWD coupe or sedan....Pontiac will be getting a RWD Grand Touring coupe.

Everything seems to be pointing to Thursday & the next number of weeks.
If this "gathering" at GM this week turns out the way I believe it will, the rest of GMNA's RWD plans will be out shortly thereafter.

Including GTO.

 

I think Cadillac will keep Sigma, at least as long as the current management team or their protoges are in the cat seat. I can see someone coming along in the future and finding out "Zeta" is cheaper to make than "Sigma", moves Cadillac onto that structure.

However, it's Holden and North America RWD programs I see merging in short order. By early next decade, perhaps.