They could never do that! they've been priced almost the same for 35 years and and and.... they just HAVE to remain the same car! its tradition... its, its.. i dunno i like camaros better...

 

GM needs to dissolve and let Pontiac run Pontiac. Chevrolet run Chevrolet. Caddy, etc... ...

Different Managements, Different Designs, Different Pricing. I think the days of buying up every car company in sight is finally starting to catch up with them.

 

I wouldn't so far as to say GM should dissolve, but it would be nice if it could go back to the '60's and 70's when each division had their own engines, engineering, suspension etc. I don't see how even today it couldn't be done. Give each division X amount of a budget, and let the engineers of each division produce cars that suit their brand.

 

IMHO that would NEVER work. Americans EXPECT that you should literally give them a car from the Big 2 1/2. Notice how nothing sells unless there is HEAVY rebates/Employee Pricing/0% fianancing, etc... etc... Having little to no brand overlap, and parts sharing would mean one thing, more cost for GM to produce cars, and that cost would ultimately be passed on to the customer. It wouldn't help GM sell cars, and people wouldn't tolerate the higher stickers that would come from this decision.

Also, no real overlap would also mean that replacement parts would be more expesive for the used market. Lastly, most old motor builders hate the fact that you can't build an old school Ford, Pontiac, etc. motor with the ease, and low cost that comes from finding parts, and building a Chevrolet motor, if they weren't sharing parts, people would have the same frustations that we have overcame as overlap began.

 

Americans expect quality products. They're not going to pay "more" for a Pontiac that's a rebadged Chevy with stiffer shocks?

You take your small chevy, i'll take the Pontiac 455 over it ANY day of the week!

When you have so much overlap... Why have different brands anyhow? Just call them a GM Grand Prix, GM Malibu, GM La Sabre.

Look at Caddy? Unique "Caddy" Styling, Interior, !Engine Lineup!, etc... = Awesome!

I'm not saying GM should dissolve, but brand identity is terrible right now...

/rant

 

If you're spending $30,000 (+) for a Cadillac its one thing, and you should expect more for the price. But, the average American wouldn't want to pay more for new car. No overlap still equals more cost, no matter how you spin it. I just don't think people care enough any more, most don't know how much overlap exists anyway.

 

If Pontiac wants some excitment, Supercharge a 3.9L G6...or Turbocharge a Solstice, I mean sheesh, they've played with 240hp now for y-e-e-a-a-r-r-s-s........
Up the Ante across the Board, either make them Exciting, or go with a different theme...
Especially in this slugish market, I think a $20-something-K Firebird, would have a better chance of succes than the GTO, which, while better, still isn't quite "Exciting"...

 

honestly i feel that Pontiac going after BMW is a bad idea. That should be more of cadillac's job as cadillac is becoming more and more performance oriented luxury, which is exactly what bmw sells itself as. Leave Caddy for pretty much the other german luxo cars as well although typically, bmw seems to be the most performance oriented of them all.

LEave Buick to go after lexus and other sorta boring but well built cars. (although now lexus's formula is becoming more and more perf oriented)

This leaves pontiac. Where should they be? The thoroughbreds of GM. Ever sat in an alfa romeo (unlikely as they arent in US anymore) but (at least) their current cars make you feel like you are a race car driver just sitting in them in the showroom. (Went car shopping with my host family in Japan a couple times and we went to AR) All beautifully stitched and comfortable leather that hugs your body amazingly well. Note to GM: buy a few of them and see what i mean. Pontiac needs to get away from FWD as fast as possible and really be all about fun driving leaving out a luxury foundation. Give them firmer suspension, seats that hug your body, NO car with higher than 6.5 0-60 times (preferably lower) and price it between Chevy's and Caddy's for comporable cars. This is also right where buicks price should also be and be in the same dealerships so people get both luxury and performance in the same place but different cars.

 

I've always taken the "going after BMW" comments to mean general model line-up, clean classic designs, and the feel of the road, not price point or the other intangibles that go along with a BMW price point.

One of Lutz's more recent comments spoke to a departure from acronyms and number naming. If the GTO does go on hiatus, I would expect to see a different name surface, possibly leaving the GTO designation for a higher performance limited edition model of the new platform.

Tempest gets my vote.