This is the most concise and interesting statement made about Pontiac in a long time. It's a quote by AH-HA from his blog.

 

Not sure what to make of this. I have to read the context of where this came from.

Here's what I do know and can say. GM's plan of focused investment (best way to describe it) is Rick Wagoner's method, and the board of directors backs him 1000%. His plan is to methodically spend on each chassis and each division one at a time to avoid putting the company financially at risk (he did come from the finance side of GM).

Right now, Chevrolet is in the spotlight, and everyone here when I 1st joined this site remember the frustrations at watching other GM division get attention while Chevy was ignored.

Pontiac is seemingly ignored now. But I will say that regardless of what happens, Pontiac isn't going to have to prove itself (if that's what he was meaning to get at). Pontiac is going to have to wait for new products, but they already have a G6 & Solstice to mature, and an upcoming G5 to rebuild volume.

A new Bonneville and/or Grand Prix replacement and a performance coupe are coming later.

 

This is finally some good news to hear. At least there's some method to the madness that GM has to its plans. Hopefully Pontiac is next in line after Saturn and Chevy. Cadillac is back on track, get Chevy back on track, then go and get Pontiac back on track.

Hopefully by then Pontiac can offer exciting and unique products all its own.

 

God you're acting like a child Josh. How do you expect anyone in the industry to take you seriously when you act like this? I don't get it.

 

Just to salvage this thread...

What do we think "affordable performance" means for Pontiac?

 

Mazda is the first thing that comes to mind. At least, that's how Mazda is promoted.

 

Maybe expansion of the Solstice line, add a coupe and/or sport-back is one aspect. Return of the GTO as a affordable performance car with a price point around the Mustang GTs base price.

I personally would like to see something like the CTS-V in the Pontiac line up, with a Pontiac price.

 

Yes, comparable to Mazda sounds reasonable. But, dollar-wise, was does "affordable" mean? What is the upper dollar limit? Affordable to whom?

 

I think the Dodge Hornet concept would be a neat Pontiac.

 

Is there a Vibe replacement scheduled? Something like the hornet would not be a terrible idea if it can fill a gap in the lineup...

 

Affordable performance? I dunno. I'm so confused what to make of that slogan as I always see Pontiac in Chevy's shadow. The problem with that slogan is that people might interpret that to mean that GM's other divisions are devoid of affordable performance product.

Me, I just see Pontiac as a division that offers an alternative to Chevy without offending anyone. IMO, Pontiac offer some attractive vehicles (with better looks than Chevy) but I have no idea why GM have trouble growing the brand?

Sorry about my pointless post but I don't know if GM are ready to reposition Pontiac against the likes of performance marques like BMW (as Lutz envisaged doing).

 

I will say it again. Pontiac will fail if it trys to compete with BMW. If it is to compete with anyone that would be Nissan and Mazda.

 

Josh, if you use this board for your personal agenda again you will be gone.

You have been warned before and this is your FINAL warning.

 

I wonder if Josh wants to elaborate on his deleted Scion remark.....without doing anything to get banned, of course.

 

That's a slippery slope to try to climb, and I don't know why GM is letting Pontiac climb it.

At what point does "Affordable performance" begin to slip into Chevrolet's "Performance at a Chevy price"?


Pontiac Grand Prix's GXP and the Pontiac GTO IMO are the direction Pontiac should go. The GXP has more "performance stuff" than the Impala SS (though the Impala is a tick quicker), but GXP also costs more. The GTO had no problem selling at the $29K mark, a couple of grand over a loaded Monte Carlo SS. That's a good spot for Pontiac.


As for the American BMW position, here's how it was explained to me in so many words:

BMW is a German driving machine.... Pontiac is aming to be an American driving machine. Nothing to do with price, and not competing head to head. Just a carline that offers the best on road performance and sophistication at a price that offers great value.

To me that puts the American BMW into perspective. Pontiac isn't being BMW, and isn't after that market. It wants to be an American version of what BMW represents. A great all-round performance company.

Makes sense to me.