Before the '04 GTO, Pontiac had some big plans. It was going to offer some really exciting, forced induction, AWD models.

It's performance flagship...in fact...was to be an Epsilon coupe, with a very healthy force inducted V6 and AWD. The car's performance benchmark was said to have been the BMW M3. It is said that it may have exceeded some of those performance parameters.

Pontiac would have used all the GM turbo/sc V6's. The SC 3800, SC 3.5/3.9 and the turbo HF 2.8/3.6 V6. And this was much more that just talk. There were mules and even a show concept in the works.

When the GTO was rushed over however, it re-aligned Pontiac's strategy. GTO became the flagship...and Pontiac jumped into the Zeta coupe/sedan program....and seems to have abandoned it's strategy of turbo/sc motors and AWD.

Was this wrong?

 

Yes, but not because of the GTO or Zeta. I think staying with S/C engines would have been a good move for the sub GTO cars.

 

I voted for the turbo/AWD idea, however I think there was/is room to implement BOTH. GTO could stay flagship and still be RWD/V8. However, a blown 3.6 G6 with a 6 speed and AWD for $30-32k also would have been killer as well. Both could be signiature Pontiac.

I liked that idea, I like the current idea. Melding them together however would be the ideal. There is room under the Pontiac banner for both, I think.

 

I would really like a V6/AWD car, but I would also like it to cost $25-$27K not $32k

 

I don't know about that Jason. For better or worse...the GTO sucks up alot of oxygen at Pontiac.

Pontiac is too small to have 2 "flagships". In fact, if I remember correctly...the Pontiac AWD performance flagship coupe, was to appear at the 2003 NAIAS. Once the GTO got the greenlight....it was canned...as to not overshadow the GTO concept.

I know I'll get flamed for this.....

But before we had the current GTO, I remember thinking that this yet unamed, AWD concept coupe, as described to me, would have made an awesome new age GTO.

 

FI/AWD got the vote from me


Kappa small 4door and 5 door hatch with turbo and AWD options would be a really sweet entry for pontiac .

 

I think that Pontiac could use both stategies. Hear me out.
On their larger platforms, go ahead and use the V-8s and on their smaller cars use the superchargers and turbos.

Could any of you imagine the screaming if they produced a V-6 GTO???? I personally like the platoform and basis of the Monaro for a GTO. And with the changes for 05, the car looks excellent (at least to me).
The Bonneville and Grand Prix both will do well with a V-8. Those GXP should be pretty cool.
As to the smaller cars. The G-6 would benefit from a supercharger (or turbo'd V-6). The Vibe would kill imports with a power adder. And I definately want to drive a turbo'd Solstice!

Chevy is using both V-8s and forced induction engines. The engines are there. Pontiac could use them.

 

When I was formulating my answer, the model in my head I was using was Mazda. They have the RX-8, but they ALSO have a MazdaSpeed 6 coming out. I sort of look at the proposed AWD turbo G6 in the same vane as the 6, but still having the GTO the way Mazda has an RX-8.

I wouldn't call the above dueling flagships, but look at it this way. We currently have the Bonnie GXP and GTO as dueling flagships, and they complement each other very nicely. FWIW, with GXP running over 30% of total Bonnie sales, I sincerely hope we will have a next gen Bonnie in the same vane as the current GXP...but I sincerely doubt it. I've heard no rumblings, and with Pontiac's "new direction," Bonneville will be relegated to the recycle bin, I'm afraid.

I've driven the current GXP, and despite it being a 5 year old design with a WAY overdone dashboard, it is a hoot to drive, and looks so, so nice outside. If this car had been the 2000 SSEi, Bonnie would be so much stronger now, for sure...a pity.

 

If you look at each of Pontiacs cars, they fill a different market.
I am not sure anyone would ever call the Bonneville a flagship or Halo car. The GTO does do that. It is a smaller market niche, yes but serves to bring people into the showroom.
The Bonnie is a large family car, that's what it is meant to be. Pontiac will probably continue them. It is bigger than the Grand Prix. The GPs don't fill the needs of some people. The back seat gets kind of full with three people back there. At least our 2000 GTP did.

 

Uhm, the Bonneville IS Pontiac's flagship. It has been for a long, long time. Just because it isn't the most popular model does not mean it isn't the flagship. Flagship typically = the best you have to offer. In a nutshell, thats Bonneville.

It just so happens now GTO fits the bill too. And while I'd love someone to tell me I'm wrong, I have been told by more than one source '05 is it for Bonnie...and we have had no news of any successor, at all. With DeVille and LeSabre being re-done next year, I am sincerely doubtful Bonneville will struggle on with its existing platform all by itself!

 

Totally agree . The GXP Bonnies are a very sweet looking car . The new smooth look and front bumper cover just perfected the body style . Pontiac should be castrated for not capitolizing on a qwik cheap interior update with the outgoing Aurora . It woulda been a matter of color matching and changing the backlighting to red . Then the interior woulda been 1st class too .

 

Let me rephrase what I said. There is no room at Pontiac for two performance flagships.

However, a blown 280-ish hp, AWD, G6 would be nice.

The AWD, "performance flagship" concept, would have filled the niche currently occupied by the GTO.....in cost, cache and performance. I'm not sure how this would have overlapped with the G6, but other....more affordable versions of this car were mentioned to be planned.

 

Why not both ...im not saying two 'flagship' cars, but there is definetly room for both types of setups. Pontiac is about driving excitement, why cant it be all types? I also wouldnt expect to see an awd flagship, that position is pretty much filled by a caddy.

 

I think the turbo/SC awd line up should go to Saturn.

 

dammit I'm retarded...i voted 'current' but meant 'awd'.

i broke the tie in the wrong direction.

I like the current, but when it comes to NEW cars, I want it to be progressive and not nostalgic.