http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/23/r...in-five-years/

It looks like things will be getting a lot less exciting at Pontiac, as some reports indicate that the erstwhile performance brand will be losing its best performers. Despite the fact that the G8 sedan has seen nothing but positive press from the media, including your humble scribes here at Autoblog, the realities of fuel economy and the global economy appear set to kill off the rear-wheel drive performance sedan in the prime of its short life. GM will reportedly not renew the G8 after its Holden-sourced chassis architecture is redesigned following a planned five-year run.

The Pontiac Solstice in both coupe and convertible forms is also unlikely to see a second generation. Unfortunately, the Solstice, Saturn Sky and their Opel spin-off don't generate enough sales to support another go-round, which could leave Pontiac with exactly zero vehicles with overtly sporting pretensions. While the G6 may be a decent car, it and a Cobalt derivative in the form of the G5 and a rebadged Aveo known as the G3 do not a BMW competitor make. What does this mean for the future of Pontiac as a brand? We'll see.



I certainly hope not.

 

I read that...

We're still barely into the existing G8, so they have a full vehicle lifespan to change their minds. I expect they'll build this one for more than 5 years anyways... with or without a refresh.

GuionM keeps pointing out that GM can design and manufacture cars faster than they can make a decision on whether or not to design and manufacture a car, so hopefully they make the right decision soon.

 

Who said anything about GM killing the 'Commodore to USA'? Just because an article reads "no G8 for Pontiac" does not imply the North American RWD Zeta is dead. It only means Pontiac won't get it.

Or am I missing something?

 

Kill the Solstice as well.. um wow why have a "perfomance" division. I see them everywhere...

 

Yeah...technically the GTO was killed after one run...but we got the G8. GM gave up a ton of volume letting the Grand Prix be replaced. If I were gonna guess, Pontiac will get a bigger than G6 FWD sedan sometime around the next Impala that will fit in the same segment as the G8. Then maybe Pontiac gets something close in resemblence to the Camaro.

If they are not killing Pontiac that is...

 

I'd be shocked if the G8 is around 5 years from now.

 

The only new product there is even talk of for Pontiac, is a rebadge of the next gen Malibu to replace the G6. The Malibu itself is now delayed.


I'd put good odds that your last sentence comes to pass in the not too distant future.

 

Might as well if they not refresh the G8 and Solstice.

 

This might be obvious, but a Dodge Charger rebadge would be a good replacement. Lower MSRP, tons of plant capacity, etc.

Its too bad the Commodore wasn't put in Chevrolet dealerships, I'm sure it would have sold better.

 

The writing has been on the wall for the G8 for some time now. After the plans for Zeta went to sh*t, we knew the G8 wasn't going to last long.

 

or they are just making room for Dodge?? hehehe

 

I think worrying over the G8 is nothing compared to worrying over all of General Motors. It seems that all future products are on hold until they get the bigger problem under control.

Personally, I don't care if the G8 or even Pontiac as a whole goes away (and I'm a huge Pontiac loyalist). I'd sacrifice that to see GM to survive as an American company.

 

Where were you when some protagonists were talking up the 6th gen Camaro?

 

Kill the G8 and Solstice and you might as well just end Pontiac. No one wants a G3

 

It's not even that ... there will be a next gen Commodore so, like the G8, the car will already be designed. It's just a matter of GM deciding to bring it to NA again.

As to the Solstice, its volume is right about where it was expected to be, and it was never expected to make money from the get go. IIRC, early on in its life GM was already saying there might not be a second generation, and with the economy & GM's finances in the crapper, that will pretty much seal the deal.