Pontiac will be gone by the end of next year
"Rumors from late last week have come home to roost, and as part of its restructuring efforts, General Motors has just announced that Pontiac will be "phased out by the end of 2010." GM will continue to build its accelerated viability plan around four brands: Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, and GMC."
In a press conference announcing the decision, GM CEO Fritz Henderson told reporters, "The company does not expect to build Hummers, Saabs and Saturns beyond 2009," according to the Washington Post.
GM will sell fewer models as a result of the brand elimination. In a press release, the automaker explains, "GM will offer a total of 34 nameplates in 2010, a reduction of 29 percent from 48 nameplates in 2008."
Pontiac models will not continue as Chevrolet products, according to Jalopnik. "Henderson...told journalists the Pontiac Vibe and Solstice will not live on at other brands."
The move also means the likely death of the well-reviewed Pontiac G8. The New York Times comments, "If Pontiac had offered cars this good 10 years ago, it wouldn't be flat-lining now in the critical care unit. Of course, if G.M. had made a serious effort to build overengineered cars like the G8 20 years ago, there would be no talk of bankruptcy or slicing the company's ‘good' assets from its mistakes."
If you're in the market for a new car, check out the U.S. News rankings of this year's best cars as well as this month's best car deals.
- Competition Heats Up for Electric Vehicles, Chevy Volt
- USSR’s first limousines were designed to copy American Buicks
- Pontiac will be gone by the end of next year
- 2010 Cadillac SRX Crossover
- Chevrolet Cruze features dramatic design
- Chevy HHR Panel SS concept previews limited-edition production model
- GM floods Internet with Chevrolet Malibu ad banners
- UAW contract: GM saves 50% on new workers
- GM to make Poland big Chevrolet producer
- Toyota plug-in hybrid to hit the roads
- Debut at NAIAS: 2008 Nissan Rogue Crossover SUV
- Renault Magnum shifts dimensions in 2008
- NAIAS Debut: 2007 Toyota Tundra CrewMax full-size pickup
- Opel Astra: More powerful and over 13 percent more economical
- Renault Megane F1 Team R26 in Depth
- Opel Corsa OPC world premiere in Geneva
- 2009 Honda Civic lineup receives new exterior styling
- New 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 at NAIAS
- Volvo XC60 Concept at NAIAS
- UK: 2007 Ford Fiesta and Fusion SE