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Was Pontiac intended to be General Motors' brand focused on speed and performance?
Well it was supposed to be GM's "excitement" division but it's clear GM lost track of Pontiac's mission when they started selling Pontiac minivans Aztek monstrosities and re-badged Daewoo sub-compacts, and when they made a hot super/turbocharged version of the Cobalt but wouldn't give Pontiac that same version of the G5, et cetera. IMO they lost an opportunity to re-focus Pontiac as a semi-niche performance brand when they axed it.
The Corvette has always been the pinnacle of GM's brand so why would they want to change that? The car is a true world class performance machine that is actually affordable for many.
The OP compared the Ford GT to the Vette and there is no comparison. The GT is a niche specialty car and always will be but the Vette is a production car that comes in many models.
If a mid engine is the future of the Vette then it will go there and for many consumers the increased price tag won't make a difference.
And it's still sold thru Ford dealerships even though you go thru a much different process. Our check for the 2006 we have was made right to the dealer. No sales commission tho.
Was Pontiac intended to be General Motors' brand focused on speed and performance?
There was a time long ago when Pontiac was the stodgy old folks car. Then came John Delorean and Pontiac was excitement. In later years it was plastic side bumpers, spoilers, and as many hood scoops as possible division. Some cars had what looked like four sets of nostrils. Plastic side cladding was the 80s & 90s version of the 70s flaming chicken pinstripes. On its own, the 80s car that was called the Lemans wasn't a bad car. But to slap the Lemans name on a subcompact import hatchback was a complete insult to the heritage of the Lemans cars. They could have called it a Pontiac 1000 or a Chevrolet Chevette. Couldn't ruin those names anymore than they already had. Oh, and don't forget the Pontiac version of the Dust Buster Chevrolet Lumina MPV.
There was a time long ago when Pontiac was the stodgy old folks car. Then came John Delorean and Pontiac was excitement. In later years it was plastic side bumpers, spoilers, and as many hood scoops as possible division. Some cars had what looked like four sets of nostrils. Plastic side cladding was the 80s & 90s version of the 70s flaming chicken pinstripes. On its own, the 80s car that was called the Lemans wasn't a bad car. But to slap the Lemans name on a subcompact import hatchback was a complete insult to the heritage of the Lemans cars. They could have called it a Pontiac 1000 or a Chevrolet Chevette. Couldn't ruin those names anymore than they already had. Oh, and don't forget the Pontiac version of the Dust Buster Chevrolet Lumina MPV.
Wrong Pontiac was not the old folks car that was Oldsmobile Pontiac was one of GM's race car division with the GTO, the Grand AM, Firebird Transam, and the Grand Prix. Oldsmobile only pony car was the Cutlass witch also was the Hurst Olds 442,the rest were the olds Delta, Olds 98, and others. John Delorian he was the creator of the Lemans.
Wrong Pontiac was not the old folks car that was Oldsmobile Pontiac was one of GM's race car division with the GTO, the Grand AM, Firebird Transam, and the Grand Prix. Oldsmobile only pony car was the Cutlass witch also was the Hurst Olds 442,the rest were the olds Delta, Olds 98, and others. John Delorian he was the creator of the Lemans.
Go further back about a decade or two before the GTO and you'll find no excitement.
Go further back about a decade or two before the GTO and you'll find no excitement.
I'm a product of the late 60's and 70's when Pontiac was the speed division of GM i grew up in Detroit grew and the auto industry since my father retired from GM in 1985 after working for them for 30 years. I've been to GM's tech center in Waren Michigan and all I can say is wow, I had a chance to drive all the cars GM made in the early 80's the tech center is a huge complex with more of the complex underground than you see at street view. I lived by GM proving grounds in Milford Mi. I seen the new camaro riding the streets of Milford all camalfloged before it went into production. And I've worked on the assembly line for Chrysler in the late 80's at their warren truck assembly plant.
I'm a product of the late 60's and 70's when Pontiac was the speed division of GM i grew up in Detroit grew and the auto industry since my father retired from GM in 1985 after working for them for 30 years. I've been to GM's tech center in Waren Michigan and all I can say is wow, I had a chance to drive all the cars GM made in the early 80's the tech center is a huge complex with more of the complex underground than you see at street view. I lived by GM proving grounds in Milford Mi. I seen the new camaro riding the streets of Milford all camalfloged before it went into production. And I've worked on the assembly line for Chrysler in the late 80's at their warren truck assembly plant.
And I said the years before the GTO and Delorean. What was Pontiac like in the 40s and 50s before they became a performance brand? They were stodgy old folks cars.
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