GM has put Pontiac's future in jeopordy with the plan submitted to Congress.
In its Restructuring Plan for Long Term Viability submitted to Congress, GM said,
"Significant efforts have been expended to combine the Buick, Pontiac and GMC (BPG) brands into a single dealer distribution network, with approximately 80% of these brands’ combined sales sold through BPG-branded stores. This channel will be fully competitive in terms of total entries offered, with Pontiac serving as a specialty/niche brand with reduced product offerings solely intended to complement Buick and GMC models and reinforce the channel as a whole."
Niche brand? What exactly does this mean - more badge-engineered atrocities like the new Pontiac G3?
What GM needs is vehicles that people dream about - vehicles that people want to own. Where is the Firebird, the Trans Am, the GTO? Where are names that people associate with Pontiac like Bonneville, Catalina, and Grand Prix?
Here's what GM needs to do.
1. Make the Trans Am and Firebird immediately and introduce them for the 2010 model year.
2. Make the GTO available by 2012, and make it affordable so it can sell 100,000 units a year.
3. Get rid of every name in the G-series. Rename the vehicles with NAMES, not numbers.
5. Get Pontiacs on TV and in movies. Look at what sales of the Trans Am did after Smokey and the Bandit was released.
6. Give Pontiac its own engine line. Pontiac buyers don't want corporate engines in their cars.
What other advice would you give GM? Send us your comments and posts.