Pontiac's Return PART II - UPDATES! Official and Unofficial Statements from Within GM.
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 17 май 2024
- We're following up on a video we posted last week calling attention to an ad that appeared in Car & Driver magazine announcing Pontiac's return. We've dug a little deeper and reached out to both GM and Car and Driver, and we did get some responses that we think are promising.
If you missed the first video, you can check that out here:
• Pontiac is Back! Full...
Let us know what you think. Could this be the real deal, signaling a return to one of GM's most iconic brands? Tell us in the comments! 
Развлечения
Pontiac updates reported in this one folks, along with the best information we can find from the best sources we have! GM is giving some interesting responses that might just be promising! Let us know what you think, and if you know anything!
Please be real!!!
3:12 Ya, the dump.
The only reason I kept the Buick line is because the Chinese liked them.They're all out for money.They shouldn't ever gotta go to Pontiac.I don't think it'll ever come back.But a g m's too greedy and their investors are too
I think Pontiac could be GM's ICE only brand, they have a lot of engineering like the Corvette only LT6 with no other home for it.
A lot of EV evangelists have called Toyota idiots as they've dipped there toes into everything and haven't gone all in on battery EV's like everybody else and are raking in the profits.
Toyotas assertion is that battery EV's will ever only make up 30% of the market Internationally.
They are also launching 4 different ICE only cars, Celica, MR(2?), Starlet baby turbo hot hatch-a rebodied Yaris and small FR with the platform being shared with Daihatsu and Suzuki.
I don't think GM can afford to abandon the ICE car market but they also need attractive vehicles.
I guessing the Firebird will make a return as Nissan Z/Mustang sized RWD hatchback coupe with stying inspired by late gen2 and gen3 f-body Firebirds.
It will likely be an electric abomination...
I'm a die hard Ford guy and I wanted to cry when Pontiac died. I hope they bring it back, and put that 632 monster in the new GTO!
There are strategies that could be put in place for solid gains regardless of economy situation, but such execution is usually carried out by an investment specialist
I've been in touch with a financial analyst ever since I started investing. Knowing today's culture The challenge is knowing when to purchase or sell when investing in trending stocks, which is pretty simple. On my portfolio, which has grown over $900k in a little over a year, my adviser chooses entry and exit orders
Mind if I ask you to recommend this particular coach you using their service? Seems you've figured it all out.
Just research the name Angela Lynn Shilling. You’d find necessary details to work with a correspondence to set up an appointment.
Thank you for this Pointer. It was easy to find your handler, She seems very proficient and flexible. I booked a call session with her.
"Pontiac brings excitement!" GM desperately needs some of that. 'Nuff said😁
GM is run by idiots last 15 years
If GM does bring Pontiac back they need to build excitement. Pontiac built excitement, and that needs to be revived. The GTO, Trans Am, Firebird, and Grand Prix.
I liked the Fiero.
Only downside is GM is notoriously overprotective of the Corvette. Other than Cadillac, any other car with high performance usually gets handicapped or over time they stop updating things in favor of the Vette. All you have to do is look at the Camaro. Vette went mid engine and the Camaro still got the shaft
@@MaddNomad1015 I wouldn't expect much from GM. I think for many years they've been run totally by the money people. I don't see them doing a whole lot with innovative products. I guess engineers and car designers are just another service to be contracted out and thrown to the side immediately after their designated tasks are complete.
The g8… is the Grand Prix. It’s the 8th generation.
No@@0eroOverride
Bunkie Knudsen, a man who took Pontiac from a division with no direction to THE sports car and latest in technology division at GM in the 1950's understood clearly. He said ; You can sell an old man a young mans car, but you can't sell a young man a old mans car", I sold Pontiac and Buick side by side for 20 years along with GMC, what Knudsen said was 100% accurate. When we lost Pontiac in 2010, my new car sales Income dropped 50%, the other 50% was GMC 35 % , then Buick.
Now that in my late 60's and retired, I still want a new Pontiac and haven't even considered Buick.(Proving Knudsen's point). My '09 Pontiac G8 is still running and looking fresh and the new car I bought is a '20 Cadillac CT5, since Cadillac definently when the youthful professional route. GO ON GM GROW A PAIR and BRING BACK PONTIAC!
Pontiacs that are cruisers - Star Chief, Bonneville, etc. would also be nice. Who can forget those Lucite steering wheels and Tri-Power!
I want Pontiac to be a coupe and sedan lineup only. Pontiac is know as an affordable performance brand that anyone could buy. I just want to see a manual option, RWD and big V8s
Yep all the goodies please
@@rk22cc I just want it to resume where it was before it was on the chopping block. Of course it would have more modern updates and tech added
We would probaly end up with hybrids
@@M3DUZA8O8 I’m not against it if it’s paired up to a V8
If Pontiac comes back they should be a performance brand similar to how Dodge is now. Give us new incarnations of vehicles like the G8 and Solstice. The G8 especially needs a second chance. It was a great car that came too late to save the brand.
If GM did bring back Pontiac that would be awesome
I hope it becomes there sport company again....
@@HiThereZoomy Agreed 100% also have V8s as well.
Unfortunately there's little doubt they'd just ruin it...
What we need is a Pontiac it's fast simple and few options keep it less complicated
@@gordonwardhaugh8266 Agreed 100%
I've owned two Pontiacs, I bought my sister a 02 Firebird for her first car, and I'm about to buy my third Pontiac; a 68 Firebird. If Pontiac comes back that will be the first brand new car I ever buy without hesitation.
The 1968 Formula 400, drop-top Fire Chicken, was the pinnacle of that model. Enjoy!
Lol the 68 firebird and the 02 firebird, put together, might be enough to match my G8 :)
It’s definitely stiffer than both. Being twisty, badly designed, noodle cars.
They look good though lol but don’t have the haunches, handling, looks or yeah.
Absolutely best Pontiac was the last.
The late. The great. The g8. V8
I currently own 5 Pontiacs including my first Pontiac I’ve owned for over 59 years!
Even though sick of crossovers, before crossovers were such a thing, there were some neat Jeep like Pontiac SUV/Crossover concepts in the 90s that looked pretty neat.
@@0eroOverride If you say so
When I was a teen, I wanted a trans am. If pontiac comes back, I’d get one.
The g8 came out when I was 18. I got it by 22. You can still give buy one…
Bring back the Solstice, Firebird, and GTO!
Definitely the SOLSTICE with a turbo V6
@@JOHNHENRYHOLLIDAY-rl5mi LS engines fit. No problem. Stock hood. Even LS7s. The prioblem is the rear: not enough tire due to Kappa platform design.
Before the brand was dropped there was a hint of a Solstice in a coupe form . If that had been the case I would have bought one instead of the G5 that I bought.
@@ttop64 there were Solstice coupes produced in low volume. I wanted to get one for my wife, but ended up with a FRS. The Solstice coupes are hard to come by now, obviously, and fetch $50k+.
@@ttop64 Over 1100 Solstice coupes were made through regular production and were 2009 and 2010 models sold through dealers. There were a bit over 100 pre-production examples made. You can look it up. GM did next to no real ad campaign for them. You can buy them today but they are pricey.
As a lifelong Firebird/TransAm fan I was gutted when they not only dropped that platform but killed the brand altogether. There are true blue bird lovers still out there and we need Pontiac back. Unfortunately, now that I'm a little older and medical bills have ended any chance of finally owning a new bird, I'll never get that opportunity even if it happens. That aside, we the people of Earth, need it to come back!!!
Same. I still have a GTA and a WS6
@@BlackRam17 I'm insanely jealous, I don't have a bird anymore. My first was a beautiful 84 t-top Firebird and my second was a beautiful 86 t-top T/A. The GTA and WS6 are the cream of the crop, I congratulate you!
@@brandiwynter thank you! I hope you can find your way back into one some day!
Sorry you couldn't live your dream. Thats one thing GM seems blind to... the bean counters don't understand about the car's soul and the fans who love them.
@@BlackRam1786 TA with 36,000 orig miles
If GM brought back a “New” retro 1970 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, it would sell so many cars.
"Retro" with 30" ghetto wheels??
Funny you should mention the 1970 TransAm. I am building one with a Chevy connect and cruise 525hp LS3 and 6L80E transmission. Coilover shocks all around with a 4-link rear suspension. All the TransAm flares and spoilers with a narrowed rear-end an tubs to fit 21st century tires. I will have bronze snowflake wheels(18" or 19") and the CAMARO radiant red tint coat paint.
@@geraldscott4302 what in the everloving shit are you talking bout Mr. Scott?
We would both want it, but "so many cars" is just factually wrong. There's a very limited size market for V8 coupes. And we both know there's now way it's cheaper than the outgoing Camaro SS, which was already the most affordable of the bug three and we'll... You see what happened when it's sales started plummeting.
Yeah, probably with dual electric motors and a 400HO soundtrack for the external speakers...
I hope Pontiac can be the brand that can reel in the younger generations and also have more car enthusiasts into GM portfolio.
Thats true but from what I have seen, at least in the US theres still a lot young people with Firebirds and Camaros, especially 3rd gens because they're still affordable and fun. I am 21 and own a '88 Firebird myself but yeah I bet a modern car might make the brand interesting to the average person again. Usually its just us gearheads with the classics
hopefully they don't price the younger crowd out of it. I can already predict that they're going to sell it for at least 50k msrp and the dealers jack it up to 80k+.
@@nicksspeedshop8664Yep. My early 20s stepson just snapped up an early C4 Vette for next to nothing.
@@serfcityherewecome8069 Hell yeah that sounds wicked! Sadly I'm from Europe, we don't get cheap American V8 classics, it's either you go V6 and pay like 5-10k or you go V8 which usually only had 50-100 HP more and pay like 15-20k at least for 80s cars. 70s cars are even worse. But I heard over in the states the prices keep going up too. It's a bummer we're being priced out of our own Hobby
That is something they need to do. Yes, us old people have more money, but we aren't going to be around forever. Who do you sell to after we are gone? That is one of the reasons the young only buy Japanese - they know how to appeal to the younger people.
Bring back Pontiac GM!!!!!!
Ws6 4life. It was ahead of its time as aggressive looks
Pontiac has always been my favorite brand, in fact I drive a 20 year old Bonneville. Can't beat them for performance, looks, and down right dependability. Not just Bonneville Pontic in general. No other brand has ever compared as far as I'm concerned.
Once you become a Pontiac owner, you soon realize that other makes aren't on the same level in styling and performance.
Dependability? 😂😂😂
@@quakerthroats9010never heard of service schedule?
I have a 22 year old Grand Prix GT that I've mostly restored now. American racing torque thrust wheels, ZZP coilovers, fiberglass WS6 hood, black/silver with red lettering. Just what that car was supposed to be. All I did was saw the potential and built her all Pontiac. I love my car.
I drive a 2000 SSEi.
Let's hope they bring Pontiac back!!!🙏🏼
Yes!
Bring back the Firebird, G8, Solstice, G6, Grand Am, Grand Prix, Bonneville and GTO & Bring back the Pontiac brand.
@@NewtownVidsdon’t forget the Fiero 2.0
Why do we all hope for this? No good will come of it. They'll just ruin it and make it go all EV.
@@thesovietvorona1007could they rebadge the c8 corvette as a Pontiac fiero?
Pontiac has been synonymous with "Excitement" since the 1960s when they led GM into the Muscle Car era. I'm glad to see they are at least thinking about bringing the brand back. I'm a loyal Pontiac owner, having recently acquired a resto-mod 1955 Star Chief in memory of my first car, a used 1955 Chieftain I bought in 1963. GM, this is NOISE!!! Bring Pontiac back! Drew, please keep us posted on progress.
We sure hope we can make enough noise to bring it back!
I think this is just pipe dreams. And if gm brings Pontiac back, it'll probably be a damn EV.
To bad its a resto-mod. There is nothing wrong with a STOCK 55 Star Chief.
About a dozen years ago, I turned my back on GM. If Pontiac comes back, I'll be reassessing that decision.
Same
Ditto.
What about Oldsmobile.
Same for me.
@@latashafreeman563We love olds, but Buick kind of does the same thing at this point. They’re also going to sell worse naturally because of the name “Olds”
Wouldn't it be great if gm bring back the Pontiac GTO RETRO STYLE! THE GOAT!!!👍🤔
Agreed 100%
....don't be a wannabe. Buy a real one. I've been a vintage GM muscle and sports car guy since the 80s. I've driven GM muscle from 350 to 455 for over 40 years. I had a '12 1SS Camaro, LS3. Blast to drive. But the retro styling was just facepaint. Also, I have owned vintage Buicks, Olds, and Pontiacs, as well as Chevy. The GTO was not ever as fast as people remember. Not from the factory, the Royal Oak ringer was not a production car. For about 40K buy yourself a *really* nice, built 1968 Tempest. Join a Pontiac club, a real one not a message board or forum. Buy a member's car. Go and get yourself an actual vintage car is my advice. Buy the real thing. Yeah you might have to take a plane ride, that's how I bought a '66 Corvette. Well worth the travel.
Forget the Goat it’s about the Trans Am baby.
New Pontiac sports car? shut up and take my money!
Nothing is stopping Car and Driver from putting a fake ad from a bankrupt and closed company in their magazine, to help sell magazines! They even state it’s a fake ad - so C&D might have had no advertiser for that spot, and made their own add to just get attention.
Meanwhile GM could see this attention, and start making some phone calls to see if this is something they actually want to pursue in some form.
I doubt Car and Driver is solely responsible for the ad... General Motors still owns and maintains all the trademarks related to "Pontiac", Firebird", "Trans Am" etc. in addition to owning the "Phoenix rising" (screaming chicken) design logo. That could get very expensive for Car and Driver if they just took it upon themselves to just print the ad to sell magazines. GM could sue the pants right off their bodies.
C&D doesn’t own the trademark…
@@rogergoodman8665 Satire has a large number of legal protections.
I’ve had a bunch of Pontiacs, first car was a 65 GTO, 68 firebird, two 69 GTOs, a 75 grand am, and a81 trans am, yea, I would LOVE to see them back
I hope this isn't a fluke I hated when GM killed off Pontiac GM please bring back Pontiac
2026 - nice thought! I have always loved Pontiacs. My dad owned several. My last was a Firebird. If that came back, I'd likely visit the showroom! Bring it on!!
Agreed! My first car in high school was a 1994 V6 Firebird and I currently have a 1998 V6 Firebird, 1999 TA, and a 2002 Formula.
Sometimes a joke is the best way to read the room.
Face value is not so valuable these days. If they say it's a fake ad, I might be gullible to believe it.
But...I might be naive to believe it's not fake.
Time will tell.
Bring back Pontiac!!!!!!
They need to bring Pontiac back it deserves to be alive. They should bring back three models. A two-door V8 rear-wheel drive. A four-door V8 rear wheel drive. Any small two-door "commuter car" lol. The LS3 based inline 4 would be a perfect fit for a fiero revival.
Especially if that inline 4 had a big turbo on it
Hope this is real. Transam is in my opinion the most iconic sports car ever. I have the last year made 2002 transam looks as modern as anything on the market today. The Pontiac transam is a legendary sports car. Come on GM bring it back.
Firebirds were built like shit.
@danielc1417 the quality was definitely not the best agreed. But the transam was definitely fun to drive and the best looking sports car out. I wish the quality was better that is for sure. But I still love the vehicle very exciting when you are behind the wheel. It gets alot of looks and heads turning when you drive by. And everywhere you go someone always starts a conversation about them.
98 WS6 owner here. They still look better than anything made since!
@danielc1417 why are you here????
Bring back Pontiac
I'm a French citizen & gen X. The American car that always spoke to me is the 3rd gen Trans Am because of "that" obscure TV show with a sexy talking car that was cut like a 🦈... Have a modern slick neo/retro new version of it & it will sell.
Bring back Pontiac!
Knight Rider.
Problem is, the younger people in this country only buy Datsuns and Toyotas. They are the only automakers who made it a point to appeal to the young, not just to older people.
I'm a Chevy fan, but since the Camaro is gone, we need her rowdy older cousin to come back and show the younger generations why Pontiacs were so cool.
Hey,GM bring Pontiac back. That would be awesome!!!
Hey, GM, give us SUV's that get 50+ MPG AND Pontiacs that get smiles per gallons!
YES. For the love of all no damn crossovers, minivans, boring commuter cars, SUV, or generic gm mediocre mobiles. Do not badge engineer them. I want it to look like a true separate division of gm.
Coupes and sedans are well over due for a comeback. I hope to see a new firebird in the near future.
Indeed. I see people all over YT restoring crammy old Fiero cars & proudly driving them. Who would have thought, eh? There's a need for sporty & quirky econoboxes & I could see Pontiac exploiting that niche.
I was initially disappointed seeing that disclaimer at the bottom. But then I started putting it all together.
New GM retained the Pontiac name and likeness in bankruptcy so clearly they didn’t intend for anyone else to use that logo.
2010 was a very long time ago, GM was a different company back then. They were building garbage just to survive. But now in 2024 things have changed a lot and GM has proven capable of building nice, quality products and world class sports cars. “We build excitement” could actually be true again.
And I didn’t even think about the Camaro and NASCAR.
Cheap speed is coming back baby!! We want Pontiac back!
Dont count on it being cheap lol.
@@____MC____ Most brands retain their defunct names, so that's not really proof of anything. Ford still owns the rights Fairlane, Falcon, and even Edsel. Chrysler still owns the names to all of their iconic cars, including everything under the Plymouth brand. There's no way Stellantis will ever bring back Viper, but they retain the name.
Thanks for following up with GM and providing the update. Something is going on behind door number one.
Bring back the excitement! (Mr. GTO)
Back in 2009, I was working at a Pontiac dealer. Our GM rep said the brand name was being "mothballed" for a possible future return. So with that, I've always had hope the brand would come back, maybe as a mainstream performance brand for GM.
Bring back Pontiac and please bring back the GTO!
If GM made Pontiac a Performance premium Division it would go
I shared a screenshot of the ad from your first video about this. I shared it on the bunch of FB pages of Pontiac/Trans Am pages I’m a member of…the negativity/skepticism I read in the comments were surprising. Everyone was quick to point out the disclaimer. I agree with you, I think a disclaimer is almost mandatory considering it wasn’t an ad for actual release. It’s obviously to test the waters.
Personally, I’m pretty excited about the possibilities. That ad was expensive. Everything in it was carefully and deliberately thought out. Particularly the Phoenix. I guarantee what they have in mind is nothing less than a full blown Trans Am. I can afford to buy a new car but I never have. Never could justify that much money. But if they come out with a new Trans Am, I just might. Especially considering the Camaro body style was based off the first gen F body and how long in the tooth that became. A new T/A could hopefully be based off the 2nd or third generation…or seeing as the two were relatively similar, both.
Definitely my feeling as well!
I would love to see Pontiac come back. I’m only 19 but I love Pontiac. My grandpa’s favorite car he ever owned was a 1963 Pontiac Catalina. It’s was a tri power 421. This last year I found a Catalina with the exact same options he had and have had the opportunity to drive and enjoy this car over the last year. It’s given me a new appreciation for a brand I never really got to see on the road when they were producing new vehicles. I’ve also had some fun experiences with some of the 2000’s Pontiacs that were unique and fun cars. I’d love to see them come back as that brand they always were, fun cars built for the enthusiasts like sedans and coupes and convertibles that connect the driver to the road.
You bring up so many great points! Especially the 100 year anniversary! Great video!
Your points about GM’s representation in NASCAR is exactly what I’ve been thinking ever since I heard about this.
Man I would so love Pontiac coming back!!! I was so disappointed when they shut Pontiac down, I’ve had 16 Pontiac’s, more than any other brand.
Trans Am Worldwide nailed down what could’ve been by modifying Camaro’s (they’ve always been same chassis cars), into Trans Am’s. But at a premium price too!
Now would be a perfect time for a Firebird relaunch, now that the Challenger is dead, the Charger is going EV, and the Camaro just got axed as well.
Just think, there’s been some damn good looking Firebird’s; think of the 70-73 front ends, the 77-78’s, and the 79-81’s as well (79 was the highest selling Trans Am model year of all time).
They could keep them fresh for a while, unlike the Challenger which much looked the same through its run. Mustang’s need some competition from GM.
Also, what will happen to the Chevrolet NASCAR teams? Especially Hendrick Motorsports. They’ve ALWAYS been Chevrolet, nothing else!!!
No Pontiac’s in the Rick Hendrick collection, all Chevy’s.
Cadillac would be interesting in NASCAR, they’ve done good in other motorsports arenas.
Just putting my 2 cents in.
Loved the video. You really got me thinking of all the ‘what if’s’ that might be happening in the near future.
I still drive a Pontiac in 2024. Bring them back!
IF BIG IF. If GM brought back Pontiac, all the dealers are gone. This is the perfect opportunity to do the Tesla model of online sales. Sure, have a place to see the vehicle, but all ordering is done online. No dealer system.
V8 Firebird/TA/GTA trims for coupe, GT8 for sedan. NA lower trims, supercharged versions for higher trims. Would pick up the void that Dodge is leaving. Tim Kuniskis as CEO. Who better to lead the brand at relaunch and give people who want these vehicles what they’re looking for. We can wish, can’t we?
“Gran Turismo Omologato”, we need the GOAT to make a menacing return. I’d drop everything to buy a brand new GTO or Trans AM. Bring back Pontiac. Bring back the Peoples Brand!
They should make it what the Camaro , Firebird and Mustang originally were. Affordable small pony cars and not chase Corvette numbers and price. With everything going electric there’s a place for an internal combustion hobby car that can be an everyday driver too for those that don’t need or want a suv. It’s gotta have great styling! Keep it simple and classic so it ages well. I think a modern take on the great selling second gen would be interesting. What killed the Camaro is that the 6th gen looked almost exactly like the 5th. They got a new lighter platform and totally dropped the ball! And they didn’t address the terrible outward visibility.
I drive a ND2 Miata now which I love ,
but I’ve always wanted a
Firebird Trans Am!🙏
How do you make the business case work for a single model? GM still has to make a profit. It’s a fake advertisement.
I just want my Fiero back..
The Fiero plant is now a garbage company facility. Over half the building was torn down.
It would be awesome to see if Pontiac does return, if they will have a response for the C8 Corvette. I love driving my 88 fiero around in the summer!
They happened to kill the Fiero just at the time they got all the bugs worked out. The last year Fiero was definitely way better than the 1st year.
@@RedBud315 they even made a prototype Fiero 2.😭
It is back. They sell them at Chevrolet Dealers under the name "Corvette" as the C8. It really is the Fiero fast forwarded to its full potential.
Bring back Pontiac Firebird and Oldsmobile 442
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@countryjoe3551 I would rather they bring back Oldsmobile & the 442 over Pontiac and the Firebird actually. If it has to be Pontiac then bring back a real GTO, not a rebadged Camaro.
Keeping my fingers crossed! Great information, thanks 😎👍
The "Excitement" brand needs to make a come back! Chevy, GMC Truck, Buick, and for the most part, Cadillac are SUV/ Truck brands. GM is shooting itself in the foot, both on the racetrack, and in the showrooms by returning to badge-engineered clones. Bring back the Firebird/ Trans AM! Revive the way-too-soon-killed-off Fiero (how cool would a modern, American, 250-ish horsepower, mid-engined, fuel sipping "Commuter Car" be to take on the Miata, and Boxster?)! Heck... bring back the Grand AM with update Volt technology with optional All Wheel Drive!
Bring Pontiac back!!
If GM said "No Comment" this means they are not spilling the beans until it is ready, My father would be glad to come back to Pontiac era. I mean well at least for a next 10 years. Guess we'll have to wait and *Make some NOISE*
I bought the last big body Trans Am my local Pontiac dealer had in 1981. It was specially made for the G.M. of the dealership. It has the L81 corvette engine and a 5sp manual transmission. It was only 190 hp, but that was the standard back then. I’ve since added the Borla exhaust system and had the engine tweaked getting the hp up to 235. My 1st wife wanted me to sell the car because it wasn’t family friendly, my 2nd wife absolutely loves it.
I think if the lineup had the GTO, Firebird/TA, G8(Grand Prix), and a Solstice or Fiero, it covers all the lay outs people would want. Larger coupe, coupe, 4 door sedan, and a two seater roadster
I want the Transam!!! Always been one of my favorites! Had a 76 Bandit like black n silver and several 02WS6s if I could’ve afforded it would’ve went Transam depot but $$
It’s not a 100 years when you been shut down for 14 years
100th Birthday, yes.
Anniversary, no.
@@tommc3622 no when you die you stop having birthdays…
Well done update!
Great content
It would be incredible if people that who has Pontiac cars revving their engines, making burnouts, literraly making some noise around General Motors building
Gosh. I would even pay a bit to help support that event. Make it happen Pontiac owners. Pick the place and the time!
I think GM did put out this ad, but indirectly. They paid an external marketing firm to do it with little guidance for plausible deniability.
I thought Pontiac could have been saved by pivoting it from the performance brand to the cutting-edge brand.
But this is ignoring a much bigger issue: form factor diversity is being sacrificed on the altar of corporate efficiency. Every showroom is congealing into multiple redundant crossover/SUV models and optionally trucks.
The fact is, all crossovers and most SUVs should be station wagons: lower, lighter, more efficient, better handling. This is what we should be demanding comes back.
I think you’re on to something here. I’ve heard this theory from more than one person.
They killed of the original muscle car just before the muscle car war 2.0. Imagine what the GTO would've been had they not killed Pontiac. Dodge had the challenger demon, Pontiac could've brought back the judge to lock that demon down. Being the GTO was the first official muscle car Pontiac would've brought hell on them all.
Owned my 2006 gto since 2011 and i will probably never let it go. If Pontiac comes back LFG!!!!!!!!!
Man you make the most sense of any automotive reporter I’ve ever heard or read about! Kudo’s to you !
I hope if it comes back it is styled after the forth gen WS6 and not the Bandit theme. I’m sick of seeing Camaros turned into Bandits
Same here
They should bring In a new generation of fans and not just cater to the old fans
Agreed. Pontiac was never part of the “retro design” philosophy. Their designs always pushed forward as an evolution of previous designs and not backwards. So those “Camaro Trans Am’s” made by TAW were so far off of Pontiac’s main philosophy that they bordered on blasphemy.
I own an 02 WS6 and an 09 Solstice and I’d love to see an evolution to never before seen design.
Cant stand seeing a 77 trans am themed car with a 69 camaro body lines
I think Pontiac should do a retro GTO. 455 ci with supercharger.
Trans Am and let a British guy play The Bandit, you know the man who played Superman.
When Chevrolet announced the new Camaro in 2009 for the 2010 model year, the first thing I thought was that I couldn't wait to see the Pontiac Firebird version! There were already design concepts being published, which were basically artists' renderings of what they thought it could look like, all basically Camaros with throwback Firebird inspired front ends and tails. I kept waiting, thinking something was fishy as to why there was no official announcement of a future Firebird, and then I suddenly discovered on Facebook of all places that Pontiac had been officially discontinued. I was devastated.
Long time Pontiac person here, as was my father. I currently own two 1979 trans ams, one of which is a restored 10th anniversary with a 400/4-speed.
Pontiac died because GM engaged in badge engineering. There really wasn’t much difference between a Pontiac and the equivalent Chevy model it was derived from. That made Pontiac expendable.
I don’t know how they can make a new “Pontiac” without dipping into the GM parts bin again. What is going to differentiate a new Pontiac from everything else GM makes?
The wind tunnel testing is worrisome. The wind tunnel gives the same answer to everyone which is why we have so many look-alike jelly bean cars now. If they pay too much attention to the wind tunnel results and not enough attention to classic Pontiac styling it won’t connect, much as the new GTO didn’t.
Pontiac was GM’s bad boys. They enjoyed doing outrageous things when everyone else was pulling back - witness the availability of a 455 in 1976 when small V8’s or V6’s were common, or the SD 455’s with provisions for dry sump oiling should you want to race it. The GTO comes to mind and what it started. Pontiac had some rebels working for them that thought outside the box, and I believe it was encouraged with a wink and a nod from GM management. Think guys like Herb Adams and John Delorean.
Today, I’m not sure whether the environment at GM will allow them to think outside the box anymore, or will allow engineers to do things that aren’t on a corporate roadmap somewhere.
As an example of this, go read the story about the hood bird. Management was completely against it, not wanting a “Screaming chicken” decal on the hood, and yet we got the bird and it was wildly popular - GM’s even using it in this ad now. I’m not sure the same result is possible now.
I’ll be watching and waiting to see if GM has any of its soul left.
Bring back the firebird and use it to replace the camaro in nascar
If there is such a great market for this type of car why is GM cancelling the Camaro?? Why then would they bring back the screaming chicken? what for? for who all the people who are not buying the camaro? if the market is there -- then they would be selling -- how come they are not? I do not understand why the video author notes there is a market when clearly there is not one since GM is cancelling a product that already is 'there' and purchasable, if it is selling so great how come they are cancelling it -- because perhaps there is no market?? perhaps?
Yep, it's completely illogical to think that _now_ , of all times, GM is priming to bring back the firebird, when they just killed off its sibling, which they favored _more_ .
If they bring the brand back and start making actually affordable performance vehicles not “”affordable”” ( at $45k +) like a lot of manufacturers think is affordable . But if they put out a performance vehicle at around $22k-$25k starting it would be the first new car I would buy off a showroom floor for sure
Can't profitably sell cars that cheap.
GM conquered the world by building cars that were tough, affordable, easy to repair, and easy to upgrade with broad aftermarket support. They need to return to those roots.
YES! Even lowly 6 cylinder only Chevrolets could be upgraded via the aftermarket!
Gm could screw this up so bad
An EV has a place,, on a golf course in a golf cart. The impracticalities of them for 'everyday' transport makes then near useless. And that is IF they do not catch fire.
Bring Pontiac back as the true excitement brand that they always promised, but never completely fulfilled. Build a Solstice, a full Firebird lineup that competes with the Mustang, a front engined Banshee for those missing the front engined Corvette, and a full sized LeMans lineup that includes the GTO. There’s so much potential here. Imagine a full sized GTO convertible. When’s the last time anyone offered an affordable big rag top?
The mid tier of the lemans, the tempest, came as a wagon. Imagine a GTO wagon, people have made tributes using the tempest wagon and they look pretty dang good, I think that’d be pretty cool! With a tri power v8 would be even better!
Awesome video! I think it would be wonderful for Pontiac to return. Competition is pro consumer.
GM has killed the Firebird once and the Camaro TWICE, what makes anyone think they'll revive an entire brand around a car they don't want to make?
Right. Camaro sales are so low, why would they bring back the Firebird? We all say we want Camaros and Tran’s Ams, but they don’t sell.
The catch is the car you are describing as something that people want is a car they were recently making. It would be called the Camaro, and they could barely give them away, so what makes anybody think somebody’s going to buy something similar with a Pontiac name stuck on it? I’d love to see a comeback of Pontiac, but I don’t think something in the vein of the Camaro is going to do much to get it going again. The Camaro has been suffering in sales for years.
Why kill the Camaro just to bring back its ugly duckling brother it makes no sense. The Camaro still sells decent and is a better over all car then it’s competitor really. They just need to make a stupid high hp model that’s not as good of a car really. Unfortunately people are stupid and would rather have 700hp 4500 pound hellcat that can’t turn instead of a 650hp 3500 pound car that handles like a world class car and is still fast in a straight line and more car then 99% can handle. It makes no sense
Spot on. I don't understand the hype either. A modern incarnation of the Firebird or T/A would sell initially well, but by the 3rd model year be on life support just like the Camaro. Besides, why would anyone think a V8 powered rear drive car on a new platform be any cheaper than a Corvette? It might actually be more...think about it. All that engineering, tooling, marketing etc etc etc needs to be recuperated and earn some profit. The market for such a beast is too small today. Sorry.
@@Thumper68"Than" not then.
@@k.c.marshall921 that’s nice
@@davem8790 it wouldn’t be a new car it would just be a rebadged Camaro with a fire chicken on the hood. The thing is that all the young people didn’t grow up thinking that’s cool and it just wouldn’t be what many think it would be. All they needed to do was make a Camaro with 700+ hp and it would sell just like hellcats
Awesome, I am onboard!
Bring back the Fiero as an EV
The original mid-engine GM sports car. 😊
Ive had 3 Pontiacs. A 79 Trans Am I bought in 1983 had 46.000 miles on it. Was in like new condition, I live in Southern California, a Bandit look alike. Great looks, handled well. A great freeway cruiser. However, it was not very fast.I was 24 at the time. My brother and I drove it clear across the country 3 times in July to visit family in North Carolina without any issues. I traded it in 1986 with about 90.000 miles on it for a 1986 Fiero with the v6 engine, 4 speed manual trany, SE Model, has the big rear spoiler and was red, with a silver interior. Fully loaded. Was a quick little car, great fun to drive, was my daily till 1994. At that time it had about 280.000 thousand miles on it. Still running just fine, very few repairs, nothing expensive. I have kept it. In 1994 I test drove a new Trans Am. What a difference in performance compared to the 79. Has the LT1 engine and felt like a rocket ship. I turned to the salesman after we got back to the dealership and said I'LL TAKE IT. It has 338.000 miles on it now, the engine has never been touched, even the timing chain is original. It runs like new, uses no oil, and is still very quick. It was my daily for 11 years. Ive kept it too. I would love to see Pontiac brought back!
It would be amazing if they brought back Pontiac! The first car community that I felt like I belonged to was the Pontiac car community. I love seeing how vibrant it still is and if they did bring back Pontiac it would definitely be something I would put on the top of the new car shopping list
One things for sure, if the phoenix does rise from the ashes, then all 3 of my classic Ponchos just went up in value, way up!
I want to be excited about a new vehicle again please come back pontiac
I grew up in Pontiac Michigan, when Pontiac died, so did my home. I really hope they not only reopen Pontiac, but do it in Pontiac. I have always loved Pontiacs cars and would love to see a return
What can we do as consumers to give GM the push it needs to bring Pontiac back!!!
And Thank You for your efforts.
Please bring them back they have always been an iconic brand
That blue Firebird/TA in this video looks totally bad ass. I love the merging 2nd Gen with the modern. It looks way better than the boxiness of what Dodge has done.
Impressively thorough. Possibly exciting. But I’m still hurt by the discontinuation, so I’m cautious.
Give me V8's, a roadster, and a sleeper sedan like an SS. Hybrids, maybe. But no EV's. Bring back PONTIAC!
Had a Bonneville SSEI...been waiting for a pontiac revival since they've been axed...
I wept when Pontiac was discontinued. If they release another, I'll buy it without hesitation.
I hope the pontiac rumors come true. I still have a 1999 WS6 Trans Am. Every time I drive it someone makes a comment about it. Many people definitely miss the Firebird.
Do you have any merch on your channel? I love the logo!
I had a 61 Bonneville convertible back in the day and it was a great all around car.
I would love to see the return of Pontiac whether that be in the form of a Firebird, GTO, Grand Prix, or even a Grand Am.
I think it would fill a lost segment if they made a luxury California Cruiser convertible. Something powerful but made for riding around town with the top down. Like the 1961 Impala in spirt.
Been a Pontiac fan/consumer for almost 40 yrs, owned a few of them with my last and current car being a 99 Firebird Formula WS6, please GM bring back the Firebird!