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Vibe alternate history

Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2019 6:09 pm
by RRich89
Regular Car Reviews did a retrospective on the history of Pontiac. As I finished watching until the very end which covered GM's fateful decision to kill Pontiac I was struck by a quote from Bob Lutz. I'm paraphrasing him here: GM had plans to make Pontiac the excitement division again and have an all rear wheel drive fleet starting with a version of the Cadillac ATS.

This got me thinking. If Pontiac lived how much longer would the Vibe have lived? If GM had plans to switch Pontiac to RWD it seems to me the Vibes days were numbered anyway. I also don't see how the Vibe would've continued after Toyota killed the Matrix in 2013. Is there any more information out there on the last days of the Vibe and NUMMI?

https://youtu.be/Odb0eFs_3xU

Re: Vibe alternate history

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2019 2:38 am
by zbyers
Vibes days were numbered anyway. It was all toyota parts and they were slowly phasing the matrix out as it's sales weren't so hot either.

Re: Vibe alternate history

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2019 3:43 am
by Caretaker
.....'cause their Matrix, especially the first generation, looked like a woman's shoe, we Vibe owner had to ultimately suffer the demise of the Vibe.

Re: Vibe alternate history

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2019 5:16 am
by zbyers
Caretaker wrote: Fri Jul 26, 2019 3:43 am .....'cause their Matrix, especially the first generation, looked like a woman's shoe, we Vibe owner had to ultimately suffer the demise of the Vibe.
i dunno, the styling of both second gens is worse than the matrix first gen... VGT on 2nd gen isn't horrid. nothing can touch the 03-04 VGT w/body kit. those are gorgeous.

I think if they were re-released with more modern amenities, they'd work well in today's market. Corolla hatch is the same as the second gen vibe: bloated, slow, and outdated with boring engine.

Re: Vibe alternate history

Posted: Thu Aug 01, 2019 5:52 pm
by thatsthevibe
I think the vibe would have been killed in 2013 along with the matrix. I am also curious about nummi, there’s very little info on the vibe production and nothing on the last vibe built! No photos or anything as far as I know.

Re: Vibe alternate history

Posted: Fri Aug 02, 2019 5:49 am
by tpollauf
thatsthevibe wrote: Thu Aug 01, 2019 5:52 pm No photos or anything as far as I know.
At least there is this photo. And almost ten years ago to the date !

Image