End is near for the Vibe?

[mikey00]

I was in the Doctor's waiting room yesterday and got to quickly skim an article in the August 2006 issue of Motor Trend. It was about GM's future stragety and it's return to rear wheel drive. The article mentioned that the G6 was over at the end of it's model run and also that it was over for the Vibe without mentioning when.

[tcam]

no, that can't be. At least I don't think. I have seen other magazines discuss what the Vibe will be like in 2008. I'm pretty sure that they're staying around.

[Mavrik]

GM would be doing the most stupid thing ever done to completely cut out the fwd lineup. I mean there goes the vans, the Vibe, the colbalt, the sunfire... all of which personally I think is what has helped keep GM alive this long. Gone would be all the buicks. Not everyone wants a rear wheel drive car, I don't other then a solstice or sky. And I would never give GM a second consideration should that be all they provide.

[NaNC3]

I think mikey meant to say that Pontiac is returning to RWD. I don't really get this because they only "sell" two RWD cars now that I can think of (Solstice and GTO)...and they don't know how to sell the GTO...(I have only seen one GTO out in the wild!)I personally prefer FWD and I think it's a mistake. I think Pontiac might drop the Vibe though, and Chevy is probably going to drop the Malibu Maxx, too. GM won't have any similar 5-door hatch vehicles besides Aveo (yuk) while Honda, Nissan, Mazda, etc. keep bringing out more models. Bye-bye GM.

[mikey00]

No, I meant GM. The main topic was GM's return to RWD. It then went on to talk about the RWD Impala and a new RWD Malibu. After that it went on about Pontiac and the end of the G6 and Vibe. As I said I only had a chance to skim the article in the doctors waiting room. It was August 2006 Motor Trend. I can't seem to find the article online. If anyone has the mag mabe they could provide some more facts.

[NaNC3]

mikey, sorry that I doubted you! (I thought I read somewhere, about 2 months ago, that Pontiac was going to RWD)but GM, say it ain't so!!!!

[Kari]

Quote, originally posted by NaNC3 »mikey, sorry that I doubted you! (I thought I read somewhere, about 2 months ago, that Pontiac was going to RWD)but GM, say it ain't so!!!!I read the same thing as well...that Pontiac was wanting to return to RWD, but I didn't think it applied to any other brands.One other thought though...maybe they are just planning on adding more RWD vehicles to the lineup, rather than going strictly RWD?

[ToolGuy]

I do not think GM will completely do away with FWD cars in their line ups, look at Chrysler. Even though the 300C, Charger and Magnum are all RWD DCX still has the Caliber, PT, Sebring, Avenger (coming back) and ALL the minivans and then AWD Compass... If anyone did away with FWD I would say DCX would have and they have not.

[jake75]

I suspect that there are a great many people (far more than 50%) like me who would not buy any rear wheel drive passenger vehicle. Rear wheel drive is making somewhat of a comeback but I think it will be a niche.

[VforVIBE]

I heard that the Vibe will be done away with; Pontiac will only focus on RWD cars, which means the Torrent, the SV6, and the Vibe, are done with… basically; GM is going to stop competing with its self. You'll find that dealerships are going to change; Pontiac will be sold along side Buick. This is not going to be pretty.

[ZubenElGenubi]

Quote, originally posted by VforVIBE »I heard that the Vibe will be done away with; Pontiac will only focus on RWD cars, which means the Torrent, the SV6, and the Vibe, are done with… basically; GM is going to stop competing with its self. You'll find that dealerships are going to change; Pontiac will be sold along side Buick. This is not going to be pretty.Pontiac is sold along side Buick NOW. I mean, how many "exclusively Pontiac" dealers are there anymore?OTOH, if they dedicate each brand to some specific market sector, like they tried to do with Saturn originally, they could pull this off. Buick has always been the brand that older persons gravitate to; Pontiac used to be performance-oriented. How does this relate to the Vibe? We know the Vibe is more of an economical vehicle than performance vehicle. However, if Pontiac made a truly high-performance version of the Vibe (GTXandthensome), they could use the base version as a way of bringing new customers in (with economy) and bring them back with a high-performance vehicle when they acquire some affluence (i.e., money). It would work for me.

[vibe-04]

No this must be wrong. Rear wheel drive is not fuel efficient nor is it safer than front wheel drive. Ask anyone who drives in winter snow and they will tell you 4x4 or FWD will get you home where as RWD will get you in a ditch. Yeah it is better in a race but... I commute.Maybe some four-door sedan models might switch but this article must be fishing for an industry response. I mean, come on, we're heading to more than 4 bucks a gallon. So why would GM go back to 70s thinking with RWD???

[isaaclud]

[QUOTE=VforVIBE]basically; GM is going to stop competing with its self. QUOTE]THIS NEEDS TO HAPPEN! Gm currently sells 53 models!!! This needs to change....you dont see FORD competing withitself.....or TOYOTAthe ONLY people who will buy the G5 will be would-be-cobaltbuyers...GM is fooling itself with that ****

[ramenboy...]

Quote, originally posted by VforVIBE »I heard that the Vibe will be done away with; Pontiac will only focus on RWD cars...ooooo maybe pontiac's big wigs went to see the latest fast and furious movie and they're going to throw all its money into the 'drifiting' market...

[mcgusto82]

Quote, originally posted by vibe-04 »No this must be wrong. Rear wheel drive is not fuel efficient nor is it safer than front wheel drive. Ask anyone who drives in winter snow and they will tell you 4x4 or FWD will get you home where as RWD will get you in a ditch. Yeah it is better in a race but... I commute.Maybe some four-door sedan models might switch but this article must be fishing for an industry response. I mean, come on, we're heading to more than 4 bucks a gallon. So why would GM go back to 70s thinking with RWD???well, technology has come a long way where RWD can compete with FWD when it comes to traction. back in the 70's this wasn't the case. RWD just performes better in more ways than a FWD car. most people want a car that will perform along with being confortable. top of that fuel economy can be achived with both platform.maybe FWD was the niche.

[ColonelPanic]

Man, how did all those people get around all those winters in RWD cars for decades and decades? None of that FWD crap was anywhere to be found Imagine what they can do now with all the nifty electronics like traction/stability control, ABS, etc. And a great selection of excellent winter tires these days. Throw a bit of weight in the back and you'll be ok. LOL!RWD will make a comeback.

[prathman]

Quote, originally posted by mcgusto82 »well, technology has come a long way where RWD can compete with FWD when it comes to traction. back in the 70's this wasn't the case.There's only a limited amount that improved technology can do to actually increase traction rather than just control it better.When we lived in NJ I dropped our daughter off at a daycare center located at the end of a long steep driveway. On days when this driveway was slippery RWD cars without limited slip differentials made it about a third of the way up before starting to slide back down. RWD cars with limited slip made it about half way up. Parents with FWD drove up as usual and wondered why others were trudging up the hill through the snow. None of the traction control technology helps in this case since the problem wasn't lack of control but simply lack of traction. Chains would probably have helped but installing them isn't very convenient.

[Vibe06]

I used to own a 1988 Pontiac Fiero Formula. They finally got all the kinks out and discontinued it. I hope they keep the vibe around though.

[VforVIBE]

Quote, originally posted by ZubenElGenubi »Pontiac is sold along side Buick NOW. I mean, how many "exclusively Pontiac" dealers are there anymore?What I meant is you won't see Pontiac/GMC or Pontiac/Cadillac or Pontiac/Chevrolet dealerships after a certain date just the Pontiac/Buick.

[vibe owner]

In 30-some years I've never owned a rear-drive car, and I never will. The difference on snow is huge, traction control or no. Might consider AWD - a hybrid Vibe with electric rear and gas front could be good. The Vibe is my only semi-american car ever, and if GM is stupid enough to dump FWD, I'm gone.

[Merzbow]

When Nissan buys GM they wont need front wheel drive cars anymore...Apparently Nissan has alot of ideas for new cars and alot of money to build them but no where to build them...GM has no money or ideas but places to build so it works out great I gues.....still a bad idea but oh well...

[mcgusto82]

i can't wait for the next RWD offer from Pontiac. hopefully it'll be the grand prix.

[ToolGuy]

RWD is making a come back for a few reasons... One is it rides better and people want that. Another is it can take more abuse that FWD's. Torque steer is not an issue with it. With all the traction controls out, driving them in the snow is becoming less of an issue. People will re-learn on how to drive and them others whom have never driven one will soon discover. Some RWD and being mated with AWD too, so that is a plus. Take the 300C... No company will completely dump FWD though unless they never had it in the first place...

[MoonDogg]

I was reading all the post above and before I got to this one... I was thinking.. Hell Yeah bring back the RWD.. Bring the FIERO back... I loved my Fiero's ALL of them... If they bring the FIERO back I might just buy two of them... I love RWD.. I don't mind them going back to the RWD it would definently get my buy GM. But I still have no faith in GM there going to go RWD and jack the price up where nobody can buy them.... Don't get me wrong I love the Vibe and they need to keep it... there is a place for both FWD and RWD... They need to have a good mix of them both.. they have way two many model's of the same thing with a different badge... but like I say GM finds a way to ScrewUP everthing they have good... for instance... the NexGen Camaro... yall seen the concept right.. how much you wanna bet the production model will not be anything like that... they will find some kind of way to screw it up.... Quote, originally posted by Vibe06 »I used to own a 1988 Pontiac Fiero Formula. They finally got all the kinks out and discontinued it. I hope they keep the vibe around though.

[BlueVibeGirl]

My new Motor Trend mag said that they won't make any more GT vibes but will make the base model...at least until 2008

[Mavrik]

Quote, originally posted by BlueVibeGirl »My new Motor Trend mag said that they won't make any more GT vibes but will make the base model...at least until 2008The GT and AWD base Vibe are discontinued for the moment.

[jake75]

Until 2008 - meaning there will be a 2008 model year? I ALSO plan to retire in 2008 so maybe we'll go out together.

[butterfly22]

Hi everyone, I did a search today on 2008 Vibe and found some spy photos of the redesign Vibe. It looks a bit larger and the tailgate is quite different. Just do a search for "2008 Vibe" and you will come up with some sites that have spy photos of the next Vibe.Steve

[NascarXprt]

hi and welcome.yea if you go here: http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=25418 there it has all the stuff on the spy photos of the test mule.