Pontiac will get entry-level coupe

[ragingfish]

Quote »Pontiac will get entry-level coupeJamie LaReauAutomotive News / February 13, 2006 - 6:00 amDETROIT -- General Motors will give Pontiac an entry-level coupe as a stopgap measure until the division gets more brand-focused products, sources close to Pontiac say. In the process, Pontiac dealers will lose the Montana SV6 minivan.The coupe will be a high-performance relative of the Chevrolet Cobalt coupe with some Pontiac influences. The vehicle will give the Buick-Pontiac-GMC channel a shot at the small-car market, a source close to GM says. GM is still considering names for it. One option might be the G5, sources say.Pontiac intends to launch the coupe as a 2007 model and likely will start production this fall in Lordstown, Ohio.The car will be priced similarly to the Chevrolet Cobalt SS supercharged coupe, which starts at $20,490, including shipping.Pontiac eventually will lose the Montana SV6 minivan, which has seen sluggish sales and does not fit Pontiac's performance-brand image, sources say. U.S. sales of the SV6 for January fell to 1,450 units, an 11.5 percent drop from 1,638 in the year-ago period.Pontiac has lacked an entry-level car since the Sunfire died last year.In Canada, GM sells a Cobalt sibling called the Pontiac Pursuit.You may e-mail Jamie LaReau at jlareau@crain.comThe Pontiac Pursuit, a Chevrolet Cobalt sibling, is sold in Canada.Source: http://www.autonews.com/apps/p...ter02RagingCommentary: It's about damn time. When they killed the Sunfire, they alinated a good portion of their sales. However, pricing an "entry level" coupe above the starting price of their volume sales car -- the G6 -- is not very smart. They need to have a base model version in the mid 16's-18's as well.That being said, I think the pursuit coupe looks phenomenal, and if the american coupe looks half as good, I'll be jealous!

[Baltovibe]

Quote »Pontiac has lacked an entry-level car since the Sunfire died last year.Isn't the Vibe an entry-level car?

[AppleBoy69]

This is a picure of the 2006 Pontiac Pursuit GT. Sold only in Canada and the same car is also sold in Mexico as a G4.I wish they had called ours a G4 much better I think. Personally I think the Pursuit looks better then the Cobalt. I like the grill better and the rear lights better. But then again both are identical underneath.Vibe isn't really entry level since its starts at 19,900 canadian. The Pursuit starters at 15,500. And in the US hatch backs arn't that well accepted ... YET. I always hated them but i sure am glad I got one now ... Much more practical then a trunk lol.

[ramenboy...]

wow. we had to wait a whole year for the pursuit/g4! and our lucky neighbors to the north and south are already moddin' them up!i agree, i like the cobalt, but the front and rear of the pursuit is much better

[BlueCrush]

I think the US version should be called the G4. It sounds so much better than the Pursuit. I can't wait to see it become available.

[ragingfish]

Quote, originally posted by Baltovibe »Isn't the Vibe an entry-level car?yeah, but it's a wagon. you can't sell all the pre-pubescent ricers on wagons. give 'em a coupe option, and that's more cash in the general's pocket.

[Puckman27]

finally they're getting rid of the montana...... pontiac, gm's "performnace division" has no need for a minivan

[Raivis]

from the back view i see the only difference is the badging and why would a company have a entry level vehicle priced more then the G6??? they should make a base for low 15's so it doesn't interfear with the g6

[Toasted7]

I'm jealous... I want one! Anyone wanna trade for a Vibe?

[ColonelPanic]

About damn time is right! The Vibe is not the best choice for an "entry level" car, IMHO. Seeing how the pricey Vibe can end up makes it far from entry level in my book...... I slipped into a Cobalt SS (w/o the supercharger) the other day in the showroom which was a bit over $20,000 and I found myself sitting on heated leather, safety features like side air bags, ABS and traction control, other items like the MP3 player, sunroof, yada yada yada. That isn't cheap, but it still has plenty of goodies that the Vibe can't offer for the same money. To get crap like that in the Vibe, I just priced and it is over $23,000, hardly enrtry level and still missing things that the Cobalt has...I've wanted to see Pontiac get the Pursuit/G4/whatever they want to call it since I first saw the Pursuit. Good move on their part. It looks a heck of a lot better than the Cobalt, especially from the back!

[mcgusto82]

Quote »Looks like Pontiac is going to be killing off the Vibe.?the vibe is pontiac's edgy family car. not a minivan which are preceived as a mans route to performance grave. on top of which the vibe sells.they should calls it the G4. the grand prix gxp = G8-R.

[northvibe]

they better have a supercharged version of this...or i will flip AND the pontiac better have a ram air hood...i thought thats what they were known for!! vibe gt needs a stock ram air hood..... pontiac = performance line of GM...well not if they do stupid stuff, they used to have ram air hoods on all their gt and up models, imo

[MACMANIAC]

These are available from RK Sport. Hopefully GM will take the lessons learned from the GTO and put out some ram air hoods on the highperformance versions from the get go!!!A similar design to this would be best for the Pontiac version though.And, yeah, it is ABOUT DAMN TIME!!!!!!!!!

[MACMANIAC]

Here is the front view.The 4-door looks cool as well. Especially in the GT form.This is the gauge cluster from a cobalt followed by the gauge cluster on the pursuit.

[Mavrik]

Canada gets the Colbalt and the Pursuit.... what Canada doesn't get is the GTO and trust me... I know a few canadians who want one bad.

[michaelgt]

Either GM could not certify the GTO to Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, Emissions, or possibly because it is built in Australia, the import taxes/duties would be too much to justify the selling price.

[Mavrik]

I think it had to do with "we will just sell this in the US and scratch our heads later at the lack of sales" decision really. Buick also has vehicles made that are not available in Canada.

[kostby]

The operational definition of 'insanity' is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results!Conclusion: GM IS INSANE!In the 1980's, GM built five nearly identical versions of the Chevy Cavalier (Buick, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, and Cadillac), with the primary difference being interior trim and level of standard equipment.Here they go again!Why introduce yet another Chevy Cobalt/Saturn Ion with nothing to differentiate it from the other GM products except the trim and exterior badging??Why not just rebadge a well-equipped Toyota Corolla sedan which is already 99% mechanically a Vibe (actually, it's the reverse) as a Pontiac G-whatever???Since they're cutting back on Vibe production in '07, NUMMI probably has enough capacity and they already have most of the parts they need.'Ibuildvibes', do you have any thoughts?

[northvibe]

yea i agree this is a cobalt with a new grill and tail lights...LAME, i thought they wanted to get away from rebadging? as for the hoods yea rk sport has some but i want stock not aftermarket. im still not sure if i like RK sports hood for the vibe...if pontiac is making this pursuit they should do something crazy to it like put a small v6 in it or the bigger ecotec with S/C as pontiac is the performance line.

[ColonelPanic]

Quote, originally posted by kostby »In the 1980's, GM built five nearly identical versions of the Chevy Cavalier (Buick, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, and Cadillac), with the primary difference being interior trim and level of standard equipment.Kostby, if I didn't know any better, I'd swear you're trying to hint around at the notion that having the Cavalier, Skyhawk, J-2000/Sunbird, Firenza, and Cimarron all in existance simultaneously was overkill! Quote »Why introduce yet another Chevy Cobalt/Saturn Ion with nothing to differentiate it from the other GM products except the trim and exterior badging??Because I think a few months ago, I begged them for a Cobalt that had red dash lighting and a coupe model that didn't have that didn't have that "not so riced feeling" from behind. What the heck, GM listened to one of their customers? Hey, thanks for bringing my car here guys! Next time, try to be a bit quicker - try to catch me before I'm sold on some other transportation appliance. lol!

Attached files

[ragingfish]

All -- Note that in the article GM put a heavy emphasis on the fact that this is a temporary move to fill the gap left by the sunfire while they continue to work on a unique and original replacement.

[michaelgt]

MavrikI have been exposed to many of the processes that are necessary to sell vehicles in US, Canada, and Mexico. I have also seen many of the GM business processes that determine what, where, when, etc. There are many limiting factors, that have to come together in a big puzzle. I am not sure which Buick is not being sold in Canada, but most decisions are made based on financial, engineering, and marketing analysis.

[Sputnik]

Quote, originally posted by article posted by ragingfish »One option might be the G5, sources say.Saw an ad last night on TV where the Pursuit was being advertised as the G5 Pursuit.

[Dezz1]

I hope they do not use the name "Pursuit" in the states. Its a fiascoe waiting to happen if that name is used here. You know how sensitive we Americans are about our names. Shucks, Pursuit sounds as if it is trying to catch up to something, like the competition, and we would not potential customers to think that. Personally I believe they should name it G-FORCE, for the states.Anyway what do you think?

[Vibe_dude]

Quote, originally posted by Dezz1 »I hope they do not use the name "Pursuit" in the states. Its a fiascoe waiting to happen if that name is used here. You know how sensitive we Americans are about our names. Shucks, Pursuit sounds as if it is trying to catch up to something, like the competition, and we would not potential customers to think that. Personally I believe they should name it G-FORCE, for the states.Anyway what do you think?G FORCE.....that use to be one of my fav cartoon showas as a kid....except at the time is was called BATTLE OF THE PLANETS..it became G FORCE years later.And as far as the name Pursuit...i think it is more like everyone is pursuing it.

[Dezz1]

Seems that way doesn't it. But I do not believe they will kill off the Vibe just yet. The Vibe is still too practical and versitile, and the folks at Pontiac still knows this. I believe they will keep the Vibe for as long as the market will bear it, because it is still one of the first CUV, and people still have a need for those. Shucks, think about it, since the VIBES, larger versions of our CUV's have come out with other brand names. I guess Vibes are the poor man's CUV and Infinity's are the rich man's CUV.

[MACMANIAC]

Maybe they could go a little retro with the name.Here are some Poncho names from the past that might work:1. Tempest2. LeMans3. T-37 (GT-37 for the "performance" version)4. Banshee5. Ventura6. PhoenixI like the G5 or G4 names, but I am also old school. I ranked the old names in the order of which ones I like best. I really like the Tempest name because you could use the "T-37" aspect in naming them. Base coupe and sedan would just be "Tempest". The mid level would be "T-37" (or "Custom S" another old Pontiac name). And the supercharged version could be "GT-37".Any thoughts??

[josholiver1]

they should make a coupe vibe and a car with the 03-04 frount end of the vibe

[Dezz1]

I agree with the Tempest variations. Those are great names. Now to throw some flare on the vehicle, the front face needs to look a little more aggressive. The face is too smooth. It needs a harder chiseled look. Something hard looking like the 03 Vibe face, or the Evo 7 face. Even something similar to the drop down face seen on the new VW's. Pontiac really needs to take more chances, and when they do, customers will come. People want something that is different. The Vibe is different and people love it, however, if Pontiac keeps smoothing it out, so that it looks like any other car, it will perish. What do you believe?

[Vibe_dude]

I just talked to my dealer and he said that it will be called the G5 in the US and G% Pursuit here in Canada....but it will change to just G5 in 07.