3800 GM may drop Pontiac & Buick

[LeeGTP]

It was on Fox news this Morning GM may be thinking about dropping the Pontiac and the buick line, still making the platforms but with different name plates.
Dr. J's Money Advice


GM Slammed on Earnings Warning - General Motors warned yesterday that its earnings will be way down for the first quarter and the coming year, sending its stock to a 10-year low amid fears that the world's biggest automaker will soon see its bond rating sink to junk status. For the full year, the company expects earnings of $1 to $2 per share, down from an earlier target of $4 to $5. Standard & Poor's Ratings Services lowered its outlook on GM yesterday to negative from stable, while its long-term bond rating of "BBB-" remained one step above "junk" status.

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[LeeGTP]

Originally posted by LeeGTP@Mar 24 2005, 08:40 AM
It was on Fox news this Morning GM may be thinking about dropping the Pontiac and the buick line,  still making the platforms but with different name plates.
Dr. J's Money Advice


GM Slammed on Earnings Warning - General Motors warned yesterday that its earnings will be way down for the first quarter and the coming year, sending its stock to a 10-year low amid fears that the world's biggest automaker will soon see its bond rating sink to junk status. For the full year, the company expects earnings of $1 to $2 per share, down from an earlier target of $4 to $5. Standard & Poor's Ratings Services lowered its outlook on GM yesterday to negative from stable, while its long-term bond rating of "BBB-" remained one step above "junk" status.

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http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,151308,00.html

 

[framos242]

I saw that too. I think if GM does drop Pontiac and Buick, then they are both dead like Oldsmobile.

 

[frankenstinesy]

how is dropping the names of pontiac and buick gonna change a thing. i don't see how they'll somehow make more money since the cars are gonna be the same. ah well, maybe that's why i'm not going into business.

 

[horist]

Dropping product lines lets them save money on advertising and options... example... instead of a Pontiac GTP, now they could just have a Chevy Impala SS ... same drivetrain, but less trims so less money

or when the F-Body was around... instead of a firebird and camaro... just a camaro w/trim packages/drivetrains of RS, Z28 and SS ... eliminates need to advertise and manufacturer a firebird, firebird formula, firebird trans am, firebird formula WS6, firebird trans am ws6, firebird trans am Firehawk, firebird formula firehawk....

 

[Glasuan]

There are whole branches of GM dedicated to these branches, dropping them, would be a cost-cutting measure. However, it may not be a good move, as from my understanding, cars like the Grand-Am are some of GM's best sellers.

 

[horist]

whatever happens it'll take a long time... look how long it took oldsmobile before it was finally ended... pontiac is a lot bigger division than olds was I think?

figure if they said Pontiac is End of Life right now... it would probably be 7+ years before it happened... during which time GM could realign divisions such as Chevy to offer products that would compare to the Grand Am/G6 or whatever new platform is out then

My big disgust w/GM lately is that they're focusing all their time into trucks (which from a business perspective is understandable... they make a ton of money off trucks and SUVs and it's the "in" thing right now) and at the same time are loosing focus on any performance except the corvette

The GTO redesign is on hold now due to the ending of the Zeta platform right? If the rumours are true about the camaro being based on Zeta then that's going to postpone its release as they'll have to redesign from the ground up using the kappa platform

GM just seems to have lost their direction... or at least as far as performance enthusiasts are concerned.... at this point if I were looking to buy a new car ... it'd probably be a mustang...

 

[sweetness]

the camaro was supposed to be a Zeta platform car. In fact it and the GTO were supposed to be released at roughly the same time.


This issue with the name goes beyond just price cutting. When you think buick you dont think excitement. You think "grandpa." Or at least the majority of the country does. By getting rid of the name and changing the design you no longer see a "Buick" but instead a sporty car from "XX" brand.


Helps sell cars.


BC

 

[Kyle]

if they ended pontiac and buick, i think i'd go out and buy an import.

that would just be a kick in the nuts considering most of us drive buick powered pontiacs.

 

[JNGTP94]

It would just be ridiculous, they might be able to do without buick but honestly pontiac should stay i see an insane amounts of GPs and other pontiacs driving around every day, i dunno maybe i just notice them more....

 

[sweetness]

The reason you see GP's everywhere is because chicago is the strongest GP market in the country. And the cars go for pennies used.


BC

 

[framos242]

Originally posted by horist@Mar 24 2005, 01:29 PM
The GTO redesign is on hold now due to the ending of the Zeta platform right?
GM just seems to have lost their direction... or at least as far as performance enthusiasts are concerned....  at this point if I were looking to buy a new car ... it'd probably be a mustang...

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This is true. The Zeta platform along with all future RWD models have been put on hold. Just when I was ready for the new GTO and Camaro, GM has to pull this crap.

Well, if you're going to buy a Mustang, wait until the '06 Cobra comes out. That'll be one badass car.

 

[fastcash]

buick, maybe. pontiac, no way. the ihra grand ams, along with the whole pontiac racing division, the aftermarket for most pontiacs, the new introductions to their team, i don't see pontiac going anywhere for a while, except that they might make crotch raockets in a few years.

my .02

 

[VHGTP]

Originally posted by framos242+Mar 25 2005, 09:41 AM-->

<!--QuoteBegin-horist

@Mar 24 2005, 01:29 PM
The GTO redesign is on hold now due to the ending of the Zeta platform right?
GM just seems to have lost their direction... or at least as far as performance enthusiasts are concerned....  at this point if I were looking to buy a new car ... it'd probably be a mustang...

[snapback]76741[/snapback]​

This is true. The Zeta platform along with all future RWD models have been put on hold. Just when I was ready for the new GTO and Camaro, GM has to pull this crap.

Well, if you're going to buy a Mustang, wait until the '06 Cobra comes out. That'll be one badass car.

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[/b]

i just read an article about the New York auto show and the '06 Cobra is now the '06 Shelby Cobra.... they stuck the 5.4 liter in there from the Ford GT super car... they said its goona have "roughly" 450 hp and said it should spank the shit out of a base C6 Corvette. seeing as though the GT has 550 hp... i would think you would be able to mod this new Cobra to over 600 hp fairly easily. and this best part is that you will be able to get all this for under 40K. in my book that would probably be the best hp for $ in the whole world.

 

[Krobar2]

i just read an article about the New York auto show and the '06 Cobra is now the '06 Shelby Cobra.... they stuck the 5.4 liter in there from the Ford GT super car... they said its goona have "roughly" 450 hp and said it should spank the shit out of a base C6 Corvette.  seeing as though the GT has 550 hp... i would think you would be able to mod this new Cobra to over 600 hp fairly easily.  and this best part is that you will be able to get all this for under 40K.  in my book that would probably be the best hp for $ in the whole world. 

550HP *drools* :headbang: :crazy:

Dave