Pontiac will get Cobalt-based entry-level coupe, lose Montana minivan

[mikeyb]

DETROIT -- 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. source:http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060213/FREE/60212001/1024/LATESTNEWS

[eting_pro5]

yeah. we need one of these.

[Captain KRM P5]

gm hasn't learned that selling the same car under every nameplate they own does not make them any money and only cannibalizes sales among the various marques. ford is equally guilty of the same crime.

[mikeyb]

Give Pontiac the Aveo and rebadge it as the Lemans.

[p5power]

gm hasn't learned that selling the same car under every nameplate they own does not make them any money and only cannibalizes sales among the various marques. ford is equally guilty of the same crime.
(werd)

i actaully saw a cobalt completely rebadged as a pontiac a long time ago. i didn't really think much of it, what with the cavalier/sunfire connection, i figured it made sense. but i'm with the cap'n on this one...it's as if gm is trying to run the company as if their brands are completely different companies that need to compete against each other. doesn't seem to make much sense to me...but what do i know....obviously the bean counters at gm know what their doing.

[Rogue]

What about the Mazda6, Ford Fuzion, Mercury Milan, and Lincoln Zephyr. They're all the same car. Do you expect GM to develop a whole new car for Pontiac? I'm sure, knowing Pontiac, it will look different than the Cobalt.

[mikeyb]

Sneak Preview: 2007 Pontiac G4 Coming Soonhttp://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/il/news/2006/0216/pontiacpursuit3.500.jpg

The Pontiac Pursuit, sold in Canada, is the basis for the forthcoming G4 in the States.


DETROIT — Pontiac fans will soon have their own version of the Chevrolet Cobalt SS (http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/ViewModelDetail/make=Chevrolet/model=Cobalt) and Saturn Ion Red Line (http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/ViewModelDetail/make=Saturn/model=ION%20Red%20Line) performance cars: a sporty compact coupe, and possibly a sedan, will arrive this fall at U.S. dealerships, priced from around $20,000.

Designated "G4," the new small Pontiac fills the gap left by last year's demise of the old Sunfire (http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/ViewModelDetail/make=Pontiac/model=Sunfire). Pontiac dealers in Canada have been selling a version of the Cobalt called Pursuit, and that vehicle will provide the sheet metal and styling cues for the new G4, sources say.

The Cobalt, Ion and G4 all share the corporate Delta front-drive, small-car platform and architecture.

The G4 coupe is expected to come in a performance variant powered by the same 205-horsepower, supercharged, 2.0-liter four-cylinder that propels the Cobalt SS and the Ion Red Line. Pontiac also reportedly is considering installation of the even hotter 260-hp, turbocharged, 2.0-liter four from the upcoming Solstice GXP (http://www.edmunds.com/future/2007/pontiac/solstice/100535941/preview.html).

The arrival of the G4 as an '07 model will give Pontiac another affordable entry in the sub-$20,000 segment, joining the Vibe (http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/ViewModelDetail/make=Pontiac/model=Vibe), with the Solstice starting at just over $20,000.

What this means to you: Another sporty Pontiac — with an attractive sticker — is in the pipeline. GM may actually be defining a brand here.



source:http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=109347#2

[Rogue]

I'm sure, knowing Pontiac, it will look different than the Cobalt.ok...so i was wrong.... it looks just like the Cobalt (loser)

[Roywhitep5]

car companies suck

[p5power]

ok...so i was wrong.... it looks just like the Cobalt (loser)
yeah, the one i saw was a four door sedan. the only reason i noticed it was because of the strange set of tailights that "cobalt" had. that and the split front grille were the only real differences between the pontiac and the cobalt i noticed. it would be pretty cool to see them drop the 260hp turbo into it..kinda separate it from the cobalt.

[Rogue]

at least Pontiac has gotten away from all the plastic cladding

[capnsavem]

the Pontiac Posuer

[vodapas77]

What about the Mazda6, Ford Fuzion, Mercury Milan, and Lincoln Zephyr. They're all the same car. Do you expect GM to develop a whole new car for Pontiac? I'm sure, knowing Pontiac, it will look different than the Cobalt.

This is true, but what Ford's brands do a better job of is focusing each of their brands towards more specific segments of the market. It seems to me that GM does not set grounds rules for each of their brands. So, what the leads to is internal conflict and thus eating into each other's share of the market. Some examples:


Cadillac Escalade/GMC Yukon Denali - Is there any reason for GM to sell two gigantic super-luxury sport utes? It would make more sense to have a gradual stair step effect. Chevy Tahoe entry level, GMC mid level luxury, Cadillac Escalade full out luxury.
The failed F-body twins. In the early days there was a distinct difference between the Camaro and Firebird. In later years it was the identical car. The only question was how much plastic you wanted on the body. In the end the Mustang out-sold both together by embaressing amounts.
The 80's gen Cavalier based cars. Almost every brand at GM (except for GMC) sold a variant of this car. Wouldn't it have been more profitable to have only one or two versions of this car to fight the Ford Escort? Think of the cost to design and manufacture all of the little plastic pieces made to make each model different enough to be sold by each brand.
Saturn Sky/Pontiac Solstice, the two seat roadster market, while profitable, only has so many interested buyers. You are trying to take on the undisputed king of this class, the Miata, and you are going to bring two cars with only minimal differences and offer them with almost the same level of options. Once again the Sky and the Solstice will eat each other's sales and the Miata will barely feel the effect.
These are just a few examples of a company whose bean counters are just that. Hell, they probably all drive BMWs (which keep in mind is one of the most profitable car makers in the world because they make relatively few models and make them very well).

I look at Daimler-Chrysler and Ford who have truly figured out the "world" car concept and have done with their international mergers/purchases and become sad for GM because they can't read the writing on the wall. I drive a Chevy truck and have always been a big supporter of GM because of what they accomplished prior to the first fuel crisis.

When GM finally does something ballsy they bring out the SSR. What the fuck is that? It's gonna have maybe a three to five year run before they have to kill it and how many hundreds of millions of dollars were blown on that POS?

[p5power]

When GM finally does something ballsy they bring out the SSR. What the fuck is that? It's gonna have maybe a three to five year run before they have to kill it and how many hundreds of millions of dollars were blown on that POS?

actually, i think they've already made plans to kill it in the near future. took 'em long enough to figure out that it was an idiotic pursuit. fugly looking, underpowered, practically useless bed, oh yeah, and overpriced...what the hell took them so long to cut prodcution??

[InFeXIoN]

looks like a fucking sunfire with mustang wing.

[eting_pro5]

What about the Mazda6, Ford Fuzion, Mercury Milan, and Lincoln Zephyr. They're all the same car. Do you expect GM to develop a whole new car for Pontiac? I'm sure, knowing Pontiac, it will look different than the Cobalt.


The 6 is significantly different from the Fusion/Milan/Zephyr in styling, dimensions and execution.

The triplets also have some pretty different looks. Headlights and taillights are different. The Pontiac Cobalt looks like it will have the same headlights. Additionally, the Zephyr will get the 3.5L making 250 hp when it becomes the MKZ this fall.



Pontiac losing it's minivan is no big news...All of those shitty GM vans are gone. Replaced by the Outlook/Acadia/Enclave

[romecandleboy]

Sneak Preview: 2007 Pontiac G4 Coming Soonhttp://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/il/news/2006/0216/pontiacpursuit3.500.jpg



So when GM says they're 'engineering' a new car based on the Cobalt platform... -that means they're attaching a Pontiac trident to the front grill. They don't pay those engineers enough over there at GM.

[Mounty]

The 6 is significantly different from the Fusion/Milan/Zephyr in styling, dimensions and execution.

The triplets also have some pretty different looks. Headlights and taillights are different. The Pontiac Cobalt looks like it will have the same headlights. Additionally, the Zephyr will get the 3.5L making 250 hp when it becomes the MKZ this fall.



Pontiac losing it's minivan is no big news...All of those shitty GM vans are gone. Replaced by the Outlook/Acadia/Enclave

Just to add, the Zephyr/MKZ's interior is different from the other 3. Ford is also considering getting rid of the Freestar Mini-van too. I guess those Odyssey and Sierra are too much to take on? Interestingly, Kia just came out with the new Sedona and Hyundai is getting a twin. Are domestic mini-vans THAT bad?

[Breeegz]

what about Dodge Magnum/Chrysler 300/& the Charger?

same chassis/drivetrain MUCH different cars... IMHO I think this was well excecuted...

How about 2000+ Monte Carlo & Impala (much better than the Monte/Lumina 1995+)?