Report: General Motors may kill Pontiac and GMC

Posted: Apr 16, 2009
 Email 22 Comments

June 1 is just around the corner and GM is facing its deadline to restructure or file for bankruptcy. According to a report by Bloomberg this morning, GM is now considering dropping its Pontiac and GMC brands in an effort to cut-costs.

Sources familiar with the mater said that two brands are being studied as GM continues talks with Obama’s auto task force to find ways GM can restructure without bankruptcy.

Chevrolet, Cadillac and Buick are all safe, the source said. 

Last month, GM said that it is postponing the decision on Hummer for “a few weeks” as it works out the details for a complete sale. Yesterday, it was reported that Telesto Ventures is looking to acquire Saturn from GM and provide its retail networks with mostly overseas models.

- By: Omar Rana

Source: Bloomberg


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  • JAMES

    They pick BUICK over PONTIAC AND GMC?!?!?!?!

    No wonder GM is slowly dying… so are 90% of the old people driving Buicks!

  • zermatt

    The proposal to eliminate GMC and Pontiac makes infinite sense.

    GMC and Pontiac dealers are usually paired together and both of these lines are diminishing in sales. Eliminate one and you may as well eliminate the other.

    Also, to have two truck lines that sell identical products – save for the label – is insane. We also need to be real about the Congressional agenda to make GM the boutique provider of all cars that are Green and trucks don't fit into this plan.

  • Pat

    I was thinking the same thing…really BUICK? i'd rather have pontiac

  • zermatt

    I agree with the two of you, but it appears that Buick will be kicking around.

    I have always felt that the image for Cadillac and Buick are entrenched in the elderly. While Cadillac has been trying to introduce products that are more youth oriented, I will not be a buyer. Cadillacs are what my father drives.

  • Neil

    The reason Buick is staying is because it sells well in China!

    Balance of trade Dollars!!!

    Secondly dumping pontiac and GMC minimizes White-Collar job losses (not a good thing necessarily)
    Pontiacs at least the big ones are designed by Holden in Australia.
    And Chevy will retain the GMC product line at least for light-trucks so again white collar jobs in Detriot will be retained

    GM needs to be 4 brands Chevy, Caddy, Opel and Holden
    Opel designs all Front drive 4 and 6 cyl cars then they are sold as Chevy's in US
    Holden designs all Rear drive 6 and 8 cyl cars sold as Chevy's and Caddy's in US

    Short term you lose a lot more white collar jobs but maybe the company survives

  • Neil

    Buick as it is tried into GMC pontiac form a dealer point of view becomes a niche brand in the US
    but is retained for export markets

  • GMfan87

    buick is the top selling car brand in china…maybe we should just give them buick's to repay our debt lol…i just hope they bring the G8 and soltice over to chevy, then i'll be happy as a pig in mud

  • GMfan87

    unfortunately that is the past image of cadillac. I just dont understand how people cant get past that looking at the cars they produce now…car and driver just got a 0-60 in 3.9 in the CTS-V, how many elderly people cars are doing that? correction, how many 4-door PRODUCTION CARS are doing that?! lol

  • zermatt

    When I see the crest and wreath of Cadillac I see the international symbol of old people. You could turn a Lincoln into a rocket and I am not going to be interested in that, either.

    The Pontiac G8 was a believable sedan that I could live with. In fact, I had expressed interest in the El Camino version of the G8, but GM killed it.

  • GMfan87

    I guess it'll just take more time for them to outrun that persona….maybe it helps me being from a younger generation but when i see the crest and wreathI picture the new CTS, its cutting edge design cues, and aggresive stance or the Escillade which has become a status symbol of luxury or the XLR which just exudes pure class and well…its just a jaw dropper in general. even the new lacrosse is beginning to sway me into liking buicks…i'm not quite there yet though lol

  • Bobmarley

    we all know they have spread themselves too thin with so many overlaping brands. They have built up loyal customers for each brand so they just need to chose the loss that will hurt the least. I would prefer they just keep Chevy and Cadillac but apparently Buick worth keeping.

  • JAMES

    They pick BUICK over PONTIAC AND GMC?!?!?!?!

    No wonder GM is slowly dying… so are 90% of the old people driving Buicks!

  • zermatt

    The proposal to eliminate GMC and Pontiac makes infinite sense.

    GMC and Pontiac dealers are usually paired together and both of these lines are diminishing in sales. Eliminate one and you may as well eliminate the other.

    Also, to have two truck lines that sell identical products – save for the label – is insane. We also need to be real about the Congressional agenda to make GM the boutique provider of all cars that are Green and trucks don't fit into this plan.

  • Pat

    I was thinking the same thing…really BUICK? i'd rather have pontiac

  • zermatt

    I agree with the two of you, but it appears that Buick will be kicking around.

    I have always felt that the image for Cadillac and Buick are entrenched in the elderly. While Cadillac has been trying to introduce products that are more youth oriented, I will not be a buyer. Cadillacs are what my father drives.

  • Neil

    The reason Buick is staying is because it sells well in China!

    Balance of trade Dollars!!!

    Secondly dumping pontiac and GMC minimizes White-Collar job losses (not a good thing necessarily)
    Pontiacs at least the big ones are designed by Holden in Australia.
    And Chevy will retain the GMC product line at least for light-trucks so again white collar jobs in Detriot will be retained

    GM needs to be 4 brands Chevy, Caddy, Opel and Holden
    Opel designs all Front drive 4 and 6 cyl cars then they are sold as Chevy's in US
    Holden designs all Rear drive 6 and 8 cyl cars sold as Chevy's and Caddy's in US

    Short term you lose a lot more white collar jobs but maybe the company survives

  • Neil

    Buick as it is tried into GMC pontiac form a dealer point of view becomes a niche brand in the US
    but is retained for export markets

  • GMfan87

    buick is the top selling car brand in china…maybe we should just give them buick's to repay our debt lol…i just hope they bring the G8 and soltice over to chevy, then i'll be happy as a pig in mud

  • GMfan87

    unfortunately that is the past image of cadillac. I just dont understand how people cant get past that looking at the cars they produce now…car and driver just got a 0-60 in 3.9 in the CTS-V, how many elderly people cars are doing that? correction, how many 4-door PRODUCTION CARS are doing that?! lol

  • zermatt

    When I see the crest and wreath of Cadillac I see the international symbol of old people. You could turn a Lincoln into a rocket and I am not going to be interested in that, either.

    The Pontiac G8 was a believable sedan that I could live with. In fact, I had expressed interest in the El Camino version of the G8, but GM killed it.

  • GMfan87

    I guess it'll just take more time for them to outrun that persona….maybe it helps me being from a younger generation but when i see the crest and wreathI picture the new CTS, its cutting edge design cues, and aggresive stance or the Escillade which has become a status symbol of luxury or the XLR which just exudes pure class and well…its just a jaw dropper in general. even the new lacrosse is beginning to sway me into liking buicks…i'm not quite there yet though lol

  • Bobmarley

    we all know they have spread themselves too thin with so many overlaping brands. They have built up loyal customers for each brand so they just need to chose the loss that will hurt the least. I would prefer they just keep Chevy and Cadillac but apparently Buick worth keeping.