Pontiac: No Trans Am, no rear-wheel-drive

Buick, Pontiac, and GMC will be getting 12 new or special-edition vehicles over the next 20 months. However the new Trans Am that Pontiac had lobbied for as a sibling vehicle to the Chevrolet Camaro has been rejected. GM also told Pontiac dealers that any plans to make the brand a rear-wheel-drive performance division are likely to be scaled back because of fuel-economy regulations.

“It was an economic situation,” said Lynn Thompson, owner of Thompson Motor Sales in Springfield, Mo. “It would cost $200 million to bring out the vehicle,” speaking about the Trans Am.

Dealers were told that Pontiac will remain a car-only brand for the foreseeable future and that any plans to offer high-performance models have been put on hold.

GM told dealers that it will offer more special editions of GMC trucks and will build about 55,000 Buick Enclave crossovers in 2007, offering more special edition models like last year.

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

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