Pontiac Bonneville: End of the Line?

[M_TYPE_X]

http://www.freep.com/money/autonews/bonneville25e_20041125.htm

GMInsideNews has said "Bonneville Is Dead":
http://www.gminsidenews.com/futureguide1.htm

All the passive-aggressive bad drivers who want to drive around in oversize cars will need to get Grand Prixes apparently.

[delerium75]

Let' see...
Base price of models range from $28.6K to $36K. Design of the interior and plastics used make a 1980s Hyundai look like an attractive alternative. "Series III" 3800 provides propulsion unless you pop for the $36K model which has the Northstar. In short, costs too much money for what you get. I don't think Pontiac is capable of making an upscale interior that doesn't look like the caricature of a Sunfire.

[NJFXlover]

I have to disagree with you about the interior. They did a really good job of making the GTO's interior look nothing like the Pontiac's we are all used to. I wish they would incorporate the design into the G6 and Grand Prix. But then again, I hate the exterior of the GTO.

http://www.pontiac.com/gto/images/bg_image5.jpg

[M_TYPE_X]

I've sat in the GTO in Twelve Oaks Mall (Novi, Michigan). Clean exterior design and the interior is good, not great. I think the selling point would be the V8 engine. It doesn't have a glass roof, and considering it's basically a powerful lux coupe, it should have an option for one. Anyway it's a gem in the Pontiac lineup.

The Grand Prix and G6 are meant to be Pontiac's volume.

Aztek, Grand Am coupe, and Sunfire coupe are out after 2005.
Currently, Edmunds says Pontiac has 10 vehicles. Take those out and also the Montana (the 'Montana SV6' is new for 2005). That leaves six vehicles going into 2006:

Bonneville
G6
GTO
Grand Prix
Montana SV6
Vibe

They could cut out the Bonneville after 2005 as it sounds like and still have a decent lineup. The Solstice and Torrent is new for 2006.

Prospective 2006 Pontiac lineup:

G6
GTO
Grand Prix
Montana (SV6)
Solstice
Torrent
Vibe

................. they should bring back the 'Parisienne' name for the Torrent. http://forums.freshalloy.com/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

The real news for 2006 is the G6 coupe. Everything else there looks not so great (as usual for Pontiac) unless you want a 200 hp Grand Prix (sexy) instead of a Maxima or a GTO instead of a G35 Coupe.

[delerium75]

I think the GTO looks the way it does because Holden had designed most of it already. http://forums.freshalloy.com/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[M_TYPE_X]

I think the GTO looks the way it does because Holden had designed most of it already. http://forums.freshalloy.com/images/graemlins/wink.gif



Exactly. The upcoming US-made redesign might look chintzy.

[Sorin]

I wonder if the AWD, 3.9L 240 V6 (OHV, variable valve timing, dual stage intake), and manual (dunno if all those things are going together in one trim level though) are going to help the G6 and Pontiac or hinder it/them.

[M_TYPE_X]

It depends if the AWD system is in-house or scammed off of Subaru.

OHV will ensure that Pontiac doesn't do anything but sell to the GM Card Club. Manual will ensure that they waste production capacity on cars that won't sell. http://forums.freshalloy.com/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[Sorin]

Manual will ensure that they waste production capacity on cars that won't sell. http://forums.freshalloy.com/images/graemlins/tongue.gif



Fat american baby! Last I heard, 90% or so of cars sold here are automatic. I think the ratio is almost exactly opposite in other places. Way to go, GG! http://forum.neocron.com/images/icons/icon14.gif http://forums.freshalloy.com/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[M_TYPE_X]

Word. GM should have at least let Michael Moore up the elevator so they could have measured his a$$size and hence led to better "consumer focused" product development.