GM CEO Says Pontiac G8 GXP Won't Live on as a Chevy or a Cadillac

If you have been eyeing Pontiac's LS3 V8-powered G8 GXP you better hurry up and buy one before the brand closes as the sports sedan won't be offered by any other GM marque. During a web chat on the firm's official blog, GM CEO Fritz Henderson was asked by a online reader whether or not the Pontiac G8 GXP would live on as a rebadged Chevrolet or maybe even as an entry-level Cadillac. Henderson's answer was a clear-cut 'No'. Too bad that no one asked Henderson if that goes for the entire G8 range or only for the GXP.

Pontiac G8

Pontiac G8 Sport Truck

Pontiac G8 Sport Truck Wallpaper

Pontiac G8 Sport Truck Picture

GM Recalling 35,000 Pontiac G8s Over Minor Electronic Glitches

As many as 35,038 2008-2009 model year Pontiac G8 sport sedan owners will be receiving recall notices soon from GM to tackle two separate electronic glitches on their cars. The first problem concerns the brake pedal position switch that could be incorrectly programmed causing the brake lamps to be continually illuminated. General Motors also noticed that some cars may have incorrect values programmed into the tire pressure monitoring system meaning that drivers will not be notified about low tire pressure. GM's dealers will reprogram both the brake position sensor and the tire pressure monitoring system on the affected vehicles free of charge.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

Malignant Rumors: Zeta Is Back - Or Is It?

Even though GM's current situation makes it difficult to predict what the future holds for the troubled automaker, Zeta platform rumors have been making the rounds again, and I like what I'm hearing. It turns out GM may want to spread the Zeta love, making use of it in everything from cop cars to Cadillacs. What are the possibilities? Let's cogitate. The G8 (rebadged as a Chevy) police cruisers from down under stand a good chance of making it, as long as Holden pitches the idea right. Not only could they make up for the Impala, the sales would help offset Holden's expected billion (Aussie) dollar annual loss from its expected export of 30,000 G8s to America.

The doorway's already open; Ford's Panther platform is on its way out. With some 60,000 Crown Vics moved yearly as cop cars, this leaves a lot of sales the Zeta sedan could snag. If the cruisers made it, then perhaps the G8 could get another shot, as the new Impala. Don't even start to think LS3 Impala SS, or you'll jinx it.

Then there's the lovely Pontiac ST, a car-based utility vehicle that was trying oh-so-hard to bring back 1983 and whitewash jeans with a vengeance. Sadly, the Pontiac Ute was killed, followed quickly by the brand itself. To make further use of Zeta, people are theorizing that GM could place the ST in the GMC lineup. A car-based GMC truck (Caballero!) would be a fresh vehicle in a stagnant lineup of badge-engineered Chevrolets that's just now starting to get unique options in the form of the 2010 Terrain.

Topping off the range is Cadillac. The DTS/STS replacement with the extended-wheelbase Zeta under it could supply the American luxury brand with a large, RWD car to compete with ze Germans and Japanese. If you factor in Cadillac's ever-improving designs, it's a car for people who want full-size luxury and who also want to buy American. Standard of the World? Not quite, but it would be a fitting (and economically feasible) new model after the latest CTS.

What about the engine lineup? With the Zeta platform, a lot is possible. The required V8's would appear, of course, but what about people who don't want a guzzler? Offer smaller engines like the direct injection V6 and a hybrid option and people will take notice. There's also whisperings of turbocharged 4-cylinders making the rounds. And diesels? That would almost be a necessity for something like the ST, where utility would be a selling point.

The questions I pose are these: What kinds of Zeta-based cars do you think that American consumers want to see (sedans, coupes, utes)? What kinds of power trains are important to you? Ultimately, what would make you buy "big" from GM and its remaining brands?

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

By Phil Alex

Phil Alex was born in Rhode Island in 1985, yet for reasons unbeknownst to him moved to South Carolina. He graduated with degrees in Finance and German from Wofford College in 2007 and has had a strange obsession with cars and travel. When not back in Sparkle City, he resides near Japan's international airport in Narita. He makes no apologies for his articles and welcomes all feedback, as long as it is adamantly worded. Oh, and if for any reason you are inclined to vent some more, check out more of his posts on the Examiner here.

New Rumors of the Pontiac G8 Returning to North America as a Chevrolet

The demise of the Pontiac brand in 2009 also brought about the death of the G8, the Americanized derivative of the Australian-built Holden Commodore SS. It was a sad day for Pontiac and Holden fans alike, the loss of the G8 export contract costing Holden millions of dollars and putting the future of its Elizabeth, South Australia plant - and the brand itself - in jeopardy.

When the Holden-derived Chevy Caprice Police Car was revealed for the North American market twelve months ago, rumors of a reborn G8 in the form of a Chevrolet were rife. Now, Aussie motoring website Drive is reporting that U.S. exports of the Holden Commodore SS are "imminent", with a launch expected before the end of the current model's lifespan.

At the LA Auto Show, Al Oppenheiser, a senior engineer at General Motors and the chief engineer on the Camaro project, told Drive that negotiations were underway to sell the Commodore in North America as a Chevrolet:

"Although we have made no official announcement as yet, we are definitely looking at doing something with Holden for the retail market. What we are looking at is bridging a gap in the performance sedan market that was vacated by the Pontiac G8. With no Pontiac, the obvious performance brand is Chevrolet."

An unnamed source at GM has even gone so far as to suggest that the export deal has already been finalized and approved. As the LHD development work is already done, the biggest hurdle facing Holden's relaunch of North American exports is the high Australian dollar.

Jonathan Rose, a spokesman for Holden, is less optimistic: "At this point in time our focus is on exporting the Caprice to North America as a law enforcement vehicle ... beyond that we don't have anything to add right now."

The unnamed Chevrolet, if it does become a reality, will mostly likely be based on the short wheelbase Zeta platform, not the long wheelbase one like the Chevy Caprice Police Car.

By Tristan Hankins

*Opening photos: South African Chevrolet Lumina

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

__________________2011 HOLDEN COMMODORE SERIES II________________

2011 Pontiac Firebird Trans AM by ASC: New Camaro-Based Proposal

Pontiac's days may be numbered as General Motors plans to phase out the historic brand by the end of 2010, but that hasn't dampened ASC Creative Services' attempts to make a Trans Am version out of the all-new Chevy Camaro coupe. ASC has worked many times with General Motors in the past helping out in the creation and design development of cars like the 1987 Buick GNX, various Chevy SS models such as the HHR SS and Malibu SS, as well as the Cadillac STS-V and XLR-V sport cars just to mention a few.

The design and development firm's proposal for a Camaro-based Pontiac Trans Am is a fairly simply conversion that could easily lead to a custom-order production model. The changes include a new front fascia complete with unique head lights, twin-kidney grill inserts and restyled apron, a rear-facing hood shaker, new side skirts and alloy wheel designs plus rear-fender air vents. At the back the design proposes a new rear fascia with distinctive tail lights, boot spoiler and a specific apron housing new exhaust pipes.

While we don't have any photos of the interior, we gather that ASC would most likely limit the changes to the trim and seat options along with a revised instrument panel.

There's no information ASC's actual intentions on the car, but if you're really interested, you can send a mail to dave.byron (at) ascglobal.com for more information.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

Fresh /// La dernière Pontiac

Mercredi dernier, en milieu de journée, l’usine d’Orion a sortit de ses chaînes de production la toute dernière Pontiac. Il s'agit d'une G6, la berline famillaile de la marque.

Cette G6 était encore il y a quelques jours la dernière représentante de la marque. Les G8, Vibe ou Torrent ont tous déjà quitté les chaines d’assemblage depuis plusieurs mois. La modèle produite mercredi faisait partie du dernier lot de 100 exemplaires de G6.

Malheureusement, le départ de la marque n'a fait l'ojet d'aucune cérémonie. Les ouvriers se sont simplement fait photographié à côté de la berline. Le goût est donc amère pour les fans de la marque US, qui, pour rappel, était apparue en 1926. Elle reste encore aujourd'hui la troisième marque en termes de production totale aux USA.

Source: Detroit News

/// Album Photo Photobucket - Pontiac G6 Sedan 2006 ///

Fresh /// Plus que 16 G8 GXP encore en vente...

Avis aux fans de Pontiac et de la G8 dans sa livrée sportive: la marque, mourante, vient d'annoncer qu'il ne restait plus que 16 G8 GXP encore disponible chez les vendeurs officiels...

Selon la page Twitter de Pontiac, il ne reste plus que 3 600 modèles de la marque encore en vente aux Etats-Unis. La firme n'hésite pas par ailleurs à donner des détails pour attirer les fans et nostalgiques afin de vider les stocks...

Concernant la G8 Sedan, Pontiac annonce encore 570 unités disponibles en version GT et seulement 16 en déclinaison hyper-sportive GXP. Il faudra donc être rapide. De son coté, la Solstice, soeur des Saturn Sky (elle aussi, malheureusement bientôt morte), Opel GT et Daewoo G2X, est encore représentée en concession par 139 déclinaisons Coupé et 160 Coupé GXP. Le cabriolet semble lui bien mort. Enfin, le réseau du constructeur compte encore 1 500 G5, 530 G6 GXP, 400 SUV Torrent et 350 Vibe en stock.

Source: Pontiac