A Good Point Of View On Pontiac

[87GTA]

This article is from the July '09 issue of HIGH PROFORMANCE PONTIAC, and it's a very good point of view on PONTIAC's future!

BY TOMAS A DeMAURO

This editorial may be an excersie in futility given magazine lead times, as there may be no GM, let alone a Pontiac, by the time this issue hits the newsstand. It's a sobering thought. Nevertheless, optimist that I am, I'll assume that the government money did come through and GM was able to keep the light on and Pontiac, though "demoted," has survived.
Bad news has been coming out of GM and the industry in general for months. The worst, as of this writing, for Pontia fans came in mid-February with GM saying it was going to "ldemote" Pontiac to a specialty division of sorts that would have fewer models.
Then came the "worser" reports, as news organizations began to sing Pontiac's swan song and broadcast eulogies of the division with stock footage of GTO's and Firebirds and various Pontiacs in better times. Commentators waxed poetically regarding Pontiacs they had known and loved and lamented the current state of GM's once mighty performance division. The problem, most were saying, or at least implying strongly, is that Pontiac was dead already when it really wasn't.
Is it now as you read this? Hopefully, not.
As long as GM is still in busines, Pontiac should have a fighting chance. Though many view the Division's demotion as the end, if handled intelligently, it actually could be a rebirth.
Currently, Pontiac is selling the G8, the Solstice, the G6, the G5, and the Vibe, and the G3 is just coming out. In the not-too-distant duture, the division will be paired down to as little as two lines --- G8 and Solstice. Luckily, those are the two performance ones.
If Pontiac could rebuild from there as a specialty performance division, it should survive. I know it's an old tune by now, I've played it here many times, and I have published the Kevin Morgan renderings (not shown), but wouldn't it make sense to build a Trans Am and Formula once again?
Despite the fact that GM has announced the G8 and Camaro are the last U.S. cars to be based on the Zeta architecture, there are a few more that could save Pontiac from being another casualty of our lates economic situation.
Like the mythical Firebird that rose from the ashes, so too should the Pontiac Firedbird, and bring its Division with it. With the camaro in production, the R&D is already paid for (we hope). How difficult would it be to produce a Firebird? Put a Pontiac nose on it, change the taillights, add graphics, liven up the interior, and you will have a performance car for Pontiac.
Badge engineering, you say? No more so than past Third-Gen and Fourth-Gen Birds, and we appreciate them. Besides, GM isn't going to tool up for any Pontiac that isn't shared with another division or divisions any time soon. And if you design it well and offer comprehensive packages that separate it from the Camaro while providing real valuse, it will be 1970 1/2 all over again.
Here's my layman's approach. Forego the V-6 completely ---after all, this is the performance division, right?
Formula: Install the 400-horse 6.2L L99. Offer the 6L80 six-speed auto or the Tremec six-speed manual; 14-inch, 4-piston Brembo brakes; and the 19x8-inch wheels with 245/50R-19 tires. Add a dual-scooped hood, a short rear spoiler, a modern interpretation of the W50 Appearance Package from the Second-Gen Formula, and full instrmentation. Keep the comfort and convience items to a minimum to hold the price down. Sell it starting as 29,000---a couple of thousand dollars less than the Camaro SS (1SS).
Trans Am: Offer the 6.2L, 426-horse LS3 with a choice of the 6L80 six-speed auto (with optional TAPshift) or the Tremec six-speed manual. Include the 14-inch, 4-piston Brembo brakes and the 20x9-inch rear wheels with 245/45R-20 and 275/40R-20 tires respectively. Add a specific lower front fascia (different from the Formula) with an integrated air dam, High Intensity Discharge headlamps with LED halo rings, a modernized shaker hood, a tall rear spoiler, abd Trans Am graphics. Sell it starting at $33,000---$2,000 more than the Camaro SS (1SS).
Trans Am S/E: Get crazy and install a 505-horse LS7 from Z06 Vette, paint the T/A black with gold graphics, and you'll have the fastest S/E Trans Am ever conceived. GM already put a 550-horse LS7 crate engine in a Camaro for the SEMA show. Chevy shouldn't mind if Pontiac gets LS7. It still has the exclusive 638-horse, supercharged LS9 for its ZR1. Price the S/E at $40,000 and go beat up on Challenger SRT8s.
Here are three new performance cars for Pontiac, based on an existing GM platform and existing drivetrains. Currently, the Camaro SS has the 426-horse LS3, paired with the stick trans only, and then 400-horse L99, with Active Fuel Management paired with automatic only. Once GM gets the technology to add Active Fuel Management to its V-8s with manual transmissions, Pontiac could offer both transmissions with each engine as suggested above, with the slightly lower powered L99 in the Formula and the more powerful LS3 in the T/A, thereby further differentiating these models from the Camaro SS. Add these models to the already moderately successful, yet highly acclaimed G8, G8 GT, and GXP and Solstice coupes and convertibles and you have a reborn specialty performance wehicle division for GM that shows promise.
My plan may appear farfetched when GM is fighting just to survive the next month as I write this, but it certainly seems like a more positive action than watching the once-great Pontiac fade into obscurity, model by model, over the next three years. Am I naive in thinking that any of this is even possible? Perhaps. But hope is better than the alternative.

[Masonite]

*sigh* one can only hope...

[enRo]

GM will never put an LS7 in a "Trans Am S/E" and price it ALOT less than a Z06. That would be completely idiotic. It will never happen, especially in this economy.

[ib4200]

isnt the whole point of reducing pontiac to back off from re-branding cars? why not just make a z28 with the ls7 instead of three new cars. correct me if im wrong but the pontiac guys are so stubborn that they would rather buy a non gm or something than just buying a camaro just because there is no firebird? i think gm might see it as a potential firebird buyer would consider buying a camaro so why have a whole line of cars....

[Masonite]

Originally Posted by ib4200

correct me if im wrong but the pontiac guys are so stubborn that they would rather buy a non gm or something than just buying a camaro just because there is no firebird?

i disagree. when i was looking around to buy a third gen, i was totally open to firebirds AND camaros. it didn't matter which then, and it still doesn't matter now. i may be disappointed that there is no firebird to match chevy's 5th gen f-body, but that wouldn't keep me from still buying one IF i had the ability to do so.

[ib4200]

thats sorta what im saying, from gm's perspective, why bother with a firebird if the sales wouldnt really increase

[Masonite]

Originally Posted by ib4200

thats sorta what im saying, from gm's perspective, why bother with a firebird if the sales wouldnt really increase

tradition, if anything, really. but, as enRo suggested, the current economy doesn't allow for it.

[ib4200]

gm will have time for tradition if it can survive but for now it needs to just be a buisness and not dig any more holes imo

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by Masonite

tradition, if anything, really.

...and we see how much tradition worked out for them. Having a Camaro and T/A is pointless...it's like robbing Peter to pay Paul.

That type of car is made for a specific demographic. That's why I laugh when people say the Camaro is going to save GM or the GTO could have saved Pontiac....a performance car for a dwindling die hard crowd won't save a company or even make a difference.

Tradition doesn't equal revenue.

[WildBillyT]

Originally Posted by ib4200

if im wrong but the pontiac guys are so stubborn that they would rather buy a non gm or something than just buying a camaro just because there is no firebird?

I doubt it. Unless it's a pre-74 or so Pontiac enthusiast. Past that the cars weren't even Pontiac powered. Just a pretty package for an Olds, Buick, or Chevy motor.

[Knipps]

Pontiac is dead, there is no more Trans Am.
/thread

[NJ Torque]

Originally Posted by enRo

GM will never put an LS7 in a "Trans Am S/E" and price it ALOT less than a Z06. That would be completely idiotic. It will never happen, especially in this economy.

Yup...


The (supercharged) LS9 is actually cheaper to build then the LS7.

[69BirdX]

Originally Posted by WildBillyT

I doubt it. Unless it's a pre-74 or so Pontiac enthusiast. Past that the cars weren't even Pontiac powered. Just a pretty package for an Olds, Buick, or Chevy motor.

Sadly this is true.........thats why i call my 98 a chevy trans am

[WildBillyT]

Originally Posted by 69BirdX

'69 Firebird 5.7P.....Cam, Headers, and Flowmaster.(In Resto)

Yep!

[Untamed]

Help out the Pontiac dealers who will be closing that part of their business by buying a new/used G8 if you want practicality AND performance in one package.

Thats my plan towards the end of 2010 when Pontiacs still on the lot will be discounted.

[NJSPEEDER]

That isn't an interesting or new perspective, it is the same old fanboi perspective that have been getting passed around since they announced there was even the slightest attempt being made at a new Camaro.

Yup, let's take the most expensive to develop new car GM has ever put out and double all of the production and testing costs. F'ing brilliant.

Poncho is dead, Birds are never coming back, and GM will be out of business in 10 years.

[LS1Hawk]

All hope is lost at this point with Pontiac now being killed off. But before then, what was so wrong with Pontiac and Firebird fans having hope? I've said it before...if the shoe was on the other foot and it was a Firebird GM decided to build, I'm sure the Camaro fanboys would be writing the same articles.

[Featherburner]

Originally Posted by WildBillyT

I doubt it. Unless it's a pre-74 or so Pontiac enthusiast. Past that the cars weren't even Pontiac powered. Just a pretty package for an Olds, Buick, or Chevy motor.

Come on Bill, they put real pontiac engines in until 79.

[87GTA]

Originally Posted by Knipps

Pontiac is dead, there is no more Trans Am.
/thread

My plan may appear farfetched when GM is fighting just to survive the next month as I write this, but it certainly seems like a more positive action than watching the once-great Pontiac fade into obscurity, model by model, over the next three years. Am I naive in thinking that any of this is even possible? Perhaps. But hope is better than the alternative.

he never said there was going to be one!

[BigAls87Z28]

Pontiac will just die. It wont drag on, waiting for dealers to close, running out production, etc etc...

I just screamed at the screen when I read that. Not only is it your basic Firebird (not Pontiac) fanboi fappisims, but even if Pontiac were to survive...HOW THE **** WOULD A LOW PRODUCTION 400+ HP COUPE SAVE PONTIAC!!

Firebird owners are not Pontiac owners. Like most Corvette people arent Chevy owners.
What Firebird people want is another Firebird. They dont want to see Pontiac survive. They dont want Pontiac to live on, and if they do they want it just for the possibilty to own another Firebird.

Tell me how many of you Firebird owners would buy a G6? G5?
Hell, you shun out the GTO and the G8 for having a "Firehawk" badge.

[Knipps]

The G8 is sexy, it's just no Firehawk. And that's coming from a Chevy owner

[1972LT1]

I want a new Camaro but can't afford it this year. I hope the Camaro is available for another 5 years at least. I hope GM gets it's heads out of their collective corporate a$$e$ and realizes what the people want and not what the beancounters think the people want. "F" the soccer mom land yachts(Trailblazer, Suburban,etc). "F" the yuppie wanna be offroaders(H2,H3). get rid of the upscale pickup trucks that will never pickup anything(Chevy Avalanche) and get the "F" out of NASCRAP!!!!!

[maroman88]

at my house we've had a grand am, two grand prixs, a 67 firebird and a 98 trans am... so as far as being firebird only doesnt apply here....

[WildBillyT]

Originally Posted by Featherburner

Come on Bill, they put real pontiac engines in until 79.

Hence the "or so". They started doing wacky stuff like offering the olds 403 as a 6.6 and the poncho 400 as a 6.6 under a different RPO. Thanks for the correct info though. I didn't know the exact date.

[BigAls87Z28]

Originally Posted by 1972LT1

I want a new Camaro but can't afford it this year. I hope the Camaro is available for another 5 years at least. I hope GM gets it's heads out of their collective corporate a$$e$ and realizes what the people want and not what the beancounters think the people want. "F" the soccer mom land yachts(Trailblazer, Suburban,etc). "F" the yuppie wanna be offroaders(H2,H3). get rid of the upscale pickup trucks that will never pickup anything(Chevy Avalanche) and get the "F" out of NASCRAP!!!!!

Avalanche IMO is the best "truck" GM offers.
Tblazer and all of Hummer is dead.
People still want trucks and SUV's.