Pontiac’s demise remains a sour spot of conversation for many General Motors enthusiasts. The brand’s storied history is filled with incredible cars and breakthroughs, but it all came crashing down at the end of the 2000s.
Donut Media traced the brand’s history back to its founding all the way until its end in 2010. And after eight years, we can still make the case that GM is at a loss without a performance division as Chevrolet tries to juggle a handful of identities.
For those interested in the history, GM introduced Pontiac in 1926 to bridge the gap between the Chevrolet and Oakland brand. Viking, Marquette and LaSalle used the same strategy to fill gaps between Oakland and Oldsmobile, Oldsmobile and Buick, and Buick and Cadillac. But, in the end, Pontiac was most successful. GM axed Viking, Marquette, LaSalle and Oakland was merged with Pontiac.
By the 1940s and 1950s, Pontiac had developed a stigma as an elderly person’s car. Quickly, Pontiac brass wanted that to change, and in 1955, Semon (AKA Bucky) Knudson, led Pontiac into NASCAR, and the NHRA. But, in 1963, Pontiac found its identity as the excitement division.
Designers and engineers created a modified Tempest Coupe called the Grand Tempest Option. Yes, it birthed the iconic GTO, a mid-size car with a big engine from a full-size car. Plenty of other Pontiac muscle cars came and went throughout the years, and Pontiac’s reputation largely remained intact… until the 1990s and 2000s.
Pontiac’s rebirth began with the controversial Aztek, which in all honesty, wasn’t a bad car and probably way ahead of its time. The new Pontiac GTO followed, essentially a restyled Holden Monaro. However, as Ford ushered in the retro Mustang at the time, GTO sales flopped. So, the Pontiac Solstice arrived, but it never quite caught on. Finally, Pontiac’s last-ditch effort couldn’t have come at a worse time.
The Pontiac G8, nee Holden VE Commodore, ushered in a rear-wheel-drive sedan with a big V8 engine. But, as it launched, the economy tanked. Consumers dropped new car purchases like a ton of bricks. When GM’s controversial bailout and bankruptcy got underway, the automaker sent Pontiac to the chopping block. In 2010, GM made the final Pontiac, a white G6 sedan to fill for a fleet order.
It’s a seriously sad end to a division that did so much for GM over the majority of the 20th century, and we know GM still had plenty of plans for Pontiac at the time of its demise. Pontiac, unfortunately, delivered the wrong cars at an even worse time.
Comments
I still drive a 2007 G6-GT hardtop Convertible, 67K miles, love it. Fortunately I have an excellent repair to take care of it.
Pontiac – another place, another time in history. Fantastic strategy and execution in the 1960s and even the 1970s. The 80s weren’t bad even with the plastic cladding that started (I think) with the successful 1985 Grand Am.
Of course, GM still had too many divisions with little differentiation in 2009 when decisions were made.
GM had it all at one time and took advantage of it all. Lost customers faith over several decades. My entire family on both sides mostly bought GM and all left after being burned so many times. My parents have returned beginning with a 2009 Chevy and now a 2018 Chevy. I am still rooting for them, but so many people have moved on.
I drive a beautiful silver Pontiac Grand Am GT, and that is the best car I’ve ever had!
“Bunkie” Knudson, not “Buckie”
2006 pontiac grand prix gxp still going strong
Any serious Pontiac enthusiast knows it’s Bunkie Knudsen, not Bucky. And “Grand Tempest Option”? News to me. So, how many more facts are wrong in this story?
The true story is GM just did not know how to deal with Pintiac and did not want to invest in them as they should.
Bunkie and John D understood Pontiac and broke many rules to change Pontiac. But even the were stopped on DOHC, FI, 4 wheel disc brakes, radial tires etc all in the 60’s.
Pete Estes came in and he was a good guy but was loyal to the board. The only gains were made by people like a Herb Adams and the many other engineers and designers John D left that were also rules breaker. They were the reason we got the 455 SD and TA.
Pontiac died in 1979 when they lost their heart their own V8. Often that it was all GM cost cutting and marketing only that made them fancy Chevys.
There were some flashes of hope by some of the old engineers like the Fiero and the Turbo V6 pace car etc. But corperate killed them. I saw even a 4th gen TA with a C4 independent rear suspension at Pontiac but they killed it too.
While the new Pontiacs were fun. I owned SC V6 GP’s and Bonnie’s but they really were not Pontiacs. They only offers some things taken from Chevy or Buick and added cladding.
The Aztec even before its time would still not sell today.
Pontiac was called a performance division but no RWD. FWD but no Turbo 4 like in the Cobalt SS. The plant built a G5 Turbo but it ended up running parts at Lordstown and was rejected.
By the time Lutz arrived there was no time and little money to fix Pontiac. He gave us the GTO but had to do it with very little money hence no restyle and not even hood scoops till the second year. Yes not enough money for a new hood in 05.
The Solstice was nice but 2 seat cars generally have a limited live and volune. The G 8 was just too late. The G6 was a disappointment. Etc.
With car sales down it was good Pontiac left when it did as there just is little room for cars anymore.
I have owned and still own Pontiacs. They are still my favorite brand. But my Pontiac roots go back farther than 1980. I know first hand what and how the original Performance Pontiacs were. They took their own engines and worked to be better than everyone even Chevy, Even forced to use the GM platform Chevy used they engineered it to be better. Case in point the 67 Firebird. It had its own suspension. It had traction arms, multi leaf springs and sat 1 inch lower.
In later years that went away and the SS and WS6 were the same and only cars with different styling.
There is more and enough to fill a book on what was all going on and what happened. There are still many not willing to talk that were a part of this with info we have yet to hear.
I have a 1979 Firebird with a 400 motor. By far the coolest car I’ve ever owned. The timing was just off for Pontiac.
The demise came from Korea and Japan, and American’s desire to drive imports for social reasons, not inferior product.
I had a 2007 Grand Prix that I kept until the spring of 2015 with 105k miles on it. It cost me 6 tires, 2 brake pads, and a can of power steering fluid.
2005 Montana Sv6. Quarter million miles. Still awesome. Take it to Disney yearly.
I have a beautiful in floor show room shape 2002 Pontiac Bonneville wide track … One of the best cars I’ve ever driven and it’s engine 3.8 series II WITH NO ISSUES OF ANY KIND.. purrs like a kitten …
I have a 2006 Grand Prix, I love my Pontiac. I think GM made a huge mistake in getting rid of them.
Someone PLEASE hire a proof reader for this site. The grammar is terrible. I was unable to follow several paragraphs due to the misuse of words.
I now own a 98 Sunfire gt and I call it my little racecar. It’s fast and fun, but it also gets the job done.
They should’ve got rid of Buick.. Horrible designs.. Old man’s car… A Chevrolet Impala is nicer..
My first car was a 64 Lemans 2dr, I had a 2004 Grand Prix Gtp and a 2009 G8 GT.. Great cars
My dad worked for BOP at the Fairfax plant. He ordered 63 Catalina got to work on it himself. That car was in the family till 82 frame rusted in half. I had a 67 GTO, brother had a 61 Ventura. I restored a 64 GP took 5yrs. Pontiac was and still would have been #1
Amen! Please bring Pontiac back (with another V8) and quit trying to rebrand the Buick for younger drivers. It isn’t fooling me or any other Pontiac dreamers!
“GTO” stands for Gran Turismo Omologato. I don’t know where you got “Grand Tempest Option” from – but it makes you sound completely clueless. And his name was Bunky Knudson. Not “Bucky”. You went from 1964 with the GTO and jumped all the way ahead to 2001 with the Aztek. You left out massive amounts of information here. No mention of the Firebird or Trans Am, the LeMans, or the mid – late 70s Grand Am. How about the Grand Prix? How could you forget that? Or the Catalina or Bonneville? No mention of the famous Pontiac 400 V8 or the Super Duty 455? The great “re-make” that made Pontiac come back was in 1959 when they came out with Wide-Track. i.e. the wheels were pushed out to the edges of the car for better handling. At the time only they offered it, but all cars came to be built that way. EVERYTHING Pontiac made was cool until at least the 80s. It was GM’s (Roger Smith’s) decision in 1984 to merge the Pontiac and Chevrolet division and Buick Olds and Cadillac, that erased all the brand identity there had been. They were trying to save money. But it took away so much! no more distinctive division styling, and by sharing engines you couldn’t say a Monte Carlo was different than a Grand Prix in the 80s, for example. It’s really sad – because today’s young people will never know how cool a brand Pontiac had been. In the meantime, if you’re going to write articles as if you’re an authority on the subject, I suggest you do some research and brush up on your knowledge first.