GM is stirring the pot on social media again, this time with a cryptic message about Pontiac.
In a new message posted to Threads, the official General Motors account posted: “Are people still hungry? Because we could eat a Pontiac.”
Naturally, fans responded with confusion as to what the post is actually about.
“WHAT DOES THIS MEAN GM” posts one user, to which GM replies, “God forbid we want to eat.”
This isn’t the first time that the Pontiac brand has resurfaced in the last year or so. Back in May of 2024, a cryptic advertisement was plastered on the back page of Car and Driver stating “Pontiac Is Back,” resulting in a torrent of speculation that GM was aiming to resurrect the fan-favorite brand.
“You need us. America needs us. The future needs us. So Pontiac is back,” the ad states, only to follow it up with a single line at the bottom saying, “DISCLAIMER: Do you need to be told that this advertisement is fake and not to be taken seriously? Our lawyers think you do.”
After a firestorm of emotion from fans, General Motors released an official statement addressing the advert, saying “We understand the ad was a joke and it was not placed by GM or anyone affiliated with GM. We appreciate the passion for all our brands as well as a good sense of humor.”
Fast forward to 2025, and earlier this year, GM filed fresh trademarks for the Pontiac name and logo through the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). As GM Authority covered, the filings were tagged with serial numbers 99155798 and 99155971, trademarking the Pontiac name and “arrowhead” brand logo. Unfortunately, this was again a source of false hope for fans, as it was little more than GM protecting its intellectual properties.
At this point, though, GM should probably just leave the Pontiac brand to rest in peace – unless, of course, there really is a revival on the way, in which case – give up the goods, GM.
Comments
If Pontiac comes back, what will it come back as? Are we going to see an electric Trans Am? A V8 Grand Prix? Just please don’t bring back the Wave and the G5. It was sad to see Pontiac go that way.
Rebadged teslas after musk goes bankrupt.
Look what does GM have that could be used as a Pontiac? Nothing.
We don’t have any large sedans or coupes with RWD accept for the CT4 and CT5 that are both great cars that don’t sell well now.
We are not going to see them do a car on the Corvette as Corvette needs every sales they can make.
We have a lot of CUV models and do you really want more Aztek like ideas?
To invest into a new platform would be expensive and to bring back the Camaro as a Firebird would not be good as they could not move the Camaro as it was.
As for Electric. Do you really want a electric Pontiac? That was never what Pontiac was about and outside California who would buy it?
Unless GM has some new platform idea there is no Pontiac.
Let it rest till the market buys cars again.
You aren’t wrong. Lowercase gm’s current vehicle lineup is a BUNCH of crossovers for old and middle aged women, a few pickups/SUV’s, and Corvettes for 65+ year old men.
Aside from the Firebird and maybe a shrunken down C8 Corvette I really don’t see why Pontiac would come back. Sedans are gone completely and we definitely don’t want another Aztec or torrent. So if GM really does decide to bring Pontiac back I’m not too sure what they would make that GM doesn’t already have or if they would just bring it back as a sub brand of a division like they did with hummer.
Lemme make a buisness case. Overpriced off road vehicles have gotten cliche. The affordable sport car has been completely abandoned. The novelty of taking a jeep off road now has become a hassle of fighting everyone and their brother in a raptor or subbi. Selling a go fast small car and bring back a mid level pony car, or may I say a cyclone based off the Colorado….. Would be a market that someone could dominate if they’re strategic and quick.
This probably is GM feeling the waters as they might do it, might not, but if they are going to do it, they need to be strategic as it will be as big a venture as a new generation of full sized SUV’s in terms of money and sales.
I’d like to see Pontiac come back as the performance or excitement brand. I’d love to see a study on projected profit or loss on doing things as simple/cheap as changing the fascias and some interior bits to look more sporty on certain vehicles. Like the old F-bodies being either a Camaro/Firebird or the current Tahoe/Yukon.
I’d also do this across brands, so you could have several models across msutliple brands based on one platform… “I think the way to do the Camaro is similar to the new Dodge Charger, but with a V8 option added (like Dodge will very likely end up doing now that Tavares is gone). A versatile platform that accepts a wide variety of powertrain options (4 cyl, V6, V8, EV, and hybrid) and also a 2 or 4 door configuration.”
Considering how much GMC vs Buick and Chevy are different, they could do some things, like offering a 2.0 in a Trax, lowering and V8 in a Colorado, but at least they need to make 1 purely unique Pontiac model as a halo vehicle.
Pull a Hummer and bring an EXCITING electric Pontiac coupe/convertible versus the ugly bubble cars that most ev’s tend to be. Place it in the Buick line up.
This would make a lot of sense. Would also piss a lot of boomers off but I would be so j to this lol.
At least we Boomers can afford one unlike your generation sponging off your parents.
The GM lineup needs a shot of adrenaline. Pontiac!
A Pontiac Solstice BEV Roadster would be sick
Pontiac should be the sedan/ coupe brand only. When you think about it, there’s really no difference between all four brands. It’s all SUVs/crossovers. Boring!
Make a T/A with CT5-V Blackwing guts and then take my money!
All a Firebird, F. Formula, TA needs to be is a slight alt appearance and nicer interior as Camaro trims (corresponding to LT, SS, Z28).
Lutz trying to over dude-ify Pontiac derailed it when it was more of a chick brand. And now we’re stuck with every affordable Chevy being spec’d toward women’s aggregate preferences.
I am a Pontiac guy. Always have been.
I BLEED Pontiac.
Given that, I just can’t see a place in today’s automotive landscape for the Pontiac brand.
American’s love affair with cars and the open road ended years ago.
In order to be viable, Pontiac would have to sell nothing but boring CUVs. Even worse, they’d be EVs and hybrids.
There is no market for performance cars anymore, other than a handful of them.
Nor does GM have a varied enough stable of performance platforms to underpin proper Pontiacs.
But if GM is reading, this is what I would consider a proper Pontiac line-up.
Keep in mind all of these would be front engine (except 1), RWD, with standard manual transmissions and LSD, coupes.
– a small Sunfire size car, but as described as above
– a new Solstice
– a new Fiero
– a new Firebird
– a new GTO
– a new Grand Prix
If they can’t do this, then don’t bother.
They wouldn’t need a Solstice and a Fiero and a Firebird. That’s too many products chasing a small segment of buyers. Since Corvette is now mid-engined, maybe skip the Fiero and go with just the Solstice (Miata) convertible, Firebird, and a mid-sized coupe/sedan that forms a new GTO and STE. Then a luxury performance coupe Grand Prix. I’d skip the small economy car too.
Therefore:
-Solstice (2 seater)
-Firebird (2+2)
-LeMans GTO/STE (5 passenger)
-Grand Prix (4 place coupe)
Ain’t gonna happen though but GM lost a lot when Pontiac died. They still sell vehicles although not nearly as many but the big loss is that nobody has any passion for GM anymore; nobody loves them like they once did. They turned into an appliance maker selling bland boxes, often electric, that people buy out of need and use but don’t spend a Saturday waxing and admiring or go for a drive purely for the thrill of it.
Just typing those words out (4 place coupe, 2+2) was a little bit pulse quickening and rekindled for a moment my dormant love of cars. Imagine what could be.
I would actually say the thing that rekindled my passion for GM product was my Lyriq. It’s an executional vehicle. Beautiful, super fast, beyond quiet, and full of interesting thoughtful design. It s quantum leap over the XT5, like something from a different company almost. GM still does exciting product, just not in the affordable sports car space
Every Lyriq I’ve even seen is still just another silver box CUV. Maybe it drives great but I’ve never tried to speed up or slow down so I could admire one in traffic. In days gone by and with a truly sexy vehicle people actually did that.
Yeah, the Lyriq is just an electric Karenmobile. It’s the most common shape on the road today.
Well all that is just personal preference stuff – I’ve never gotten more questions about a car in my life than my Lyriq…and frankly it’s shape is pretty unique – it has an unusually long dash to axle ratio which gives it a grand look. The crystal black grille with all the LEDs, while intentionally flashy and divisive, is certainly not like anything else on the road. Only other car I can think of with similar proportions is the Range Rover Velar.
Tastes change is really all I’m saying. Honestly vintage cars all kinda look the same to me because I’m not from that generation. It’s all perspective. That’s not to say that any of these designs are not worthwhile or well executed. It’s a matter of personal preference.
I could actually see an electric Grand Prix, perhaps on the same chassis as the Cadillac Celestiq but in a more affordable package – not hand built… let Buick style it, their concepts are turning out nicer than Cadillacs.
Yeah,
I’m glad you like your Lyriq and I’m sorry to ridicule that but you sorta asked for it. We are talking about the need for passion at GM again or excitement and the notion was that a reborn Pontiac might focus on RWD and ICE-powered cars with a manual transmission option. It would be a return to a formula so many people love and which incites a thrill when driving. To that you say you love your Lyriq which is the antithesis of all that. It’s a crossover utility with an EV drivetrain and most often painted silver. Again, I’m glad you like it but it’s actually what true car enthusiasts are utterly bored to death by.
G.M. is not going to make a darn thing unless countless studies favour a profitable market sales !
Pontiac died because their sales were abysmal. At the time of death, they had 2 really good cars – the G8 and the Solstice. All the rest were forgettable. I know – I worked at a Pontiac dealer in 2009.
GM’s problem today is affordability. How many people wanted a Camaro but couldn’t afford to buy one?
If you’re going to bring back Pontiac, it’s got to be something really sexy, somewhat performance oriented and in the $25 – $40K sweet spot. EV is OK. No trucks, please.
Since all of GM’s performance dollars are tied-up in the Corvette, I don’t see this happening.
Do it right, or not at all.
This would be great. GM needs something interesting. Hopefully America is ready to shift some from SUVs.
GM, while you’re at it with Pontiac, bring Saturn back too. Saturn could be the “EV” division.
GM can’t bring back the Tans Am. Didn’t they sell the rights and logos to Trans Am America? Trans Am America was building them better anyway.
They took that away recently.
GM killed off all rear wheel drive platforms globally. Hence the demise of the G8 that came out of GM Holden in Australia. The Camaro was a project with significant input from GM-H. Sad but that would be a long track to establish the rear drive again.
Really hope they bring it back, and properly…
Interesting to see a few posts practically begging for badge engineering. Have you learned nothing??!!
I’ve learned the gm makes some really boring vehicles now and nothing really affordable nor appealing to young people, especially young men.
Would definitely love a non retro Trans Am, which seems possible using “next generation” C7 chassis albeit modified like GM with attempting to do with the Kappa platform to have 4 seats. That platform could also be utilized for a sedan/coupe in the line of a G8/GTO and even a high end/high performance Bonneville replacement. Most obvious and easy option, would be to make a Pontiac version of a Buick Envision with about 320 -450 horsepower! Love my Envision, but certainly would love it more with more horsepower. That being said I don’t think the new gm has any ambition for driver focused/enthusiast focused consumer loved products!
Maybe you don’t nuke Camaro brand equity by making it an EV. Maybe instead you resurrect dead Pontiac, like Hummer, with a one-off EV.
Pontiac Panther?
I’ll bite, I’ll say “no” to GTO as the Firebird really took-over GTO sales in the early ‘70s,
A realistic line up would be:
Firebird (T/A, Formula, etc)
G8 ( sedan, sport truck, sport wagon)
Torrent (offer a 2.5 turbo version).
Sell it at Buick / GMC dealers
I forgot to add
G6 (turn the CT4 into this)..
Offer ICE and E/V options
Bought Pontiac all my life , first time I bought a Toyota GR86 , because GM had nothing to offer !! I would love to go back to my preference GM as my family consitantly did since 1952. bring back Firebird and RWD 2 and 4 Dr Grand Prix