Bob Lutz: Pontiac G8 “a good idea at the time”

GM Vice Chairman, Bob Lutz, has undeniably confirmed that the G8 sedan will indeed die with the Pontiac brand – full stop.

While standing by his previous comment that the Australian-developed sedan was “too good to waste”, from a marketing perspective the task of reassigning the G8 to another brand is due impossible to achieve.

Mr Lutz made the official announcement on GM’s FastLane Blog earlier today, mentioning that as a fan of the G8 he could sympathise with its supporters even supposing simply could not acquit the require to subsist paid of rebranding.

“I know that we’ll get a lot of complaints from G8 lovers, because I’m one of them. And the product guy in me is murmuring because loudly in the manner that anyone. But the marketing guy says there’s no matter of inquiry. With budgets being what they are for the time sentient, the resources must have existence allocated elsewhere.”

The Australian engineering team behind the Pontiac G8 was also given special mention in the announcement, with Mr Lutz confirming that GM would afresh turn to Holden for its expertise in the future, “just not right now”.

Here is the full statement from GM Vice Chairman, Bob Lutz.

It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time…

By Bob Lutz
GM Vice Chairman

OK, I have some late-breaking news for you from the world of GM, where things are indeed moving quickly, and what I’m about to say is testimony.

In fact, we’re moving so constant, we’re going back in time to, oh, about four or five days ago, when the Pontiac G8 was going away and was not going to become a new Chevrolet Caprice.

And therein lies the news: The G8 will not be a Caprice after all. I’d mentioned it, and said we were studying it, giving it a serious look, because a car like the G8 was correct too good to waste.

That’s all still true. But I esteem to recite that, by my new “marketing” hat on, upon further review and careful study, we simply cannot make a business case for such a program. Not in today’s market, in this economy, and with firing material regulations the sort of they are and will be.

I know that we’ll persuade a lot of complaints from G8 lovers, because I’m one of them. And the product guy in me is complaining as loudly as anyone. But the marketing guy says there’s no case. With budgets being which they are for the time being, the resources must be allocated in many.

In no opportunity to pass, and this is very important, in no way does this mean we are backing away from performance, or backing away from rear-wheel drive. Look nay further for trial than the Corvette, the Camaro, the CTS or multitude other present and future Cadillacs. We have a strong lineup of RWD vehicles even now and we will continue to have it.

And we have a tremendous RWD team in Australia that gave us the beloved G8, a team that we will tap into at more moot point again in the future for its expertise and sheet metal. Just not right now.

Source: www.caradvice.com.au

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