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Product-Juggling Strategy Takes Place at Pontiac

After the June sales jolt at GM, the beleaguered Pontiac Division is juggling models anew. The only GM brand to suffer a sales decline in the corporation's June boom, Pontiac is losing three models this fall and replacing the dropouts with two - the long-awaited Solstice two-seat roadster and the Torrent sport wagon. Out the door go the Bonneville sedan, the Sunfire compact car, and the ill-fated Aztek sport wagon.

Beyond the debut of 2006 models, even more realignments are slated for Pontiac . GM's vice-president for North America sales, service and marketing, Mark LaNeve, said last week that dealers have asked that Sunfire and Grand Am be replaced as soon as possible by an entry-level car, and GM has reportedly responded with a quickie spin-off of the Chevrolet Cobalt for the 2007 model year.

Pontiac has become GM's biggest "loser" in sales so far this year, showing a 16-percent sales decline that June's employee-pricing rollout was unable to reverse. It was a bitter pill in view of jumps of about 40 percent for Buick, Chevrolet, and Saturn. Many Pontiac dealers blame a spotty image for the new mid-size G6 sedan as a factor in the first-half sales reverse. Replacement of the well-entrenched Grand Am name by "G6" has failed to resonate among Pontiac shoppers, says Gordon Wangers, a marketing analyst based in Marina Del Rey, Calif.- Mac Gordon

Source thecarconnection.com

Most people that I've spoken too, do not know that the G6 exists. In fact, many still believe the Grand AM is for sale! Gm should never have tried to create name recognition for a G6 when the Grand AM had excellent name recognition and was Pontiac's best seller! It would have been much easier to create awareness of a whole new Grand AM.

For the 2005 MY, the Grand Am was for sale (albeit as a Fleet Only vehicle). I admit my love for the G6 Coupe, but I'm also gunning for the Saturn Sky (as opposed to the Pontiac Solstice, I just like the lines on the Sky better).

Glad to hear the Aztek is going the way of the buffalo, however there is a cult following of Aztek owners (most that have them, love them).

Why be redundant when NE has said it all.

Then why post??

Anyways, the Grand Am is for sale and its not just to fleets. That has caused confusion as it makes it seem as if the G6 wasn't its replacement. As I've said before, the name G6 never should have happened when the perfect name already existed.. Grand Am.

What he ^ said.

My-my, we;re all so talkative today.