Bleak future for Pontiac G8 in the U.S.
December 3, 2008 by George Skentzos
While previous reports predicting the demise of the Commodore-based G8 sedan were denied by Pontiac, almost, new reports have emerged which paint a rather bleak future for the Australian export.
Since the Pontiac G8 sedan was launch in the U.S., just 13,000 have found a home, while 11,000 more unsold G8’s remain in Pontiac’s inventory – representing a 283 day supply.
Poor demand for the Commodore-derived G8 sedan in the U.S., combined with a 16 percent drop in sales closer to home mean the Adelaide assembly line is expected to lay idle for 25 days in the first quarter of 2009.
This closure is on top of the four week pause already planned over the holiday season at Holden’s manufacturing facility.
In addition to this, GM’s current financial woes could see the auto giant sever its ties altogether with Pontiac in order to secure a $25 billion low interest loan from the U.S. government.
Under a restructuring plan presented to congress, GM has outlined that it will focus on its “core brands” of Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac.
Pontiac will be shrunk to a “specialty, niche” brand as part of the current proposal – which is unlikely to include the Pontiac G8 sedan, GM President Fritz Henderson told reporters at a briefing today.
Source: LeftLaneNews and Automotive News
Print it: 
Quote [Tomas79]: Also now that you have brought up lexus, note that Ford’s CEO Alan Mulally owns a Lexus LS, and has gone on the record describing it as the “finest car in the world”!!!
Tomas that isn’t really saying mmuch is it because after having to spend so many years driving crappty tacky Crown Victorias; Taurus; and the like anything including the most basic Fiat Punto could be described [by an American]as being the finest car in the world.
As proven by the fact that sales in the USA of Subarus Mazdas and other imported cars are continually increasing whilst US built Fords are gradually declining.
And even though you dislike the build quality features & specifications etc of our locally built cars.. compared to The US equivalents the Falcon and Commodore would also be
described as a leap forward a step up an upgrade.
Autoblog say………
“Management bonuses will be slashed 10 percent at Toyota as a result of the global economic slowdown. About 5,000 managers will take cuts as the Japanese automaker reels from falling global sales that are hitting its local market hard. Toyota vehicle sales in Japan dropped 27 percent in November (excluding 660cc minivehicles) and Lexus sales dipped 24 percent — mirroring the same sales issues that both brands are having in the United States. As a result, the Japanse Juggernaut will halt production for two days on one of the Tahara production lines manufacturing the Lexus LS, GS and IS models, which will prevent about 5,000 luxury cars from being built, and idle another factory in southern Japan for two days, as well. Toyota is also expected to announce lower sales and production estimates at its year-end press conference that happens at the end of this month. That news will follow the 1 trillion yen ($10.7 billion) yanked just last month from its annual operating profit forecast.
mmmmmmm Tomas ,seems to me the bigger ones do fall harder . Things are going to get worse for them before they get better,it may affect Holden in this country to lose some sales but no where as much as it affects Toyota in their largest market,the USA .
Bavarian Missile, and Wheelnut, you have spammed this this article with off topic rubbish, and still not provided me with a single valid argument!! Why you guys bother??!
Both Ford and GM would much prefer having to cut BONUSES and have 2 days downtime (as opposed to a month), and a 10 billion drop in PROFITS.
Hey, Toyota aren’t losing money.
Sorry Wheelnut, But U.S owned Holden, which imports most of it’s vehicles from Korea, and rest of the world, and locally assembles commodores from Korean parts and Chinese metal, is no more Australian, then IKEA furniture you brought home, and assembled yourself.
But the Holden fanatics will never see it…
All your points try to drag the argument elsewhere…
On this topic and the W427 we have provided a number of valid points not only to back up our opinion but to provem that the Commodore is Australian made.
However; None are as blind as those who don’t wantr to see… and none are as deaf as those who don’t want to hear.
You still believe that the Commodore [and the Falcon] are made in America … if that’s the case whats the huge grey building on the Phillip Highway in Elizabeth SA full of robots panels seats brakes diffs suspension and other components…and cars which look exactly the same as a VE Commodore rolling out the back door?…. A Mirage.
The majority of my comments on this article are on topic it wasn’t until you came on here claiming that you had won the arguemnent we were having on the W-427 that I temporarily went off to pic to try and refresh your memory as to what both you and I said…. all my comments were to try and show you tha the VE Commodore is Australian Made despite being owned by a Foreign company.
But the article like this one wasn’t about Holden or GM [the company] but about the VE Commodore [the car] on which the W427 is based.
On Topic – GM plans to make Pontiac a Niche brand. isn’t Pontiac a Niche brand already? given that Niche brands usually don’t sell that many cars infact they would be lucky to sell more than 10 a month….. Pontiac is already there isn’t it?
Wheelnut, with lies such as this, i don’t think i will bother responding to anymore of your comments…. You have no credibility, so where is the point?!
You know well it was Bavarian missile that brought the W427 into this discussion, and made claims about me losing the argument! Offcourse she broke the code of conduct, and her comment was deleted!!
Quote [Tomas]: ” Sorry Wheelnut, But U.S owned Holden, hich imports most of it’s vehicles from Korea, and rest of the world, and LOCALLY ASSEMBLES COMMODORES….”
Finally you understand what I was getting at you finally admit it Tomas.. The Commodore is Locally Assembled the Cmmodore is Australian Made.. see it wasn’t that hard was it?
The Commodore is assembled/made here using parts sourced from both here and overseas… therefore; its an Austrralian made car. Because until holden bolts/welds the various components together and wires it all up like the ecu engine gearbox diff beakes suspension and body panels etc each component individual is useless as it cannot perform its intended function nor is there anything for it to do – nothing to power/drive it and nothing for it to power/drive… until then they are just lumps of metal
Question Tomas Where is the factory located wheere the VE Commodore is made that is where are the various components put together – inorder to build/create a car which is what each individual part is designed to do?
Wheelnut, Assembled in australia, by a foreign owned company, from foreign made parts does not mean equal Australian made!! Just think of the IKEA furniture example!! It would not receive the “Australian Made” symbol (Yellow kangaroo in a green triangle)!!
But the company that owns the rights to the Australian Made Logo [Yellow kangaroo in a Green Triangle] says that the VE Commodore is Australain Made – they are the ones who gave me the definition as to what determines whether or not a particular product is Australian made and therefore elligible to display the Australian Made Logo [Yellow kangaroo in a Green Triangle]..
As I said before the definition basically says a product is regarded as being Australian Made if it is made, procuced or assembled here to the point where it is a sale able item or a finished product.
Therefore the commodore meets the Australian Made criteria
jesus, do you guys ever stfu?
Tomas sick of your flybys………..my comment is under moderation cause you reported it !Cant handle the heat get out of the kitchen.
Retort as much as you like Tomas but Holden is Australian so get the F..k over it!
I will repeat myself from last night Tomas
““Management bonuses will be slashed 10 percent at Toyota as a result of the global economic slowdown. About 5,000 managers will take cuts as the Japanese automaker reels from falling global sales that are hitting its local market hard. Toyota vehicle sales in Japan dropped 27 percent in November (excluding 660cc minivehicles) and Lexus sales dipped 24 percent — mirroring the same sales issues that both brands are having in the United States. As a result, the Japanse Juggernaut will halt production for two days on one of the Tahara production lines manufacturing the Lexus LS, GS and IS models, which will prevent about 5,000 luxury cars from being built, and idle another factory in southern Japan for two days, as well. Toyota is also expected to announce lower sales and production estimates at its year-end press conference that happens at the end of this month. That news will follow the 1 trillion yen ($10.7 billion) yanked just last month from its annual operating profit forecast.
Everyone is in the crap in America including Toyota……..so stop putting the boots into Holden.
Tomas, Wheelnut is right regarding Holden Commodores being “made in Australia”. Though Wheelnut, it’s not a company that owns those australian made logo’s as far as I know.
However it would probably be illegal to claim the commodore is a “product of australia”.
www . austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/tpa1974149/s65ab.html
www . austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/tpa1974149/s65ac.html
The doomsday clock for Holden is only a few seconds away from Midnight…
In October, Pontiac sold just over 1,000 G8s in the US. By comparison, Toyota sold over 30,000 Camrys. Even Ford’s ancient Crown Victoria managed 3,000 sales, while Lincoln’s equally old Town Car even beat the G8. Another GM flop was the Astra, which managed only a little over 500 units, compared to 27,000 Corollas.
Mark get it straight the G8 is not a flop in the US the economy is! How many Camrys were Toyota counting on selling a lot more than they did anyway ! The G8 was always going to fill a void in their market not take over one. Your bringing up Toyota daily drivers the people I know that own these in the states are car lovers . Shall I message them and ask them to make a comment on your last silly one!
Just bought a G8 GT about three weeks ago, and the car is very well received over here in the states. Everyone loves my new car. The problem? No one knows it exists. It fills a niche market which up till recently has been filled by BMW’s, Mecedes, and the Dodge Charger. The G8 is thoughsands less then the German cars, and out performs the Charger R/T in just about every respect. Ford has no equivalent car for sale in the US.
If Pontiac marketed them better, had more in stock, and the general auto market didn’t suck so bad right now, the G8’s would be a huge hit. The dealer I went to had them flying out the door with the Red Tag Sale GM was running.
Okay, scary, I just went to the Holden Website and priced a Holden Commodore with the same equipment as my G8. The Commodore came out to $63,831, which is about $43,000 (US) at the present exchange rate. The G8 only cost me $30,000 (US). Shouldn’t it cost more to ship a car across the Pacific and sell it in the US than to sell it at home in Australia? Is there some reason why cars cost 30% more in Australia? Really high taxes or something?
Mr American G8 buyer,I think the main problem is that GM sells the Commodore as a Pontiac – a brand which [from what I've read] has gradually lost the reputation for building sdports cars to one that builds more generic sedans.
However; if they sold it as something with more exposure a better reputation etc such as a Chevrolet more people will buy them. They could sell it as either the new Impala or Malibu or even bring back the Beretta name
It makes sense really given that the Commodore is powered by a Chevrolet/Corvette V8. It’s sold as a Chev in the Middle East and the Sheiks love em
Although given that GMs financial problems and are now in a restructuring/streamlining process I think GM is likely to get rid of Pontiac [as well as Buick] and keep the more widely known brands such as Chevrolet and Cadillac