GM cancels Pontiac G8 ST export
January 7, 2009 by George Skentzos
General Motors has announced it has cancelled plans to introduce the Holden-derived GT Sport Truck into the US under the Pontiac nameplate in the wake of the national economic meltdown.
The decision is in part due to GM’s new approach to turn Pontiac into a “niche brand” as outlined in a plan it submitted to Congress last year.
As a result, GM considers the G8 ST to be a low-volume niche product which doesn’t meet the requirements of the restructured Pontiac brand – with no plans to introduce the vehicle for another GM brand.
“With Pontiac being more focused on sporty, fun-to-drive cars, we took a long look at the ST and it didn’t fit with what our future vision of Pontiac would be,” said Pontiac spokesman Jim Hopson. “At that point, we decided to not proceed with this vehicle.”
Based on the Holden VE Ute, the new G8 ST was to debut early this year alongside its Australian sibling – the G8 sedan, which was launched in March 2008.
“The way the business is today, we want the dealers to focus on the great products we do have: the G6 sedan and the Vibe,” Russ Clark, executive director of product marketing for Pontiac, Buick and GMC, said.
This sentiment certainly does not bode well for Holden, reaffirming the idea that the viability of the G8 sedan in the US market is also in question.
“We’ll be bringing the entries down in Pontiac,” Clark said. “It’s six right now. It’ll be less than six but more than one, so what it’ll be ultimately? We’re working on that now.”
Previous trends indicate this number is likely to be less rather than more, with GM previously having restructured Buick from having seven nameplates in 2005 to three now.
Holden spokesman Jonathan Rose said the cancellation of the G8 ST export would not impact on production schedules or jobs at the Elizabeth plant.
“The decision doesn’t alter the foundations of our export program,” he said. “It would have been an extension of the export program. That now won’t occur.”
Holden will continue production of the G8 Sedan, G8 GT and newly introduced G8 GXP for the U.S. market where around 15,000 have been sold so far.
Rose has said the decision is as a result of Pontiac becoming a niche sports car brand, with GM deciding the G8 ST did not fit that image.
Print it: 
GM’s decision is a complete contradiction, they say the Ute is a niche vehicle, we know it fits the catagory of “focused on sporty, fun-to-drive cars” and yet they don’t want to important because it doesn’t fit their niche concept and its not fun-to-drive and sporty? What on earth do they consider a niche then? A range of Commodore based products would have made a lot of sense.
Myke,
Clearly GM execs don’t think the VE ute is a “sporty, fun-to-drive” vehicle.
But is it the “sporty” or the “fun-to-drive” bit?
This was reported in the Adelaide media this morning as a “blow to the Elizabeth manufacturing plant”. But really what volume was this ever going to do?
It’s model rationalisation, simple.
Bret, that wasn’t going to stop them before from bring the Ute to the US, when Pontiac remained a mainstream brand. Considering (now) they have turned the brand into a niche (and even though GM is going through tough times), the Ute would have made even more sense.
Myke, I don’t disagree at all.
As I said its really only model rationalisation. Obviously there rational maybe different than ours.
They say there are no plans ATM to introduce the sell the Ute in the USA under another GM Brand
However; don’t be surprised if they decide to export the ute but badge it up as a Chevrolet.. Because the Ute is getting a lot of interest in the USA particularly on autoblog websites etc
As Ford have shown with the axing of the Falcons I6 then its sudden revival [3 months later] anythings possible and things can change.
Holden will play a vital role in GMs restrucuring plans as well as their future.. which will most likely mean more exports
GM America – can’t build good cars, won’t accept good cars
they deserve to fail
in what world is launching a deawoo kalos with a pontiac badge sporty and fun to drive or a better option for a performance brand than a sport ute that could provide a popular alternative for the Toyota Tundra, Dodge Ram and F150
morons
the main reason they probebley canceled it is becouse they have a years worth of production sitting of the sedan vertion sitting at pontiac dealer the G8 just wont sell there so why would the ute be any differant.
face it the usa tase’s are differant to ours shame really becouse they are really missing out.
So does “sporty, fun-to-drive” translate to “budget” then?
The reason the G8 doesn\’t sell is because it\’s marketed poorly over there.
If they sold it as a luxury high performance vehicle, on par with the 5 series and E-class it\’d probably sell alot better.
A luxury high performance brand would suit GM\’s move towards making Pontiac a niech brand too. But that\’s just me, and i can\’t figuer out how the G6 or the vibe are attractive vehicles that anyone would buy. The vibe looks like an epica wagon and the G6\’s 90\’s styling makes it unbelievably unnatractive. It\’s proportioned horribly and looks cheap and nasty.
if they want “sporty, fun-to-drive” niche vehicles maybe they should import the Maloo?
Perhaps a re-born Suzuki “Mighty Boy” might fit their plans better.
Let’s not forget, GM thought the best way to save themselves was to merge with Chrysler, we’re dealing with a company that is under massive pressure and making poor decisions. In reality, this is probably a god send for GMH, GM probably can’t afford to pay for the stock anyway.
I was discusted to realise that had I lived in the USA, I would seriously consider buying one of these pupies. A friggn Holden!!!
I guess I’m putting it down to national pride and a lack of anything else US that inspires me.
I can’t believe that I could see myself buying a Holden! Well I guess it’s unlikely I’ll live in the states and now Pontiac has squashed any chances of buying the Ute there. My Heart rate can mellow now.
Nick, GM is not likely to market G8 as a luxury high performance vehicle as holden’s interior is no where near the German rivals for quality and luxury. Anyways, they have Cadillac to fill that role already.
I’m really not surprise with this cancellation as they have plenty of G8 unsold in US and there is no reason to import G8 ute and build another warehouse of stock.
I think holden would do well to fix its current focus (no pun) on the recently announced small car to be made in adelaide, move away from the ongoing trial of trying to please americans and relish the sentiment and pride of building something in australia that a growing number of people will want instead of importing something from overseas that from a product point of view people likely don’t give a sh*t about.
This is the beginning of the end to Holden exports to the US. The sedan will also be cancelled in the near future, no doubt. The car-based ute is not the type of vehicle to sell in the USA anyway as the top selling vehicle in the USA is the FORD F150……….yanks are not real keen on car based utes. Holdens horrible VE interior and build quality would have also counted against it
I agree with you Scrap Metal, it is the beginning of the end for Holden exports to the US. You’re being a little harsh on the VE’s interior though, it’s not great, but it would be head and shoulders above most US vehicle interiors.
Alex…….thats probably right because yank interiors are as bad if not worse than the VE. I guess when you compare it to the FG Falcon it looks even worse.
I just feel for Holden, I mean realistically they put their wotsits on the line a few years ago and designed a platform to suit what GM wanted for it’s grand vision of a Global RWD platform. Ever since then the yanks have basically snubbed it. I reckon VE would have been a lot better if the team had’ve been able to do what they wanted not what the yanks wanted. (please note I prefer to drive the FG to the VE and base the comment on my preference only)
The G8 will be the next to go; why would GM continue to import the G8 only to watch it pile up in stock yards? If you can’t sell it; don’t import it.
I couldn’t agree more with frontman. Holden needs to do their own thing and move away from the General. We also need to start putting Aussie’s who understand our market back in charge and not yank’s trying to cut costs and please head quaters. If they can’t make their home market work, what chance do they have with ours? Holden was highly profitable in the early 2000’s under aussie leadership and now it’s back asking for government handhand outs.
BJ……I totally agree. It is just a matter of time before it ends. GM may not even be around by March…….well more than likely wont be around by March the way things are going.
Nick .how can Holden move away from the GM ? They are owned and basically run by GM. The fact is if GM go down the shitpipe so too will Holden.
Schah7
I’m as Happy as that the Commodore Ute has been Cancelled
Besides the Crap Chevy engine the ute is probably one of the Best cars G.M U.S.A has. Just not the Market I guess.
Just wish Ford would get their Act together and offer a few
more “Cult-Type” Cars.
Look at the Line up:
Corvette
Camaro
Pontiac G8
Pontiac ST G8 Ute
Caddilac CTS
Hummer
Volt [New-Age] car
Ford:
Mustang
Ford shore we all need the “New-Age” Cars BUT how about a few more with “Heart-Soul”
Frontman & Nick,
Maybe the VE global platform has not been the success that GM had hoped, but make no mistake without GM Holden doing this new global platform, Commodore would now be a local adaption of some other GM global platform.
Local platforms for specific regions are finished in the long term, every car, in every country will eventually be part of a global platform program.
It’s sink or swim for the VE platform. Either GM make it work in significant numbers worldwide or Aus gets an adaption of something else.
That’s why, unfortunately, I think that the Falcon as we know it is finished long term – it will eventually be part of a global platform program.
All we can hope for is Commodore and Falcon to be Australia needs and not some “close enough best fit”.
Scrap Metal, that is the worse case scenario, but in the glass half full scenario, Opel, Vauxhall, Holden & GM-DAT are actually reasonably well positioned to (under the right leadership) seperate as one and become a far better proposition. (yes I know, I will awaken from the dream time soon :-( ..)
It’s a shame as I think marketed right it could have worked by going after people wanting to downsize from a full sized truck to something a bit smaller & more economical while remaining practical.
cant say im suprised that the yanks dont want the ve ute in some part due to the economic downturn they them selves have created but maybe also due to the fact that the ve is just oh so average having just got rid of my ve sv6 ute the most woefull car i have ever owned.the only thing good about the ve is its good looks ,build and finish is on par with korean cheapies,my old vy storm was a much better car.sorry gm never again.
This was a dumb idea from day one, typical of the meatheads who have run GM into the ground.
As a Chevrolet El Camino it would have worked. Badging it as a Pontiac (who have never sold a pickup of any kind) was like pinning a ‘CLOSED’ sign on the Pontiac shop.
Let’s get GM into Chapter 11 as fast as possible and start over.
Scrap Metal – Holden did really well on theri own befroe GM took them over in the late 1930s..
However; over the last couple of years Holden have shown that they have the experience and the ability to go it alone – I mean they unlike Toyota were prepareed to put forward a case to build a completely new 100% aussrtralian designed and made rear wheel drive car on a platform that could be used for other project cars.. They put forward the case and it got the green light.
If Toyota are so good why didn’t they do a similar thing to Holden and ask Tokyo if they could make an all new car [maybe even go against tradition and make it a RWD Toyota] instead of taking a platform from overseas then make a number of modifications to it to try and make it more suitable to Australias unique and harsh environment.
Even you would have to admit that if they made the Aurion RWD; it would have been taken more seriously [by car enthusiasts] which could have saved the TRD brand as well as been as a more direct rival to Falcon and Commodore.
Holden can’t go alone, no way.
They may be able design and build a car but they would be making use of a great deal of GM technology, patents and parts. They would also be making use of GM facilities all over the world for various parts of their car designs.
I think GM canceled the ute as Pontiac dealers in US (and there are some 4000) don’t know what or how to sell this vehicle. Most dealers ask GM for a rebate to pass on to customers.
This rebate to get customers in their door has contributed to GM’s finacial mess and was use on just about all of GM vehicle. Some of the better dealers don’t use any rebates as they know what their market wants.
OK they have lot of G8’s in stock (8000), but they have alot of other vehicles that they make in the US in stock too!
What I can’t understand is why are they keeping the G3?
Maybe they will rebadge it under chevy like Wheelnut said as Pontiac have no SUV’s and it gets back to what I was saying before that Pontiac dealers will not know how to sell the ute in the US.
“However; over the last couple of years Holden have shown that they have the experience and the ability to go it alone – I mean they unlike Toyota were prepareed to put forward a case to build a completely new 100% aussrtralian designed and made rear wheel drive car on a platform that could be used for other project cars.. They put forward the case and it got the green light.”
Yes, but as a business proposition it was a loser – how much have GMH lost over the past few years? And when will they ever be profitable?
“If Toyota are so good why didn’t they do a similar thing to Holden and ask Tokyo if they could make an all new car [maybe even go against tradition and make it a RWD Toyota] instead of taking a platform from overseas then make a number of modifications to it to try and make it more suitable to Australias unique and harsh environment.”
Toyota have one very good RWD car in their Japanese stable – the Crown – which could have been adapted for Aussie use.
I was a passenger in my friend’s Crown in Tokyo recently, and it puts the Aurion to shame.
Is Australia the only country that goes for this kind of car? Not sure if it is in the makeup of Americans (or Europeans) to buy a utility that can’t really be used as a utility.
****
Toyota may have ONE very good RWD platform in their line up.. Yet theres’ nothing that says they can’t have TWO or more RWD Platforms is there?
Is the Crown Platform used in any other car in their line up? That is; is it a “Flexible” or “Global” Platform that can be used by a number of other cars
The Opel Insignia for example is built on the Epsillon Platform which is a Flexible/Global Platform as it is suitable for a range of FWD RWD and even AWD cars
The Porsche Audi VWs are another example of Part Sharing
Because as times get tougher Platform sharing and Part Sharing is going to become more common than it is ATM as its one way to remain competitive and reduce costs.
I thought the article was about the Pontiac. Why then are we talking about Toyota?
It’s probably just as well. If Pontiac were to sell a few of these, GM would get a whole bunch of different glue-on plastic ‘enhancements’ and then it would be available from Pontiac, Chevrolet, Buick, SAAB, Saturn, Cadillac and Hummer. They might even market it as an Oldsmobile! If it were to be left as a Pontiac ONLY vehicle, there might be incentive to buy that PONTIAC product and not look fot the cheaper vehicle available from a dozen vendors!