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Bleak future for Pontiac G8 in the U.S.

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

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