AFSCME 3357-HOF'S BLOG

Pontiac News
- Solstice to Arrive before the Equinox
- Pontiac manages sales decline while other GM Divisions prosper

As reported at thecarconnection.com, Pontiac announced that deliveries of its 2-seat roadster, the Solstice, will start in August, somewhat earlier than expected. Pontiac said that pre-orders exceed 9,000, and are higher than the number of Mazda Miatas sold last year. Pontiac hopes to sell about 20,000 of the well-reviewed roadster. Between the Solstice, a revamped Miatta, and the upcoming Saturn Sky, competition will be tough in the two-seat roadster niche.

From the same source, Pontiac reported that its sales were down in the second quarter, even though other GM divisions reported double digit sales gains. The G6 was not enough to overcome diminishing volumes in its older model lines. The 2006 Model year looks like it will be a mixed blessing for Pontiac. On the one hand, it will finally get its two-door and 4-cylinder G6 models, the new G6 models will finally replace Pontiac's volume leader, the Grand-am. Also, Pontiac will lose its flagship, the Bonneville as well as that famous crossover "with a good personality", the Aztek. Pontiac already lost its compact Sunfire. Even though General Motors said that it would reduce "badge-engineered" models that dilute its resources, it has been reported that pressure from retailers will likely result in a Pontiac variant of the Chevrolet Cobalt.



The Car Connection - Daily Edition: July. 20, 2005 - Solstice set for August, Ford NA pulls down Q2 earnings.