Pontiacs you would not want in the barn unless the barn was

[lightning]

Just for the sake of writing, while I have nothing to do and the wife is asleep. Here is my list of 5 Pontiac automobiles that left the "streets" just as fast as they entered.

5 6000-LE ( pronounced Gooo -Lee_)
4 Astra
3 Transport
2 T-1000
1 Aztek

[super]

Pontiac Aztek and Transport. Man, what were they thinking.

[lightning]

In retrospect, they were marketing blunders. There probably are other very ugly cars such as that boxy Honda or the Scion,but they hit the right buttons to attract the right people. Pontiac can't seem to find a hungry crowd.

In the sixies, there where Pontiac specific accessories that drove the buying market. Items that stayed with the marque long enough to create a lasting image. Rally wheels for example. People that were interested in cars, knew right away that a new model was a Pontiac, because they saw the Rally wheels. Or they saw a Hood Tach, Hood Scoop(s), spoilers ( when cadillas didn't have spoilers [ what were they thinking?]). It was a hook that kept an image alive.

Today, what easy identifiable option is available on Pontiacs. Even with the '04 or '05 GTO. I don't believe their was anything available to set one GTO apart from another. Or remember when you could get certain options on a LeMans to help give it the looks or a GTO. Option sharing helped keep sales within the Pontiac family. So what can a consumer do today if he/she loves the look of a G8 but can't afford it. Buy a G6? No! Result, lost sale! Good buy to potential Pontiac sale or beginnings to a loyal purchaser.

It is just so sad to watch how Corporate/University "eggheads" have no clue. It reminds of when I watch a so called comedy show such as "Last Comic Standing" In my opinion there is absoluetly nothing funny about any of the contestants. I don't know, maybe we do grow up to become our parents!

Have a good weekend!

[Larry]

I was listening to a stockmarget report today on the radio and of all things, the man was addressing the auto industry... it wasn't good news either.

The man reporting remarked that most auto lines are "splintering" into speciality types, and that the specialities are "splintering" even further into very specific "niche" markets. His point was that compainies like GM do not have the capabilities to respond fast enough to these ever growing, more and more specific requests... but smaller companies do, and even the foreign big companies.

Bottom line is, I guess, more big fat American industry with corporate executives who get all the developmental money in bonuses and big fat golden parachutes, plus unions that have strapped the companies with such high wages and benefits that with all these combined.... well, there just isn't much left over to actually design and build a decent car that the public actually wants. And don't even get me started in talking about the marketing departments whose jobs it is to TELL the public what they want!

Have you seen the recent report that the Solstice sales are way down, but they can't get the Saturn Sky fast enough? The frightening thing was that the report stated that the problem seems to be "brand preception". Is it possible that people are beginning to look at Pontiac like they did Oldsmobile when it was looking like they were going to go bye-bye? Sadly, it sure looks like that.