GM to Cancel Some Chevy, Pontiac and Cadillac Models

2009 Pontiac G6 GXP Coupe

Gone are the Pontiac G6 GXP sedan and coupe, Chevrolet Impala SS, Cobalt SS sedan and the Cadillac STS-V

By Alex Ricciuti
May 11, 2009 2:18 PM
Filed Under: American, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Corporate/Financial, General Motors, Pontiac, Production

The ax just keeps falling at GM and the hatchet job now includes several more key, even iconic, models from the once-dominant but now withering Detroit automaker.

GM has announced it will be killing the Pontiac G6 GXP sedan and coupe, the Chevrolet Impala SS, Cobalt SS sedan and the Cadillac STS-V, all by the end of the 2009 model year.

The company had already decided to fold the Pontiac brand, which was set to be phased-out by the end of 2010, but had hoped to save some of the brands more successful models. But as the model cuts keep coming, it seems likely that if any Pontiac models survive, they will have to be integrated into GM's surviving Chevrolet name-plate.

The Chevy Cobalt SS coupe may go on for "a while longer -- to be determined," says Terry Rhadigan, a Chevrolet spokesman, in the Automotive News story. Not the most confidence-inspiring statement for a press official to make.

The bad news from GM has no end to it and it seems that it's only a matter of time before that automaker will be forced to follow Chrysler into insolvency. When that happens, that's when consumers will see the real slashing of GM models taking place.

What's your favorite GM car? Keep your fingers crossed if you hope for it to survive.

Source: Autonews (sub req)

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Tags: Pontiac G6 GXP sedan and coupe, Chevrolet Impala SS, Cobalt SS, Cadillac STS-V, GM bailout, GM bankruptcy

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Comments

TheSilentKnight

May 11, 2009 2:44 PM

Oh come on GM! Don't scrap another decent car ( Cadillac CTS-V )! You've already canned the Pontiac brand in favour of the Saturn brand ( who the hell are Saturn? I thought it was a planet ), which contained the G8 sports sedan which is 1000% better than any of the other sedans GM made ( including the Cadillac CTS ). Why, oh why GM, are you canning the decent products ( G8 and CTS-V; the Cobalt can go to hell ) in favour of the enviro-friendly toilet seats? Please explain to me GM why you wanna go back in time to the late 80's and 90's when only half-arsed products were leaving your showrooms?

carbonsigma

May 11, 2009 3:01 PM

Who said the CTS-V was getting canned?

rickyb

May 11, 2009 3:29 PM

STS-V is being canned, which is good because a FWD with not-to-taut suspension can't handle the engine (that's why it doesn't sell). The future of STS in general is also up in the air.

CTS and CTS-V do sell well and should be around.

benz_man

May 11, 2009 4:31 PM

The STS is RWD and the platform is decent. But, like always, GM let the accountants eat the details.

LifeLongCarGuy

May 11, 2009 2:47 PM

I think these are all good choices. The Impala; it is an iconic name that GM turned into a bland styled grocery getter. The Cobolt SS; looks real nice but never could cut the mustard against the likes of it's competition performance-wise. The STS-V; grandpa isn't going to strap himself into a rocket and a "real" enthusiast would choose the more nimble and attractive CTS-V instead anyway. The G6; while probably the only car on the list that GM could justify saving, it's still a Pontiac that would probably cost more than it's worth to redesign as a Chevy. /:twocents:

carbonsigma

May 11, 2009 3:00 PM

Let the GM bashing begin.

mldrieling

May 11, 2009 3:01 PM

No one will miss the Cobalt (should be replaced by the Cruze anyway), the Pontiac G6 (Pontiac is going away and this car is one of the reasons) and the STS-V (are they still making that?). The G8 should become the new Caprice and the G8 GT should be badged the Impala. The G8 GXP should have the SS badge. That way the only good car from Pontiac keeps a great Chevy name and allows Holden to keep costs down.

TheSilentKnight

May 11, 2009 4:45 PM

It's a shame that GM top-brass is also not going to give funds for a replacement for the Zeta rear-wheel-drive architecture ( think new Camaro, Holden Commodore or Pontiac G8 if you're American, and Cadillac CTS ). Cause the cars aforementioned are simply brilliant cars and it's a shame that the financial bath-plug has had to be pulled cause banks had been lending and borrowing more money than they could possibly afford. Shame Wall Street, shame.

TheSilentKnight

May 11, 2009 4:46 PM

And my apologies CarbonSigma. I thought it said CTS-V, not STS-V. So thanks for correcting me.

carbonsigma

May 12, 2009 12:10 PM

No worries

MTC

May 11, 2009 5:41 PM

they should do this earlier, just cancel all the cars that no one wants

Thelis

May 11, 2009 6:00 PM

They should have done this way earlier. If they did so, they were not in such problems as they are now. Although it's a pity for some iconic cars.

rickyb

May 11, 2009 7:39 PM

(oops, I was thinking DTS)

zeniac

May 11, 2009 8:41 PM

Good riddance!

dbehmoaras

May 11, 2009 8:48 PM

Ignorant.

zeniac

May 12, 2009 12:04 AM

dbehmoaras - You must be full of good ideas....or something else.

calimercedesbenz4u

May 11, 2009 9:06 PM

great choices but they forgot their H2 and H3 in the move.

Renegade

May 11, 2009 9:30 PM

GM needs some cars that look good enough to attract you visually, and fast enough to attract you sentimentally, CTS V Coupe, Chevy Cruze SS, new gen Malibu and Impala SS, Insignia OPC based Buick Regal GSX, Buick future compact sedan GSX, and the Riviera concept going in to production with the Roadmaster name and a GSX version.

Edited by user on May 11, 2009 at 10:18 PM

DeRay

May 11, 2009 11:19 PM

LifeLongCarGuy The cobalt ranked 3rd in a comparison done by Car and Driver magazine. Better than the WRX and Civic Si and Mitsu Ralliart. I'm not a huge fan of the Cobalt but both the 2 and 4-door models do perform. Styling sucks though. But I agree with you on all other points as with others here. They should keep the G8 and Solstice(with saturn sky styling) that's it.

hata0101

May 12, 2009 1:19 AM

GM is still not moving FAST enough...if u wanna ax something, cut it NOW, not "by the end of 2009", or fade it out "by the end of 2010"...this is stupid. come on! ACT FAST to save your ass! while drag it for another year??????

WildMaverick1200

May 12, 2009 3:52 AM

Death to all the eyesores!!! Those and all the newer Pontiacs are way to freaking ugly to live... GM is pretty dumb in delaying their exit...they're just wasting time and money.

Why is it soooo hard for GM to understand that the world wants sexy cars like the Camaro and not these dreadful abominations???

Edited by user on May 12, 2009 at 3:55 AM

hata0101

May 12, 2009 10:27 PM

if those top-paying executives were understand, GM wouldn't landed on such bad situation. they're always too little, too slow & too late...... all those executives should get fired! they were just too short-sight & only care about their benefits & earnings. the $ sign covered their eyes, they couldn't even look at the whole picture. look at those executives from Europe, Japan, South Korea & even China, they're working hard to catching up & conquer the market, they're more care about the corporation, expansion & domination of the every market segments. they're looking forward to the future.

benz_man

May 13, 2009 6:36 PM

hata0101, WTF?

hata0101

May 13, 2009 8:57 PM

yeah, WTF, benz_man...i really don't care about GM & Chrysler anyway.

Lutzie

May 17, 2009 11:39 AM

Maybe they should sell the whole damned thing to Fiat. We'd see some quick action then!

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