Ny times and Pontiac

[antmnte]

I was getting a bagel this morning and happened to look down at the NY times (which I dont normally read) and saw a GTO on the front page.I started reading the article,pretty interesting and something most of us here have been saying all along.Here it is:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/20/bu...ef=todayspaper

[SuperBuickGuy]

Re: Ny times and Pontiac

True stuff, only difference I have is I think the problem started in the 70s with cars that were the same platform.... you lose the innovation when you combine lines.... of course, couple that problem that the term "Friday car" was a vehicle to avoid for a reason and you have the perfect storm because why go to another brand when you're buying essentially the same car?

I still remember a friend of my family who ordered himself an Oldsmobile every year until the year it came with a Chevrolet 350 motor... he was so mad he never did buy from them again.

[jordanmorningstar]

Re: Ny times and Pontiac

This is what happens when the accountants are handed the keys. Nothing against accountants, but if a company is best at doing something-like building good, fast cars that are fun to drive-then they should do that. Honestly, just because something will save a buck doesn't mean you should do it.

[Fordplay0621]

Re: Ny times and Pontiac

The Truth Hurts.

[autoxcuda]

Re: Ny times and Pontiac

True stuff, only difference I have is I think the problem started in the 70s with cars that were the same platform.... you lose the innovation when you combine lines.... of course, couple that problem that the term "Friday car" was a vehicle to avoid for a reason and you have the perfect storm because why go to another brand when you're buying essentially the same car?

I still remember a friend of my family who ordered himself an Oldsmobile every year until the year it came with a Chevrolet 350 motor... he was so mad he never did buy from them again.

Platform cars have been around for a long time. GM A-bodies Skylark, Chevelle, Cutlass have started in 64. Will an upper control arm off a 56 Chevy interchange with a 56 Olds 88?

[tcbnj]

Re: Ny times and Pontiac

This is what happens when the accountants are handed the keys. Nothing against accountants, but if a company is best at doing something-like building good, fast cars that are fun to drive-then they should do that.

Jordan, IMHO, Pontiac's problems were not from handing the accountants the keys, but handing the keys to incompetent corporate types who had no appreciation for the product they were selling (success usually comes with having a passion for your product whether selling cars, washing machines or bubble gum). Specific to Pontiac the non-car guys who started the cancer are Jim McDonald who was named Pontiac General Manager in late 1969 & Martin J. Caserio in 1972 (a sales and marketing guy). Corporate GM was also full of non-car guys.

Historically, Pontiac's success began with the launch of the 1959 models under the leadership of then General Manager Bunkie Knudson. These are not my words, they are directly from Jim Wangers book Glory Days and he was there. GM was seriously considering shutting Pontiac down because of poor sales in the mid 50s largely due to the brand not really meaning anything; Pontiac was considered a reliable grandma car. Knudson was known as a product guy and he changed the brand to one with a performance image resulting in Pontiac being the #3 car brand for most of the 60s. The next 2 Pontiac general mangers continued Knudsons direction, Pete Estes and John DeLorean