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The new GTO's don't have any sense of styling at all... looks like a regular rice burner. I love the '66 - '67 Goats...
Posted on 02/07/2005 7:05:15 AM PST by ConservativeStatement
General Motors reportedly will stop making the Pontiac Bonneville this summer, saying declining sales and changing customer tastes no longer make the nearly half-century old sedan worthwhile. The Associated Press (AP) said no jobs will be lost because the Detroit-Hamtramck factory where the Bonneville is currently made will continue to produce other large cars, including the new Buick Lucerne and Cadillac DTS. The news agency noted that Pontiac has revamped its car lineup with products such as the G6, which replaced the Grand Am, and entered new segments with the Vibe hatchback and Torrent, a small SUV.
(Excerpt) Read more at just-auto.com ...
I used to have a 1992 Boneville SE. Was a decent car.
My lone Pontiac was a LeMans.
My wife, and I wore out 2 70s Bonnevilles, and a Catalina, I rented a Bonneville last week, it doesn't rate the name Bonneville, I wouldn't buy one.
The report said Pontiac introduced the Bonneville name in February 1957 at the Daytona Beach races, but didn't introduce it as a product line until 1958 - it was the first Pontiac with fuel injection and was initially available only as a convertible.AP said the model evolved over the years into a roomy family sedan with plenty of power but, as the public's tastes in family haulers shifted to minivans and sport utility vehicles, the Bonneville's core market evaporated.
"After much discussion, it is in the best interest of Pontiac to align our product portfolio with where demand is," Pontiac spokesman Rick Crooks told the Associated Press, adding: "Demand in the large car segment has been declining for some years."
The news agency noted that Pontiac has revamped its car lineup with products such as the G6, which replaced the Grand Am, and entered new segments with the Vibe hatchback and Torrent, a small SUV.
AP said Pontiac sold nearly 100,000 Bonnevilles as recently as 1992, but demand fell to 29,852 last year, according to Ward's Automotive Reports - sales peaked at 135,401 units in 1966.
I agree, I loved the Bonnevilles a few years back. My inlaws recently bought one, and I could not believe how much less of a car it seemed. Much closer to a Grand Am than my memories of the Bonny.
In a few years, Pontiac will follow Plymouth, Olds, etc.......
Other large cars? BS.
I had a 1969 Bonneville. Also a ~1968 Catalina. Those were “large cars.” Nothing like them today. Even up until ~10 years ago the Town Car was large-ish. Now it isn’t much bigger than my Civic.
My mom has a ~2002 Town Car. It’s nice and she hasn’t had any problems with it (but then it has about 12,000 miles on it). Heated-everything and power-everything, but it’s a lot less car than it once was. All of them are.
Kinda like the new GTO. Kick butt engine in a crappy looking car.
Kick butt engine in a crappy looking car.
Let's face it, they don't make any of them like they used to, no character inside or out.
Yes, the "Lucerne" will be much more marketable than the "Bonneville" - as if Lucerne has any relevance in todays pop culture.
At least Lucerne is not in France.....
Now the new Chryslers and Cadillacs which are clearly aiming at the bling-bling generation: -they- are indeed crappy looking.
I suspect that the "Bonneville" was named after the Utah salt flats rather than any place in France.
The report is wrong.
The 1957 Pontiac Bonneville was available only as a convertible, and only in two colors (white and blue). It was a limited production vehicle, but available in '57. The engine was a fuel injected 347 cu. in. V8. In 1957, the displacement was increased to 370 cu. in. In 1959, this was further increased to 389 cu. in. (Yes, it's the same engine that lived under the hood of the first GTO.) and, later, to 400 cu. in. (The same engine that found its way to the Firebird, BTW.)
When will GM just axe the Pontiac brand all together? I mean how many crappy other models can you rebadge just by putting a spoiler and some molding on their exterior? Needs to go the way of the olds.
When I was a kid, my folks had a new 1959 Bonneville 4 door hardtop "widetrack" which was fully loaded. Later, I "inherited" it. It was one fine ride and due to it's very large interior it was great for "parking" too!
I'll give you that, "crappy" was a bad choice of words. It just doesn't look like a sports car to me, more like a Mazda or something.
Now, the new Mustang, on the other hand...
Me like!!!
I believe there will be a Cobra version in 2006 for the 2007 model year.....
I don't know what Pontiac has been building for the last forty years but they don't look like any Pontiac Bonneville I remember...
Now this is a Pontiac Bonneville!
http://www.cars-on-line.com/18180.html
Powered by a pumped-up, fire breathing, 355 (bored out) 300+ HP Chevy!
The new GTO's don't have any sense of styling at all... looks like a regular rice burner. I love the '66 - '67 Goats...
my sister had a Chieftan...
didn't the hood ornament, the chiefs head light up at night or something???
maybe it still does...LOL
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