Pontiac G8 to die because GM is "not a fan of rebadging."

Posted June 17 2009 02:59 PM by David Zenlea
Filed under: Editors' Soapbox

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2009 Pontiac G8

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$28,250.00 - $37,610.00

Fuel Economy
17 city / 25 highway

Base Engine
256-horsepower V6

Transmission
Semi-Automatic, Automatic

Drivetrains
Rear Wheel Drive

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Sometimes, you just have to shake your head and ask, “why”?

During a web chat with journalists this week, no doubt intended to prove how “with it” GM management is these days, CEO Fritz Henderson hinted that the Pontiac G8 will die with the brand at the end of 2010. His reasoning:

"I am not a fan of rebadging."

Forget for one moment the fact that many of us here love the G8; forget that it’s been selling remarkably well despite a horrible economy and virtually no marketing support; forget that Holden, the Australian unit that builds the G8, will reportedly lose $1 billion if the car dies; forget that the Holden Commodore already sells in various parts of the world under the Chevrolet name.

"I am not a fan of rebadging"? Really? General Motors? The company that opted to save GMC, a brand that has not one vehicle that isn’t mechanically identical to another in the GM fleet?

Let’s hope this is just a bad choice of words that has been taken out of context, and not an indication of future decision making at the “new” GM.

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Reader Comments:

1. Before the bailout I liked where GM was heading with products such as the G8, Camaro, CTS, Solstice/Sky, Malibu, Silverado/Sierra and Traverse/Enclave/Outlook/Acadia showing that the company could make cars that were some form of fun, competitive and/or quality.
Although many of the same products that show potential have stayed, the inability to keep the G8 around in some form just makes me feel robbed.
I feel like GM's product launches over the past few years have been like going out with a girl who may not be gorgeous, but is definitely a few pounds away from being near dime territory. The loss of the G8 is like going to bed with her only to feel her getting a little to creative with her pinky finger.
Sure she still has potential to look really good but how can I ever trust her again.
Let's hope for GM that this is some form of miscommunication and I'll find out in the morning what I felt was just the keys I accidentally left on the bed.
Pontiac may have to be laid to rest, but that doesn't mean a good car has to be.

Fink - Posted June 17 2009 09:51 PM

2. I'm afraid the former CFO's automotive ignorance is showing. In General Motors' current situation, where money to develop new products is thin on the ground, he would be wise to take a good car from wherever he can get it. And the G8 is a very good car.
I would hope that someone in a decision-making position at General Motors understands, and is able to explain to Fritz, the difference between good rebadging and bad rebadging. Bad rebadging is when you take a product that is totally inappropriate for a division and slap their nameplate on it anyway, in a feeble attempt to squeeze a bit more capacity utilization out of the plant that makes the car. Like trying to turn a Chevy TrailBlazer into a Saab, or a Chevy Aveo into a Pontiac. Another type of bad rebadging is when you sell an identical product under two nameplates, which, as Mr. Zenlea pointed out, is the case with the entire GMC division.
Good rebadging is when you take a product sold elsewhere in the world, and bring it here to sell under an appropriate local nameplate. Selling the Opel Astra as the Saturn Astra was good rebadging, because the car works as a Saturn. Selling the Holden Commodore as the Pontiac G8 was good rebadging because the car was appropriate as a Pontiac. Now that Pontiac is getting axed, it would be appropriate to sell it instead as a Chevy Impala SS. To help him understand why that car is a worthy Impala SS (even though it's so obviously different from today's Impala), someone needs to take Fritz out to visit the GM Heritage Center, roll out whatever mid-Sixties Impala SS they have on hand, and toss him the keys.

joelorio - Posted June 18 2009 05:43 AM

3. This is the same sort of thinking that got GM where it is today.

tmvu13 - Posted June 18 2009 01:06 PM

4. There seems to be a "Throw the baby out with the bath-water" mentality to all this.

KaBoomBOX - Posted June 19 2009 06:22 PM

5. GM just doesnt get it. The people calling the shots dont relate to the consumers buying their products. They are not car enthusiast and are simply bean counters. It would be like putting vegetarians in charge of a large bar-b-que franchise.

Wane - Posted June 19 2009 07:15 PM

6. i agree. this is a stupid thing to do. GM, instead of killing this car why not make it a buick or the new sts/dts? its the best car they have aside from the cts, corvette, and camaro. DONT KILL OFF THIS CAR!!

dacronic1 - Posted June 20 2009 02:10 AM

7. Why is it necessary to re-badge it? Dosn't GM still own the Pontiac name? Sell it as a Pontiac at Buick or Cadillac dealerships. Just because there will be no more Pontiac Division dosn't mean there shouldn't be a Pontiac, especially one as good as the G8. The General will never get it right because they still have their collective heads buried deep inside their butts. I agree with the others about GMC, TOTALLY F-YOUKNOWHAT USELESS!!! Chevy builds all the trucks anyway so what the hell do they need GMC for. And since GMC dealerships were partnered with Pontiac do they think they can go it alone?
Good luck GM, you're going to need it.

moto54 - Posted June 20 2009 08:43 AM

8. You guys don't get the deal with GMC. The typical GMC customer is actually wealthier than the typical Cadillac customer. GMC is for the quiet money and Cadillac is for the noisy money. Furthermore, most GMC buyers wouldn't be caught dead in a Chevrolet. As to the G8, what got GM to the place it is today is making poor quality cars and carrying cars that don't make a profit. From a profit perspective, the G8 has been a dismal failure. They can't make money on this car because it is so expensive to import. No matter how good a car it is, if GM can't make money on it it really doesn't help GM become viable again.

dirtyharry667 - Posted June 20 2009 07:50 PM

9. Nevermind that the Holden Statesman and Caprice (Long wheelbase G8's) would make ideal Buicks.

Lord_fahrquhar - Posted June 22 2009 05:42 AM

10. Now that GM is "government motors," decisions aren't being made according to what the marketplace wants and desires--no, what's important is what Obama, Pelosi and the others in D.C. want and desire.

Buy the G8 and other of GM's cars while you can...they're not long for this world.

slimak - Posted June 22 2009 08:05 AM

11. All I would say is buick Grand National = GOOD VIBES FOR BUICK The G8 with a buick nose , replace the pontaic nameplates with buick nameplates and heck even the cars name is a easy change from G8 to GN short for Grand National,I don't see alot of cost to do so and to have a good selling car for buick would be great, plus how many buick/pontaic/GMC dealers are there anyways so i would think most buick dealers would already be ready to work on the GN, Opps I meant G8

FRITZ don't be a fool, this is good rebadging. Buick needs a good car to get people into its showrooms anyways

farmer0904 - Posted June 24 2009 07:33 AM

12. btw slimak I don't recall President Obama saying kill the G8, that was fritz. Really I mean come on why don't you keep your right wing views out of the car world.

farmer0904 - Posted June 24 2009 07:35 AM

13. My G8 (company car) was in the first 6 delivered by the dealer Southeast, MI. I really appreciate the precise ride (wish for a tighter steering), secure handling and the V8 power to the fullest. The G8 is not a GM car in the essence that Fritz-the-accountant understands his protectorate of a company. Instead of rebadging this market success as Chevy, GM will rebadge it as Buick, with the typically hideous design cues and "old" style that made it the favorite "elderlymobile" brand. Just another GM typical business decision that lead the company's last 40 years of failure.

Leo-Detroit - Posted September 13 2009 07:56 AM

14. BTW, MR. Farmer0904, president Hussein Obama did not direct the kill of the G8. He instead did kill one CEO and brought to life Mr. Henderson (& Wittacker). In the same fashion, the American people brought Mr. Hussein Obama to power, so he could empower then Mr. Henderson at GM and Fiat at Chrysler. That said, why do you now critice Mr. Herderson...?

Leo-Detroit - Posted September 13 2009 08:04 AM

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