Tirod

By Rick Kranz
Automotive News / May 26, 2003

PHOENIX - Pontiac will drop the Grand Am name when its replacement appears late next year, says Robert Lutz, vice chairman for product development at General Motors.

The unnamed car will bow for the 2005 model year and closely resemble the Pontiac G6 concept that was unveiled at the Detroit auto show in January.

The Grand Am name, which Pontiac has used since the 1973 model year, doesn't fit the enthusiast image that Pontiac is trying to create for the brand and the new car.

"The car will signal a new era at Pontiac," Lutz said at a press event here.

GM will add more standard equipment to the redesigned car and will try to raise the transaction price. All-wheel drive and a retractable hard top will be offered. Today, Pontiac relies on rebates to sell many Grand Ams to budget-minded shoppers.

The Grand Am is Pontiac's No. 1-selling vehicle, tallying 150,818 sales last year. The Grand Prix was second at 130,141.

Regarding the decision to drop the name, Lutz said: "You hesitate to do it because Grand Am has name recognition. On the other hand, we are moving in such a totally different direction with the new car."

The Grand Am replacement will be developed from GM's new global front-drive Epsilon platform. The standard engine will be a V-6.

By contrast, the 2003 Grand Am has an inline four-cylinder engine. Lutz compared the redesigned car's ride with that of the redesigned Saab 9-3, which also is an Epsilon car.

Insiders say the G6 sets for the tone for the Grand Am replacement.

The four-door concept features awd and a supercharged 3.5-liter V-6 engine producing 285 hp.

The G6 was described as a driver's car during its unveiling and fits the image Lutz envisions for Pontiac this decade.

Previously, Lutz said that he wants Pontiac's future cars to "get a lot closer in overall driving experience to BMW."

a freestar thing i guess :ghey:

LuckyDog

I don't get how the Freestar fits in. It's not like Pontiac is moving into a P only naming scheme. GM boards seem to think it could be G6, although one person brought up the idea of 'when was the last time GM used an all new name on a car?' Alero was the last I can think of. Perhaps they'll go all out. I used to get the Grand Am and Grand Prix confused, so this could be why the change is coming. Also, I think everyone knows of the Grand Prix (the race), but is there a Grand Am?

MrFatbooty

They probably just don't want to pay licensing to Grand American racing anymore.

AcuraFanatic

Um, doubt it. They've been doing it for thirty years, I think they would have stopped it by now if they disliked it.

It's a new name for a new image. It's the same reason why in 1995 Chrysler named it's new compact the Neon and not the Reliant.

DVPGSR

Pontiac will never be close to BMW in anything!!!

No matter what they call it I bet it will still be ugly!

BonzoAPD

They should worry less about the name of the car and more about the car itself. That's GM's problem. They worry about all the other shit first and the car 2nd.

Tirod

:werd:

98CoupeV6

if this is anything like the G6, sign me up :drool:

AcuraFanatic

The Grand Am isn't that bad of a car. The interior is sort of cheap, the engine isn't refined and it's automatic only. And crash test scores are marginal.

But drive a V-6 GT and it's a decent car. GM knows what's it's doing, it's the damn bean counters who screw it up.

velfarretokyo

This car should be the G6 I think. At least car.com's article had a picture of the G6 concept next to the news story. I think it should come out looking close to the concept. Put those old hold-over engines are weak...if it has those, no thanks.