Bob Lutz: Pontiac G8 MAY live on as a Chevrolet

Against rebadging?

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I'm not so sure.
 
Final Daihatsu said:
Rebadging? Rebadging what? Pontiac doesn't exist anymore! :S
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Exactly. Fritz, just like his predecessor, is an idiot. Damn I'm glad Lutz is back. They'd be foolish not to "rebadge" the G8 as a Caprice. Especially considering how much they could make on cop/fleet sales.
 
Evel said:
vans and astra
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The 1500 van issue isn't even that bad.

try this one
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all of which were sold in the same country


so, no, the badge engineering in the case of the G8 to Caprice is not bad.
 
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I don't mind "re-badging" like Opel/Saturn/Vauxhaul because aren't they for different markets? When the same car is made for different "brands" with little more than a new front end and a new steering wheel badge...well that's just lame.
 
I have said for years that they need to stop making light trucks under the GMC badge. If they would do that GM would have the best selling light trucks(1/2,3/4, and 1 ton).
 
GRtak said:
I have said for years that they need to stop making light trucks under the GMC badge. If they would do that GM would have the best selling light trucks(1/2,3/4, and 1 ton).
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But that would be asking GM NA to do something logical
 
while i can't say i care at this very second... in about 3 years when we start seeing G8's on the used market with 60K miles i will be all over that like it's my job... do this... do this now GM and i will actually take back alot of terrible things i have said about you in the past weeks.
 
It should have been a Chevy Caprice or Chevy Impala in the first place.

Do it. And bring back the El Camino (G8 ST) while you're at it.

Also save the kapa, fuck..... put me in charge of GM... I'll get shit done.
 
JipJopJones said:
Do it. And bring back the El Camino (G8 ST) while you're at it.
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The G8 ST was killed before it even got started. Maybe they'll reconsider it as an El Camino, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

Running GM really doesn't sound so hard does it? But evidently putting cars together right, not cutting corners and getting a union to cooperate is a lot harder than it looks.
 
More news on this topic from Jalopnik

Much to the frustration of G8 fans, when GM Marketing Chief Bob Lutz said the Pontiac G8 will become the Chevy Caprice he might have meant a Caprice only for police work. What's happening?

To summarize: CEO Fritz Henderson first says G8 GXP survival unlikely. Then, Lutz says it's coming back. Today we find out from AutoBlog that Fritz said yesterday:

"We've been looking at it for police applications. As for whether or not it's broader than police applications, I am not a believer in re-branding and re-badging. We've been talking about in terms of potential police applications and we'll leave it at that."

It could be a long year if the "New GM" is going to be nothing but Lutz Said/Fritz Said. Either way, big G8 fans may at least be able to settle on retired police cars.
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Edit: Another update from Jalopnik

When Autoblog asked GM CEO Fritz Henderson about Bob Lutz's comments on the G8 becoming a new Chevy Caprice, his response was much different than what he gave when asked the same question later by two print journalists.

The comment he gave Autoblog? "We've been looking at it for police applications. As for whether or not it's broader than police applications, I am not a believer in re-branding and re-badging. We've been talking about in terms of potential police applications and we'll leave it at that."

Then, to the two print journalists, his comment was: "No. It's not going to happen." Then, when pressed for a specific comment about "Maximum" Bob's remarks, Henderson retorted in his best "I'm the decider" voice: "Bob Lutz says a lot of things, but he works for me." Awesome. Way to tell off Bob for straying off the reservation.

It seems to us like Fritz is saving his best lines for the non-online outlets, doesn't it? It's too bad neither print journalist actually published this quote as it's SO much better than the Autoblog quote.
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tigger said:
The G8 ST was killed before it even got started. Maybe they'll reconsider it as an El Camino, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

Running GM really doesn't sound so hard does it? But evidently putting cars together right, not cutting corners and getting a union to cooperate is a lot harder than it looks.
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Well, as I see it you just need half a brain, and I'm pretty sure I've got all of mine.

The way I see the El Camino coming back is when GM realises they need a small pickup. The 1500 is a fullsize, the colorado is a "midsized" (but it's huge) so the El Camino (G8 ST) sould be teh small one. I think it could catch on great for gardeners and other people that need the practicality of an open bed, but don't want the size of a truck.
 
JipJopJones said:
Well, as I see it you just need half a brain, and I'm pretty sure I've got all of mine.

The way I see the El Camino coming back is when GM realises they need a small pickup. The 1500 is a fullsize, the colorado is a "midsized" (but it's huge) so the El Camino (G8 ST) sould be teh small one. I think it could catch on great for gardeners and other people that need the practicality of an open bed, but don't want the size of a truck.
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And an LS3.
 
For a car that's no longer going to be exported, you'd have to wonder why a pontiac g8 (complete with LHD) with recent rego would be driving around near me house....
 
Hidden_Hunter said:
For a car that's no longer going to be exported, you'd have to wonder why a pontiac g8 (complete with LHD) with recent rego would be driving around near me house....
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I see LHD commodores all the time driving past me when I'm waiting for the bus to work. Those and the odd Camaro. I was positive the other day I saw a RHD Camaro too, but I wasn't close enough to be sure.
 
Hidden_Hunter said:
For a car that's no longer going to be exported, you'd have to wonder why a pontiac g8 (complete with LHD) with recent rego would be driving around near me house....
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I believe they drive on the right side of the road in the Middle East.
 
I've seen a few LHD Pontiac G8's and Camaro's.

There's also a LHD Chevy badged VE SS that's been living a street away from me for a year or so now.
 
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