Pontiac is GM’s “Excitement Division”, at least by their standards.  The problem is that very few of their models are particularly exciting.  With the announcement by GM that there will be no new Firebird or Trans Am, the prospects get even worse. Today I’ll be going through their lineup of 7 cars and ruthlessly deciding what should stay and what should go, as I create the Ultimate Pontiac Lineup.  For fun today, I’ve decided to add a little surprise to the mix, and include something that isn’t currently in production at Pontiac.

The ones that made it:

G6 – The G6 is available as a coupe, sedan, or convertible – it covers three important segments.  It’s a pretty attractive looking car, at least when measured against the other vehicles in its’ class.  The body lines are handsome and modern, and Pontiac did a pretty fine job on the exterior.  Inside is where they failed, as the G6 has a pretty low end interior that badly needs a makeover.  It falls far short of it’s competitors here.  GM – get to work and give the G6 a new interior, and you have a fine competitor.

G8 – The G8 isn’t on the market yet, but it deserves a place in the lineup.  With the available 361 HP 6.0 liter V8 and standard RWD, this is one vehicle that screams excitement.  The design is solid, though it could do without the traditional Pontiac grille.  Also, the name is horrible.  G8 sounds like a business summit, not a muscle car.

Solstice – Bravo, Pontiac.  Small, RWD, sporty, fun to drive, and good looking.  Oh, and price right.  That’s what makes a good sports car for the masses.  The only real flaw with the Solstice is that it looks downright ugly next to it’s twin, the gorgeous Saturn Sky.  It looks great next to anything else though, which is ok by me.

Firebird / Trans Am – Chevy gets  the Camaro, which is smart because it has powerful brand loyalty.  But what is the Camaro without it’s twin, the Firebird?  And what is Pontiac without a V8 powered firebreathing coupe?  GM cited cost concerns ( $200 million to bring it to market ), but that’s absurd.   The interior, platform, and engine choices would be identical to the Camaro – only the sheetmetal need be reworked.  I simply don’t believe the cost of an exterior design is two hundred million dollars.  Pontiac needs this car to be relevant.

Misc. Sport Compact – Perhaps built on the Cobalt ( shudder ) platform, Pontiac needs a sporty, fast, compact car.  Something along the lines of a WRX perhaps – AWD, turbo 4 power in the low-mid 200 HP range.  Fuel mileage would be reasonable due to the small engine, and if done properly people would eat it up. 

The ones that didn’t make it

G5 – It’s a Cobalt.  No one likes the Cobalt, why would they like a Pontiac Cobalt?  There is no excitement here folks, and Pontiac does not need this car.

Grand Prix – I thought Pontiac had killed this horrid vehicle already, but I guess not.  What purpose does it serve with the G6 being better in every single category?  Not even a 300 HP V8 was able to save this car.  Repeat after me Pontiac – 300 HP V8′s don’t go with FWD.  Ever.  Ridiculous wheelspin and torque steer do not equal excitement.

Torrent – What is exciting about a Chevy Equinox clone?  NOTHING.  That’s what.  Pontiac doesn’t need an SUV, unless it fits in with the brand.  And the Torrent does not, so it goes bye bye.

   Vibe – The Vibe should have been a Chevy all along.  It is not exciting in any way, shape, or form.  A rebadged Toyota Matrix does not inspire any sort of emotion other than boredom.  Not that it’s a bad car, just that it shouldn’t be a Pontiac.

Final Words

GM is consolidating GMC, Pontiac, and Buick so that all three brands are at one dealership.  There’s no longer any need for Pontiac to try to be everything to every customer.  Pontiac needs a laser focus on the performance market, and can any models that don’t fit in.  Without a focus, Pontiac will simply continue to flounder and lose sales to other brands.  Pontiac has a chance to live, and even thrive, but they have to make changes quickly and decisively.

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We’ve gone a few months with out an Ultimate Lineup post, but today I’ll be fixing that.  Nissan currently has somewhere between 13 and 16 vehicles in it’s lineup, depending on where you draw the lines.  Either way, it’s an awfully big lineup and could use a closer look.  That’s where I come in – wielding a big machete.  I’m ruthless and uncaring – but I will trim down this too-large lineup of cars.  When I’m done, the result will be a slim, trim lineup of cars that make sense.  Enough chatter – let’s see the ones that make the cut:

Versa Hatchback – Sure, it’s ugly.  In fact, it’s extremely ugly.  But once you get past the ugliness, you find a reasonably priced, fuel-efficient subcompact with a best-in-class interior.  The seats are comfortable, and the materials are high quality.  The hatch area is small, but with folding seats there is room for plenty. 

The combination of all that makes Versa a good buy, and a smart vehicle to have in the Nissan Ultimate Lineup.

Sentra – Though it’s far from a class leader, it’s hard for me to give the Sentra the boot.  It’s decently attractive and has plenty of equipment for the price.  The blind spots are horrific though, and something that needs to be addressed in the next redesign.  Overall the Sentra compares well to the vehicles in it’s class, and is a good step up from the Versa.

Altima – This is Nissan’s bread and butter, as well as one of the best midsize sedans on the road.  Of course it stays.  In fact, if Nissan can find a way to make all of their models a little more like the Altima in spirit, if not in design, then they will be near unstoppable. 

Why the Altima still gets more horsepower than the Maxima, I’ll never know.  But more power for less money is a winning combination any day in my book.

Altima Coupe – The 2 door Altima is new, but seems to be holding it’s own.  Nissan is wisely controlling production to avoid creating an inventory glut. 

The limited production may prove key to maintaining the Altima Coupe’s desirability.  After all, people always want what they can’t get.

Altima Hybrid – Nissan needs to bring this vehicle to the entire US market.  Coupling Toyota’s fantastic HSD with the Altima style is brilliant.

I fully believe that Nissan could outsell the Camry Hybrid if only the Altima Hybrid were widely available.  It’s that good.

Maxima – The Maxima is thoroughly outclassed by its younger brother, the Altima, and undercut on price.  I would vote to axe the Max, but an all-new one is due out mid 2008.  I’ve seen some pics, and it looks fantastic.

Fortunately the 2009 model is due out in summer of 2008, so we don’t have to wait very long.  If the wait was longer, I would reconsider losing the Maxima.

350Z – A redesign and a $2k price cut would do the Z a lot of good.  As it sits though, the Z remains a decently hot seller, and belongs on the Nissan dealers’ lots.

The price of a loaded-out 350Z comes so close to a G37 coupe that it often doesn’t make sense.  Losing a couple grand off the sticker would do wonders for that difference, and would keep some buyers on Nissan lots rather than Infiniti’s.

Xterra – The Xterra is much larger than the original, and that’s not necessarily a good thing in today’s market.  Currently it sells pretty well, but the gas mileage is atrocious and sales are started to dip. 

Nissan should either redesign the Xterra much smaller – think Wrangler, or else let it run it’s course and then axe it.  As far as cutting it today, I can’t recommend it.

Armada – It’s huge, and it’s fuel consumption should probably be measured in gallons per mile rather than miles per gallon.  It’s also one of the best full-size SUV’s on the road today.  Even at it’s ( somewhat inflated ) price, the Armada makes sense. 

Advertising a full-size SUV can be tricky in today’s market, but carefully done, Nissan could win over quite a few domestic buyers.

Rogue – The newest Nissan is a smash hit, and has a very bright future.  Great gas mileage, great looks, tons of great features, and room for plenty of people and gear are each good by themselves.  Add them together, as the Rogue does quite well, and you have a winner on your hands.

The mini CUV market is booming, and I think this is only the beginning.  More and more buyers will be switching from compact and midsize body-on-frame SUV’s over to this segment.  The Rogue has the potential to be absolutely huge.

Murano – Though long in the tooth and saddled with a below-class interior, the Murano remains a reasonably strong seller.  The new Murano due in January 2008 holds a lot of promise.  We’ll never see huge volume from this spot, but it’s a great entry into the upscale “premium” ( sub – luxury ) CUV market.  The fresh look for the 2009 MY will simply build on the great reputation that the Murano already has.

Frontier – Either the best, or the second best midsize pickup on the market.  The Tacoma and Frontier have long battled to take home this title, and it still isn’t clear to this day.  None of the domestic offerings even come close – they’re not even in the same ballpark. 

If Nissan can find a way to squeeze a few extra MPG from the Frontier without compromising it’s abilities ( small diesel? ), then amazing things could happen.

The ones that didn’t make it

Versa Sedan – It’s ugly, and isn’t needed with the presence of the Versa hatch and Sentra.  Simply a redundent model, and there’s no room for it here.

Pathfinder – Stuck between the ever-so-slightly smaller Xterra and Big Daddy Armada, there really isn’t much room for the Pathfinder.  The third row is useless for anyone with legs, and the V8 option is ridiculous.  To top it all off, the Pathfinder runs as high as $44k – yikes.

Quest – A failure, plain and simply.  Early quality problems and a wierd design helped ensure that the Quest never really took off. The absurdly high pricing doesn’t help either.

Titan – A tough choice.  The Titan does well on paper, but the market isn’t convinced.  Big rebates haven’t really helped the Titan stay with the pack.  People just don’t think “full-size truck” when they hear Nissan.   There’s really no need to compete in each and every market segment.

Final Words

Depending on how you break it down, I’m keeping 12 models and axing 4, or keeping 10 and axing 4.  That all depends on whether you count the Altima family as one model or 3 ( like Nissan does ).  Twelve models is an awful lot for one brand’s lineup, and I was surprised to see the number come out so high.  However, I think that each model I kept has a solid place in the lineup and belongs.  Plus, Nissan isn’t saddled with the task of providing models for 2, 3, or 4 competing brands like the domestics are.

So there you have it – the Ultimate Nissan Lineup.

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I’ve been doing Ultimate Lineups for just over a month now – so I thought  it would be a good time for a roundup, in case you missed any.  Here goes:

Jeep Ultimate Lineup

Dodge Ultimate Lineup

Chrysler Ultimate Lineup

Chevrolet Ultimate Lineup

I am brutal with the axe, and any vehicle that doesn’t make sense isn’t included in the ultimate lineup – it’s as simple as that.  If you haven’t had a chance to read them, go through them and let me know what you think.  If you think I’m right, or even if you think I’m an idiot – I want to hear your thoughts.

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This is the fourth post in my Ultimate Lineup series, and I’ve decided to begin my work on GM’s many brands, and trim the fat from Chevrolet. I have a lot of problems with the General’s lineups, and their excessively large lineups. There’s so much overlap it makes my head hurt. I can already tell this is going to be bloody.

Today, Chevrolet’s lineup stands at an obese 17 distinct models. Seventeen. That simply boggles my mind – talk about bloated! After careful consideration, and liberal use of the axe, I came up with a streamlined group of 8 models – I trimmed 9 models ( more than half! ). I can already tell that many people will take offense to some of my changes – I was ruthless. Take a look at how everything turned out:

The Ultimate Chevrolet Lineup

Aveo – The Aveo is weak when compared to the other popular sub-compacts on the market. It is cheap though, and that keeps the sales coming in. And many may argue that the point of a subcompact is to be cheap – something the Aveo definitely excels at.

Cobalt – A rehashed Cavalier, which was a bad vehicle. I only leave this one here because, like the Aveo, it’s cheap, and people buy cheap. After all, someone has to make the worst compact car, right? Plus, those folks that come in to see the Aveo and are appalled by it’s horridness need something to step up to.

Colorado – The Colorado isn’t a particularly good truck, truth be told. The Tacoma and Frontier are light years beyond it. But it does an alright job, and isn’t completely embarrassing like the Dakota. I struggled to decide whether to keep this one and toss the Sierra or not. The reason I kept the Colorado is actually because of the S10 – many people still think Chevy when they want a small truck.

Corvette – An American icon if ever there was one. The Corvette should live forever, even if Chevy does not.

Equinox – Small SUV’s are all the rage these days, and the Equinox isn’t half bad. The interior is good for a Chevy – something they need more of.

Express – Good for fleet sales, and probably pulls in a fair number. I think the Ford and Dodge offerings are better here, but not by a wide margin.

Malibu – A decent midsized sedan – nothing special, but nothing offensive either.

Suburban – I would axe the Suburban in favor of the Yukon XL, except for the fact that I think the Suburban is a better known name, and would bring more repeat customers. It does leave the Suburban as the lone large SUV left in Chevy’s lineup, but I think the brand is that strong.

The ones that didn’t make it

Avalanche – The original Avalanche blinded many – it was an atrocity to the eyes. The new version looks like it has Down Syndrome – it’s simply terrible. I can’t see the additional utility of the Avalanche when compared to a regular pickup truck.

HHR – A PT Cruiser clone that is about 5 years too late. No one is fooled into thinking the HHR was an original idea, and it should be buried.

Impala – The Malibu and Impala seem to overlap in my eyes, and I have trouble justifying the existence of both. I simply fail to see any significant difference between the two models, and since the Malibu is less expensive, it sticks.

Malibu Maxx – It’s not quite a sedan, not quite a station wagon. So you get the utility of a sedan, combined with the bad looks of a wagon? No thanks.

Monte Carlo – The Monte Carlo is thankfully already on it’s way out, and it’s long past time. Sayonara.

Silverado – The GMC Sierra can carry the load here. Everyone knows they are the same truck, with the same equipment. No one is fooled anymore, and there’s no need to brand them as separate. Perhaps now the Sierra can take over the best-selling vehicle thrown that the F-150 has held for so long.

Tahoe – This one may make waves, but there’s no reason for a Chevrolet Tahoe. The GMC Yukon is the same exact SUV, and it’s part of the “Truck” brand at GM. That leaves the Tahoe as the odd man out.

Trailblazer – I haven’t heard officially that the Trailblazer is on the way out, but it surely should be. It’s outdated and stale, and has no place moving forward.

Uplander – Do you know anyone who drives an Uplander? Have you ever considered purchasing an Uplander? Do you even know what an Uplander is? My point should be obvious here.

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This is the third post in my Ultimate Lineup series, and the honor goes to Chrysler, to round out the Chrysler group culling.   Chrysler is a brand in trouble, in that they have a very bad identity crisis.  Someone at Chrysler’s headquarters decided a few  years back that Chrysler would be a luxury marque.  Great, except for the fact that they didn’t make any luxury vehicles.  And, to this day, they still don’t.  I find it difficult to think “luxury” when I see the PT Cruiser and Town and Country, but maybe that’s just me.

The current Chrysler lineup contains just 6 models - a bit slim by today’s standards.  I propose axing two models, and going forward with a 4 model lineup.  Here’s my breakdown:

The Ultimate Chrysler Lineup

300 – Styling aside ( it’s subjective, and I don’t care for it ), the 300 is a very nice automobile.  It does feel more Mercedes-Benz than Chrysler, which isn’t a bad thing.  Sure, it’s big, the visibility is bad, and you need a thick wallet to pay for all the gas you’ll be buying, but the 300 fits, and belongs in the Ultimate Chrysler lineup.

PT Cruiser – Yes, it’s ugly.  Yes, the retro thing is becoming a bit passe.  But the PT Cruiser has done Chrysler a lot of good since it’s release, and it still has a future, at least for a few more years.

Sebring – My feelings on the Sebring aren’t a mystery to anyone – I hate it.  I think it could’ve been a very nice looking vehicle ( look at the front end ) but ended up hideous ( thanks to the unfinished back end ).  But anyone who’s looking for a roomy, relatively cheap convertible knows to look at the Sebring.  And all the would-be convertible buyers who can’t pony up for the ragtop, always have the hardtop to fall back on.

Town and Country – A steady winner if every there was one.  Chrysler is doing this right, and needs to make sure they stay ahead of the curve, lest Toyota and Honda take over this market.

The ones that didn’t make it

Aspen – What happens when you take a poorly made SUV, rebadge it as a newly-minted “Luxury division”, and slap a much higher sticker on it?  Well, even the average Joe sees through your ruse, and the vehicles pile up faster than you can say “Oops”.  If Chrysler built this car about 8-9 years ago, it may have been mildly successful, during the height of the big SUV craze.  Now, it’s simply stupid.

Pacifica – What is the Pacifica, exactly?  Is it an SUV, minivan, or station wagon?  It’s confused, doesn’t do anything useful, costs too much, and sells poorly.  I can’t think of one redeeming feature that the Pacifica has.

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This is the second post in my Ultimate Lineup series, and I’ve decided to continue on the Chrysler group, and trim the fat from Dodge.  For everyone who’s been a reader of Houston Cars for awhile, you know that I’m not a fan of Dodge at all.  I have some serious problems with their lineup, and now’s the time to lay it all on the line, and create my Dodge Ultimate Lineup.

Current Dodge has a whopping 11 models in their lineup, and that’s counting the Ram 1500, 2500, and 3500 as one model.  I propose axing nearly half – 5 models, and continuing forward with a streamlined group of 6 vehicles.  Here’s the breakdown:

The Ultimate Dodge Lineup

Avenger – The styling is daring, even if the hardware isn’t.  I don’t like the Avenger, but it does have some flair, and I think that will win over some buyers, especially those who are tired of the Stratus and Intrepid of recent years.  The Avenger stays put - but Dodge, we need some powertrain improvements here within a year or two.

Charger – What can I say, it’s growing on me.  At first I was disappointed at the two extra doors, and the lack of an available meat cleaver.  But I’ve grown to like the curvy styling.  Yes, it’s big, heavy, and terrible on gas.  But I think this one needs to stick around – the large American RWD sedan is a good thing to see on the road, even given it’s relative inefficiency.

Viper – 500 HP 8.3 liter V10.  What’s not to like here?  The lucky few who can afford a Viper don’t care that it gets 6 MPG downhill on the highway with a strong tailwind.  It simply doesn’t matter.

Durango – I feel truly dirty leaving the Durango in place in the Dodge lineup.  I think the Durango is years behind the Expedition and even the Tahoe ( which is archaic itself, even in the new design ).  The ride is awful, the handling is clumsy, and the gas mileage is beyond abysmal.  I simply despise the Durango.  Yet Dodge must have a full-size SUV offering, so here it stays, begrudgingly.

Ram – The Ram is a terrible truck.  It is outclassed by Ford, Chevy, Nissan, and Toyota.  The only bright spots are the heavy duty models with the excellent Cummins turbodiesel.  Besides that, the only saving grace for the Ram is that it is very cheap – you can buy a Ram for an extremely low price.  That’s why Dodge sells a lot, and that’s why it stays in place.

Sprinter – I’m leaving this one here, since it probably does well in fleet sales.  The styling is horrid, but it’s a work van, so it doesn’t matter.  It’s slow, but the fuel efficiency is top notch – something more and more businesses are likely to pay attention to in the coming years.

The ones that didn’t make it

Caliber – The Caliber is what happens when a Dodge Ram mates with a Neon.  The offspring is so hideous to behold that there’s simply no choice but to axe it completely.  Yes, I know it’s a very new vehicle – but it needs to go far far away, as soon as possible.  We all want to forget the Caliber as quickly as we can.  It’s better to have no compact offering than to have this one.

Magnum – Exactly who decided that the market for hearses was hurting for a new model?  The Magnum doesn’t look like the station wagon that it is supposed to; it looks like a hearse.  The vehicle is huge, thirsty, and ugly.  If I wanted to deal with those three things, I’d buy a truck or SUV, and get much more use out of it.

Nitro – It’s embarrassing that Dodge actually designed this vehicle and brought it all the way to production.  Dodge should have a mid-sized SUV, but this is most definitely not the right choice.  Axe it.

Dakota – Talk about a sorry excuse for a modern-day truck.  The offerings from Toyota and Nissan are so far beyond the Dakota that it’s difficult to even talk about them in the same sentence.  If the Dakota is competing against the Colorado and Ranger, then it stands a bit of a chance.  Against the real contenders, no way.

Caravan / Grand Caravan – Dodge makes a great minivan – so why am I axing it?  Simple.  The Caravan and Town and Country are badge-engineered clones.  There’s no good reason to continue to produce both, when they are exactly the same, save for the badge and name on the back.  Chrysler can keep the minivan, Dodge’s goes away.

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For the first post in my Ultimate Lineup series, I’ve chosen Jeep to trim the fat from. Of all the automakers, I think that Jeep has the worst overlapping of models, and could benefit most from some fat-trimming. The current Jeep lineup consists of 7 vehicles ( counting the Wrangler 2dr separate from the 4dr ). My Jeep Ultimate Lineup consists of just three models – the other four get the axe.

Jeep Ultimate Lineup

Grand Cherokee – I don’t like the Grand Cherokee much. It’s a dated design, the gas mileage is abysmal, and the handling is atrocious. But when equipped with 4×4, a Grand Cherokee can off-road with the best of them, and that’s what makes a Jeep a Jeep, after all.

Patriot – It’s no secret that I don’t like the Patriot. But it’s good for Jeep to have a compact entry, and the Patriot is less offensive than the Liberty, if that’s any consolation. But a Jeep on a FWD platform is still embarrassing. At least the Patriot is Trail Rated, unlike the Compass.

Wrangler – The original, and ultimate Jeep. There are few vehicles on the road today that have the tremendous brand loyalty to match that of the Jeep Wrangler. Without the Wrangler, there is no Jeep – simple as that.

The ones that didn’t make it

Here are the losers in the Jeep world – the ones that just don’t fit in, and don’t make it into my Jeep Ultimate Lineup.

Commander – A poor implementation of a poor idea. There’s no reason for a supersize Jeep, and certainly no need for one with a useless third row. The Commander was always a wannabe-Hummer, and the public noted this with disdain. The Commander is on it’s way out, and rightfully so.

Compass – It’s hard to consider a FWD “cute-ute” as a Jeep. Leave the cutesy to other brands. Jeeps are for off-roading and work, not for playing dress-up.

Liberty – The previous Liberty was too cute, and the 2008 model is too ugly. It looks like a mini-Commander, and my feelings about that vehicle are no secret. With the Patriot in place, there is no need for the Liberty any more.

Wrangler 4 door – Who, exactly, takes their entire family off-roading? That is what a Wrangler is made for, after all – driving in places that normal vehicles can’t go. And what can this Wrangler 4 door do that a Grand Cherokee 4×4 cannot? That’s what I thought.

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I’ve been ranting a lot lately about how many car makers have too many overlapping models, even within the same brand. So I’m going to create the Ultimate Lineup for each brand. I’ll show which cars stick around, and which ones get the axe. If there’s a whole in the lineup, I may even invent a car to fill said hole. I think I’ll start with Jeep, because their lineup is so jacked right now it makes my ears bleed. Stay tuned.

Hi there – could you help spread the word about Houston Cars? I could really use your help in getting my work out to new readers. If you would send someone a link, email, or even mention it to your friends, I would appreciate it. Ultimate Lineup is a post from: Houston Cars, home of the best darn car reviews around.