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Pontiac of the Month

JayByrd's 1986 Grand Prix

2024 December
of the Month

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  • Founders
Posted
When GM announced that it was going to import the Holden Commodore to America and sell it as the Chevy SS, we were immediately excited at getting a genuine RWD performance sedan from GM again. However, knowing that these cars had to be imported from the land of Oz 10,000 or so miles away, we couldn’t help but wonder what this awesome car might cost.

2014-chevrolet-ss-002-300x200.jpgWell now we have an answer. The 2014 Chevrolet SS sedan will start at $44,470, including the $995 destination fee. It’s an expensive performance car alright, but for the family man who refuses to give up his horsepower, it’s the cheapest option you’ve got.

At this price, the 2014 Chevy SS is about $5,000 cheaper than the current Corvette C6, and $7,500 cheaper than the new 2014 Corvette Stingray C7. This definitely helps it fill the role of a “four-door Corvette”, and with options we’re sure the price could easily swing over $50,000. But compared to other American performance sedans, like the Dodge Charger SRT8, the Chevy SS is about $3,000 less. While slightly less powerful, an extra three grand can add a lot modifications.

With a 415 horsepower LS3 engine, rear-wheel drive, and a 0-60 MPH time in the five-second range, this isn’t your average grocery getter. That said, we’re wondering if GM has plans for bringing the 576 horsepower supercharged versions of the Commodore to America, like they have for the UK’s Vauxhall VXR8 GTS and the Aussie HSV GTS. After all, this is America; shouldn’t we get the biggest and baddest of the bunch too?

Looks like it's a little more than I would like to spend on it. I was expecting about $42k.

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Posted

No way this car should be sold for this much money when the G8 GT was not that expensive (okay yes the G8 GXP was). It is stupid pricing in my opinion. Why not spring for a Cadillac CTS or a Corvette at that point? It should be about $8-10k less to compete with the Charger R/T not the Charger SRT8. A 5.7 Hemi, RWD, 4-door sedan for around $36k.....hmmmm. Again the marketing boys at the Ren Cen have missed the mark. They brought out the SS to complete with the Charger's top of the line model but with nothing below it. At least the G8 had the base, GT, and GXP versions to give people choices.


  • Founders
Posted

This is more aligned to the GXP model of the G8 (has the LS3) and other goodies but totally agree that if they intended 100% to compete in the market they needed to show up better than 1 trim choice, with an automatic. Seems they are "retesting" the waters after the G8 kinda "flopped".

Posted

IMO the G8 didn't flop. It wasn't given a chance - with GM's financial situation - hell they barely did any marketing of the car, plus less than 50k were made between 2008 and 2009. Everyone that I know who owns one, loves it (kinda like the Aztek but better). Most folks consider the base models to be an excellent platforms. Even the L76 V8 in the GT is still a great car. While it is great to have a car to compete with the SRT8 Charger, Dodge sells way more V6s and R/Ts - for a very good reason - price and value. For some reason, GM seems to think that RWD 4-door cars should start at $40K+ and go up from there. I don't get it.


  • Founders
Posted

IMO the G8 didn't flop. It wasn't given a chance - with GM's financial situation - hell they barely did any marketing of the car, plus less than 50k were made between 2008 and 2009. Everyone that I know who owns one, loves it (kinda like the Aztek but better). Most folks consider the base models to be an excellent platforms. Even the L76 V8 in the GT is still a great car. While it is great to have a car to compete with the SRT8 Charger, Dodge sells way more V6s and R/Ts - for a very good reason - price and value. For some reason, GM seems to think that RWD 4-door cars should start at $40K+ and go up from there. I don't get it.

Yeah, why I put "flopped" in quotations. Just seems to me the way GM is approaching the SS is like they are starting all over again, "testing" the market, or feared the G8 didn't do well. Again like you said it wasn't really given a chance so how can you be so unsure on bringing the SS over? I personally loved the G8, little bit ago had a chance to pick up a GT for a good price but decided against it till I pay off the Camaro. Was actually thinking about picking up an SS, till I saw this price :lol:

Posted this article over on Facebook too and thought it was interesting that a lot of diehard Pontiac fans who loved the G8, will not buy the SS simply because it's a Chevy. Granted I don't think it's anything about the SS but GM killing off Pontiac but still though that was interesting.

Posted

I think the price is the way it is, because of the way the Aussie dollar is down there. There isn't much GM can do about the way inflation and conversion rates go.

If you want one, just wait a few years for a used one to pop up. :)

Sent from my mind using telekinesis.

Posted

What foot? They blew their leg off after they axed Pontiac


  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

...and a few other extremities too. They still have suffer from cronic cranial-rectal inversion though.


Posted

Pontiac was axed because of the bailout. Saturn and Hummer went on the chopping block with Pontiac because of the lousy sales. The Solstice and G8 were too little, too late. Plus, they were only North American sold.

Cadillac, Chevy and Buick are sold globally and do very well. If Pontiac was sold overseas, they may still be around. Even then, that's very doubtful considering how (too) similar Pontiac's offerings were to Chevy and would have conflicted sales, hurting both brands.

It was a business decision that resulted from GM's own dumbass business moves. The dulling down of Pontiac to "compete" was the final nail in the coffin, starting with the G6.

As lame as the Grand Am was, it had an identity still. There was a noticeable difference between GT and SE trim, different panels, tails, badges, painted pieces...the G6? Take away the badges, the base, GT and GTP look all exactly the same. Despite the nice improvement in engines and transmissions, the dull styling doomed Pontiac's rep. The Grand Prix was still somewhat exciting for it's last generation, but models like the G5, Torrent, G3 and SV6 killed whatever excitement could have been rekindled.

And that as they say, is that.

  • Founders
Posted

Unfortunately the "blanding" of cars is being done by all manufactures to some extent, more so noticeable throughout GM. The G6 base, GT and GTP had varying elements to tell them apart but none of them were really the body so once someone start modding their car there really was no telling. The base had single exhaust, 16" plain wheels, while the GT got an upgrade in 17" chrome painted wheels and the GTP has dual exhaust and 18" upgraded wheels.



This holds true with the Camaro too, well the LT/LS/SS. Only difference from the V6 models to the V8 is the mail slot on the front and rear valence of the SS's. LT/LS difference lies in the wheels and whether or no it is an RS. Everything else is pretty much interior options.


Posted

See, the Camaro is different...people will want it because it's a Camaro. People desire it for what it is.

Say what you want about the Japanese companies, they know how to make a family sedan make people WANT them. GM still doesn't really get it, on top of their odd business choices.

Going from my GAGT to the Accord, it was just shocking how far behind GMs felt during the early 00's. My Accord, the 7th gen, debuted in 03, it was first prototyped in 2001. The design of the car doesn't feel as dated as the GAGT. The interior makes my old GAGT look and feel like a complete joke. The GAGT felt dated, felt cheap no matter how nice I made it look. The Honda, honestly...I feel like it could be only a few years old with how it's laid out, the materials used, how it's designed...I hate to sound like I'm dogging GM, but that's what lead to Pontiac's demise. Their competition just embarrassed them in every manner.

  • Founders
Posted

IMO it's crazy what even a year or 2 can do to car's style in general. I don't think the GA's exterior style is aged (interior, oh god yes), The G6 I don't think exterior or interior is aged. I still get compliments on the G6 and people are amazed that it's an '06, they want to say it's a 2010+. GM is definitely stepping up it's game and the Camaro's interior is phenomenal IMO, leather could be better but it's better than the G6's and it's not a Caddy so I can't complain lol.



GM definitely had an "oh, we better do something" moment with the bankruptcy and I think they're sprinting and jumping towards their former class A leadership in the car market.


Posted

I think one could make that argument for a lot of cars out there today. But yeah, I agree. Some chrome and maybe wood grain would help somewhat. But heck, I am old school - what do I know?


  • Founders
Posted

Plastic and boring.

Sent from my mind using telekinesis.

It's actually not that plastic-ie as GM used to be and for a muscle car it's a great interior. I like it a lot, has a lot of little features you won't see unless you're in it driving at day and night though.

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