DETROIT — Those who have been in denial about the death of the Pontiac brand got a dose of reality on Thursday as General Motors confirmed that it will discontinue production of the Pontiac Vibe by the end of August. However, the bankrupt automaker left the door open for future production at the NUMMI joint-venture plant in California where the Vibe is built.
"While no replacement for Vibe production has been determined, GM and Toyota remain in active discussions regarding potential future production at NUMMI," said GM in a statement.
The automaker said the demise of the Pontiac Vibe is "part of its long-term viability plan and recent decision to phase out the Pontiac brand." It is anticipated that the entire brand will be eliminated by the end of the year.
The Pontiac Vibe is the corporate sibling of the Toyota Matrix. Both are built at the New United Motor Manufacturing Incorporated (NUMMI) facility, a joint GM-Toyota plant in Fremont, California. The Vibe has been lauded by Edmunds.com for having "reliable Toyota genes." The Vibe, though, has different exterior styling and different trim levels and options.
Inside Line says: Call it death by many cuts as GM begins to pull the plug on Pontiac production. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
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bren46 says:
02:21 PM, 01/17/2010
GM should not discontinue the Pontiac Vibe. I was looking for a Toyota Matrix and did some research on the computer. I was surprise to find out the Vibe is similar to the Matrix. I like the style of the Vibe better and now I'm going to buy one. Not only do I like the style more, but it's also an American car! I have always owned a Toyota because their cars are dependable. I am happy to find an American car that is just as good. GM needs to work on marketing the Vibe better. I know if other people find out it's like a Matrix, they would buy the Vibe instead.