Pontiac is Gone but What Exactly Happened to It?

There have been few iconic muscle brands that have risen to supremacy throughout the history of the automobile and Pontiac might be one nameplate that you think could reside somewhere near the top. With vehicles like GTO and Trans Am, you have to consider them in pretty much every conversation about that topic.

However, as we would see many different factors thrown into play and a shifting image of what exactly the public perceived this brand as, eventually the company would be forced to close their doors on the heels of the 2008 recession as the General failed to recover without shedding some weight first.

The legacy that the brand has left behind would be talked about for everything from the previously mentioned muscle cars all the way to some more economical vehicles and eventually, a grandma and grandpa brand that would lead to the demise of the company.

At one point in time, many would even probably be able to say that the Pontiac brand was an innovator, coming out with cars that were cool and refreshing but eventually, they would end up lifting carbon copies of cars from other subsidiaries of General Motors that would out a formula for disaster as this would be the cherry on top that would eventually push Pontiac out of existence.

If you follow along with the Donut Media video below, you’ll be able to take a ride along for the entire lifespan of the iconic brand and learn exactly how they managed to rise to become one of the most respected brands in the industry before going through a whirlwind of twists and turns it would actually throw them off of the course for good.

As of now, it doesn’t look like we’re ever going to see a revival of the Pontiac nameplate but, looking back on all of the icons that they released, we can say that they’ve taken us for quite the ride.