CarSeekBlog

As the face of the American automotive landscape continues to change at a rapid pace, General Motors announced last week that it will stop building the Pontiac G6 GXP (sedan and coupe) and the Chevrolet Impala SS and Cobalt SS sedan at the end of the current model year. Additionally, the Cadillac STS-V will be discontinued at the end of 2009.

According to a report by Jamie Lareau for Automotive News (“GM Will Kill Some Chevy, Pontiac Cars” 8 May 2009) the goal is to reduce build complexity by reducing the number of trim levels. The exact dates when the Pontiacs will end production will be released in coming weeks.

What does all this mean to car buyers? Without a doubt, incentives to move remaining inventory with the usual conundrum, do you want to buy a car when the model — and in the case of Pontiac, the mark — are being phased out. The question comes down to one of pure economic necessity. Pontiac may be going away, but the necessary spare parts aren’t going to disappear overnight and warranties will be honored for the length of their promised expiration. If the price on one of these models is the lowest you can get and you have to have a new car, I wouldn’t hesitate.

We’ll be watching for news of other phase-out announcement and production end dates. Automotive production in this country is at a crossroads, which may be a bright spot for the deal hungry consumer trying to ride out the recession.

Filed under: Buying Trends, GM by Shorty