It has been nearly 15 years since General Motors decided to shut down Pontiac.
In 2009, the company faced monumental bankruptcy and needed to make severe cuts.
Unfortunately, one of those cuts included Pontiac, a legendary American automotive brand.
A closer look at Pontiac’s more recent work reveals that the brand’s decline may have started before GM’s financial crisis.
The combined impact of the Clean Air Act’s emissions regulations and the OPEC oil crisis in the 1970s marked the beginning of Pontiac’s struggles.
From that point, Pontiac produced several inadequate, unpopular, and poorly performing models.
These models contributed to its eventual demise.
Below are five of the most disliked Pontiac models ever sold.
1982 Firebird Trans Am
The Pontiac Firebird Trans Am gained fame as Burt Reynolds’ ride in the 1977 movie “Smokey and the Bandit.”
The Firebird was a slick muscle car that embodied rebellion.
Sadly, the third-generation model did not live up to its predecessors’ performance.
The once powerful V8 engine was gutted due to the Clean Air Act regulations.
The best available engine option for this generation was an LU5 5.0-liter V8, producing just 165 horsepower.
This was a significant drop from the roaring 5.3-liter V8 that powered the 1967 Firebird Sprint.
The third generation also suffered from weak ignition modules and glitchy powertrains.
These issues made the car high-maintenance and disappointing for enthusiasts.
1984 Fiero
The Pontiac Fiero, introduced just two years after the third-generation Firebird, was a futuristic two-seater.
The Fiero had been in development since 1963 and was intended to be a mid-engine sports coupe.
However, the final model was a combination of sports car and family car functionality.
The car ended up being a plastic-clad Ferrari lookalike built from used components from other GM models.
Unfortunately, the Fiero had a literal fiery reputation.
Roughly 1 out of every 400 Fieros sold in 1984 spontaneously combusted due to a poorly designed engine.
The mislabeled dipstick added to the problem, as it led to engines often running on insufficient oil.
The fiery mishaps, along with other problems, caused Pontiac to reduce production from 136,840 units in 1984 to 76,371 units in 1985.
Though Pontiac eventually improved the Fiero, it was too late, and GM discontinued the model.
1987 LeMans
The sixth-generation Pontiac LeMans, introduced in 1987, was very different from its highly acclaimed 1963 predecessor.
This version was built internationally, featuring a German Opel Kadett E body with South Korean Daewoo-engineered parts.
In the U.S., buyers could choose between a four-door sedan or a three-door hatchback version of the LeMans.
Unfortunately, the car’s global appeal quickly faded among American buyers.
Its subpar performance, with a motor that maxed out at just 74 horsepower, was a major drawback.
The LeMans deteriorated quickly and required frequent maintenance due to its low-quality components.
After years of poor sales and the end of GM’s partnership with Daewoo in 1992, Pontiac discontinued the LeMans in 1993.
1980 Phoenix
In the 1980s, GM released several front-wheel-drive models known as GM-X cars, including the second-generation Pontiac Phoenix.
The second-generation Phoenix was significantly downsized compared to the first generation from the 1970s.
Like the Fiero, the Phoenix used a 2.5-liter “Iron Duke” engine, but it only managed a top speed of 99 mph.
From the beginning, the second-generation Phoenix faced a variety of maintenance problems.
These included rust corrosion, a weak transmission, and loose interior clippings and bolts that would shear off.
However, the most dangerous issue was a malfunctioning braking system.
This problem was so serious that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration sued GM and demanded a recall.
The Phoenix’s reputation, along with that of other X-cars, never recovered from this scandal.
2001 Aztek
The Pontiac Aztek was a failure of epic proportions.
Produced from 2001 to 2005, the Aztek earned a spot among Time magazine’s “50 Worst Cars of All Time.”
It was criticized for being “a bulky, plastic-clad mess.”
The model was plagued with quality control issues, including faulty airbags and a flammable fuel delivery system.
The Aztek’s engine compartment was also poorly designed, making repairs time-consuming and difficult.
Additionally, the Aztek’s design lacked focus.
Although GM marketed it as an outdoor sporting vehicle, it had the performance of a minivan.
Despite low scores in market tests, GM pushed forward with the Aztek.
The model sold only 21,000 units in its first year and earned a place on SlashGear’s list of “10 of the Strangest Cars of the 2000s.”
The Aztek experienced a slight resurgence in popularity after being featured as Walter White’s car in “Breaking Bad.”
However, this was far from enough to save the Aztek from its poor reputation.
FAQs
1. Why did Pontiac stop producing cars?
Pontiac ceased production due to General Motors’ financial struggles during the 2009 bankruptcy. To survive, GM had to cut several brands, and Pontiac, which was already declining, was among them.
2. What was the worst-performing Pontiac model?
The 2001 Pontiac Aztek is often considered the worst-performing model due to its poor design, quality control issues, and lack of market demand.
3. Did any of these disliked models gain popularity later?
The Pontiac Aztek gained some popularity after it appeared as Walter White’s car in the TV show “Breaking Bad.” However, this resurgence was modest.
4. What were the common issues with Pontiac cars in the 1980s?
Pontiac models in the 1980s, such as the Phoenix and Fiero, were plagued with issues like poor engine design, frequent maintenance problems, and dangerous malfunctions, including faulty brakes.
5. Did GM try to save any of these models after their initial failures?
GM attempted to improve some models, like the Fiero, but the damage to their reputations was too severe, leading to their discontinuation.