when did pontiac stop making cars

[DiJeremiah]

Pontiac officially stopped producing cars in 2010. The brand was phased out by its parent company, General Motors (GM), as part of its post-2008 financial crisis restructuring and bankruptcy proceedings. The last Pontiac-badged cars, which were essentially re-branded versions of other GM models, rolled off the assembly line in late 2009, with 2010 being the final model year for the few remaining vehicles like the G3, G5, and Vibe.

The decision to discontinue Pontiac was announced in April 2009. GM was restructuring to focus on its four core brands in the North American market: Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, and GMC. Pontiac, once celebrated as GM's "excitement" division with iconic models like the GTO, Firebird, and Trans Am, had seen its identity diluted over the years. Instead of unique, performance-oriented cars, many of its later models were merely badge-engineered versions of more mundane vehicles, which confused consumers and eroded the brand's value. The 2008 economic downturn and subsequent government-backed bailout forced GM to make difficult but necessary cuts, and the underperforming Pontiac brand was a casualty of that process. If you own a Pontiac, its value now is purely as a classic or collector car, with models from the 1960s and 70s holding the most significance.