who made pontiac cars

[EmilyDella]

Pontiac cars were manufactured by the Pontiac Motor Division of General Motors (GM). The brand was established in 1926 and remained a core part of GM's lineup until its discontinuation in 2010. GM positioned Pontiac as its "performance" division, often featuring more powerful engines and sportier styling compared to its Chevrolet counterparts. Famous models like the GTO, Firebird, and Trans Am became icons of American muscle car culture. The brand's fate was sealed during the 2008-2009 automotive industry crisis when GM, as part of its government-backed restructuring, phased out Pontiac to focus on its core brands: Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac.

The brand's history is a classic example of badge engineering, a common GM practice where a single car platform would be shared across different divisions. For instance, the Pontiac G6 was closely related to the Chevrolet Malibu, and the Pontiac Vibe was a twin of the Toyota Matrix. This strategy eventually diluted Pontiac's unique identity. In its final years, despite efforts to revive its performance image with cars like the G8, Pontiac's lineup was seen as overlapping too much with other GM brands, leading to its demise.

Era	Key Pontiac Model	Notable Fact/Engine	Final Model Year
1920s-1950s	Pontiac Chieftain	Introduced the iconic "Silver Streak" hood styling.	1958
1960s	Pontiac GTO	Widely credited as the first American muscle car.	1974 (1st gen)
1970s-1980s	Pontiac Firebird/Trans Am	Gained pop culture fame from the movie Smokey and the Bandit.	2002
1990s	Pontiac Bonneville SSEI	Featured a supercharged V6 engine.	2005
2000s	Pontiac G8	A critically acclaimed rear-wheel-drive sedan rebadged from Holden (Australia).	2009
Final Model	Pontiac G6	The last Pontiac sedan produced.	2010
Final Model	Pontiac Vibe	The last Pontiac vehicle produced (a rebadged Toyota Matrix).	2010

[SanMaria]

General Motors made Pontiacs. They were the ones behind all the classics, from the old Chieftains to the Firebirds everyone loves. GM decided to shut down the Pontiac division back in 2010 after the big financial crisis. It was a real shame for car fans, but it was part of GM's plan to slim down and survive. You still see a lot of their cars, especially the Vibe, on the road today because they were pretty solid.

[DelLondyn]

If you're looking at an old Pontiac, you're looking at a product of General Motors. GM created Pontiac to fill a specific spot in their lineup, right between the value of Chevrolet and the luxury of Oldsmobile or Buick. They were the "excitement" brand. The business side is simple: GM built them, and GM retired the nameplate when it was no longer profitable. It's a common corporate strategy to consolidate brands during a downturn.

[SanKylie]

My dad always had a Pontiac in the driveway, so I grew up with them. They were General Motors cars, through and through. That meant you got GM's reliable parts and engineering, but with a bit more flair and a wider stance. It felt like GM let the Pontiac designers have a little more fun. It's a real pity they're gone now; they had a spirit that a lot of today's cars are missing. The last one rolled off the line over a decade ago.