why the name change

[born4drivn]

Just wanted to know everyones opinion on the GA to G6 name change. ANd why it is always GM that seems to have to do name changes. EI: Civic, or accord, look how long they'd been out for. And It seems every car test drive info I read, they always insist on name changes for GM, but not for toyota/ Honda/ andy other foreign vehicles????

[Sp3edR4cer]

i thought it was GM's way of saying hey here is something new you need to be the first one with it.

[Matt95GT]

It's called marketing. Honda and Toyota have positive opinions associated with their model names. GM is responding to negative criticism of the Grand Am by attempting get rid of that negative image and "start with a clean slate" on the G6.

Another example, how GM dropped the "Quad 4" name on 96 models in favor of "Twin Cam" even though it was simply a large Quad 4 revision.

[born4drivn]

i dunno, it just bothers me, cause some of my friends have Civic and accords, and really they are no better than the gm some of us have., Same quality, same problems....

[Matt95GT]

Originally posted by born4drivn
i dunno, it just bothers me, cause some of my friends have Civic and accords, and really they are no better than the gm some of us have., Same quality, same problems....

When you have tons of reliability associated with a name, you can get away with a few sub-par ones along the way. In the scope of how many of their cars are on the road, their reliability is still higher. Doesn't mean you can't get a lemon. Just like it doesn't mean a GM will be unreliable.

[rabidpanda69]

Originally posted by born4drivn
EI: Civic, or accord, look how long they'd been out for.

How long has the Grand Prix been around? What about the Buick Century? I think GM has been around long enough to justify name changes, even tho I hate that particular one.

[ga5speed02]

I think maybe to be more like an import.

before you all flame me check this out
most american cars have names (sorry for spelling mistakes)
pontiac has grand am, grand prix, trans am
chevy has camaro, cobolt, montie carlo
buick has century, grand national, reagal
caddy, deville, escalade, alante

most imports use numbers
BMW 325, 540, 740,
infinity G35, FX45, I30
benz SL500, 190, S600
mazda RX7, 6, MX5(miata)


My point is most GM have names and most imports have a letter/number combo or just number.

[rabidpanda69]

I HATE the number/letter names!!! I know I've said it before, but I DO!!!!

[TA^Guy]

Originally posted by ga5speed02
I think maybe to be more like an import.
This is correct, and not just imports in general but more specifically european imports.

For those that care, when the Grand Am was origanally created it was designed to compete with the European market. When it hit the showrooms for the 1973 model year it competed with cars from companies like BMW. It's enduro front and and flowing curves are a few traits to prove this.

I'm sure half of the people sitting behind a desk at GM don't even knows some of the real history behind the Grand Am. However the 'G6' name change was to inspire a more youthful buyer. A fresh new car from Pontiac, not like Mom & Dad's old Grand Am they used to drive back in the day. They are trying to move from the american family car image that it's gains since 1985, back to its roots of a performance coupe/sedan ready to take on cars hot off the autobahn.

I didn't like it and still really don't like the name change.

However it's suiting. Could be looked at several ways but in my eyes it's stands for 6th Generation Grand Am.

[Grand_Damn]

with the G6, they should continue with the trend...G7...G8....etc

[Subtle_Cynicism]

John, do you really believe that the G6 will have a younger buying group than the Grand Am did? I like the G6, personally, not the name, but rather just the car itself, for the most part, but I know most kids would easily buy a Grand Am GT over a G6 anyday.

[born4drivn]

I read up on the GA once, when I got my 88 GA a couple years back, and the 85 GA was designed for the younger buyer also.

[invaderzim624]

Originally posted by Subtle_Cynicism
John, do you really believe that the G6 will have a younger buying group than the Grand Am did? I like the G6, personally, not the name, but rather just the car itself, for the most part, but I know most kids would easily buy a Grand Am GT over a G6 anyday.

Not necessaryily. G6 is a name I can take or leave. But I am 19 and would take a G6 coupe over a GA any day. In my opinion, it's just a more agressive looking car.

[TA^Guy]

Originally posted by Subtle_Cynicism
John, do you really believe that the G6 will have a younger buying group than the Grand Am did? I like the G6, personally, not the name, but rather just the car itself, for the most part, but I know most kids would easily buy a Grand Am GT over a G6 anyday.
Have you seen a G6 coupe in person yet?

It sure as heck has a more youthful apperence than a 2 door Grand Am GT does.

Slap "Grand Am" on it and it just doesn't fill the image the "Grand Am" name has aquired in the past two decades.

The sedan however could get away with the 'Grand Am' nameplate.

Also few might notice I don't call all two door cars coupes. A coupe, pre-say, wouldn't share the same body structure as sedan. The Grand Am 2 and 4 doors have identical body structure, as where the G6 coupe is clearly designed to be a 2 door only.

[Subtle_Cynicism]

Unfortunately, Pontiac made the rear quarter panel ridiculously long; the rearside windows hideously small, making the huge 18" rims and wheels look puny and awkward.

That, and there is no distinguishing things to distinguish coupe from sedan from a heads on approach.

[rabidpanda69]

what car does distinguish between coupe and sedan from a front view?

[TA^Guy]

Originally posted by rabidpanda69
what car does distinguish between coupe and sedan from a front view?
Very, very few.

[born4drivn]

well, I'm only 24, and I would much rather have a GA than the new G6. I don't find the G6 youthful. More like the made it for a small family. However I find they made the cobalt SS and pursuit GT more for my liking. Sporty yet agile looking. But of course this is just my opinion.

[Matt95GT]

Originally posted by born4drivn
well, I'm only 24, and I would much rather have a GA than the new G6. I don't find the G6 youthful. More like the made it for a small family. However I find they made the cobalt SS and pursuit GT more for my liking. Sporty yet agile looking. But of course this is just my opinion.

I agree on the G6. I think the GA is more youthful looking than the G6... although I'm not entirely sure why. Just more aggressive lines I suppose.

The Cobalt SS does indeed look youthful... although I personally feel they overdid it. Looks too boyracer + cute girly front end. (I'm not bashing it either... I like the car alot, I just don't dig it as much as some of the competition or older designs)

Unfortuntely I feel that's where GM screwed up... I don't think they have much to offer me. I consider myself somewhere in between "youthful" and "family sedan".

[ga5speed02]

Originally posted by born4drivn
well, I'm only 24, and I would much rather have a GA than the new G6. I don't find the G6 youthful. More like the made it for a small family. However I find they made the cobalt SS and pursuit GT more for my liking. Sporty yet agile looking. But of course this is just my opinion.


Originally posted by Matt95GT
I agree on the G6. I think the GA is more youthful looking than the G6... although I'm not entirely sure why. Just more aggressive lines I suppose.

The Cobalt SS does indeed look youthful... although I personally feel they overdid it. Looks too boyracer + cute girly front end. (I'm not bashing it either... I like the car alot, I just don't dig it as much as some of the competition or older designs)

Unfortuntely I feel that's where GM screwed up... I don't think they have much to offer me. I consider myself somewhere in between "youthful" and "family sedan".


yea i think the Ga has a more youthfull look. the G6 is nice dont get my wrong but its more 'sadanish' 'familyish' than the GA

[car audio dave]

funny thing is, everyone here either has or had a grand am, so we arent the best to judge whether wed buy something named "Grand Am". honestly, lots of people think grand am as that beat up rental car that they had when they went to their grandmothers funeral, or thatr business trip when their company wouldnt pay to upgrade them to a "nice" car.

the G6 brings new opportunities to people who would normally turn their noses up at a grand am.

from what i understand, pontiac is following suit making the grand prix into the G8 in the next couple of years. i guess a pursuit could be a G4?

and cars that differ from the front between coupe and sedan:
accord
BMW 3 series
mercedes S-series (late 90s)

seems like when you get to the higher end cars, they dont make coupe and sedans of the same cars. with cheaper ones, they dont waste the money to design two different cars with the same name.

[RickHigginsHtbr]

Originally posted by Subtle_Cynicism
John, do you really believe that the G6 will have a younger buying group than the Grand Am did? I like the G6, personally, not the name, but rather just the car itself, for the most part, but I know most kids would easily buy a Grand Am GT over a G6 anyday.

to back this up:
Me - 23 - 03 GA
Mom - 46 - 05 G6

[ga5speed02]

:roflmfao: rick

[TA^Guy]

Originally posted by born4drivn
well, I'm only 24, and I would much rather have a GA than the new G6. I don't find the G6 youthful. More like the made it for a small family. However I find they made the cobalt SS and pursuit GT more for my liking. Sporty yet agile looking. But of course this is just my opinion. If your compairing sedans, but your telling me the 2 door GA looks more 'youthful' than a 2 door G6? Anyhow, that is off topic.

We are talking name, and name alone.

We aren't talking how they look, we are talking name alone. The sound of the name, the emotion, feelings and thoughts you have hearing it.

Sure alot of us around here might get excited over a new "Grand Am", but most people on the road that drive/own them or know people who do are middle aged, middle income, with either a family, working towards one or just sees a vehicle as transportation.

Lets say for example, someone is approched 2 years ago and told "Hey Pontiac has a new Grand Am coming out soon." the image in most of their heads is thinking 'family car', 'rental car', ect. Now instead tell them "Hey Pontaic has a new car coming out called the G6." They don't know what to expect. It sounds exciting, fresh and new and not just a revamp of a dime a dozen family sedan.
Originally posted by RickHigginsHtbr
to back this up:
Me - 23 - 03 GA
Mom - 46 - 05 G6
Whats your point? I never said the G6 sedan wouldn't appeal to a older crowd. However the name alone is trying to lure in new, younger buyers. Doesn't matter if you agree or not, that was from Lutz himself with the introduction at the autoshow. If one were to dig hard enough I'm sure the artical and even a video would pop up somewhere.

[rabidpanda69]

Well, I'll go ahead and disagree with that. I personally would have hated the G6 name even before I owned a grand am. But I've always had different tastes from most other kids my age so I suppose it would make sense :lol:

[ga5speed02]

true the NAME sound younger but the grand am appears younger lookin.

like "yo i drive a G6" sound younger and mor like "yo i drive a mazda 3"
so i do see your point john. i think they still could have got a way with calling the G6 a grand am tho

[born4drivn]

but my point is that the G6 is appealling to adults maybe, how ever most younger aged people, tend to go with the crowd or "in" trend. No argument GM is trying new thing's, and quite possibly, I like it in a few years, however as I was saying , Look at Civic's. Teens LOVE them. Why, cause they seen so many of them pimped out by other teens, or friends of theirs, and they want that same thing. The point is to me, that, I would rather they have made a new GRAND AM. I remeber when I was on my last year of High School in 99, and a friend of mine got one of the first ones sold in my area. She had a swarm of fellow students around her car, And everyone wanted it for 2 reason's. It was the newest look, and it was a favorite amungst everyone, A GRAND AM. I do see alot of older folks, (my parents) however, compare a GA with rentals and I see why GM would do that for them. But wasn't the GA a top seller for younger peep's???? Not Older ???? I don't know, again, this is all just my opinion?

[rabidpanda69]

I dont know, but I remember I was stand offish on my GA purley because there were already 4 or 5 of them rolling around my school (Little did I know I'd find a second home where 13000 people also have GA's :lol: ) But I drove it and loved it. I buy a car for my self, not cause others like it or it's popular.

[ga5speed02]

Originally posted by rabidpanda69
I dont know, but I remember I was stand offish on my GA purley because there were already 4 or 5 of them rolling around my school (Little did I know I'd find a second home where 13000 people also have GA's :lol: ) But I drove it and loved it. I buy a car for my self, not cause others like it or it's popular.

i didnt even know pandas could drive :???:


:lol:

[rabidpanda69]

shhhhhhh I wore a costume, the DMV still hasnt figured me out yet :lol:

[RickHigginsHtbr]

i really don't like driving my parents G6 at all.... the steering, the brakes, the gas.. its all so overly sensitive compared to the GA. Not to mention how quiet it is, unless you open it up :)

[TA^Guy]

To be honeest, I've been driving the GA alot more now that my truck is dead and I think the GA is overly sensitive. I'm not down with the whole speed sensitive steering. Yes I drive a truck and the steerign will be quicker on the GA. But when I'm accelerating (say passing a vehicle on a dotted yellow) and make a quick lane change the whole car jerks abruptly, as opposed to how smooth my truck is. I'm sure the steering box in the truck a lower ratio, but it can't be that low because the ZQ1 package uses a Camaro steering box.

[Lund2100]

Originally posted by Subtle_Cynicism
John, do you really believe that the G6 will have a younger buying group than the Grand Am did? I like the G6, personally, not the name, but rather just the car itself, for the most part, but I know most kids would easily buy a Grand Am GT over a G6 anyday.

I agree with you. I am a college student and I'd much rather own the looks of the Grand Am GT (which I own already) versus the G6. The G6 is too plain and its styling is becoming too indistinguishable. I love my GT as it is a fun car to drive.