Pontiac, AMC, DeLorean, Mercury. These and many other car brands are long gone.
So dear readers, what defunct car brand would you bring back?
Give us your take in the comments section below. Like my high school history teacher always told me, “There are no wrong answers.”
My take? Pontiac, I’ve always been a GTO fan.
Definitely Pontiac! That was GM’s performance car division – in my opinion.
Pontiac. They kept coming out with peppy (if Holden-based) cars until the end. The other defunct Big 3 names were more or less rebadgings, minus a few improvement rebadgings (Marauder comes to mind).
Pontiac! Firebirds, Fiero, GTO! Pontiac always seem to have a flair with performance.
I agree 100 percent, my thoughts exactly.
Studebaker
Hi Ron. Studebakers were highly underrated. I’ve had six of them ever since as far back as 1957. Currently have a very nice 1960 Studebaker Lark. My parents were Studebaker dealers for 20 some years. In lots of ways Studebaker was ahead of the times and the public didn’t realize what they were missing. Automotive politics and poor management helped push them out.
Jumping on the wagon, here, gotta be Pontiac. Got a Holden made GTO, just love it. While at it, GM could bring Holden back, and double them as Pontiac production, as long as a worthy GTO came to ‘Merica.
I would love to see the original Mercury Cougar and the Imperial names return and continue with their intended market segments. Also, how about Studebaker’s Golden Hawk with a supercharger?
Plymouth and Mercury
And AMC
Pontiac!!!
Would like to see BMW who owns the Triumph name reinvent the iconic Triumph TR6
Pontiac all the way
Hi David, another Dave out here in Auto Wonderland. Thanks for your question.
I would bring back Pontiac and or Desoto.
Both bring back fond memories and were great marques. Both had style, power and made a unique statement.
I would have to say Bricklin, which is one that not everyone has thought about in a long time.
Pontiac would be my vote. Love to see a new Trans Am or Firebird, GTO, or maybe some sort of new SUV design.
Shortly after I started my junior year in high school, the gorgeous 1967 Pontiac GTO was unveiled. I loved that car back then and still do. After the financial meltdown of 2008, GM decided to cut costs by deleting Pontiac from their lineup. Pontiac outsold Buick by four to one at the time. But Buick was highly popular in China, so Pontiac got the axe. Buick makes just one car model now, the Regal, and it’s built in China for the Chinese market. It’s unnerving that a communist country could have so much control over our domestic automobile market.
I agree with you Robert! “Shanghai GM” is the auto maker in China that has rolled out models of AMERICAN cars – that are better than the selection we have here in The USA! They made the Cadillac SLS which was our Seville STS with a longer wheelbase and it was NOT available in this country! They also made large comfortable Buick sedans that were NOT offered in The USA.
The humiliating factor is the American icons Cadillac, Buick, and Chevrolet made in China are better quality than our versions! Did you ever think you’d see a day when “The Standard of the World” (Cadillac) would be rolled-out in China of all places?
WOW!
Is this really true? If so this is just another dagger to Americans and their once proud AMERICAN work force. Time to model our Automobile plants like that of Toyota and Honda that are made right here in America.
Great choice of a car; the 1967 GTO!!! I had the honor of buying a 1967 GTO my Junior year of high school, in 1975. I only had to pay $545.00. Can you imagine? I owned it for 20 years, but due to some factors involving having to move twice for jobs, I sold it, almost exactly 20 years to the month from when I’d bought it. I still regret it and kick myself every day..
My cousin got a new blue, loaded ’67 convertible from her parents for high school graduation. When I saw that car, I couldn’t imagine anything better. I think I drooled on it.
I choose Mercury, Pontiac, Oldsmobile and Saab prior to gm ownership.
The 1958 Pontiac Bonneville convertible. The most beautifully car ever built.
Pontiac, DeSoto, Oldsmobile, Studebaker.
Pontiac and Plymouth.
Pontiac Pontiac Pontiac
.Tucker, Hudson studebacker
PONTIAC !
No question Pontiac! Everything they did GM tried to stop and just as they persevered GM cut them off the final travesty was naming a Daewoo a LeMans
Oldsmobile
Pontiac! Wide Track Performance vehicles like NO other American car company!!! I owned a ’67 GTO for 20 years. Most fun car I ever owned and I kick myself every day for selling it. General Motors should bring back the Pontiac division as a pure sports car performance division.
Great choice of a car; the 1967 GTO!!! I had the honor of buying a 1967 GTO my Junior year of high school, in 1975. I only had to pay $545.00. Can you imagine? I owned it for 20 years, but due to some factors involving having to move twice for jobs, I sold it, almost exactly 20 years to the month from when I’d bought it. I still regret it and kick myself every day..
PONTIAC
Pontiac and Mercury
Any car company which directly or indirectly was forced to shut down due to governmental pressure, I would like to see come back. This would include, Pontiac, Saab, Oldsmobile, Saturn, Mercury and Plymouth. Without saying which, go back and look at during which US Presidential term all of these makes were closed down. Hmmm.
I have two choices. First the Ford Thunderbird. This time I would like to see THUNDER in that bird. My second choice is Pontiac. I would like to see the performace side back.
Duesenberg, Mercury, and Pontiacs brought back please!
Pontiac
Beyond all doubt it would be PONTIAC!
Pontiac
Absolutely Pontiac. The Catalina, Grand Prix & Bonneville of the 60s were wonderful autos.
Hudson and a performance Mercury. And neither electric.
PONTIAC….Obama killed Pontiac (see Bob Lutz’ book) – unforgivable – but Firebird and GTO will live forever, as major car auctions prove every time. https://www.autoweek.com/news/a1942211/who-killed-pontiac-ask-bob-lutz/
Pontiac, Cord, & Packard all were leaders in their particular types & styles.
AMC (AMX and Javelin, 2 muscle cars) of course.
Plymouth! Make me a modern 700HP retro Cuda convertible!
Pontiac, but with the provision that all the car companies produce performance cars like they did in the mid to late 60’s.
I miss greatly the Oldsmobile, Chevrolet and Mercury. Both had a great variety of choices and just cool stuff. God bless those 4 on the floors. The manual transmission has almost completely become extinct. So sad!
I firmly believe that if the started remaking the original Stingray, 63-64 Chevy Impalas SS with the same looks and modern amenities, you could not build them fast enough. Chrysler did this with the PT Cruisers and Ram trucks and it worked!
The Packard Twelve and the Pierce-Arrow Twelve.
Oldsmobile with out a doubt then go way back and Packard. There is no wrong answer here and of course Pontiac and others rate high here but I miss Olds the most.
Pontiac Firebird Trans AM. SHOULD NEVER HAVE STOPPED PRODUCTION IN THE FIRST PLACE
Metropolitan
My heart says Pontiac like so many others here. They were hands down my favorite GM division for 4 decades. But my gut tells me to bring back AMC. They always were cash strapped but managed to put out some amazing cars and led with so many features. Does anyone remember that AMC was the 1st to make a/c standard equipment on an automobile. Before Cadillac and Lincoln. And their ingenuity in taking what was once a plain Jane Hornet and turning it into a near luxury 4 wheel drive. Arguably the 1st crossover SUV. And further, the farsighted ingenuity of the smaller 1984 Jeep Cherokee whose popularity foretold the current SUV craze. I would like to see what AMC would do in today’s me too, cookie cutter car market. Thinking it would be amazing!
bring back the 1953 Studebaker Starliner with a 3.0 eng, not sure it will take bigger but what style
Nash, Pierce Arrow and Edsel! Lol
Oldsmobile 88/98, Starfire and 442. Maybe the Vistas but that would be about it
1969 Camaro rs/ss 350 325 horse
More than one. Mercury….my tough little WWII Dad was a Mercury man. Thunderbird….I have a Minter restored ‘56. Pontiac….one of my favorite uncles loved his ‘56 Star Chief. And Oldsmobile….another favorite uncle loved his ‘62 Starfire.
More than one. Mercury….my tough little WWII Dad was a Mercury man. Thunderbird….I have a Minter restored ‘56. Pontiac….one of my favorite uncles loved his ‘56 Star Chief.
Pontiac for sure. Once them 4th best seller! No gone!.GTO. Grand Prix, Formula, Catalina, Bonneville., Tempest, Firebird, Trans Am… need I say more?
PONTIAC. Trans Ams, GTOs, Gran Prixs, Fieros, and Bonnevilles. GM’s choice of letting all those lines go in favor of Buick??? Still boggles my mind.
Pontiac…Trans Ams, GTOs, Grand Prixs, and Bonnevilles.
Stutz and Packard
Barracuda
I know most people won’t like this but I’d say Saturn and Oldsmobile I guarantee they’ll have a lot of potential.
The Pontiac Firebird TransAm…I had a Silver ’78 TA with the T-tops with the Olds engine. Still my favorite car I have owned….Silver with the Red&Black Bird on the hood. ❤