If you look back on the cars we lost when GM killed Pontiac—including examples like today’s Nice Price or Crack Pipe G6—do you ever wonder if perhaps they offed the wrong brand?
Here in the U.S., Pontiac is dead as a doornail, while Citroën is simply waiting it out until the day when Americans truly appreciate the marque’s unique brand of automotive eclecticism. Based on the response to last Friday’s 1970 Citroën Méhari—honestly, one of the company’s weirdest offerings—they’re going to have to wait a little longer.
Worn, weird, and woefully inadequate in support of modern sensibilities regarding the concepts of safety and convenience, that Méhari couldn’t support its $7,500 asking price, at least not in the minds of the 79-percent of you who dunned it with a Crack Pipe loss.
Thankfully, today’s 2007 Pontiac G6 hardtop convertible is vastly more accommodating to modern interpretations of just what an automobile should be, and in fact I’d wager that these will one day be worth some bank.
This is not that day, however. Right now I’ll bet you’re simply trying to fire some long-disused synapses in remembrance of just where the hell the Pontiac G6 fit in the grand scheme of things. Don’t worry, I’m here to help.
Back in the Aughts, GM was lining up its various brands like it was the Dread Pirate Roberts trying to determine which one of the crew to off that particular evening. Pontiac did everything they could to avoid the feel of cold steel on its metaphorical neck by pumping up the marque’s performance bonafides. That included the introduction of the GTO, Solstice roadster, and GT/GTP editions of their compact family cars, the G6. These last models even had some European provenance as they rode on GM’s Epsilon platform. That was shared with the Opel Signum, Saab 9-3, and even—hold onto your hats folks—the ’05-’11 Fiat Croma.
Here in the U.S. the platform underpinned the Chevy Malibu (yawn), Saturn Aura (Zzzzzz) and the Pontiac G6 (Hmmm).
Why Hmmm? Well, the G6 was at one point available in its GTP trim with a 252-bhp edition of GM’s corporate 3.6-litre DOHC V6 and a six speed manual to tax its front tires.
The G6 also came in a rather fetching hardtop convertible coupe bodystyle, which is what we have on the docket today.
Now, before you get your panties in a bunch, understand that this car doesn’t have the hot mill nor the row-yer-own gearbox. What it does have is a 224—horse 3.9-litre LZ9 V6 and a six-speed automatic. I know, boo-freakin’-hoo.
That’s all wrapped in what is arguably the best looking Epsilon car there was, and in fact one of the cleanest and best design efforts to come out of GM as a whole in the last decade. Yes I know, your opinion may differ.
Still, this is all together a reasonably compelling package. You get four leather-clad buckets, an Audi-esque dashboard, and the choice of driving topless or carrying stuff in the trunk. Choice is good, right?
This particular car comes with a little over 90K on the clock and seems to be reasonably straight and clean, aside from the giant plushy crayon in the console. Seriously seller, you couldn’t toss that to the curb when taking the pictures?
The seller says that the car is super clean and that the A/C is cold. There’s some wear evident on the bottom of the driver’s cushion, which is also kind of grimy. There are some scratches on the hard surfaces likely from passengers getting in and out of the back seats as well. There’s no evidence of leaks from the roof though, at least not in the pics.
Outside, you get a set of factory alloys which are pretty sweet. Less so is the rear bumper that shows evidence of people parking by feel. The headlights could use a de-clouding too. In the plus column, the title is clean, and according to the ad el vendedor habla español.
As we all know, Pontiac is dead. You may not be aware however that the last car the marque ever built was a G6. According to The Detroit News that was a white four-door sedan, perhaps the least enthralling offering from a marque that once pinned its future on the audacious claim that “We Build Excitement.”
They don’t build shit anymore, but there are still some interesting Pontiacs left out there, and a few, like this G6, that you may have even forgotten about. What might this jog to the memory cost? Well, how about $3,500? That’s the asking price, and it’s now up to you to decide if that’s a deal or not. What do you think, does this G6 seem worth $3,500? Or, is this a convertible hard top that’s going to need a hard sell?
You decide!
Houston, TX Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
H/T to JFuaxShizzle for the hookup!
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