The Pontiac Division, once a brand known for high-performance models such as the GTO and Formula Firebird, has died after a long illness. It was 83. Pontiac is survived by four brothers, Buick, Chevrolet, Cadillac and GMC; and three cousins, Saturn, Saab and Hummer. Services are pending.

Even with a starring role along side Vin Diesel in the Fast/Furious movie franchise, the 1967 GTO didn't have the juice to bring young buyers to the showroom. Photo courtesy of GM

Writing the obituary for General Motor’s “excitement” brand is like writing one for a member of the Donner party. After all, the Pontiac of  GTO fame had been consumed by its corporate parent in various desperate attempts at survival. A transfusion by way of bringing back the GTO in modern form along with the G8 sedan was too late to save it. What was once a distinct and interesting brand was reduced to homely, mediocre cars by the mid-1980s, with a lineup overcrowded with badge-engineered models of little redeeming value.

There were many injuries to the brand over the years, most of them mistakes ranging from god-awful styling—the Aztek, ugliest car ever—to a cheap import badged as a Le Mans, to the Sunfire with its dead flounder looks. Even the alleged flagship Grand Prix and Bonneville models suffered from body cladding, the automotive equivalent of botched plastic surgery.

Despite its homely styling, the Aztek's biggest failure was it missed its sales target and intended audience. Generation Xers couldn't afford it, and sales were never much higher than a third of projections. Photo courtesy of GM

With the G8 as the only distinct Pontiac model, there really wasn’t much life remaining in the brand that launched the muscle car era in the 1960s. Maybe the G8 will become an Impala with real performance, but serious doubts have been cast on the future of V-8 engines given impending fuel economy standards. (It’s worth noting that the V-8 was declared dead once before and came back. For now, turbocharged V-6s will have to do.) *Monday’s announcement [Automotive News] carries the news that the G8 will not become anything.

You might wonder about the Solstice, initially in roadster and now also in coupe form, but its future seems to lie overseas as the new Opel GT. With any luck, the Germans will sort out the cantankerous soft top. Too bad, because the car did well in amateur racing in the U.S. *Also in Monday’s announcement was word the Solstice/Sky will not complete the Grand Tour of Europe as the Opel GT.

Alas, neither a late transfusion of modern muscle cars, nor preaching by Bob Lutz, nor a last-minute rally cry could save Pontiac from driving off into history.