The Pontiac automobile brand was founded in 1907 in Pontiac, Michigan, by Edward Murphy, a horse-drawn carriage manufacturer owned, manufactured, and marketed by General Motors. Pontiac was initially intended as a companion for GM’s more expensive Oakland automobiles, but in 1933, it surpassed Oakland in popularity and supplanted it entirely. GM sold it in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, putting it above Chevrolet but below Oldsmobile, Buick, and Cadillac in the hierarchy of GM’s five divisions. Beginning in 1959, the marketing campaign focused more on selling the lifestyle that ownership of the car promised than the car itself. Through its “Wide Track” design, it positioned itself as General Motors’ performance division, which “built excitement.”
In 2008, facing financial challenges and restructuring efforts, General Motors announced it would follow Oldsmobile’s path with Pontiac. By the end of 2010, Pontiac would cease manufacturing and marketing its vehicles. One final Pontiac-badged car was built in January 2010, following the last build in December 2009. After the Pontiac dealership franchise agreements expired on October 31, 2010, GM focused on its four remaining North American brands: Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac, and GMC.
Here is a collection of family photos from Vintage Cars & People posing with their Pontiac automobiles from the 1920s to the 1950s.
