Pontiac Aztek

Infobox Automobile


name = Pontiac Aztek
manufacturer = Pontiac
parent_company = General Motors
production = 2001–2005
assembly = Ramos Arizpe, Mexico
class = Mid-size crossover SUV
body_style = 4-door SUV
engine = 3.4 L "LA1" V6
transmission = 4-speed "4T65-E" automatic
length = 192.1 in (4625 mm)
wheelbase = 108.3 in (2751 mm)
width = 73.7 in (1872 mm)
height = 66.7 in (1694 mm)
weight = 3779–4043 lb (1714–1834 kg)
layout = Front engine, front-wheel drive / four-wheel drive
platform = U-body
predecessor = Pontiac Sunrunner (Canada)
successor = Pontiac Torrent
related = Buick Rendezvous
Chevrolet Venture
Pontiac Montana
Oldsmobile Silhouette
Chevrolet Uplander
Saturn Relay
Buick Terraza
designer = Wayne CherryThe Pontiac Aztek was a mid-size crossover SUV produced by the General Motors marque Pontiac from the 2001 model year to the 2005 model year. The Aztek was mostly noteworthy for its exterior styling, for which it has been voted the ugliest car in the world by a British newspaper [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/main.jhtml?xml=/motoring/2008/08/29/mfcars5.xml&page=2] . The Aztek was the first "crossover" SUV offered from General Motors.

Background

Given the fact that the vast majority of sport utility vehicles (SUVs) were rarely taken off-pavement by their owners, much less driven under serious off-road conditions, a new type of car-based "crossover SUV" was marketed that was hoped would provide all the elements that customers "actually" wanted from their SUVs such as cargo carrying capacity, elevated seating height and the suggestion of an active outdoor lifestyle with fewer of the drawbacks typically associated with traditional SUVs such as poor gas mileage, uncomfortable ride, high step-in height, propensity to roll over, etc.

Original concept

First shown to the public in 1999, the Pontiac Aztek concept car was fairly well received. It featured "Xtreme" futuristic styling and promised maximum versatility in support of a young and active lifestyle for its intended Generation 'X' buyer demographic.

The production edition of the Aztek was launched with the tagline: "Quite possibly the most versatile vehicle on the planet." in conjunction with CBS's hit game show, "Survivor" in 2000.

Colby Donaldson won this car as a prize during the final reward challenge of "".

Technology and notable features

*The Aztek was produced at General Motors' Ramos Arizpe, Mexico, assembly plant, where it shared an assembly line with the Buick Rendezvous. In Canada, it filled the gap left since the Sunrunner's discontinuation in 1997, while in the United States and Mexico it was the first Pontiac-badged SUV ever sold.

*At launch the Aztek was available with either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive in base and GT trim.

*In lieu of four-wheel drive, the Aztek offered Versatrak, a full-time, fully-automatic all-wheel drive system which provided sure-footed traction in the snow or rain and could handle moderately rough off-road surfaces, but was not meant for serious boulder-climbing, Rubicon Trail-type activities.

*The Aztek was one of the first automobiles to ever be designed entirely using computerized rapid-prototyping/rapid-visualization tools.

*The dashboard was designed by NASA contractor Johnson Controls, and featured Pontiac's trademark red lighting scheme along with an optional heads-up display.Fact|date=February 2007

*The Aztek was able to carry within its interior the standard convert|4|ft|m by convert|8|ft|m sheet of plywood, a common and useful task most of its SUV competitors were unable to perform. (note: Aztek carries 4x8 plywood sheets with the tailgate lowered, but the gate doesn't lie completely flat and the large glass liftgate is heavy. )

*In support of the Aztek's intended role as an accoutrement for a youthful, active lifestyle it offered a number of novel options/accessories, such as a center console that doubled as a removable cooler, a tent/inflatable mattress package that along with a built-in air compressor allowed the Aztek to double as an camper. Extending this image was a seatback mounted backpack, and a number of specialty racks for bicycles, canoes, snowboards and other such objects.

*An optional 10 speaker Pioneer stereo system provided a set of controls located within the rear quarters of the vehicle for tail-gate parties as well as an unusual 2-piece tailgate with built-in cupholders and butt grooves designed to be used as a seating area during such activities.

*The Aztek was also available with two rear cargo area options, a pull-out cargo tray that held up to convert|400|lb that rolled on built-in wheels when removed from the vehicle, or a versatile cargo net system that held up to convert|200|lb and could be configured a claimed 22 different ways.

Critics

GM forecast sales of up to 75,000 Azteks per year, and needed to produce 30,000 annually to break even. Just 27,322 were sold in 2001 with more than 50% being sold to captive rental company fleets or used by General Motors executives.Fact|date=July 2007

Pricing of the Aztek was also an issue at launch. In addition to being widely criticized for styling, the vehicle was simply too expensive for its intended "Generation X" audience and was priced significantly higher than competing vehicles. After the 2001 model year, the GT model was dropped and pricing was slashed, in addition to extremely generous rebates and cut-rate financing instituted by GM in the wake of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

The Aztek was cited derisively numerous times in Steve McConnell's seminal software design book, Code Complete 2: [http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000321.html The Pontiac Aztek and the Perils of Design by Committee]

In February 2001, a blue Aztek served as the pace car for the Daytona 500.

The Aztek had among the highest CSI (Customer Satisfaction Index) scores in its class, and won the appellation of "Most Appealing Entry Sport Utility Vehicle" in 2001 from J.D. Power and Associates, an independent consumer survey organization who noted: "The Aztek scores highest or second highest in every APEAL component measure except exterior styling."

Just as the 1959 Cadillac represented the zenith and final overextension of the tailfin as a desired styling device, the Aztek's "overuse" of cladding marked a breaking point for the automotive press' and public's acceptance of the ribbed cladding that Pontiac used as its primary styling differentiator for almost 15 years, a styling element introduced with the 1985 Grand Am which quickly spread to all of its models. The restyled 2002 Aztek's body colored cladding eliminated most of the horizontal strakes, and Pontiac began a program at the direction of Bob Lutz to substantially subdue or remove cladding from all of its models.

The Aztek was discontinued after the 2005 model year, and was replaced by the "Theta" platform Pontiac Torrent. The Aztek's production line in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico, was retooled to build the Chevrolet HHR.

According to a published report on autoblog.com; January 22, 2008; 25 Pontiac Dealerships across the U.S. sold a total of 25 Pontiac Azteks in 2007. Two years after the Pontiac Aztek went out of production, the 25 vehicles that were sold, were brand new from the dealership. The article can be found here: http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/18/2007-big-year-for-pontiac-aztek-25-sold/

In an August 2008 poll in The Daily Telegraph, the Pontiac Aztek came first on the list of "The 100 ugliest cars" of all time. [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/main.jhtml?xml=/motoring/2008/08/29/mfcars5.xml&page=2]

Year to year changes

2001

*All new model available as base model and GT both in front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive, the latter boasting an independent rear suspension.

2002

*Cladding smoothed and changed to body colored, front marker light/turn signals changed from amber to clear, spoiler added to rear glass gate.

2003

*Aztek "Rally Edition" introduced, which was an option package which featured a lowered front suspension, a larger rear spoiler, body colored grille and 17" chrome wheels.
*DVD entertainment system, XM satellite radio and a tire pressure monitoring system added to the options list.

2004

*A CD/MP3 player was added as an available option.

2005

*In its final model year, the Aztek gained hands-free operation of its OnStar system.

Production

While the total production numbers would not seem to indicate that the re-styling of the Aztek helped sales, in actuality, sales to private individuals increased after the first model year and thereafter, which allowed GM to cut down on the low-profit, value-eroding rental fleet sales it relied on to keep the Aztek production line in operation initially.

External links

* [http://www.aztekfanclub.com Aztek Fan Club]