The Pontiac G4 was the Mexican-market name for Pontiac’s version of the Chevrolet Cobalt. It was sold for the 2005 and 2006 model years, after which the same car carried the G5 name in the United States and Canada.
Pontiac G4 at a glance
| Maker | Pontiac, General Motors |
|---|---|
| Model years | 2005–2006 (Mexico) |
| Based on | Chevrolet Cobalt, GM Delta platform |
| Class | compact car |
| Body styles | coupe and sedan |
| Built at | Ramos Arizpe, Mexico and Lordstown, Ohio |
| Engines | 2.2 L Ecotec; 2.4 L Ecotec in later cars |
| Suspension | MacPherson struts front, torsion beam rear |
| Wheelbase | 103.3 in (2,624 mm) |
| Width | 68.4 in (1,737 mm) |
| Weight | 2,681 lb coupe, 2,747 lb sedan |
| Replaced | Pontiac Sunfire |
Based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the Chevrolet Cobalt, which describes the G4 as its Mexican Pontiac version. The record’s original picture is kept.
History of the Pontiac G4
A Cobalt with a Pontiac badge
The Chevrolet Cobalt was introduced in 2004 for the 2005 model year, replacing both the Cavalier and the Toyota-based Prizm. It came as a coupe and a sedan on the GM Delta platform, with a sport version called the Cobalt SS. Pontiac’s version was sold as the G4 in Mexico for 2005–2006, as the G5 in the United States for 2007–2009 and as the G5 in Canada throughout, where it was briefly called the Pursuit and then the G5 Pursuit. The Pontiac replaced the Cavalier-based Sunfire. While the Cobalt was sold as a coupe and a sedan everywhere, the American G5 was a coupe only; Canada and Mexico also got the sedan.
Engineering shared with the Cobalt
The front suspension was independent with MacPherson struts and the rear used a semi-independent torsion beam. The wheelbase of 103.3 inches was longer than most rivals and the width was 68.4 inches. Weight was average for the class at 2,681 lb for the coupe and 2,747 lb for the sedan. The 2005 car used the 2.2 litre Ecotec four with double overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder, producing 145 hp, and a supercharged 2.0 litre Cobalt SS joined later in the year. A naturally aspirated 2.4 litre SS followed for 2006 with 173 hp. All Cobalts and their Pontiac equivalents were built at GM’s plants in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico and Lordstown, Ohio, and the EPA classified the car as a subcompact.
Short life and replacement
The G4 name lasted only two model years in Mexico before the car was renamed G5 there as well. The Cobalt itself continued to 2010, and the Pontiac brand was wound up in 2010.
Design and features
- Delta platform: shared with the Cobalt, HHR and Saturn Ion.
- Ecotec engines: 2.2 litre four as standard, 2.4 litre in the sportier versions.
- Two body styles: coupe and sedan, the sedan for Canada and Mexico.
- Long wheelbase: 103.3 inches, more than most competitors.
- North American build: Ramos Arizpe in Mexico and Lordstown, Ohio.
Pontiac G4 versions
- G4 coupe: the two-door body.
- G4 sedan: the four-door sold in Mexico and Canada.
- 2.4 litre cars: the more powerful engine added for 2006.
The G4 was the Mexican twin of the G5 and replaced the Sunfire. More Pontiacs are in the Pontiac collection.
Sources
- Chevrolet Cobalt, English Wikipedia: platform, engines, Pontiac versions
