The Pontiac Vibe Creation Story America is a land of legendary automobile brands, many of which have been around since the late 1800s. And it is a pity that now some of them are going down in history, as happened with the brand. Pontiac, which ceased to exist on November 1, 2010. But its history began in 1893, when someone Edward Murphy founded a company in the city of Pontiac, Michigan (Pontiac, Michigan) under the name Pontiac Buggy Company that was engaged in the production of horse carriages. In 1907, Murphy, realizing that the age of the automobile was approaching, founded the Oakland Motor Car Co. Two years later, he bought half of its shares. General Motors (GM). William Durant, founder of GM, knew Edward Murphy well and made this deal not at all for the company itself, but because he wanted to get his founder. However, the following year, Murphy died unexpectedly. Durant buys the rest of the shares and Oakland completely under GM control... It was rumored that he did it with his own income, to help the Murphy family, who was left without a support.
In 1918, Alfred Sloane took over GM. At that time, the company was not in the best position, and it was decided to completely revise the very principle of its work. From now on, he was supposed to have only five marks instead of seven. At the same time, three brands went under the knife, including Oakland, instead of which a new one should appear. All this was done for a more harmonious price positioning of the produced car models. So, in 1926, Pontiac cars appeared... This brand took second place on the price scale, ranking between the cheapest Chevrolet and the most expensive Buick . Success came in 1935 when the Pontiac Silver Streak appeared and became extremely popular. It was then that the principle was established Pontiac - relatively affordable cars with a very powerful engine and sporty character. This is defined by Pontiac's success among young people. These cars (most of them coupes) are becoming not only popular, but also legendary.
Over the years of the brand's existence, many models of various designs and types have been released. His popularity was quite high. Many of them become "movie stars". The model deserves a special mention. Firebird, which was produced by the concern from 1967 to 2002. However, serious problems that GM began to experience at the end of the 20th century could not fail to affect Pontiac... Several high-profile scandals related to product quality They didn't help the brand either. None of the measures taken served and it was decided to abandon the brand completely. Pontiac only sacrificed to save General Motors... We can say that with the departure of this brand, another story of the American automotive industry was turned upside down. The Pontiac Vibe is one of the most famous and popular cars co-produced by General Motors and Toyota. The dynamic appearance helped boost the Vibe's popularity with young people, and the spacious interior appealed to older buyers.
The history of the creation of the Pontiac Vibe
The car was launched by a joint venture between General Motors and Toyota on the Toyota Sprinter platform. The company simultaneously produced the Pontiac Vibe and the Toyota Matrix. Pontiac was exclusively aimed at the US market and Toyota was assembled for Japan. The cars were twin brothers and their difference was in the location of the steering wheel: for the Toyota Matrix, it was located on the right. The release of this car pursued the main goal - the creation of a car that would absorb the qualities of a practical minivan and an SUV, but at the same time remain in the price range of an ordinary sedan. The hatchback had a decent body height and was positioned as a fashionable quasi-SUV or station wagon. The impression was enhanced by the roof rails. The exterior of the car was designed by John Mack in a sporty and dynamic style, aimed at a younger generation of buyers who, in addition to speed, also value practicality with functionality. As well as a four-wheel drive car.
First Generation Pontiac Vibe (2003–2008)
The first generation Pontiac Vibe was offered in three trims: front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive, and the GT "Sport" modification (with a higher-output 180-hp engine and 6-speed manual transmission ). In connection with the stricter environmental requirements in the United States, new engines were developed, the initial power of which had to be slightly reduced to meet environmental standards. The model was produced in the rear of a 4-door hatchback and had the following dimensions, mm: length / width / height - 4351/1775/1549.
The trunk isn't very roomy, but if you fold down the rear seat, you get a flat floor (includes a full-size refrigerator). To transport long items, you can simply open the rear window and load the item. The positive features of the model include not only its dynamic and sporty design, perfectly executed in the best American traditions, but also the cabin interior made of high-quality materials. The living room is full of spaciousness and is easily transformed, with modern functionality.
Large informative exterior mirrors, high seating position, compared to sedan (seat is height adjustable). A very useful function: socket 115 V, 60 Hz, power up to 150 W. Disadvantages include poor visibility, due to too thick grilles, a small fuel tank (50 liters) and insufficient sound insulation.
Second generation Ponticac Vibe (2009-2010)
The debut of the second generation of the model took place in 2007 at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The 2009 Pontiac Vibe has incorporated all the best features of previous models, raising the bar to a higher level, becoming more powerful, stylish and more comfortable.
The car is designed by Ron Aseltona, it is more muscular with pronounced dynamics in the body lines. All body parts are precisely fitted with minimal gaps to highlight the clean lines of the body. The updated Vibe is positioned by GM as a crossover that has grown in length, but has become more squat and not as wide and now has the following dimensions, mm: length/width/height - 4371/1763/1547. The interior of the Vibe underwent a complete overhaul and received a dashboard more suited to sports cars. Instruments and controls have been redesigned for comfort, while retaining its driving feel. The build quality and interior are within world class tolerances. The trim material itself has become of a higher quality, giving the cabin a luxurious look and feel of being in a more expensive car than it really is. The steering column is adjustable in two planes, and seats with six positions and height adjustment, which can comfortably accommodate a driver of any height. This also includes front active head restraints.
The base GT trim offers leather seats, a three-spoke steering wheel with audio controls, and a paddle shifter. The Pontiac Vibe has received a new line of engines. In the basic configuration, the car is equipped with 1.8L DOHC, 132 hp, and the all-wheel drive version with the GT nameplate is 158 hp, with a volume of 2.4 liters.
All engines were equipped with automatic transmission. The work of the "automatic machine" did not cause any problems; the speeds were changed accurately and quickly. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h with a 1.8l -10.1s engine, maximum speed - 160 km / h, average fuel consumption 8.5-9l / 100 km and about 6.5-7l on the highway. with 2.4 l acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h - 9.5 s and maximum speed - 180 km / h. Consumption 12l / 100 km in the city and on the motorway -9l / 100 km. Fuel tank capacity - 50L There have been changes in the equipment of the hatchback.
For example, the Vibe was equipped with air conditioning, cruise control, power accessories, a sunroof, a computerized traction control system, and anti-lock brakes and disc brakes on the rear axle that were already on the base. The installation of traction control - traction control system, or as it is also called the traction control system, increased the safety and controllability of the car by an order of magnitude. The function of the electrohydraulic traction control system is to prevent loss of traction with the car's drive wheels by controlling their slippage.
The presence of such a system significantly simplifies driving on slippery or wet surfaces, or other conditions with insufficient grip. The system is based on sensor readings that record wheel speed in real time. When the sensors detect the beginning of slippage of any of the wheels, they send a signal to the control system, which reduces the torque transmitted from the engine to the drive wheels or, when braking, reduces the speed of their rotation.
To reduce thrust, the system can perform the following actions: Shut off the "spark" supply to one of the engine's cylinders. Reduce fuel supply to cylinders (or one cylinder) For systems with electronic throttle control, close the throttle valve. The system as a whole uses the same sensors as ABS, so vehicles equipped with traction control are also equipped with ABS.
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