Pontiac Aztek

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Pontiac Aztek
Manufacturer	Pontiac
Parent company	General Motors
Production	2001–2005
Assembly	Ramos Arizpe, Mexico
Predecessor	Pontiac Sunrunner (Canada)
Successor	Pontiac Torrent
Class	Mid-size crossover SUV
Body style	4-door SUV
Layout	Front engine, front-wheel drive / four-wheel drive
Platform	GM U platform
Engine	3.4 L LA1 V6
Transmission	4-speed 4T65-E automatic
Wheelbase	108.3 in (2751 mm)
Length	182.1 in (4625 mm)
Width	73.7 in (1872 mm)
Height	66.7 in (1694 mm)
Curb weight	3779–4043 lb (1714–1834 kg)
Related	Buick Rendezvous Chevrolet Venture Pontiac Montana Oldsmobile Silhouette Chevrolet Uplander Saturn Relay Buick Terraza
Similar	Hyundai Santa Fe Mazda Tribute Toyota RAV4
Designer	Wayne Cherry

The Pontiac Aztek is a mid-size crossover SUV produced by the General Motors marque Pontiac from the 2001 model year to the 2005 model year. The Aztek is most noteworthy for its polarizing exterior styling, which was a source of extensive ridicule from both the public and the press.

[edit] 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. The formula of a car-based "soft-road" SUV had proved marketable by the highly successful Lexus RX300 and Toyota Highlander and was thought to be a promising new market niche within the highly profitable and increasingly popular SUV category.

[edit] 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 2001.

Richard Hatch of Survivor won this car as a prize during the season finale of the show in 2000.

[edit] 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 four-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. This is the main reason for its boxy shape; it didn't appear as boxy on a computer screen.^{[citation needed]}

• The dashboard was designed by NASA contractor Johnson Controls, and featured Pontiac's trademark red lighting scheme along with an optional heads-up display.^{[citation needed]}

• The Aztek was equipped with a fold-forward front passenger seat which helped maximize cargo-carrying capacity.

• The Aztek was able to carry within its interior the standard 4 feet by 8 feet sheet of plywood, a common and useful task most of its SUV competitors were unable to perform.

• 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 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 400 pounds that rolled on built-in wheels when removed from the vehicle, or a versatile cargo net system that held up to 200 pounds and could be configured a claimed 22 different ways.

[edit] 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.

The styling of the Aztek was a source of great derision, to the extent that it was suggested that "Aztek" could become a replacement for "Edsel" as a synonym for failure in the modern lexicon.[1]

Although not the complete flop that many people assume, the Aztek sales performance was certainly a major disappointment, and its failure in the marketplace has been cited as the most glaring example of the failings of GM President John Smale's now discredited "Brand Management" strategy of designing and marketing vehicles which was the guiding force in effect during the Aztek's gestation and initial marketing.

The Aztek was based on a shortened version of GM's second generation U platform minivans, which is partially to blame for the "ugliness" of the model. Relocation of the vehicle's radiator and the windshield positioning was deemed to be too costly, resulting in the disproportionate look up front as they tried to cloak a minivan's structure within a SUV-type shape.

Pricing of the Aztek was also an issue at launch. Styling issues aside, 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.

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

The 2001 models had extensive unpainted gray plastic body cladding which covered the lower 1/3rd of the vehicle. General Motors performed an unprecedented "emergency" re-styling of the Aztek in an effort to save the model, painting the cladding body color making the Aztek more like the original concept vehicle as well as a number of styling tweaks to address some of the voluminous criticism the vehicle had received in the automotive press. Even outside the automotive world the Aztek was singled out for derision: MAD Magazine called it "the ugliest car in American history", and was listed on Maddox's list of the four ugliest cars on the road, alongside the Chevrolet Avalanche, Honda Element, and Subaru Baja.

Somewhat ironically, 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."

As a final effort to regain sales, General Motors painted the Aztek's body cladding the same color as the body color to make it more visually appealing in the eyes of the public.

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.

[edit] Year to year changes

[edit] 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.

[edit] 2002

2002 body cladding

• Pricing slashed almost 20%, GT model dropped.
• Cladding smoothed and changed to body colored, front marker light/turn signals changed from amber to clear, spoiler added to rear glass gate.

[edit] 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.

[edit] 2004

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

[edit] 2005

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

[edit] 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.

[edit] External links

• Aztek Fan Club
• Pope Alien Review - satirical article