[\/Eight]

unfortunate news for canucks, the SS won't be available for you guys

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It’s not a good week for performance or green car fans of GM, as GM Canada confirmed that the V-8 SS sport sedan that debuted at Daytona last weekend won’t be available in Canada, while the Cadillac ELR plug-in and the Chevrolet Spark EV won’t be available to see at the Canadian International Auto Show, although they made their Canadian debut there just before the show opened to the public.
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[RPM]

Canada doesn't get any love. No explanation as to why this is?

 

[SharpShooter_SS]

Apparently the decision to not sell the SS here has to do with an import duty of 6% and the sales of the previously offered G8.(info from another board).

To be fair though the G8 didn't arrive here at the same as it did in the US, it was really only here for a model year and at that not a quite full year before import ceased and Pontiac imploded. The GXP wasn't even out long enough to make it to Canada. I don't recall if the GXP was going to be sold here or not anyway, although I have seen a couple pop up for sale as used cars here. I thought it sold pretty well considering its availability, brief window of existence and uncertainty over GM's future.

All in all too bad. I was interested in the car (the SS) and my only real gripe was the lack of a manual shift. I hope GM changes its mind on the both counts and offers the car with a manual and also to sell here above the 49th.

 

[American-Muscle]

Canadians never got the Pontiac GTO either, at least from what I can remember. I know when it first came out it was available in the states under Pontiac and other nations under the Holden brand.

Did they ever get the GTO later on like how they got the G8 for one model year?

Even if the SS will get low sales numbers in Canada and carry a 6% import duty, I don't see why it still cant be available.

 

[SharpShooter_SS]

Canadians never got the Pontiac GTO either, at least from what I can remember. I know when it first came out it was available in the states under Pontiac and other nations under the Holden brand.

Did they ever get the GTO later on like how they got the G8 for one model year?

Even if the SS will get low sales numbers in Canada and carry a 6% import duty, I don't see why it still cant be available.

The GTO wasn't legal to sell in Canada due to bumper impact standards being different. Canadian law mandated a 5mph front bumper, US and Australia is 2.5mph. The Canadian standard was relaxed to 2.5 mph a couple of years ago - after GTO production ceased. A number of GTOs have been sold here as used cars since. I suspect many who would have bought the car new, lost interest by the time we could buy them - I more or less fall into that category.

 

[American-Muscle]

The GTO wasn't legal to sell in Canada due to bumper impact standards being different. Canadian law mandated a 5mph front bumper, US and Australia is 2.5mph. The Canadian standard was relaxed to 2.5 mph a couple of years ago - after GTO production ceased. A number of GTOs have been sold here as used cars since. I suspect many who would have bought the car new, lost interest by the time we could buy them - I more or less fall into that category.

That sucks, what a troll Canadian laws can be, years after they change it.

I guess it takes a special person to still have some interest in the GTO. Considering what we can get these days getting a GTO can't be justified.

Did you end up buying something in place of the GTO since you couldn't buy it?

 

[brianch]

Interesting. I'd imagine G8 canadian owners aren't going to be too happy really.

 

[SharpShooter_SS]

That sucks, what a troll Canadian laws can be, years after they change it.

I guess it takes a special person to still have some interest in the GTO. Considering what we can get these days getting a GTO can't be justified.

Did you end up buying something in place of the GTO since you couldn't buy it?

Bought a Grand Prix because my lease was up and there was no GTO and no RWD Pontiacs to pick from anyway. In retrospect, the Grand Prix proved to be my least favourite of all the GM cars I've had - absolutely horrible interior to live with. I would have loved a G8, but the timing was wrong and it disappeared anyway. I was a big fan of the VE cars, but would have been only interested in a manual. A grand total of 6 GXPs were sold in Canada before Pontiac died. The resale values seem to be holding up well though, especially the ultra-rare GXP.

I was really hoping to have the option to get into a VF car, but I guess not. In any event the VF really doesn't move the meter for me like the VE car did when it was unveiled in 06. That said, I do like the car and it's been growing on me since the reveal of the Calais V; classy come to mind. My only complaint is the lack of manual. The interior looks really nice though and more compelling than the rather anonymous sheetmetal.

With such a limited run planned it's no surprise that GM isn't doing more to differentiate the SS from the Commodore, although they didn't for the VE cars sold in the mid-east as Chevrolets either, so there's history there I guess.