Pontiac Vibe: GM to kill model in August

The Pontiac Vibe is meeting its demise in August.

General Motors said Thursday afternoon that it will end production of the small wagon as part of its long-term viability plan and the wind-down of the Pontiac brand.

Production of Vibes for the 2010 model year began in March.

The wagon is assembled at a joint manufacturing facility that GM runs with Toyota in Fremont, Calif. The site also builds the Toyota Matrix, a vehicle mechanically similar to the Vibe. GM said it is in talks with Toyota about the future of the plant.

The Vibe offers two inline four-cylinder engines, all-wheel-drive and a GT version. It has room for five passengers.

GM sold 11,395 Vibes through May, down from 17,525 units for the first five months of last year, according to the Automotive News Data Center.

Meanwhile, the G6 sedan will go out of production when its Michigan assembly plant goes to standby status in September. The Solstice will end in July as the Delaware factory where it is assembled is shuttered. GM is finalizing end dates for the G3, the G5 and the G8, a spokesman said.

By Greg Migliore