General Motors has revealed in its latest viability plan that it will phase out the Pontiac brand by the end of 2010. Instead, the automaker will focus on its Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands. Also included in the plan are job cuts on both sides of the border with about 60% of the hourly workforce cut in Canada by 2014 and about 35-40% of the hourly workforce will be cut in the US also by 2014.

“We need to have a more stable, sustainable business model,” GM president and CEO Fritz Henderson told reporters at a press conference.

I’m not an expert, but the Buick brand seemed more of a logical choice to cut especially considering the joint venture with Toyota. The two automakers jointly run a plant in California which produces the Corolla and Matrix alongside the Pontiac Vibe. It was expected that a new vehicle based on the Vibe would be manufactured at the plant, but those plans seem pretty dead at this point. The plant allowed the two automakers to assist each other, albeit in different ways. Toyota would gain valuable insight on how to run a vehicle production plant in North America. GM hoped by observing Toyota’s manufacturing process that they would be able to build higher quality vehicles at its plants. Based on the quality of the Pontiac Vibe versus the Toyota Matrix I would have to say the winner in this arrangement was definitely Toyota.

For the vehicles in the Pontiac line-up like the Solstice, General Motors CFO Ray Young put to rest any rumors that they would be migrated to one of the four remaining brands. So, no there will not be a Chevrolet Solstice or a Chevrolet Sky. There will however, be a Buick Lucerne! ;)