AutoReporter

As part of the phase-out of its Pontiac brand, General Motors Corp. announced today it will stop building the compact Vibe crossover wagon in August. The Pontiac Vibe is assembled at a plant jointly owned by GM and Toyota Motor Corp. in Fremont, Calif.

The automaker has been building 2010 Vibe models since March, a spokesman said today.

The California factory — opened by GM in 1962 — became the first U.S. auto assembly plant jointly operated by two automakers when it reopened in 1984.

GM and Toyota are holding discussions about future production opportunities at the California plant. The factory also builds the Toyota Matrix.

“We’ve gained a lot from our partnership with Toyota,” Pontiac spokesman Jim Hopson said today. “We aren’t going to walk away from it.”

GM previously said Pontiac Solstice output will cease in July, followed by the end of production for the G6 sedan, coupe and convertible at a plant in Orion Township in September. For the 2010 model year, Pontiac plans to market just two models, the Vibe and the G6, which will be sold only to fleet customers.



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