2005 Pontiac G6 front

Not that Oprah would ever be caught dead in one, but thanks to her, this is the most famous Pontiac in years. Sharing the same basic stuff as the Chevy Malibu and Saab 9-3 – all of which are based on some Euro machine called the Opel Vectra – the G6 can make more ambitious promises than can the Grand Am it replaces. A 200-horsepower V6 sedan with a 4-speed automatic is the only choice in the first year. In 2006 it adds a coupe, a convertible, a 4-cylinder engine, and possibly a second V6. Strangely, GM markets it as the sportiest version of the three yet sticks it with an extra-long 112-inch wheelbase.