Founded in 1926, Pontiac was a former automotive brand owned by General Motors. The company has been defunct since 2010 as a part of General Motors Chapter 11 reorganization. Pontiac was originally called the Oakland Motor Car Company when founded in Pontiac, Michigan. The city, along with famous Ottawa Chief Pontiac, are what gave the company its namesake.

Pontiac's first affordable production car was the Pontiac Six; the first generation of the six series had a 2-door 2-passenger coupe design, selling for $825 (the equivalent of $12,628 in current value). This model was the first time Pontiac used its straight-six engine, designed by American automobile engineer Henry M. Crane. While the company is no longer producing vehicles, its model lineup included the Firebird, GTO, Aztek, Bonneville, Fiero, G3, G5, G6, G6 Convertible, G6 Coupe, G8, Grand Am, Grand Prix, Montana, Solstice, Sunfire, Torrent, Trans Sport, and Vibe. During its last full sales year, 2009, Pontiac sold 178,300 vehicles in the US, down from its best year which was 2002 when it sold 516,832 vehicles in the US.

Pontiac first showed signs of being discontinued in 2008. General Motors announced it was considering eliminating it and several other brands hoping to receive a bailout loan from Congress. Most of the last Saab vehicles were manufactured at the end of 2009, with a final vehicle assembled in January of the following year. GM retired the brand and was eliminated in 2010, along with Hummer and Saturn.