Patrick Fishburn leads RSM Classic as race tightens to earn 2025 PGA Tour cards
New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and leaders across the political spectrum mourned the demise of former prime minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday night. Singh, 92, passed away at AIIMS, New Delhi. The former PM died of age-related medical conditions, the AIIMS said in a statement. Apart from Murmu and Modi, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy, Tamil Nadu chief minister M.K. Stalin, and NC leader Omar Abdullah were among those who paid tributes to Singh Union ministers Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari and Dharmendra Pradhan, RJD Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Kumar Jha, Shiv Sena UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray, Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, Congress leader Sachin Pilot also expressed their condolences to the bereaved. “Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh Ji was one of those rare politicians who also straddled the worlds of academia and administration with equal ease. In his various roles in public offices, he made critical contributions to reforming Indian economy. He will always be remembered for his service to the nation, his unblemished political life and his utmost humility,” Murmu posted on ‘X’. PM Modi recollected his interactions with Singh. “Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji and I interacted regularly when he was PM and I was the CM of Gujarat. We would have extensive deliberations on various subjects relating to governance. His wisdom and humility were always visible,” he posted on ‘X’. “In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the family of Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji, his friends and countless admirers. Om Shanti.” The PM also shared pictures of him with Singh from over the years. Kharge was poignant in his message as he paid tribute to his senior party colleague. “Undoubtedly, history shall judge you kindly, Dr. Manmohan Singh ji! With the passing of the Former Prime Minister, India has lost a visionary statesman, a leader of unimpeachable integrity, and an economist of unparalleled stature. His policy of Economic Liberalisation and Rights-based welfare paradigm profoundly transformed the lives of crores of Indians, virtually creating a Middle Class in India and lifting crores out of poverty,” he posted on ‘X’. “I mourn the loss of a lifelong senior colleague, a gentle intellectual and a humble soul who embodied the aspirations of India, having risen through the ranks with unwavering dedication,” Kharge posted. In his message, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that he had “lost a mentor and guide”. “Manmohan Singh Ji led India with immense wisdom and integrity. His humility and deep understanding of economics inspired the nation. My heartfelt condolences to Mrs. Kaur and the family. I have lost a mentor and guide. Millions of us who admired him will remember him with the utmost pride,” he wrote on ‘X’. var ytflag = 0;var myListener = function() {document.removeEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);lazyloadmyframes();};document.addEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {if (ytflag == 0) {lazyloadmyframes();ytflag = 1;}});function lazyloadmyframes() {var ytv = document.getElementsByClassName("klazyiframe");for (var i = 0; i < ytv.length; i++) {ytv[i].src = ytv[i].getAttribute('data-src');}} Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );
Newly appointed government efficiency co-czar Vivek Ramaswamy says he will scrutinize a loan issued by the Biden administration to electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer Rivian , a rival of Tesla Inc. TSLA . What Happened : Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur, will lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) alongside Tesla CEO Elon Musk following President-elect Donald Trump ‘s inauguration. Ramaswamy recently criticized President Joe Biden administration for approving a $6.6 billion loan to Rivian for a Georgia plant construction, which has since been suspended. He questioned the high cost per job created by this loan and suggested it could be a political move against Musk and Tesla, reports Fortune. The Department of Energy defended the loan, highlighting their Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing program’s role in reinforcing America’s global automotive standing. They pointed to the successful loan granted to Tesla in 2010 as evidence of the program’s efficacy. Also Read: Elon Musk’s Social Media Onslaught Targets Federal Employees Ramaswamy’s critique of the loan comes amid concerns about Rivian’s financial stability. Despite its reputation as a high-end EV brand with a growing lineup of award-winning vehicles, Rivian has yet to turn a profit. The company is currently working to streamline its production process and aims to generate a gross profit in the current fourth quarter. Why It Matters : Ramaswamy’s scrutiny of the loan to Rivian underscores the ongoing debate about government involvement in the EV market. The loan’s approval has raised questions about the government’s role in supporting emerging industries and the potential political motivations behind such decisions. This scrutiny comes at a critical time for Rivian, which is working to establish its profitability amidst growing competition in the EV market. Read Next Musk And Ramaswamy Seek Spending Cut Wins Where Others Failed This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Jay Ashcroft says he won’t seek office again after 8 years as Missouri secretary of state
Mumbai: Indian equities are poised to build on Friday's surge-the third-strongest in a day in 2024 so far -as the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition's convincing victory in the Maharashtra elections over the weekend could fuel the renewed bullish momentum. The BJP's better-than-expected performance in a key state after a disappointing show in the April-June general elections bodes well for investor sentiment , which has been dented due to slowing corporate earnings growth, signs of China's resurgence and the outcome of the US presidential elections, investors and analysts said. "The Maharashtra election was a litmus test for the BJP, especially after the disappointment in the general election," said Niket Shah, CIO, Motilal Oswal Asset Management. "Maharashtra is an important state, considering it is the largest contributor (13% of India's GDP) and the hub of equity markets, and the BJP's landslide victory is expected to boost investor sentiment." Agencies Eye on Overseas Investors "The markets were raring for an opportunity to move higher, and the Maharashtra election outcome is likely to be that trigger, but it is largely a sentimental flip," said Rohit Srivastava, founder, indiacharts.com. "An oversold market feeds on itself and the short covering Friday was just the beginning." Srivastava said the markets were waiting to move up but news of the Adani corruption indictment had dampened investor sentiment last week. Seven out of 11 Adani Group stocks rose on Friday, recouping some of the previous day's losses, when they had plummeted 6-24% in response to the US indictment against Gautam Adani and others over bribery charges. Stock Trading Macroeconomics Made Easy: Online Certification Course By - Anirudh Saraf, Founder- Saraf A & Associates, Chartered Accountant View Program Stock Trading Mastering Options Selling: Advanced Strategies for Success By - CA Manish Singh, Chartered Accountant, Professional Equity and Derivative Trader View Program Stock Trading Introduction to Technical Analysis & Candlestick Theory By - Dinesh Nagpal, Full Time Trader, Ichimoku & Trading Psychology Expert View Program Stock Trading Stock Markets Made Easy By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Stock Trading Cryptocurrency Made Easy: Cryptocurrency Course By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Stock Trading Market 103: Mastering Trends with RMI and Techno-Funda Insights By - Rohit Srivastava, Founder- Indiacharts.com View Program Stock Trading Technical Analysis for Everyone - Technical Analysis Course By - Abhijit Paul, Technical Research Head, Fund Manager- ICICI Securities View Program Stock Trading A2Z of Stock Trading - Online Stock Trading Course By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Stock Trading Ichimoku Trading Unlocked: Expert Analysis and Strategy By - Dinesh Nagpal, Full Time Trader, Ichimoku & Trading Psychology Expert View Program Stock Trading RSI Made Easy: RSI Trading Course By - Souradeep Dey, Equity and Commodity Trader, Trainer View Program Stock Trading Options Trading Course For Beginners By - Chetan Panchamia, Options Trader View Program Stock Trading Technical Trading Made Easy: Online Certification Course By - Souradeep Dey, Equity and Commodity Trader, Trainer View Program Stock Trading Point & Figure Chart Mastery: A Comprehensive Trading Guide By - Mukta Dhamankar, Full Time Trader, 15 Years Experience, Instructor View Program Stock Trading Market 101: An Insight into Trendlines and Momentum By - Rohit Srivastava, Founder- Indiacharts.com View Program Stock Trading A2Z of Stock Market for Beginners: Stock Market Course For Beginners By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Stock Trading Algo Trading Made Easy By - Vivek Gadodia, Partner at Dravyaniti Consulting and RBT Algo Systems View Program "The Adani indictment news is not behind us yet as investigations are going on, but the market is expected to react as and when further news flows come in, rather than be haunted by it on a day-to-day basis," said Srivastava. Whether the market can extend the newfound strength also depends on overseas investors, who have been on a selling spree in Indian equities in the last two months. Some expect a slowdown in activity in December and early January-when several overseas fund managers are absent over the holiday period-to fuel an upmove as domestic institutions remain buyers. Srivastava is betting on the Nifty to regain 24,500, following which it could touch 25,150 by the end of December. "Foreign investors are also likely to perceive the outcome (of the Maharashtra elections) favourably and that could lead to a slowdown in the selloff," said Shah. (You can now subscribe to our ETMarkets WhatsApp channel )
Ondo: Don’t sweep my attack case under carpet, UK-based bizman tells PoliceBanque Cantonale Vaudoise reduced its stake in shares of The Hershey Company ( NYSE:HSY – Free Report ) by 85.5% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 439 shares of the company’s stock after selling 2,594 shares during the quarter. Banque Cantonale Vaudoise’s holdings in Hershey were worth $84,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in HSY. Janus Henderson Group PLC grew its position in shares of Hershey by 6.5% in the first quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC now owns 1,487,565 shares of the company’s stock valued at $289,327,000 after purchasing an additional 90,329 shares during the last quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. grew its position in shares of Hershey by 66.7% in the third quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 972,836 shares of the company’s stock valued at $186,571,000 after purchasing an additional 389,404 shares during the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its position in shares of Hershey by 3.4% in the second quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 787,377 shares of the company’s stock valued at $144,743,000 after purchasing an additional 25,780 shares during the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. grew its position in shares of Hershey by 23.2% in the second quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 783,128 shares of the company’s stock valued at $143,962,000 after purchasing an additional 147,215 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Confluence Investment Management LLC grew its position in shares of Hershey by 297.9% in the second quarter. Confluence Investment Management LLC now owns 717,831 shares of the company’s stock valued at $131,959,000 after purchasing an additional 537,419 shares during the last quarter. 57.96% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Hershey Stock Performance Shares of HSY stock opened at $174.81 on Friday. The Hershey Company has a 12 month low of $168.16 and a 12 month high of $211.92. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.76, a current ratio of 0.85 and a quick ratio of 0.54. The firm has a market capitalization of $35.37 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.14, a P/E/G ratio of 4.08 and a beta of 0.38. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $184.51 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $191.01. Hershey Announces Dividend Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of brokerages recently issued reports on HSY. UBS Group lowered shares of Hershey from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and decreased their target price for the stock from $226.00 to $209.00 in a research report on Monday, October 7th. Sanford C. Bernstein lowered shares of Hershey from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating and decreased their target price for the stock from $230.00 to $205.00 in a research report on Monday, October 7th. Citigroup downgraded shares of Hershey from a “neutral” rating to a “sell” rating and cut their price target for the stock from $195.00 to $182.00 in a research note on Tuesday, August 27th. Royal Bank of Canada cut their price target on shares of Hershey from $205.00 to $183.00 and set a “sector perform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, November 8th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on shares of Hershey from $188.00 to $180.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, October 14th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and fourteen have given a hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Hershey presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $189.33. Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Hershey Hershey Profile ( Free Report ) The Hershey Company, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of confectionery products and pantry items in the United States and internationally. The company operates through three segments: North America Confectionery, North America Salty Snacks, and International. It offers chocolate and non-chocolate confectionery products; gum and mint refreshment products, including mints, chewing gums, and bubble gums; protein bars; pantry items, such as baking ingredients, toppings, beverages, and sundae syrups; and snack items comprising spreads, bars, snack bites, mixes, popcorn, and pretzels. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Hershey Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hershey and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
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Stock market today: Wall Street drifts to a mixed close even as S&P 500 ekes out another recordVan Nistelrooy’s first game in charge ended with a 3-1 win over West Ham, thanks to goals from Jamie Vardy, Bilal El Khannouss and Patson Daka. The Dutchman, who was out of work for just two weeks following his four-game spell as Manchester United interim boss, only started on Sunday so was happy to end a hectic three days in style. “It has been very busy getting to know everyone, start working together,” he said. “Everybody was involved with that and helping, it was busy, long days, but worth it. I was focused on the game and what the game needed, the subs, the half-time talk, so focused on the moment, so I am going to get myself a little beer and reflect on the last three days.” He endured a dream start as Vardy scored after just 98 seconds with El Khannouss and Daka adding second-half goals. It was by no means one-way traffic, though, as West Ham – who scored a consolation through Niclas Fullkrug at the death – had 30 shots on goal. But Van Nistelrooy saw enough to think he can deliver on his objective of keeping the Foxes in the Premier League. “I am very happy, if you look at the result – and it is about the result – it was a great night, three points, three good goals and also very effective. Ruud at the wheel 🛞 pic.twitter.com/eVgIwWAcYw — Leicester City (@LCFC) December 3, 2024 “Overall the game of course we have seen and how dominant West Ham were at certain stages and what they created, that is a fact and something we have to look at. “Overall, what I expected of the players going forward was togetherness and hunger, energy and spirit in this team that is fighting for every inch. “Eleven players on the pitch who are fighting as a foundation to play the rest of the Premier League. I saw that completely with every single player that started and came on. “That’s the foundation we have to build on, without that it will be impossible to get where we want to go. I am very happy about that.” West Ham’s hierarchy will have seen what impact a managerial change can have as the jury remains out on Julen Lopetegui, with away fans making their feelings clear by chanting “You’re getting sacked in the morning”. Lopetegui expects to keep his job but forthcoming games against his former club Wolves, Bournemouth, Brighton and Southampton could determine the Spaniard’s future. “The only thing that I am worried about is to go to training session tomorrow and stand up the players and prepare the next challenge,” he said. “We have one month of December with a lot of matches and I am sure with this attitude we are going to achieve many more points. “I believe in the players. I am confident that tomorrow we are going to be ready to prepare the next match. “Understanding the question, but at the end of the season maybe we talk in another way. There are a lot of matches and points, a lot of things can happen. “I believe in these players and team, I am sure the position is going to be much better. They are only words but we have to work a lot to achieve this.”Enhancing Electrical Safety: WEW1-4000 Air Circuit Breaker
The AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Ethan Taylor’s 21 points helped Air Force defeat Mercyhurst 82-48 on Sunday night. Taylor added 10 rebounds for the Falcons (2-4). Wesley Celichowski scored 14 points, going 6 of 11 and 2 of 3 from the free-throw line. Luke Kearney had 12 points and shot 4 for 5 from beyond the arc. The Lakers (4-3) were led by Aidan Reichert, who posted 11 points. Jeff Planutis added 10 points for Mercyhurst. Mykolas Ivanauskas also had seven points, six rebounds and three blocks. Air Force took the lead with 15:21 left in the first half and never looked back. The score was 31-24 at halftime, with Taylor racking up nine points. Air Force extended its lead to 45-26 during the second half, fueled by a 14-0 scoring run. Taylor scored a team-high 12 points in the second half as Air Force closed out the win. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Breaking Down Prosperity Bancshares: 9 Analysts Share Their Views"We build excitement!" This advertising tagline, introduced by Pontiac in the mid-1980s, summed up the company's ambition to be GM's performance division. Alas, Pontiac doesn't build anything anymore, having been shut down by General Motors in 2010. Still, from the first-ever Pontiac car made in 1926 to the last Pontiac ever made , the company built its reputation on style and horsepower. The final Pontiac, a white G6 sedan, fittingly rests in a museum now, an ordinary monument to an extraordinary past. Even though its performance heritage had been watered down by the end, driving enthusiasts still mourn the company's passing. Some of the most legendary American cars of all time rolled out of Pontiac's factories. From the 1926 Pontiac Six with its 40 horsepower inline six-cylinder engine, which was exciting for an affordable car in its day, through its muscle car glory years in the 1960s and right up through one of its final performance cars, the G8, Pontiac put power within the average driver's reach. Pontiac muscle cars made an impact on NASCAR tracks and even the drag strip, with vehicles like the "Swiss Cheese" Catalina making history in the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA). An old song says that all good things must come to an end. After building some of the most iconic sports cars ever made , the Pontiac nameplate has faded into history. However, alongside famous models like the Catalina, GTO, and Trans Am, the carmaker's history also features some oddities. This is perhaps fitting for a brand that took risks and blazed new trails, although not every one of these models can be judged a success. Some of them are classics in their own right, though. What follows are 10 of the strangest Pontiacs ever made. The Tempest was part of GM's twin counteroffensive against small, sporty imports along with the Chevy Corvair. With a four-cylinder engine that was literally half of a V8 along with a rear transaxle, it sported a drive train layout that wouldn't be seen in another GM car until the late 1990s. It shared a platform and a 112-inch wheelbase with Buick and Oldsmobile models. This was a stretched version of the rear-engined Corvair's platform, but the similarities ended there. Pontiac went for a cutting-edge approach, starting with its unique drivetrain. Transaxles combine the transmission and the drive axle into one assembly and are usually found in front-wheel-drive cars rather than rear drivers like the Tempest. A rear transaxle puts more weight on the rear drive wheels for better traction and a nearly 50/50 weight distribution between front and rear. A forged steel torsion bar inside a torque tube transferred power from the engine to the transaxle. This system gained the nickname of "rope drive" but was actually very strong. Its small size nearly eliminated the transmission hump in the floor of the passenger compartment. Power from the 195 cubic-inch four-cylinder engine under the hood varied based on configuration. Made by cutting Pontiac's 389 V8 in half, it generated as much as 166 horsepower and 215 lb-ft of torque with the four-barrel carburetor option, which sported a 10.25:1 compression ratio. These aren't earth-moving numbers, but in a compact car that barely topped 3,000 pounds fully equipped. This made the Tempest sporty for its day. Pontiac even fielded the Tempest in NASCAR's Cannonball Compact racing circuit. When something or someone is unique people will often say, "After they made such-and-such, they broke the mold." In the case of one extremely rare Pontiac model, they quite literally did that. The 1977 Pontiac Can Am came into being to revive Pontiac's performance heritage during the oil shock-induced automotive malaise of the '70s. One of its distinctive features was its ducktail spoiler, but after only 1,377 Can Ams had been built (or 1,133, depending on your source), the mold for making the spoiler broke, and Can Am production ended. Why didn't Pontiac just build a new mold? Some theories range from a long delay to build new tooling to internal opposition to the Can Am within Pontiac. It's also possible that there weren't enough of its 400 cubic inch engines to go around at GM, so the broken spoiler mold was a handy excuse to end production. In any event, this resulted in the Can Am becoming one of the rarest Pontiacs ever made. It was also an outlier during its era, as a flashy and eye-catching car that harkened back to Pontiac's muscle-car prime. In addition to its spoiler, the hood and sides of the car sported red and gold racing stripes, while rally wheels suggested sporty handling. While the Can Am couldn't have carved up a road course like modern cars, models equipped with a special handling package received front and rear stabilizer bars and other upgrades. Combined with 325 lb-ft of torque from its V8, it made a decent showing during an era when driving excitement was hard to come by. [Featured image by TropicDave via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY 3.0 ] Carmakers often create rare models to qualify for a racing series by building a certain number of street versions of their race car, a process called homologation. This is how the unusual 1986 Grand Prix Aerocoupe 2+2 came to be, as NASCAR once required its cars to resemble models that could be bought in the showroom. However, the regular Grand Prix had a squared-off notchback design with a nearly vertical rear window, which was hardly a recipe for a low drag coefficient. To solve this problem, Pontiac replaced the rear windshield with a large bubble of glass that sloped down to the ducktail spoiler. Now it had a fastback profile, but one that arguably didn't quite fit with the angular design of the rest of the car. Other drivers at the time probably did double-takes at the sight of this unusual Grand Prix. It almost looks like a hatchback, but that rear glass didn't lift and instead covered a very long rear parcel shelf. Homologation rules didn't require the cars to resemble their racing counterparts under the hood, and indeed the Aerocoupe was only powered by a 165 horsepower V8. Nevertheless, the Aerocoupe's distinctive profile and its rarity–only 1,225 were ever made–make this odd Pontiac something of a collector's item now. [Featured image by John Lloyd via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY 2.0 ] The Pontiac Sunburst? Surely we meant the Sunbird or the Sunfire, right? No, there really was a Pontiac called the Sunburst, a car with Italian style, built in Japan, badged as a Pontiac, and sold only in Canada. The Sunburst is an example of a Pontiac model that was rebadged from another brand , a common phenomenon in Pontiac's last few decades. In particular, the carmaker was fond of rebadging imports to fight against other imports in the sales charts. In this case, the rebadged car started life as an Isuzu Gemini, known in the U.S. as the I-Mark, a cute little hatchback built by one of Japan's quirkier car manufacturers. Making the Gemini-slash-Sunburst even more unusual, its design was penned by the Italian car stylist Giorgetto Giugiaro. The result is an attractive compact car with clean lines that wouldn't have looked out of place two decades later. The Sunburst received its pep from either a 1.3-liter or 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine. Handling was decent, ergonomics were excellent, and needless to say, either of those small four-bangers under the hood gave the Sunburst terrific fuel economy. In the U.S., this car was available as the Chevrolet/Geo Spectrum, but the version with the Pontiac grille remains nearly unheard of in the States. [Featured image by Alden Jewell via Flickr | Cropped and scaled | CC BY 2.0 ] Sometimes, we make mistakes. Perhaps there was a situation where more commitment to the moment could have led to a far better outcome. In the automotive world, the Pontiac Fiero is the ultimate example of looking back wistfully. The Fiero's fame shouldn't obscure what an odd, out-of-left-field car this was for Pontiac. In the mid-'80s, Pontiac played things safe with family cars like the Grand Prix and the Parisienne. The Firebird and its Trans Am derivative were a little more outrageous, even inspiring the original Knight Rider KITT car , but it upheld a pony car tradition. There was simply nothing in Pontiac's DNA that would suggest it could produce anything like a tiny, two-seater, mid-engine sports car. Its development was so troubled that General Motors almost didn't build the Fiero . When it was finally released for the 1984 model year, it left something to be desired. Yes, the window sticker was cheap with a base price of just $8,500, but so was much of its design. While the Fiero had a very well-built body with import-quality panel gaps, what was under that skin was less impressive. It was a parts-bin car, with suspension parts that came from unloved models like the Chevy Citation and Chevette. Its version of GM's Iron Duke 2.5-liter four-cylinder only produced 92 horsepower, and the manual transmission had only four gears – unimpressive specs even in the '80s. In later years, the Fiero got better performance specs including two extra cylinders and a five-speed stick shift. Revised styling helped as well, but it was too late. Slow sales led Pontiac to kill the Fiero after just five model years. Perhaps with more money for development, Pontiac's engineers could have produced a dream machine right out of the gate. Alas, we'll never know. Hold on. The LeMans is a storied Pontiac nameplate. Surely it doesn't belong on a list of strangest Pontiac models? You might think so if you've forgotten that Pontiac slapped the LeMans badge onto a compact Korean import in 1988. More accurately, maybe you've repressed the memory. It's not that the 1988 LeMans was a bad car, but it did not fit the storied heritage of the LeMans name. After all, throughout its history the 24 hours of Le Mans has attracted some of the world's most famous performance cars like the Ford GT40 and the Ferrari 250 GTO . This is what the words Pontiac LeMans called to mind — until 1988, anyway. The LeMans that Pontiac brought to American shores that year came from Daewoo Motors in Korea, although it was originally designed as an Opel Kadett in Germany. As the Kadett, it actually won the European Car of the Year award a few years earlier. Still, nothing quite like it had ever been sold out of a Pontiac showroom before. Its odd Euro-inspired economy car looks and its 74 horsepower 1.6-liter four-banger didn't really live up to the LeMans name, but the car proved relatively popular. Pontiac sold almost a quarter of a million of them throughout the model's run, boosted by more powerful engines in 1989 and beyond. Take a platform shared with a sedate Buick and a grandfatherly Oldsmobile, attach a Pontiac grille, wrap the car in excessive trim, drop in a supercharged V6, and you've got the Bonneville SSEi. It's the automotive equivalent of dusting a plain potato chip with cayenne pepper. That said it worked pretty well, to judge by how long Pontiac offered this ultimate Bonneville. Pontiac fans know about the Bonneville SSEi . The alphabet-soup trim designation first graced a 205 horsepower model in 1992. Its power came from bolting a supercharger to GM's famous 3.8-liter V6, boosting its rating by 35 horses over the base version of this engine. By early-'90s standards, this made the Bonneville SSEi a pretty respectable sports sedan, despite its relatively large size. It could even hit 128 mph. So what makes the Bonneville SSEi strange? Well, beyond dropping a supercharged engine into a car better known for schlepping families around on errands, there was the SSEi model's looks. It sported plenty of body cladding and strakes, a huge spoiler, and very prominent fog lights. The designers wanted you to know this wasn't your Aunt Edna's Pontiac. In 2000 a much more refined and understated Bonneville SSEi debuted. Horsepower rose to 240, good for a 0-60 run of 7.1 seconds, as Pontiac focused more on the go than the show in what would prove to be the Bonneville's last generation. As with the Fiero, Pontiac saved the best for last, but unlike the Fiero, the Bonneville SSEi had a very respectable run. [Featured image by IFCAR via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | Public Domain] Strange can be beautiful. In one of its final attempts to live up to its "We Build Excitement" tagline, Pontiac unleashed a tiny, voluptuous roadster called the Solstice that was unlike any other model it ever made. This car could drop its top and turn heads, leaving people saying, "What the heck is that? A Pontiac?" Its curvy sheet metal and cat-like eyes gave it almost a feral look. With its body-colored hardtop on, giving its side windows an angry squint, it looked downright ferocious. Pontiac went for a more organic and wild look for the Solstice compared to the more high-tech appearance of the Saturn Sky with which it shared a platform. Like the Fiero, the Solstice was a bit of a parts-bin special underneath its aggressive sheet metal. Nevertheless, performance was decent, especially with the 2.0-liter, 260 horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder that debuted in 2007. The electrifying Solstice may have been oddly out of place in the dying Pontiac division, but it staked its claim as one of the underrated gems among modern roadsters. In 2008, Pontiac replaced two front-wheel-drive and generally family-oriented sedans in its lineup with a fire-breathing, V8-powered, rear-wheel-drive import. Buyers didn't quite understand it, but it did result in one last blaze of glory before the lights went out at Pontiac forever — the future classic G8 sedan . Beyond the strangeness of replacing front-drive grocery getters with something better suited to chasing down BMWs on the Autobahn, there's the G8's pedigree. Pontiac rebadged a Holden Commodore from GM's Australian division to create the G8, They did this even though Pontiac's previous collaboration with Holden, the 2004 through 2006 GTO, was discontinued due to poor sales after just three model years. This second Aussie Pontiac was fairly well received. Reviews were generally positive. Car and Driver magazine described it as "spacious, fast, and agile," adding, "It's a looker, and it's surprisingly affordable." In particular, the G8 GT's 6.0-liter, 361 horsepower V8 engine drew praise. With a base price under $30,000, the G8 delivered a lot of bang for the buck. However, buyers were confused by how it fit in the Pontiac stable. Only about 38,000 units of the G8 were made in its two-year run. As good as it was, the G8 just didn't fit car shoppers' notion of what a Pontiac is, and the G8 couldn't save either itself or Pontiac. The carmaker discontinued it after the 2009 model year, just one year before GM shut down Pontiac itself. It was an impressive swan song for a dying brand. Most people would agree that the Aztek is one of the strangest -– if not the strangest -– Pontiac models of all time. The ultimate example of Pontiac's willingness to take risks with both style and function, the Aztek polarizes people. Those who owned one tended to love it, while those who didn't own one scratched their heads in complete confusion. The Aztek's tall, ungainly proportions blurred the lines between a minivan, a large hatchback, and an SUV. Its odd snout paired a low Pontiac split grille with two horizontal vents in the leading edge of the hood. This was combined with acres of straked plastic cladding around the Aztek's lower sections, a split window in its colossal hatchback, and side windows that looked like they belonged in a Bauhaus building to create one of the oddest car exteriors ever made anywhere. Under the skin, though, the Aztek was a very practical vehicle. Optional four-wheel drive turned it into a semi-decent SUV. Many technological features were advanced for the early 2000s, including a driver information center, while nice touches like rear-seat radio controls kept passengers happy. One of the Aztek's neatest features was an electric cooler in the center console for keeping your drinks cold on your way to the trails or a picnic. The Aztek's owners loved it for these thoughtful details. Plus, let's face it, if you're in the driver's seat, you don't have to look at it. Its ironic status as one of the coolest cars on the "Breaking Bad" TV show boosted its image, too. Make no mistake, though — the Aztek was strange. It's almost the Platonic ideal of automotive strangeness. Its owners' affection for it wasn't enough to earn it a second-generation redesign, and after 2005 it faded away, to be regarded as a cult classic for both good and bad reasons. Pontiac's history as a carmaker that was willing to take risks makes it easy to identify offbeat models from its lineups over the decades, from the unusual drivetrain layout of the 1961 Tempest to the daring designs of more recent decades like the Fiero and Aztek. We presented our list of the 10 strangest Pontiacs ever made in roughly chronological order, except for the Aztek. We saved that for last because it's the crowning achievement of Pontiac strangeness from over three-quarters of a century of its history.
AP News Summary at 12:48 p.m. EST