The long wait for the Supercharger for the Base Vibe appears to be finally coming to an end with the current availability of the Automatic transmission kit and very shortly the Manual transmission (5-speed) kit. Minor complications had kept Pontiac from releasing the Manual transmission model due to consumer quality issues.

These quality issues, explained by Jim Chandra, Vibe Product Manager at Pontiac, were due to the excessive wheel hop that was encountered during the testing phases. This issue was non-existent on the Automatic transmission models due to its specific design. A revised engine mount, which will eliminate the wheel hop, will be released within the next couple weeks that will enable Vibe owners with the 5-speed transmission to purchase the Supercharger kit.

GM is hoping interest in the Supercharger will be high, as this interest will help spawn other high-performance products for the Vibe in the future. However, given the approximate $3000.00 USD price tag, this may become an issue for the common owner. Performance gains are dramatic and very noticable over the stock engine ratings. Given this, Pontiac hopes that owners (new and existing) will consider the increase in power a worthwhile investment. The ease of purchasing the Supercharger kit as an option when buying or ordering a new Vibe will enable consumers to finance this additional cost into their monthly payment.

The Supercharger kit, not available on GT models, can be purchased and installed by your local dealer or purchased to be installed on a do-it-yourself basis. Warranty coverage on the Supercharger will be shortened if the owner decides to install the kit themselves. If the Supercharger is bought and/or factory ordered on a new Vibe, the warranty coverage will extend under the standard 3 year/36,000 mile plan.