http://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/ Autoblog Comments for http://www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/Dec 18th 2005 10:59PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/
Perhaps they simply need to manage their brands a bit better. Make them individually distinct.]]>Dec 18th 2005 10:59PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/
Also, I just wanted to drop a personal example: I sold a '91 Chevy Cavalier Z24 with 120K miles. I got more phone calls in 3 days from eager and excited shoppers truly "desiring" this vehicle... On the other hand, I sold a '97 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX with all the right desireables, and didn't get anywhere near the same enthusiasm from shoppers. Instead I got people asking all the right questions... Timing belt, turbo, syncros, etc.

A majority of Chevrolet owners may not be "car people" but they do know exactly what they want, and they will continue to purchase Chevrolets only.]]>Dec 18th 2005 10:59PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/
Also, I just wanted to drop a personal example: I sold a '91 Chevy Cavalier Z24 with 120K miles. I got more phone calls in 3 days from eager and excited shoppers truly "desiring" this vehicle... On the other hand, I sold a '97 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX with all the right desireables, and didn't get anywhere near the same enthusiasm from shoppers. Instead I got people asking all the right questions... Timing belt, turbo, syncros, etc.

A majority of Chevrolet owners may not be "car people" but they do know exactly what they want, and they will continue to purchase Chevrolets only.]]>Dec 18th 2005 10:59PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/Dec 18th 2005 10:59PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/Saturn has one last chance with the new Aura and Sky.

Since it's inception, the brand meant to go head to head with the Japanese competition has been a drag on GM while being blindly heralded as a benchmark for manufacturing, HR, etc.

Unless Saturn actually starts making a profit, they're gone...]]>Dec 18th 2005 10:59PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/
Did renaming the Grand Am and Century/Regal harm sales at all, like the Windstar -> Freestar resulting in buyers going elsewhere because they thought the vehicle was discontinued and not replaced?]]>Dec 18th 2005 10:59PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/Dec 18th 2005 10:59PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/
Here's how I picture their current brands.
Low end: Chevrolet, Saturn
Mid Range: Buick, Pontiac (Oldsmobile - dead)
High End: Cadillac, GMC, Hummer, Saab

I don't think they can afford to kill off the Chevy brand name, but they could "reinvent" it in the spirit of Cadillac. Cadillac is doing a better job of moving their target age lower, those in mid-life crisis as apposed to end-of-life crisis. They should sell off Saab, and they would both be better off.

One last idea, create an actual demand for the product. Lose the incentives and actually sell whats on the lots. If this means cutting back production, so be it. The G6 had demand after the whole Oprah thing, but now they're kicking in with the incentives. You don't see many imports or high demand cars such as the Mustang with incentives on them. Then again, what would GM advertise on commercials, their lovely plastic interiors?]]>Dec 18th 2005 10:59PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/
I definitely think the "improvements" they're making to Buick lineup should be extended to every other division (making cars quieter, better fit and finish, etc.). Actually, I think the new Buick lineup (referring to Lacrosse and Lucerne) can fit nicely into the Chevrolet lineup, as Chevrolet would have a complete lineup all the way up to the flagship Corvette.]]>Dec 18th 2005 10:59PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/Also, why bother with Izuzu selling non-commercial vehicles in this market? Not enough people buy them to make any kind of business model out of.]]>Dec 18th 2005 10:59PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/Dec 18th 2005 10:59PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/
good luck GM, keep rebadging subarus and chevys as SAABs, and Holdens as GTOs... your hyped out G6 with $3500 incentives???... keep building 12 MPG SUVs... and destroy the only car people really want...EV1...GM is a joke.

]]>Dec 18th 2005 10:59PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/
"Pontiac" makes me think of cheap plastic body moldings and fake scoops.

GM should probably retire both names and start with a clean slate. A new brand with two or three cars that truly hit the bull's-eye. It's easier to make a new reputation than to change an old one.


]]>Dec 18th 2005 10:59PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/
Now that I've shocked you, I want to say that I was only kidding about the senior citizen comment, and I don't see very many Buicks these days.

Kill two out of the three: Buick, Pontiac, Cows.]]>Dec 18th 2005 10:59PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/
plus all the other partnerships/partial ownships that gm has with suzuki/subaru/isuzu

gack...all of these brands can't last! why does gm need all of them? i mean really? if they could just simmer all of this stuff down and really concentrate on a core group of brands.]]>Dec 18th 2005 10:59PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/
GM can turn their divisions around, but, like Cadillac, they must have a clear, distinct purpose that the general public understands. Pontiac as the excitement division? Yeah, Sunfire... whoo! Based on the machinations over at Saturn, aka the American Opel, I don't think GM has room for two "excitement" divisions. I'd imagine Lutz would kill Pontiac.

As for Chevy's popularity, I tag that onto the Red State mentality. Those who equate patriotism with subpar engineering and poor build quality... I'll never understand it.]]>Dec 18th 2005 10:59PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/
Buick is probably the best thing GM has to a lower-end Cadillac, filling in the sub-30k niche for larger upscale cars - the cheapest caddy is the CTS, at over 30k. And if you think you don't see many buicks around, look again. They're everywhere, at least in Michigan, but they don't stick out.]]>Dec 18th 2005 10:59PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/
So lumping in Opel and Vauxhall with the others as one to kill is just retarded. The elimination of a division should be done per geographical market. Like, why does GM need to have both Opel and Vauxhall labels in the European market? They're the same cars, literally, except for the badge.

On the other hand, in the US market, you have Chevrolet, Pontiac, and probably Saturn all competing for the same buyer. I see Buick and Cadillac going for the same upscale, older consumer. And then they have both Chevy and GMC in the truck arena. Remember Oldsmobile? It IS possible to kill a brand name and still succeed.

IMO, it should be Chevy and Buick, and merge the worthy cars in those lineups into their respective market equals. The Corvette is unfortunately the one car that doesn't belong anywhere (well, it definitely would fit into the Pontiac lineup but it wouldn't "fit" into the lineup, if you know what i mean).

Those that say that Chevy buyers only buy Chevy... well, if Chevy disappears, where do you think they will go? Ford? DCX? No, they will look at Saturn or Pontiac, think it's basically the same car anyways, and off they go.]]>Dec 18th 2005 10:59PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/http://www.autoblog.com/2005/03/23/lutzs-choice-kill-pontiac-or-buick/
Isuzu is doomed, and has been for a while.

Saab has been nothing but bad news, but I doubt they will harv it since it still has cachet in some areas (I could be way off here).

Vauxhall is a good bet too, since they are straight Opel rebadges.

Suzuki? They have so little brand identity, and most of their products could be absorbed into other brands, or are already represented. Could be possible.

Buick/Pontiac/Saturn? Good or bad they do have brand identity, and I think it would be a sad to lose any of them, especially as exiting new products are on the way.]]>Dec 18th 2005 10:59PM