GM's Docherty says 'No' to Pontiac G8-based Buick Grand National, promises two more sedans
Susan Docherty, General Manager of Buick and GMC, recently made some time available for a General Motors Fastlane blog webchat to discuss the futures of her brands. Stating plainly that "every new product we launch must be a home run. No second chances," indicates that at least some GM employees realize that the automaker is not going to coast through this latest crisis of consumer confidence. The stakes are make-or-break for the company, and initial feedback from the new LaCrosse has been very positive, but Buick can't survive with a lone great product. Chat participants lobbed questions about what's coming, and the answers reveal a hopeful, and hopefully well-executed, future. Firstly, as great a car as it is, the Pontiac G8 is not going to slide over to Buick as a Grand National or something else. While Docherty herself cited the GN as one of her favorite Buicks ever, Pontiac is clearly in hospice, clutching a DNR. What will be coming are two new sedans – both junior to the LaCrosse – which will eventually top the sedan line at the Tri-Shield. One of the new sedans will be a compact, likely based on the new Opel Astra, while the other is headed for midsize waters, probably as the Regal.
Perhaps more exciting for those wishing to see a sportier Buick, intimations that a Riviera coupe may show up. "It would be a nice addition" says Docherty, though it's doubtlessly more important for GM to get its bread-and-butter squared away without getting distracted by a spicier coupe and its almost certainly smaller sales projections. Still, a Camaro-underpinned two-door Buick with classically gorgeous styling would certainly generate attention, wouldn't it? Ah, we can dream...
[GM Fastlane blog]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Sal Collaziano 9:38AM (9/04/2009)
Too bad, a G8 based Buick Grand National would have been really nice.. However, if they can do something with a Camaro based Riviera - and make it sporty enough to be "sort of" like a new Grand National, that would be just fine... How about a new Riviera T-Type?
Sal Collaziano
http://www.buickforums.com
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Joe K. 9:37AM (9/04/2009)
At least he didn't say people who want the G8 to be a Grand National are idiots.
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Avinash machado 9:40AM (9/04/2009)
He?
Joe K. 10:46AM (9/04/2009)
Its early, I missed the 's' and spell check doesn't help with that.
Avinash machado 11:23AM (9/04/2009)
Just kidding.
UCJR 9:39AM (9/04/2009)
I'm appalled at the resistance to transferring the Commodore sedan from G8 to another GMNA brand. The engineering for the market is already there. It's an attractive car. It would work great as a Buick GN or a Chevy Impala.
And GM hasn't actually provided a legitimate business reason as to why it isn't going to survive. They only state that they 'won't rebadge'.
I really want to know who keeps shooting the G8 revival down. They need to leave. Now.
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geo.stewart 9:53AM (9/04/2009)
Impala is your basic full size sedan. they haved already messed with its brand image too much. and having the base impala on one platform and the impala ss (read G8) as another would not work.
For it to be a buick would mean a total body rehash as its style is totally different than the direction Buick is taking and to dilute the design direction for one car for a couple of years would be a huge mistake.
I mourn the passing of the G8 as I did the GTO but I see their point. you could rebadge as a Chevy Bel-Air or something but that would be it and I'm not sure there are really enough sales out there for it.
Snag one of the last left if you really love them
Sean Flanagan 9:56AM (9/04/2009)
Hear hear. I wasn't in a position to purchase a new car when Pontiac was still in business, but I immediately put the G8 GXP on my shortlist for my next purchase. It was priced right, had a great engine, RWD, available with a manual, had a bit of luxury, and was highly tunable. Now I plan on buying within the next year, and GM lost my business. Everything else at that price point that hits all of my criteria is smaller and German or Japanese.
dal20402 10:38AM (9/04/2009)
It's still possible that the next-generation Commodore platform might spin off a product or two to be built in North America.
But, as GM discovered with the G8, they can't sell the current cars, built in Australia, at a profit. Even at MSRP the G8 (except the GXP) had smaller margins than most GM cars. They weren't able to command even close to MSRP on the base and GT models. Most G8s sold were sold at a loss. That's why it's not coming back.
CB 11:26AM (9/04/2009)
I agree with UCJR.
GM re-badged garbage vehicles for ages. They finally get an awesome, dynamic vehicle that people like and they cancel it along with Pontiac and then refuse to re-badge it into one of their other brands.
And the fact that they are saying they won't re-badge anymore is horse crap. Look at the Acadia/Outlook/Enclave/Traverse.
The retards would rather fail at their attempt to sale the crappy impala than a re-badged G8.
Jake 9:39AM (9/04/2009)
What Buick really needs is more boring sedans.
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Danimal 9:52AM (9/04/2009)
Well, they are going after Lexus...
Chris Carey 12:06PM (9/04/2009)
Well maybe thats their problem, they should stop "going after" and start leading.
Eh Steve!! 9:45AM (9/04/2009)
That's the government for ya...
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cowboy bob 10:43AM (9/04/2009)
No, that's a woman looking at a performance machine for ya. Shure, jump my butt for being sexist. Fact is, most women don't get performance, period. Exceptions yes, but not the majority. Now, flip down diaper changers....well shure!
Mike 10:52AM (9/04/2009)
translation- "With the leadership of our new government masters, Buick is now, more than ever, committed to bringing an overpriced sub-mediocre product to market. Building anything based on Holden underpinnings would be counter to that philosophy while soaring well over the heads of our coveted soulless-baby-boomer target demographic.
geo.stewart 11:01AM (9/04/2009)
Cowboybob-
considering the article mentions she finds the GN her favorite Buick (hopefully she would clarify the GNX edition as the favorite), I find her the exception and thus your statement totally out of place, much like the gas caps on 1/2 the cars according to you
cowboy bob 11:08AM (9/04/2009)
Ha,Ha,Ha, I love you geo. She probably liked the GN for the spacious rear seat!
geo.stewart 11:56AM (9/04/2009)
CB: :-)
Andf I'd rather have her running product than the Obama administration with his various czars.
Since when is capitalism and free will a bad thing? sheesh, lets totally go the way of the Yourapeein Union and have the blue states in a country and the red states in a country and set up a N. American Union with CN and Mexico. Let us Capitalists be capitalist and the socialist can redistribute their paychecks however they want.
sorry, another bad article on the web today
merlot066 9:49AM (9/04/2009)
They break my heart a little more every time they say they aren’t reiterating the G8 to another badge, though a new Riviera sounds awesome.
Also, it’s a little off topic, but I was just wondering if anybody could check out the little debate I had with Matt and give a little feedback maybe.
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/02/survey-80-of-public-considering-american-brand-for-next-car-pu/4#comments
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