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Automotive News & Views GM News, New Models and Market Share
8523 messages, Last post on Nov 30, 2009 at 8:34 AM
You are in the Automotive News & Views Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & claires
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"Make everything RWD again. If it's not RWD, then it's AWD. Nobody likes front wheel drive cars." I disagree, bud. FWD is much more economical. AWD is easier in snow, but adds weight and cost, plus worsen fuel econ. Besides us enthusiasts, most don't even care which end drive the wheels. No, from what I see a car must have at least one of the following in average Joe's mind: 1) Car is reliable and easy to maintain 2) Car has good quality and fit-finish 3) Brand has great customer service to satisfy buyers 4) Car has the value game, aka cheap 5) Car has performance others dont (like Nissan and Mazda's focus on performance) 6) Car at least very good looking (remember the 300c's success despite the poor service). Which points do the GM products have? From what I see, none. How GM should restructure it's line imo is: 1) There are only 3 divisions: Chevy, Cadillac, and Hummer. Drop all Pontiac Buick GMC and Saturn. Chevy the obvious economy and budget performance player, Cadillac the luxury division, and Hummer a small niche car division focusing sales overseas (like China or Russia, where Hummer is still considered an exotic). Sell Saab, keep Opel, Holden and Daewoo (each are very strong players in their own domestic markets) 2) Cherry pick the best of other divisions and merge them into the 3. Pontiac G8 becomes new Impala (the current for fleet sales at best), Solstice rebadged as Chevy, Sky dies, and another idea, use the Solstice platform to build a Cadillac roadster to fight the likes of Audi TTs and MB SLKs? Buick's best car, LaCrosse should be reskinned and badged as Cadillac, sell it as the value Cadi (ala lexus ES). 3) Kill all incompetent models. That means trash cars like Monte Carlo, Suburban and Equinox goes, as well as SRX, STS and XLR. Kill Hummer H3, Hummer fashionists expect Hummers to be big, tough and bad, the H3 doesnt deliver such image. "I beg to differ...grab the Solstice. Question is, whether to make it a Chevy or a Cadillac? Or just leave the Saturn Sky version, but that depends on whether you bother keeping Saturn in the first place. Personally, I think the Solstice might make a nice entry-level Caddy. Saturn's also got the Astra and the Vue that are unique to the brand. Take the Vue, make it the new Equinox (The Vue is the "redesigned" version, while the Equinox is the "old" version). Not sure what to do with the Astra...it hasn't been well received. Then they can drop Saturn too. " I beg to differ myself. Soltice will make a great Chevy, but a Cadillac, with all those cheap plastic panels and unrefined engine? Hell no. Saturn Astra a good car, but a hatchback is a terrible entry for US market. The Vue (and most Saturns) is a rebadged Opel and looks terrible. I say bye-bye both Vue and Equinox, and bring Captiva to the US market. |
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Replying to: gagrice (Nov 29, 2008 6:15 am) It does not. Must be an error in the database you are looking at. Of course I think the Enclave is better looking than the Acadia since I bought one. Much more stylish. But that is always in the eyes of ....... |
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Replying to: whatugiv (Nov 29, 2008 11:39 am) |
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Replying to: gagrice (Nov 29, 2008 7:06 am) I think it is due to what they think it should get. The Lambda is a replacement for the Yukon/Suburban for most peoples needs. Can haul 8 people and tow 4500#. It is not a car. Sub is 14/20 Enclave is 17/24 While I never drove a sub for long enough to get my mileage my Envoy got around 14 how I drive. My Enclave gets a bit more. Do think it should get a couple more it is a big vehicle. I took it once on the highway for 12 hours and got 24 so at least I got what is expected at the top end.
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Replying to: 62vetteefp (Nov 29, 2008 12:46 pm) |
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Replying to: m4d_cow (Nov 29, 2008 11:41 am) Same with the Traverse. So why both? Yukon/Suburban drive like trucks (but much better than the old ones) and the Traverse drives more like a car. I guess the biggest reason for buying the Sub/Yukon is if you need real truck off road ness (contractors, etc.) and/or real large towing capability. I see many of the families at my school replacing their suburbans with the Lambdas. Must be something good about them since they are everywhere. Just do not expect them to double your mpg from the Suburban. But you will never see the Sub's go away. There is still a market for them. |
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Replying to: gagrice (Nov 29, 2008 7:06 am) I can't see why they would complain about the Enclaves fuel econ. when the Accord's wasn't much better.
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Replying to: carnaught (Nov 29, 2008 9:39 am)
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Replying to: iwant12 (Nov 29, 2008 2:10 pm) Sure, and about the time it passed R&D, it would be just in time for another major hike in oil and therefore gasoline prices (LOL).
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Replying to: 62vetteefp (Nov 29, 2008 5:13 am) Buick shoppers might average out to 55, but the ones who actually sign on the dotted line are well into their 60s.
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