why is GM offing some brands ?

**renovation** · 06-07-2009, 09:03 PM

there is logic to why they are keeping Chevy,Buick and caddy lines and dumping Pontiac ,Saturn car lines.
to keep the Government Happy.
Chevy competes with Pontiac on performance autos . the vet and camero name plates.
and the Saturn competes with Chevy on younger and smaller car buyers.
also they dumped olds some years back because it competed with the Buick for older & middle age driver pubic. it was just what brand name sold more units for a 2 year study. and olds lost.
caddy there keeping to get upper class car buyer and not let Ford have the market all to them self with the Lincoln car line .

**DarkFury** · 06-07-2009, 09:50 PM

Pontiac is almost redundant with Chevy...

I really don't know why they got rid of Saturn... other than, they should've never changed Saturn's personal culture in the first place.

Buick would be next in my book...

**LPMiller** · 06-08-2009, 04:27 AM

Buick still sells. Saturn is going because GM screwed it up.

they aren't getting rid of these things because of the government - Pontiac and Saturn were already on the chopping block, and GM as being trying to sell hummer for a few years now. It's pretty much like the commercial says - having all those brands made sense at one time (i.e. It Never Made Sense) but now it's time to stop competing with itself.

**mechmike0034** · 06-08-2009, 06:52 AM

Pontiac is sold in the US, Canada, and Mexico only. Buick is sold worldwide, and sells more in China than in the US.

Cadillac is also sold worldwide.

**DarkFury** · 06-08-2009, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by LPMiller

Buick still sells. Saturn is going because GM screwed it up.

Looks around... sees a few folks that bought Buick, but not many... then shrugs

Originally Posted by mechmike0034

Pontiac is sold in the US, Canada, and Mexico only. Buick is sold worldwide, and sells more in China than in the US.

Cadillac is also sold worldwide.

Must be the Chinese keeping Buick afloat. Is that why they got Tiger to promote that line seeing that nobody in his "age category" were buying those vehicles?

I've yet to see any of my friends near my age get excited about buying a Buick (or "Bruick" as some of them call them...) Maybe if they bring back the "Grand National Regal" then we will come.

**mechmike0034** · 06-08-2009, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by DarkFury

Is that why they got Tiger to promote that line seeing that nobody in his "age category" were buying those vehicles?

American youth of today don't buy Buicks - they buy something else and then put fake plastic replicas of old-school Buick "ventiports" on them:

**DarkFury** · 06-08-2009, 01:19 PM

Originally Posted by mechmike0034

American youth of today don't buy Buicks - they buy something else and then put fake plastic replicas of old-school Buick "ventiports" on them:

You are absolutely right...

PORTHOLES!!!! Probably the one "good" contribution from Buick... (but bad on any other vehicle...)

BTW.. I do not put those on my 300 since I recognize that as a "Buick" trait. But I sure see alot of them on other vehicles.

**mechmike0034** · 06-08-2009, 01:41 PM

Originally Posted by DarkFury

PORTHOLES!!!! Probably the one "good" contribution from Buick...

No, not portholes, ventiports...

The "sweapspear" was popularly added to other-make custom cars in the '50s...

**attgig** · 06-08-2009, 02:16 PM

heh. the lucerne has those now. not sure how cool it is. though the lucerne is definitely a nicer looking car than any other sedan buick has put out over the past 10-15 years.

**LPMiller** · 06-08-2009, 04:56 PM

Originally Posted by DarkFury

Looks around... sees a few folks that bought Buick, but not many... then shrugs

Well, as scientific as that is....

It is true in America, Pontiac sells more then buick. But Buick is a world wide brand, Pontiac not so much. World wide, buick sells a lot more. Frankly, it does lean older and GM wouldn't mind dropping it too, but since it's actually making them money - which Pontiac has not been for quite awhile now - that's not happening.

As for saturn, that one is easy. What started as a J fighter with a lot of brand loyalty became a dumping ground for poorly rebadged Opels. But that was mostly due to division fighting - Chevy never wanted Saturn to be a separate brand. That division infighting is also why Geo eventually folded into Chevy and quietly died, despite being a fairly popular line of cars for them. Of course, they were all rebadged foreign cars, but still. GM was my client during the Geo years, and geez, those divisions really fight each other tooth and nail.

**DarkFury** · 06-08-2009, 06:48 PM

Originally Posted by mechmike0034

No, not portholes, ventiports...

The "sweapspear" was popularly added to other-make custom cars in the '50s...

quote of the link of the pic...

http://mustangspeed.com/port_holes_300c.jpg

And the quoted article...

These were originally called "Ventiports" since the suggestion was made that they did allow air flow into the engine bay (later just "portholes"). Of course, the actual function is exactly the reverse: the engine bay is pressurized by air from the radiator, and exits through the ventiports. Ventiports have appeared sporadically on several models since.

Either term will do... as we're referring to the same thing.

**DarkFury** · 06-08-2009, 06:52 PM

Originally Posted by LPMiller

Well, as scientific as that is....

It is true in America, Pontiac sells more then buick. But Buick is a world wide brand, Pontiac not so much. World wide, buick sells a lot more. Frankly, it does lean older and GM wouldn't mind dropping it too, but since it's actually making them money - which Pontiac has not been for quite awhile now - that's not happening.

Thanks LP...

But just to let you know, I do understand the general logic here (Global versus National). Either way, if one of the remaining brands were to go, I'd still say that Buick was next before Chevy or Cadillac or GMC (unless they decide to just let Chevy and Caddy take all of the truck biz and close GMC).

**mechmike0034** · 06-08-2009, 07:25 PM

The pic link is from a Mustang site - what the hell would they know about Buicks?

A porthole is a small, round, hinged window in the side of a boat.

Whatever...

**renovation** · 06-08-2009, 07:36 PM

i did buy a new buick once -it was in 1986 Buick Somerset in burnt orange color (wifes car)

i like the solid red tail lights.

and it had a better look then the pontiac Grand-Am at the time.it is the only buick i have ever owned to. i did want to buy a 1965 buick special as a teen that was blue that my step dad owned but he sold it before i had my drivers license.

**DarkFury** · 06-08-2009, 09:11 PM

Originally Posted by mechmike0034

The pic link is from a Mustang site - what the hell would they know about Buicks?

Ok... you got me there. I can't argue with that logic.

Originally Posted by mechmike0034

A porthole is a small, round, hinged window in the side of a boat.

Whatever...

Taking things quite literally are we?

**mechmike0034** · 06-09-2009, 04:57 AM

Originally Posted by DarkFury

Taking things quite literally are we?

Hey, any opportunity to joust with you!

**DarkFury** · 06-09-2009, 05:56 AM

Originally Posted by mechmike0034

Hey, any opportunity to joust with you!

Dude seriously... get in line. There are so many out there that seem to want to ride this ride.

**mechmike0034** · 06-09-2009, 03:49 PM

This just in...

General Motors Corp. previously has said that no current Pontiac models will survive when the brand is phased out at the end of next year. But the company now appears to be reconsidering the fate of the Australian-built G8 sedan, which has sold relatively well throughout the market downturn and GM’s economic woes.

Tom Stephens, who is replacing Bob Lutz as vice chairman of global product development,
tells Automotive News that the executive team is discussing the possibility of moving the rear-drive G8 sports sedan to one of GM’s four remaining core brands—Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC. Buick is the most likely candidate because it doesn’t currently offer a rwd sedan, AN says.

I think this should become the modern reincarnation of the Buick Wildcat...

**Winston** · 06-09-2009, 07:31 PM

you know the duece and a quarter

**DarkFury** · 06-09-2009, 10:47 PM

Originally Posted by mechmike0034

This just in...

I think this should become the modern reincarnation of the Buick Wildcat...

Honestly, they'd probably give it to Chevy as a new version of the Cavalier or something in that class... or maybe the "new" Impala to give it some more bite as an Impala SS.

**mechmike0034** · 06-09-2009, 10:58 PM

Originally Posted by Winston

you know the duece and a quarter

Owned one - a '69 four-door hardtop...

**Jeffbx** · 06-10-2009, 04:32 AM

Originally Posted by DarkFury

Honestly, they'd probably give it to Chevy as a new version of the Cavalier or something in that class... or maybe the "new" Impala to give it some more bite as an Impala SS.

The G8 is a big sedan - too far out of reach of the Cavalier market, and I doubt they'd mess with the Impala.

I'm thinking Buick as well - soup it up a bit more & put the Grand National badge on it

**DarkFury** · 06-10-2009, 07:04 AM

Originally Posted by Jeffbx

The G8 is a big sedan - too far out of reach of the Cavalier market, and I doubt they'd mess with the Impala.

I'm thinking Buick as well - soup it up a bit more & put the Grand National badge on it

I wouldn't doubt that they'd mess with the Impala, as in the past they already have.

Look at the Impala from 94 - 96 to the ones of today... They have no shared heritage other than the antelope on the badge.

BTW.. the G8 really isn't "that big" is it? I thought it was more of a mid sized sedan versus a full size. Wasn't the G8 the replacement for the Pontiac Grand Prix? If so, then that car was a mid size car... and yeah, I know that the Cavalier was a "compact", but hey, there's no telling of what GM would do in changing the classification in getting a sportier vehicle to mainstream.

Pretty much, what was the Chevy version of the Grand Prix back in the day? Would that be the Monte Carlo? If so, then that would probably be the car that would get the updated G8.

But I'd agree... unless they wanna revive the Buick Regal/Grand National, then honestly I can't see it going to them.

**mechmike0034** · 06-10-2009, 08:52 PM

Actually, it'd make a damned nice Impala, and would give GM a RWD police vehicle (the 9C1 police package Tahoe nonwithstanding) to boot.

The FWD V8-powered Impala SS is no more as of 2010, so...

**johnnymk** · 06-11-2009, 06:49 AM

I saw the G8 at the Philly Auto Show. I was totally impressed with the styling.

**DarkFury** · 06-11-2009, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by mechmike0034

The FWD V8-powered Impala SS is no more as of 2010, so...

It was too much SUCK on the front wheels.

**Jihforce** · 06-11-2009, 12:22 PM

Another vote for the G8 becoming the new Impala. The G8 is solid car. That would rock!

**Prngr44** · 06-15-2009, 09:53 AM

Why did they keep GMC? Aren't they just rebadged Chevy trucks or vice versa? Seemed like a lot of duplication there too.

**DarkFury** · 06-15-2009, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by Prngr44

Why did they keep GMC? Aren't they just rebadged Chevy trucks or vice versa? Seemed like a lot of duplication there too.

GMC pretty much is the "truck" brand of GM... In some ways, you almost think about why Chevy has it's own brand of trucks outside of GMC (unless it's just a "trim level" difference).

At one point, GMC offered a general higher trim level on most of the comparable Chevy trucks, but then when you looked at the same truck on Caddy's line, it was like a "mid level" trim update (for example, the basic Tahoe, versus the Denali, versus the Escalade in SUVs)

MM34 probably could shed much more light on this.