Give Pontiac or GMC the Axe? Saab and Hummer Too?

[Gil]

I would axe Buick first off.
Buicks seem to only be bought by those older folks that really want Caddilacs but either can't afford them, or don't want to seem pretentious.

GMC could become commercial only, and I don't think too many folks would really notice.
Ever looked at a Chevy Truck and a GMC in profile from more than 25 feet away and been able to tell which is which?
I doubt even Fritz Henderson could.

Hummer, while "pointless" (before I'd spend the money on an H2, I'd buy a Tahoe). People keep buying them. Even though they are Gas Hogs, Impractical, and not terribly attractive.

I'd just as soon see Saab Go back to Trollhaten. Or even to Japan, as the 9-3 seems to have a lot in common with the WRX...

 

[YSSMAN]

IF they were to do only commercial trucks, that'd be fine by me, but I just don't see a reason to dump too much money into the brand. The problem we have here is that GM is saying that they have to kill one, and it is unbelievably obvious that they aren't going to dump Pontiac. Not after the revitalization they've been going through...

If I had it my way we'd keep all of them, sell them under umbrella dealers, and have some of the brands limited to five models or less. But, as it seems right now, GM is not willing to do that.

 

[nissan tuner]

1. Cuz it's a Saab erm... GM

i said good reasons.

2. Cuz at the price of a Saab, I could get just as good or better car from another company.

i think Toronado covered that one

3. Uhh... cuz I like good looking cars.

the car looks ok to be but GM wont discontinue the saab brand because "it's a Saab erm... GM" or cosmetic reasons. the build quality on these cars are excellent

 

[kjb]

Gm is not going to kill Buick. Buick is big time in China. And GM is not going to give a potentially large market for their cars. I still feel GMC is the logical choice.

 

[Joey D]

Gm is not going to kill Buick. Buick is big time in China. And GM is not going to give a potentially large market for their cars. I still feel GMC is the logical choice.

Might make sense to kill it in the states though, even around here in GM Land the Buick population is dwindling quick.

 

[Tornado]

Gm is not going to kill Buick. Buick is big time in China. And GM is not going to give a potentially large market for their cars. I still feel GMC is the logical choice.

Killing off a brand in one country does not mean it is killed off in other countries (Daewoo). Furthermore, any gas price problems in the future will effect Buick just as much as GMC, and GMC has sales numbers that are 70% higher.

 

[TopHat]

I voted Hummer, because its already a given that it's either going to be sold/discontinued. Now, if we really think about it, what's the only division we're not seeing any new product for? Pontiac. Sadly, Pontiac is the most likely to go. Where's all the mules for the G6 replacement? Or any other new product short of the G8 ST? It's in the same situation as Oldsmobile. A middle child between Chevy and Saab. All Pontiacs are easily replaced. Solstice = Sky, G6 = Malibu on the cheap, LaCrosse on the Upscale, G5 = Astra and Cobalt, G8 = Caprice/Park Ave., G8 ST = EL CAMINO, JUST LIKE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN, Torrent = Equinox and 9-4X, and the BRX. Once again, just like Olds.

RIP Pontiac.

 

[Prosthetic]

I pretty much agree Sniffers of there, Buick doesn't make cars worth it's own brand. There just soo bland, I mean personally I think there worse then Toyota and that says a lot. Sorry YSSMAN if I made you cry.

 

[YSSMAN]

Nah, don't worry about it. Buick fans have been bitching too, which is why they're still due to get some kind of RWD product soon, as well as the Invicta/LaCrosse as well. Both shall be excellent cars, which of course, we all hope brings buyers in.

 

[Philly]

HUMMER: Pretty much a given that that brand is gone.

GMC: Their biggest thing going for them is the move of the Chevrolet trucks to the Zeta chassis. I believe the Sierra (and Yukon?) will be staying on the GMT-900 platform, so I would guess that anybody who wants a true truck will be going GMC and the Sierra and Silverado won't be the same stealing each other's sales.

Buick: GM hasn't really done all that much to this brand yet. It'll be interesting to see what GM does to try and revitalize it or whatever. And from what I've seen over in Holland, the brand is still alive and well, but that's in Holland.

Saturn: Opels and Vauxhalls seem to sell in Europe. As the US market moves closer to the European market in terms of what the consumer wants, I would imagine Saturn would do pretty well too.

Pontiac: They have the new G8 and Solstice. I would imagine they are doing OK. Is there a new G6 coming along? If it's RWD, then they definitely should keep Pontiac around.

Cadillac: I've never really liked this brand, but I can't deny that they do sell. They are doing something right, and it should stick around for a while.

Saab: These cars have a good upmarket European flair to them. As long as they keep selling decently, I'd imagine we'll keep seeing these around. Aside from the ugly bodies, they do seem like great cars. And their only real competition seems to be Volvo and maybe some of the Scoobarus.

Chevy: Bread and butter American brand. It'll stay around. Period.

But I wouldn't consider myself to have the best take on GM's situation, being either in Holland where everything is a Buick, Saturn, Cadillac, Chevy, Pontiac, Ford or a VW or in Seattle where I wouldn't know where to buy a Buick, Pontiac, Saturn or HUMMER, let alone ever seeing them on the streets. Although GMCs, Saabs and Caddys seem to sell quite well here. I'd hang on to those.

 

[McLaren]

i said good reasons.



i think Toronado covered that one

the car looks ok to be but GM wont discontinue the saab brand because "it's a Saab erm... GM" or cosmetic reasons. the build quality on these cars are excellent

I have to agree. I don't know why everyone continues to hate Saab. I've driven 2 of their models and I think they're very impressive cars. Good power to get on the highway, pretty nice interior, and a solid ride. If anything I'd love to see Saab stay and produce a car like that Aero X Concept.

 

[forza2.0]

In one of this weeks british car mags there was actually a article about saab saying that they should have a good future ahead of them with the launch of several new or updated vehicles. They went on to say that SAAB and GM have finally agreed on what to do with the marquee, and that SAAB should soon be back to its former glorious self.

 

[Gil]

No matter what you say about Saab, they are well designed, and if the new ones are anything like the older ones, they are about as safe as a Volvo. And that is no faint praise.
Saabs are no longer the weirdest looking car on the block.
The 9-3x has all the goodness of a WRX, with upscale everything.

I have to disagree with Tophat.
Pontiac has the Solstice, which is just flying off the showroom floors.
And the Solstice coupe will hit showrooms soon, and it is a sexy beast!

The G8 is a car that I could see myself owning, and I used to own not one but two 6000's way back and should despise Pontiac because of them.
Considering the fact that I'm not overly fond of GM cars (I've owned too many of them) Saying that I could see myself owning a G8 is a big step.

IMHO, I believe that many people that have owned Pontiacs in the past, and have sworn off of GM cars because of them, may be willing to give them another chance.
My only concern, is that with fuel prices doing what they are doing introducing a raft of V-8 powered, RWD sport sedans seems "irresponsible".
The "Greenies" may take huge offense. And it seems the whole damn world is going green.

 

[Jim Prower]

The 9-3x has all the goodness of a WRX, with upscale everything.

You mean the 9-2x HAD all the goodness of a WRX...because they aren't making it anymore.

 

[superberkut]

It would be a real shame if Saab were to go through this ignominious end. I mean, they would have never produced an SUV like the 9-3x (whatever it is called).

I'd bet that, as the first post said, GMC would go through first, then Hummer, then Saab. Saturn is doing too well to be considered, as is Pontiac, but Buick...

Didn't see that option there.

 

[Jim Prower]

Buick's doing too well in China to die just yet.

I personally feel Hummer slightly more pointless than GMC, and the rest I feel okay with, so long as those Chinese bodystyle Buicks come over.

It's CDM tyte, yo.

 

[Prosthetic]

What about Military Hummers? or Humvees or what ever...

 

[Jim Prower]

Built by the A.M. General division, I doubt they'll be completely phased out until the Army has a solid, certain replacement.

 

[Joey D]

There will be a replace pretty soon I would imagine. I know there are concepts floating around the internet. But with the length of time it takes the military to go through with a contract it could be later rather then sooner.

 

[Jim Prower]

Case-in-point: The F-22 Raptor arises out of a proposal...from the early 1990s.

 

[Sniffs]

the point's allready been made that I wanted to about buick. killing it in the US doesn't mean killing it worldwide.

I like the "commercial only" idea for GMC

 

[YSSMAN]

Built by the A.M. General division, I doubt they'll be completely phased out until the Army has a solid, certain replacement.

AM General and HUMMER share nothing in common, as GM doesn't hold a stake in AM General any longer. Replacement for the HUMVEE is coming, apparently, but that's been in the works for well over 10 years now I believe.

 

[Jim Prower]

Well, if that's the case, we've got another 10 years to wait...I'm reading here that the original requirement for the F-22 was made in 1983. As well, the F-35 JSF program was started in the early '90s.

 

[superberkut]

I don't think you would rush a military vehicle into production anyhow. Remember the F7U Cutlass?

Buick in China would not be cut, but I could see it being an overseas brand. If Oldsmobile was killed off...

Hummer still, for civilian markets, however that would mean that if a replacement does in fact not come soon, GMC will go before, and not a moment too soon.

 

[Greycap]

No matter what you say about Saab, they are well designed, and if the new ones are anything like the older ones, they are about as safe as a Volvo. And that is no faint praise.

Quite true, in the old days it was the Volvo 240 & Saab 900 duo that held the safety records. I own the former and have driven the latter quite a lot, they're still impressive today in the sturdy feel they have. If that's the direction Saab is taking it gets a very big 👍 from me.

Saabs are no longer the weirdest looking car on the block.

This is something I see as a bit of a shame, especially the old 900 series was so ugly that it turned into beauty. It had some true character, something that its successors lacked but it's actually coming back in the form of several small things. I don't know how many people were happy when Saab took back the old four piece grille but I was one of them, it just belongs to those cars.

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

-> I voted for HUMMER (useless barges, I miss my H1 Alpha), but I would also like to axe Buick (marketed only to seniors, no identity) and give back Saab automobiles (lost its own identity, wannabe Volvo) to the Saab aircraft division.

-> I would like for Pontiac to excel better, but now the G8 GT axed M/T. I think they will revert back to this:

-> GMC has its stranglehold at the commercial market, they can just plug its 'light weight' (available to the general public) market and keep it Professional Grade.

-> And lets keep Saturn on importing German-engineered vehicles (next-gen Astra, Corsa) to embarrass the Aveo and the future Korean-made (Daewoo) Cobalt.

-> Chevy is too valuable for GM as it is, Cadillac are still revolutionizing itself (since 1999) up to now.

 

[Jim Prower]

-> I voted for HUMMER (useless barges, I miss my H1 Alpha), but I would also like to axe Buick (marketed only to seniors, no identity) and give back Saab automobiles (lost its own identity, wannabe Volvo) to the Saab aircraft division.

As much as a 9-3 Gripen sounds good to me, I dont' think Saab AB WANTS their car-arm back...In fact, if they can't sell enough Gripens, they won't be much longer in the aircraft business...at least, military. not sure how Civilian market is doing.

-> I would like for Pontiac to excel better, but now the G8 GT axed M/T.

wait, WHAT!?!?

Cadillac are still revolutionizing itself (since 1999) up to now.

Well, how long did it take LEXUS to go from a Japanese Buick to a world player? 'Round 20 years. For Cadillac to do what they have in nine is phenominal...they're tantalizingly close.

 

[Tornado]

Well, how long did it take LEXUS to go from a Japanese Buick to a world player?

That really depends on what car you are looking at.

 

[V1P3R]

Well, how long did it take LEXUS to go from a Japanese Buick to a world player?

lool, ha ha... you trying to compare early Lexus to a Buick? wow... Hell, I'd take the Camry version of the ES 250 over the Buick.

My Grandparent's still have this car and even in it's ****ty condition it's STILL better than any Buick would be.

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

-> ...

As much as a 9-3 Gripen sounds good to me, I dont' think Saab AB WANTS their car-arm back...In fact, if they can't sell enough Gripens, they won't be much longer in the aircraft business...at least, military. not sure how Civilian market is doing.

^ If Saab AB won't take Saab car back, why not Scania bring them back?

wait, WHAT!?!?

^ Remember the G5 and the upcoming Aveo-based B-car. They could do better, not relying the G8 GXP and the overrated Solstice.

Well, how long did it take LEXUS to go from a Japanese Buick to a world player? 'Round 20 years. For Cadillac to do what they have in nine is phenominal...they're tantalizingly close.

^ Did Buick became a world player in its 50+ year history? No. Lexus was a world contender since the 1st gen LS400, even Top Gear regarded that!