If you could resurrect one dead car brand...

  • Thread starter Thread starter Smart_Roadster
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Saturn. I always liked Saturns, at least the quirky ones from the 90's and early 00's, not those rebadged, bland things that the made in recent years. Why? Because, they're neat little cars, always looking unique compared to everything else. And, like I said, they're quirky, with the styling, the all-plastic body panels, and their no-haggle dealer system. Plus, they were the cars that showed that not all American economy cars were crap. Personally, I still think that old Saturns are nice little cars, even compared to the new lineup of compact cars today. So yeah, resurrect Saturn.
Another manufacturer that I'd like to see brought back is Geo, that maker of little econoboxes from the 90's, produced by GM to serve the same purpose as Saturn : fight off those pesky imports. Why? Because they made the Geo Metro, probably one of the purest and most basic forms of transportation (it had a 3-cylinder!), and it was tiny. A modern interpretation of the Metro would be pretty neat, in my opinion. :dopey:
 
Geo's where just rebadged Toyota's and Suzuki's.

I want to see Oldsmobile again. If GM had kept them instead of Buick they probably would have done a little better than Buick has been doing for a while.
 
marluxiaXI11
Geo's where just rebadged Toyota's and Suzuki's.

I want to see Oldsmobile again. If GM had kept them instead of Buick they probably would have done a little better than Buick has been doing for a while.
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I'll never understand how GM chose Buick over Oldsmobile and Pontiac in the end.
 
sumbrownkid
The Chinese love Buicks apparently.
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Yeah, this. Buick is THE brand to buy if you're in China and just made a bunch of money. China is quickly becoming the world's biggest luxury goods consumer, and killing Buick in the US would do a lot of damage to the image of the brand in China. I just wish they'd bring over some of the nice Buicks that they've got over there, some are Holden-based, as I recall.

Anyway, my vote goes to SAAB as well. Pontiac is up there as well, but GM is still around, and Pontiac-esque cars can be released through Chevrolet channels. In fact, GM has said a few times that Pontiac might be revived as a sub-brand, sold though Chevy dealers.

SAAB, on the other hand, is alone and unique. I liked their recent designs, and their engineering has always been great. Nobody else makes a nice sportwagon that's not in the Audi/BMW/etc price bracket, either, other than Subaru where you're forced to go too small with a WRX hatch or too tall and ugly with an Outback. (Incidentally, I wish they'd bring over the JDM/Euro Legacy wagon.)
 
I'll go a different direction: Oldsmobile


In its glory days, Oldsmobile was the cooler cousin of Buick, like Pontiac... But with a real job. Although Buick is doing a commendable job walking the entry-level-luxury line, their vehicles are not particularly exciting to drive, and do not appeal directly to younger people. A new Oldsmobile would need to offer a reasonable amount of luxury at a fair price, while still keeping the "fun to drive" ideals in tact. We'd need a four-model strategy:

1) Super 88: Bring over the Chevrolet Caprice Royale V8 from the Middle-East, don't offer any options on the car, and make it $45K, exactly where the Hyundai Genesis is.

2) Cutlass: Use the Alpha chassis from beneath the Cadillac ATS, offer only the 2.5L I4 or the 2.0T with the six-speed automatic. Keep options to a minimum, price it out the door from $28-32K

3) Toronado: Go for more of the '80s vibe, make it a small sports coupe based on the ideals of the 140R Concept by Chevrolet. Swoopy coupe with turbo power. Again, minimize the options, price it out the door for about $25K.

...a wildcard?

4) Starfire, basically a Toronado convertible. A hard-top convertible. One engine and transmission offered, same limits on options, $28K.
 
Pontiac, Hudson and Packard!

All American greats! If none of these had died, the American car industry wouldn't be so 🤬.
 
TVR. Very unique cars, but the company 'tried too hard' if you know what I mean. Still love them though. :)
 
Datsun, I would love to see a remake of the 240Z that would compete against the GT86/FRS/BRZ 👍
 
I'll resurrect TVR, with their own distinctive Inline-6 engine.

Oh, and rebuild the Cerbera Speed 12 to be more road-usable :D
 
^True
How can you not love this:
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I hope most of you know TVR isn't actually dead. The company is still around & offers owners the option to have their cars re-built to their specific requests. It's the new car thing they just haven't managed to get a hold on yet; they're trying though.
Dennisch
This. Cadillac fails to do so.
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Have you been in a Cadillac recently? The luxury/build quality today is leaps & bounds ahead of what they were 5 years ago.
 
Endless-Wilso
Obviously Delorean
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They made one model and it was a mechanical nightmare.

Then John DeLorean was charged with drug trafficking and other offences. £10 million of taxpayers' money went missing, I heard.
 
MazdaPrice
They made one model and it was a mechanical nightmare.

Then John DeLorean was charged with drug trafficking and other offences. £10 million of taxpayers' money went missing, I heard.
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I remember the DMC made it into "The 50 worst cars of all time", somewhere. Definitely doesn't spring to my mind as a manufacturer I'd urgently need back anyway.
 

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