Quote:
Originally Posted by mgescuro
...It would be devastating for GM to lose a high profile name with an image that is so correctable. Other than Saturn, there is no other GM brand with such a sharp focus as HUMMER.
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I appreciate your point of view, but just can't agree with the bolded statement. I feel this is not reflective of the (sales) situation as it exists.
Saturn has sharp focus? Here's a good example of a mis-managed brand. Saturn is what? The techno company? The "green" division? The value division? GM lost the premise of Saturn years ago. They killed Oldsmobile to make room for Saturn and then even after a huge investment in product, there's still no return. And please understand, after being in Germany, I've waited for Opels to come back the US, in one form or another. IMO, the Opels should have gone to Pontiac, but that's another discussion for another time.
I live in a GM town and the most popular cars I see here are Pontiacs, followed by Chevys. This is in a town that has two Saturn retailers, many former and existing GM and Delphi employees and family members. Hell, even with gas prices as high as they are here ($3.99 gal) I see more
HUMMERS than I do Saturns. If two of the people in my neighborhood didn't have Saturns, I would never see any.
My point is this: If you are marketing a car in this environment, which is fairly GM-friendly, and it STILL DOESN'T SELL, it's time to think differently.
Sorry to hijack the thread and /rant.