Quote:
Originally Posted by Ming
Tell the dealers that they won't have a relatively inexpensive gas sipping compact for a small, young family of 2+1 kid, because I didn't see one in your list. Your lineup leaves BPG dealers particularly vulnerable in an environment of $4.00 gasoline. And the G6 -- well it needs some serious updating to remain competitive in the larger market.
Giving them only what you specified looks more like a BMW dealership's showroom (plus trucks), and I don't think most Americans are ready to pay top dollar for Pontiacs and Buicks. At least not yet.
That said I agree they should not rebadge as many Chevies as they do (and should limit how far downscale they go), which has been the modus operandi of BPG for too long.
Pontiac could have a version - a unique version - of the Astra when it goes into production here in the U.S. But it should be offered as a performance tuned car more like the Opel OPC Astra, not just the more ho-hum Saturn versions.
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Well, Ming, I don't totally disagree. While i think a FWD Astra knock off would, to some degree, dilute the Pontiac REWD performance image, I can understand why that would be a favorable move and I wouldn't necessarily oppose it.
However, I think your post ignores a couple of things. First, my list has some fuel efficient offerings that you're ignoring. An Alpha-based car SHOULD be able to attain solid fuel economy figures if properly designed. As long as alpha is not too much of a porker and it is offered with some efficient 4 bangers, it should be able to get 30+ on the highway (note the last gen MB C230 series was rated at 24/32 mpg). Furthermore, the Buick FWD cars, esp the invicta/lacrosse should be able to achieve solid MPG figures (see malibu).
Second, the PBG channel should be NICHE cars, not mass sales offerings (again, that's Chevy). True, lower mpg cars aren't going to appeal to everyone, but that's okay with NICHE brands. To be sure, GM needs to do the best it can to improve ALL of it's vehicles' MPG's, but perofrmance oriented vehicles are naturally going to be somewhat lower fuel economy, and that's okay. PBG won't, under my scenario, have any ULTRA high mpg cars, but it will have some solid, relatively fuel efficient offerings (alpha pontiac, and the Buick cars). Several other smaller manufacturers and niche brands lack an ultra high mileage compact/subcompact. That's okay.