GM Inside News Forum - View Single Post - Rumblings & Rants: Saving money, Cutting brands, and what GM SHOULD do to survive

Patate · 09-01-2008, 03:24 PM

I don't think GM needs any alliances to survive, they need to cut their legacy costs (they just did it), and put revelant products for everyone. Here's how (my humble opinion)

Chevy: Mainstream
Cadillac: Top of the line PERFORMANCE luxury.. leave FWD to Buick
Now GM understands those 2 brands' mission. It's the rest that is a little more complicated.

I think GM should merge Saturn with Pontiac-Buick-GMC.
Saturn would offer the FWD, crossovers, minivans
Pontiac would offer RWD-only models.. move G6 to the CTS plateform, G5 to the "alpha, I think" plateform, G8 is fine, Solstice, etc... Vibe could go to Saturn or simply stay with Pontiac, either way it's fine.
Buick would be affordable luxury.. they need to move it upscale a little more, to avoid eating Chevy's sales. Now Buick would compete with Infiniti, Acura and entry-Lexus.
GMC, now I have 2 choices for it:
-Either they make it true " professional grade", and make cheap, very low-equipped with low fit and finish versions of the Chevy trucks. The Sierra would be a real work truck, destined for the Fleet sales.. and would be priced a few thousands below the Silverado. OR
-They do the opposite, where the Sierra would be luxury trucks, with its Denali version. Now this would make the Acadia more relevant.. Also, the Silverado would be higher volume which is what GM probably wants. This is why I think the latter idea is the best, but to each his own, I guess.

Drop Hummer, Forget it. Put Saab with Cadillac or simply drop that brand also from the North American market.

09-01-2008, 03:24 PM	#6 (permalink)
Patate 2.4 Liter SIDI ECOTEC Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 154	Re: Rumblings & Rants: Saving money, Cutting brands, and what GM SHOULD do to survive I don't think GM needs any alliances to survive, they need to cut their legacy costs (they just did it), and put revelant products for everyone. Here's how (my humble opinion) Chevy: Mainstream Cadillac: Top of the line PERFORMANCE luxury.. leave FWD to Buick Now GM understands those 2 brands' mission. It's the rest that is a little more complicated. I think GM should merge Saturn with Pontiac-Buick-GMC. Saturn would offer the FWD, crossovers, minivans Pontiac would offer RWD-only models.. move G6 to the CTS plateform, G5 to the "alpha, I think" plateform, G8 is fine, Solstice, etc... Vibe could go to Saturn or simply stay with Pontiac, either way it's fine. Buick would be affordable luxury.. they need to move it upscale a little more, to avoid eating Chevy's sales. Now Buick would compete with Infiniti, Acura and entry-Lexus. GMC, now I have 2 choices for it: -Either they make it true " professional grade", and make cheap, very low-equipped with low fit and finish versions of the Chevy trucks. The Sierra would be a real work truck, destined for the Fleet sales.. and would be priced a few thousands below the Silverado. OR -They do the opposite, where the Sierra would be luxury trucks, with its Denali version. Now this would make the Acadia more relevant.. Also, the Silverado would be higher volume which is what GM probably wants. This is why I think the latter idea is the best, but to each his own, I guess. Drop Hummer, Forget it. Put Saab with Cadillac or simply drop that brand also from the North American market.