Crossovers Disappoint Detroit

[tgunnd39]

Originally Posted by Ming

Doesn't need to be a negative, tgunnd39. If all automakers are down like you say, then it doesn't matter how they are down, does it?

Consider that GM's 4-cylinder sales mix was near 40% a month ago. 40%. That's double the mix compared to the same month in 2007.

So GM can sell small (or 4-cylinder powered) cars, too. You'd think they'd be happy.

But then we get stuff like the line their guy fed us last week about "we'll be ready to make smaller engines when Americans want to buy them". Garbage. Utter poo-poo. They want to keep selling us their more profitable cars, that's all, and they can't figure out why an Astra, stripped of the little things that made it so attractive that people said "bring it here!" isn't selling like they hoped. Maybe if the Astra looked like some of those photos we saw with the fancy navigation and multi-toned interiors....and not gray fabric with a monochrome amber screen that looks like a terminal from a 1970's computer...

That they rely too much on the profits of larger vehicles and dismiss smaller ones while MINI can sell trendy small, fuel efficient yet profitable cars is the result of bad decsions and poor foresight - and for no lack of people like me telling them so on forums like GMI for many years now.

If GM had brought the MINI to the U.S., it would have an interior no more exciting than a Cobalt's, a bigger engine than needed "for American tastes", and they'd try to keep it under the price point of the next larger class of car at a brand -- instead of letting it just BE a MINI and attract people willing to pay more for style and features, regardless of the size of the package.

Ming, you'll get no arguement from me on your various points, particularly as I am not speaking to those points, but rather am taking exception to the rather poor analysis of the crossover segment by the WSJ writers.

I do believe that GM has made mistakes, however, I do not have the same soft spot in my heart for small 4 cyl. transportation that you seem to have. My tastes and needs lead me to other vehicles of, (larger, in some cases, and more refined in other cases), differing classifications.

To each his own.

[jgill16]

Well I still believe you'll get true die-hard fans that will buy SUV's no matter what. But you can be right about people just buy em cause it's the in thang. The market for SUV's is shrinking, SUV's will still be needed but only for the people who really will need them. Small cars and wagons might be the new trend, but for me I like my cars big and with V8's engines I like speed, fast...fast...fast. Don't forget us people too. LOL

[JeffInDFW]

I wish Chevrolet would do a Malibu Maxx on the new redesigned Malibu. I know a lot of people liked the package of the old Maxx, but the styling was soooooooo bland they could not get around that. Right now would be an awsome time to come out with it.

[Hoosier Red]

Originally Posted by JeffInDFW

I wish Chevrolet would do a Malibu Maxx on the new redesigned Malibu. I know a lot of people liked the package of the old Maxx, but the styling was soooooooo bland they could not get around that. Right now would be an awsome time to come out with it.

Yep - but make it a real wagon.

[63GrandSport001]

I love how when the SUV market is failing GM turns to SUV like vehicles that get 2MPG better......

[FLA-USA]

Those mid-size FWD SUVs that so many on here think are gonna be sales successes (Enclave, etc) in light of higher gas prices, forget two things: any larger SUV/X-Over vehicles are just as expensive to buy as their full-size counterparts and the plunge in resale values affects ALL SUVs... no matter their size.

The only ones that have a prayer are those that are truly mid-size or smaller (190 inches or less) simply because they are perceived as being more like wagon alternatives... think Edge, Murano, Venza, CX-7.

I mean, who in their right mind is gonna trade in their big SUV and take a huge hit in resale, and then turn around and buy another vehicle that will tank in value just as badly as it drives off the lot?

It appears not too many.

[mgescuro]

Look.
If Crossovers are having an issue, how long would it take for GM to starting mounting a massive ad campaign for HHR or 9-3 Sportcombi or Matrix or VUE or (God fordbid) Astra??

GM has alternatives. But these cars don't make significant money for GM. Crossovers can.

Open up the latest R&T or MT magazine, there's liek a 15 page Special Advertising section for Silverado!!!! SERIOUSLY?? That adspace must have been purchased 2-4 months ago. Silverado??

What is GM trying to sell?? THey still don't have a clue!!

[63GrandSport001]

Originally Posted by mgescuro

Look.
If Crossovers are having an issue, how long would it take for GM to starting mounting a massive ad campaign for HHR or 9-3 Sportcombi or Matrix or VUE or (God fordbid) Astra??

GM has alternatives. But these cars don't make significant money for GM. Crossovers can.

Open up the latest R&T or MT magazine, there's liek a 15 page Special Advertising section for Silverado!!!! SERIOUSLY?? That adspace must have been purchased 2-4 months ago. Silverado??

What is GM trying to sell?? THey still don't have a clue!!

When you have to start putting $5,000 incentives on these vehicles just to sell them then I bet you that the profits get closer to that of a mid sized car if not less.

[redimpss5]

Crossovers disapoint many areas of life!!

[paul8488]

People that need larger vehicles will buy larger vehicles. People that can afford larger vehicles will buy larger vehicles. For those people that neither needed nor really could afford larger vehicles, smaller ones will do just fine. No one has ever said that GM should completely abandon the SUV or SUV markets... but Ming is right. GM has 7 large SUVs, 4 midsize SUVs, 5 midsize crossovers, and 3 small crossovers. How many wagons / hatches do they have? 4. Across their entire NA lineup. There's a nasty imbalance there, and adding more crossovers isn't going to cut it if crossover sales are already peaking.

[joshls]

Why is the G8 Wagon not coming here again????

[RCDonner]

Originally Posted by Ming

If GM had brought the MINI to the U.S., it would have an interior no more exciting than a Cobalt's, a bigger engine than needed "for American tastes", and they'd try to keep it under the price point of the next larger class of car at a brand -- instead of letting it just BE a MINI and attract people willing to pay more for style and features, regardless of the size of the package.

Exactly. That is what has to be changed. In Europe 15 years ago a small car was a car without any luxury amenities and a Luxury car had all the equipment to be a luxury car. Now you can by a small car wih almost every option a luxury car offers. This way automakers can demand higher prices for their small cars and buyers pay that because they want a small car without sacrificing comfort.

[hotrod1949]

Originally Posted by Copcarz

GM should make wagon versions of all their cars. An Impala or Malibu wagon would be cool. A Saturn Aura wagon would look good too.

I used to say that when the '05 Equinox was in pre production, did I ever get dirty looks from the upper management crowd.

[Whitesky]

Originally Posted by hotrod1949

I used to say that when the '05 Equinox was in pre production, did I ever get dirty looks from the upper management crowd.

You will continue to get the same dirty looks because there will not be a high demand for wagons. While I believe they should have 2 in their lineup (Chevy & Saturn), a wagon version of every car would be ridiculous.

[eaton53]

Originally Posted by RamJet502

The problem is that the economy is in the crapper and people are buying what they can afford to own.

People should do that all the time, not just when the economy is in the crapper.
But they don't, so when something goes wrong it's a disaster.

Originally Posted by Ming

So GM can sell small (or 4-cylinder powered) cars, too. You'd think they'd be happy.

Maybe if they could actually build them fast enough.

A drive through the local big Chevy dealer's lot is pretty revealing. There's the usual long row of big trucks and crossovers, about 10 Colorados (which is more than there has been) and about 10 Impalas.

Between Malibus, Cobalts, HHRs and Aveo there are a total of 10 vehicles. Five Malibus, three Aveos, one Cobalt sedan, one Cobalt coupe and no HHRs.
Unlike the trucks and others they don't last long, either... there are always different ones in this little group at the end of the front row.

They're clearly not keeping up with demand. You gotta wonder what their sales numbers for the Bu, Cobalt and HHR would be if they could... probably way, way up.

Notable... they have 2 hybrid Tahoes front and center, the first two I have ever seen outside of a car show.

They also have a Chrysler building and there must be 100 used SUV's behind it. Can't imagine what they were thinking... I expect they'll be off to auction, fire sale or collect dust back there. They also have eight SRX's and three 9-7x's. Weird.