GM Considering Cuts at Pontiac Assembly Center

[ByTheLake]

Originally Posted by 2648562

How about laying off the designers and product czar responsible for it?

Now we're talking! Some accountability needs to exist.

I know I'll get slaughtered by the GMT-900 fan base out here, but who green-lighted the styling for these beasts? The Silverado looks completely odd, with headlamps styled to look like old sealed beams and a too-wide grill that looks out of place. The GMC is less offensive, but so conservative that it looks like the stylists were afraid to move the ball forward.


I know that styling is subjective, hard to debate, and that many, many of you just love the GMT-900 beasts. For me, I've cancelled my plans to replace my '04 Silverado, hoping for a mid-cycle refresh for the Silverado that includes some appealing styling.

[drew770]

Originally Posted by tgagneguam

Pssst, don't tell all the import brands, many of whom continue to pile on sales year after year after year. Just 20 years ago, the top five brands were all domestic, and only two saw sales north of 2,000,000 units. Now, there are still at least five large brands in America, three of whom now sell over 2,000,000 units, one of those being, of course, Toyota, which piles on sales year after year after year. Of course, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and Buick dropped out of the top five-someone must have told them that with all the new competition, there's was no room for them. Of course, Honda and Nissan didn't read that memo, and they replaced at least two of the three former large divisions at GM.

And, of course, Cadillac hit its sales stride I believe in 1976 or 1978, when its sales topped out at over 300,000 units. Now, Cadillac sales aren't close to that, but BMW and Mercedes are, and Lexus, who also apparently didn't read the "not enough room memo," either, is the only luxury car maker to sell over 300,000 units... on Lincoln's and Cadillac's turf!

When people inside and outside of Detroit stop creating excuses for Detroit we will witness a Motor City rebirth.

That really makes too much sense!!!!!!!!
GM's numerous brands sales keep falling because of lousy products. While Hyundai, Honda, Kia and Toyota keep raising the bar, GM is satified to simply roll under the bar.
It also goes to the mindset that GM does not have enough resouces to support all it's various North American brands!!!

[Chaz_23]

How about re-designed that LAME exterior of the Silverado. How do they expect a truck that looks like that to compete with the F150, Turda, Titan? Didn't these guys see what the Turda was going to look like? And here they decide to go with a 80s look?
The Sierra on the other hand is one handsome truck.
How about giving the Silverado the Tahoe/Avalanche look? That's what it should have been to begin with. Or quietly switch labels on Silverados and Sierras.

[drew770]

Originally Posted by windvale

Agreed.

Trucks are cooling off because of the high cost of gasoline. GM stayed in their comfort zone and bet on the truck/SUV thing again and now the gamble is not paying off.

They could have accelerated getting dual-mode hybrids into cars, and maybe brought out the Malibu earlier - but alas - let's face it...at the end of the day GM is really just a truck company that also offers some cars on the side (much like Honda is a car company that offers the Ridgeline).

I really believe that the Rick/Bob thing has taken GM about as far as they are going to. GM now needs someone with a 21st century vision to get us the rest of the way.

Great observations.
I was thinking the same thing.
I will give Wagoner and Lutz great credit for "saving" GM but now I think it is time for a visionary/outsider.
This is where I feel Alan Mullany at Ford will really do some incredible things because he is not stuck in the Detroit mindset.
The old way of doing business in Detroit is now extinct!! America has moved beyond trucks and suvs and GM has to get with the program.
And I know this is unpopular but America has moved beyond Buick. The Enclave won't and can't save a brand!!
It's time to cut your losses and shift those much needed resources to Chevy, Caddy or Pontiac.

[momolos]

Man if my math is correct 17% is like 170 - 190 thousand trucks!

[MaxLegroom]

Originally Posted by 67Jag

That may be true where YOU are, but not where I live!!! I see more trucks driven by 17 and 18yr olds with ALL the bling they can put on them. These are top of the line vehicles with at leats 20 grand of add ons, parents must have good jobs???? There are I counted at the sonic drive in the other day 6 H2s all decked out with all kinds of stuff aftermarket, with kids driving them, lol. I have an 06 sierra LTZ with 17" polished Python mags with 305/70/17. I don't need a truck all the time, but when I do.....I do. I am also going to get a sierra ltz when the 4.5 liter diesel comes out, be trading this one in when that happens. and yes I drive mine every day. gas prices suck but I will NOT be detered by them, it's the price you pay.

Lots of people around here have trucks as image vehicles, too, especially if they're young and in the military.

It's not my bag. I'm still waiting for the new Camaro.

As trucks go, I like the new Silverado very much though.

[ByTheLake]

Originally Posted by bugalooshrimp

First Olds.

Next dead brand is going to be GMC or Pontiac. Judging from sales it will be GMC first.

You did read the article, right? The reference to Pontiac is that the truck plant is located in Pontiac, Michigan.

[elgreen]

I agree completely...these trucks aren't the "gotta have" products they should have been, and the lots are loaded with them here in the Southeast. Great engineering cloaked in dumpy styling with two interior choices - cheap or expensive. Some of the interior appointments and choices are obviously not durable in the real world. Very unappealing, will keep my 800 longer than usual.

[GMGIRL]

Hollywood........where Do You Get Off Bashing The Silverado???????

[Coloradokid]

On local dealer lots, I see more than a handful of crew cab 1500 trucks coming from Mexico (Salilo???). Why are they shipping trucks from Mexico when they spent $170 million to redo Pontaic to handle a variety of trucks??? One idea I had: GM may want to get those temps off the books before contract talks.

[ockgator]

Got a new silvy memorial day weekend, basic work truck ex cab standard bed(they have 3 choices now, short,standard,long) it's the most solid truck I've ever driven, you can hardly tell it's even running at times. No squeaks or rattles anywhere. I prefer the "cheap" interior on the new trucks... woodgrain has no place in a truck.

It has the 4.8 V8 and the "ancient" 4spd auto.... and it knocks off close to 20mpg, yes it's 2wd but my other 2 trucks have 4wd and I have my 2500HD if I need to pull heavy.

The old 82 with the inline 6 is still going strong. 252,000 miles worth

The 1500's are damn better looking than the HD's (that front HD bumper is hideous).

[gm world]

Originally Posted by Coloradokid

On local dealer lots, I see more than a handful of crew cab 1500 trucks coming from Mexico (Salilo???). Why are they shipping trucks from Mexico when they spent $170 million to redo Pontaic to handle a variety of trucks??? One idea I had: GM may want to get those temps off the books before contract talks.

Exactly, GM now has five assembly plants building pickups, they thought the 1500 crew would sell more trucks, so instead of oshawa being the sole provider of the 1500 crew cab now it is also built in Mexico. Now we build about 60% extended cab in Oshawa.

[TOMHONE]

I wonder if GM/F/Toyota will "anti up" and emulate Chrysler's announcement yesterday detailing their new lifetime drive train warranty on ALL new Chrysler products including the Jeep line?

[TOMHONE]

With 107 days supply of GM trucks I think you're going to see much in the way of excuses and whatnot form GM head honchos. When the facts REMAIN. These units (SUV's/trucks) do NOT sell unless there are MAJOR incentives on them. Put your egos aside GM, before you lose you ass.

[TOMHONE]

Oh, have a nice day George.