Rebadged Saturn Vue To Be 2009 GMC Terrain, Says Autoblog... And They Were Wrong!

[poncho1982]

I can say this, it looks better as a GMC than as a Saturn.

Maybe it's because it's black, but the grill fits nicely.

[stevecmh]

Originally Posted by uboys

This is a rebadge and all the replies to this post should do nothing else but lament that fact.

There is no good news here.

yeah.. i think it looks nice.. but GMC needs one vehicle that is just their own... I would much more rather have a GMC than a Saturn though

[dindak]

I think the new VUE is ugly, I hope this isn't true.

:-(

[Hunid Racks]

I wouldn't put too much into the accuracy of these pictures.

Just as GM sells Holdens as all sorts of badges in the Middle East, using the GMC badge there to sell a utility vehicle sort of makes sense.

But the real deal is, whatever GMC will sell here in the states will be nothing like what the pictures posted. Take that to the bank.

[pwoods]

If it looks like that, I like it. Perhaps they can spread some of the future vue plug-in love around to while they're at it.

Re-badging is not a good thing, but I think when you have as many name plates as GM does, it can't really be helped. I think a small SUV would fit into the GMC lineup, and the Pontiac/GMC dealers are going to scream if they don't have one to sell.

[Phoenix]

Considering the small Saturn dealer network, this might not be that bad afterall. Besides, maybe rebadging isn't as bad when the cars are near class leading.

[Beau]

"It also frees up room in Pontiac for the G8 ST."

LOL. Honest to God, why would you ever need room for a vehicle they will sell 115 of?

I honestly, quite literally cannot see them selling more than 2500 of the SUT or whatever you wanna call that ugly updated El Camino.

And I mean 2500, EVER, I don't mean in the first year, I mean period.

It will be yet another Aztek Ass Wart on the FACE! of Pontiac for everyone to make fun of.

Wait wait, maybe they can get 3000 if Crocodile Dunn Dee drove one around.

[01sunfire01]

when is pontiac loseing the torrent? i really want the gxp one

[FierySolstice]

Originally Posted by Phoenix

Make an alpha-based Torrent and all is well. Caddy should have one too.

They are getting one, the BRX. Saab is supposed to be getting one as well. And I even think Buick is getting one and calling it the Rendezvous. I think Pontiac should just keep the Torrent and make it more Murano/FX35/BMW X6 like. Just a fun, sporty crossover. I think that would be hot. Much better idea then a G8 ST. Thats the dumbest idea I've ever heard of. Its so a not needed car here in the states, bring the sport wagon instead as an AWD version instead.

http://allcarsallthetime.blogspot.co...to-be-gmc.html

Plus I hope they re-engineer the Terrain if they plan to sell it here. GMC slogan is "Professional Grade". Rebadging a Saturn will throw that slogan out the window. They need to take the Vue and make it better and redo the exterior to make it different than the Vue. Just do redo the grill won't be enough to sell both vehicles in the same market.

[montrealvue]

Originally Posted by dindak

I think the new VUE is ugly, I hope this isn't true.

:-(

Ditto.....they are knocking off $2000 off the sticker of the Vue because they CAN'T SELL THEM! Now they want to regurgitate it all over GMC? Why bother?

[mgescuro]

Originally Posted by uboys

This is a rebadge and all the replies to this post should do nothing else but lament that fact.

There is no good news here.

Abso-****ing-lutely right!!
NO GOOD NEWS HERE!!!

And as I've said all along, "GM HAS NOT LEARNED ITS LESSON."
And they never will.

[PontiacBixler]

This is good for GMC. The Envoy doesn't belong anymore and with the Acadia, the Vue rebadge makes the most sense. I would get a GMC version over a Saturn version in a heartbeat. But that's just me. I have an immense loyalty to my local PBG dealer and this just helps me stay with them instead of going down the road to a Saturn dealership.

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by FierySolstice

They are getting one, the BRX. Saab is supposed to be getting one as well. And I even think Buick is getting one and calling it the Rendezvous. I think Pontiac should just keep the Torrent and make it more Murano/FX35/BMW X6 like. Just a fun, sporty crossover. I think that would be hot. Much better idea then a G8 ST. Thats the dumbest idea I've ever heard of. Its so a not needed car here in the states, bring the sport wagon instead as an AWD version instead.

Plus I hope they re-engineer the Terrain if they plan to sell it here. GMC slogan is "Professional Grade". Rebadging a Saturn will throw that slogan out the window. They need to take the Vue and make it better and redo the exterior to make it different than the Vue. Just do redo the grill won't be enough to sell both vehicles in the same market.

Alpha-based meaning REAR WHEEL DRIVE. Study your GMi platform guide.

[DuSpinnst]

Originally Posted by mgescuro

Abso-****ing-lutely right!!
NO GOOD NEWS HERE!!!

And as I've said all along, "GM HAS NOT LEARNED ITS LESSON."
And they never will.

At some point you have to do this.

You can't eliminate a division because it is too expensive.
You can't give unique platforms or even body styles to each brand because there are too many.

So at some point you have to make some trade offs.

For someone who is well versed in business, you like to look at a small part of the picture without realizing how that effects the greater whole.

If you could eliminate brands many of the issues you complain about would resolve themselves, but without eliminating brands how do you keep from having re-badges? It isn't possible, the foundation for that isn't there.

In a perfect world, one could eliminate GMC and Pontiac, merge Buick and Saturn into an Opel/Holden conglomerate. But that isn't going to happen. So you've got to come up with other ideas.

Armchair quarterbacking is easy, actually sitting down and solving complex problems involves a lot more effort.

[mgescuro]

Originally Posted by DuSpinnst

At some point you have to do this.

You can't eliminate a division because it is too expensive.
You can't give unique platforms or even body styles to each brand because there are too many.

So at some point you have to make some trade offs.

For someone who is well versed in business, you like to look at a small part of the picture without realizing how that effects the greater whole.

If you could eliminate brands many of the issues you complain about would resolve themselves, but without eliminating brands how do you keep from having re-badges? It isn't possible, the foundation for that isn't there.

In a perfect world, one could eliminate GMC and Pontiac, merge Buick and Saturn into an Opel/Holden conglomerate. But that isn't going to happen. So you've got to come up with other ideas.

Armchair quarterbacking is easy, actually sitting down and solving complex problems involves a lot more effort.

What you need to understand is that this is now the 4th or 5th version of this SUV globally for GM. Do we really need a 6th version in the same market?

So don't throw my knowledge of business in my face. If GM is truly a globalized company, they wouldn't need a 5th/6th version of this, becuase it is already -- or should be -- operating at economies of scale.
Frankly, the fact GM made cookie cutter cars in the past... made a statement abought no longer doing it... and then proceeding to go ahead and overlap with Epsilon, Lambda, and now with the VUE...is a bad business maneuver.
Financialy, it makes sense to the beancounter. As a purveyor of cars, GM simply can't make a unique vehicle if their life depended on it.

The effect of this 2nd suv is simple. You're adding a rebadge of yet another SUV to a market.
It isn't differentiated. it isn't "professional grade." It isn't appropriate for the GMC brand.

What GM is doing is making all their brands the automotive version of IKEA.
Cheap crap but very nice looking... and everything looks like their derived from the same thing.

This is why GM will fail with Cadillac and Saab.
This is why GM is going back on their word about "limiting overlap."
This is why it's about time for an upper management overhaul -- one that can take GM the next steps forward.

GMC Terrain is a bad idea. As is Chevy Traverse. As is Cadillac BRX.