Will The GM Minicars come to the U.S.?

[RamJet502]

They should get them here as soon as possible, but only if they are going to produce them as is. If they're going to mess with the styling, then they should just let the imports take this market niche because they won't steal any customers.

[rsbaker]

Originally Posted by BlueMontreal

I think GM should sell the Pontiac Beat to offer something to GMC-Buick-Pontiac dealers.

That seems reasonable too. I can't believe GM is even debating these cars. What ever happens it is clear that they will be in the emerging markets in Asia and China, eastern Europe and Latin America. If that is indeed the case they would be foolish not to sell them in US and Canada while Japanese maker continue to offer interesting micro cars here
.

[prototype66]

Originally Posted by code blue

I don't care how cute they are. You'll never catch me getting in one.
They are too short and there is not enough crunch zone for my comfort. They may do well in Europe, where the mighty SUV is a rarity, but not here the States. And let's face it - at less than 1 ton - they are no match for the 2 and 3 ton behemoths that terrorize our roads.

Have you checked out the Smart car test video yet?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJHpU...ch=smart%20car
The triplets are bigger and would probably HAVE to be slightly modified anyway.

[HoosierRon]

GM should make one change to the Beat and it will sell like hotcakes: put a Toyota logo on the hood.

[BlueMontreal]

Originally Posted by rsbaker

That seems reasonable too. I can't believe GM is even debating these cars. What ever happens it is clear that they will be in the emerging markets in Asia and China, eastern Europe and Latin America. If that is indeed the case they would be foolish not to sell them in US and Canada while Japanese maker continue to offer interesting micro cars here
.

Even if GM don't sell a lot of these micro-cars, it would have side benefits : get people at the dealers (even if it just for curiosity), improve the «green» image of GM and show customers that GM is not just a good truck-maker, it's a builder a wide variety of vehicle.

And if we have another oil crisis, GM will be ready to answer customers needs. The last time gas price started to rise (2002) GM had nothing in the econobox department. GM rushed the Deawoo Lanos here as the Aveo.

[t-rex]

While I kinda liked the Trax's funky micro-SUV look, I think it would the least commercially successful of the trio.

I sort of like the idea of a Scion-like brand, but that's not likely to happen. So I'd say build the Beat for Pontiac, and the Groove for Chevrolet. The Beat's a bit too extreme for us over-35'ers, but I'd buy a Groove in a heartbeat. It's got a sophisticated look to it, but still manages to look "Chevyish".

I think the appeal of these small cars could go well beyond just the urban dweller. Retirees are moving to small cars for their manoeuverability, and the first wave of baby-boomers are now settling into Shady Pines. College graduates saddled with loan debt would be drawn to something both stylish and inexpensive to buy and operate. With cheap gas likely gone forever, and millions of Americans driving 30-40 miles each way on their commutes, we just might see economical microcars sitting in driveways as the family's second car. And if the media manages to push "green" as something hip, cool, and stylish, as it seems to be trying to do now, there's the possibility that very small cars might be the next "in" thing.

t-rex to GM: make mine a charcoal grey Groove powered by a 3-pot TDI and automatic, please.

[Ming]

Originally Posted by BlueMontreal

Even if GM don't sell a lot of these micro-cars, it would have side benefits : get people at the dealers (even if it just for curiosity), improve the «green» image of GM and show customers that GM is not just a good truck-maker, it's a builder a wide variety of vehicle.

I wondered if that was the intent of the GM Minicars in the first place, since Bob stated that there were no plans for the cars to come here, yet they asked us to vote on them.

In other words, the minicar concepts could be seen, by the skeptical observer, as a cynical ploy to win over the hearts and minds of Americans with some of the image you mention without actually offering a single real production car like them.

Then, when people ask, "Hey what happened to those cars we gave an overwhelming response to?" - Bob comes back on the FastLane Blog and tells us that they were just to show us what GM is doing overseas, again sidestepping the fact that we were asked to vote on our favorite of the 3. And like the Park Avenue, if the stars align correctly and they can spare a few minutes from developing their next SUV-Crossover thingie or Hydrogen-Electric concept, maybe they'll consider building them here------and kill that idea when it doesn't make financial sense.

"So....why is it you can't just import them from GMDAT (and the PA from China), Mr. Lutz? We know they're going to build something like the Beat over there anyway. Why not get it up to U.S. standards like the Aveo and just import them and be done with it?"

(Chirping of crickets)

[CaptainDan]

Originally Posted by racy

There's no indication that GM is turning the corner with regards to marketing and advertising. None whatsoever.

We read, hear and see tidbits of information which demonstrate a change of direction with regards to improved design, quality and economy. But the guy, or group of guys within GM who ultimately approve of the marketing campaigns are apparently still clueless and carry enough power to kill a good thing. GM's entire marketing heirarchy needs to be canned. It is not the ad agencies who are the problem. It is the people who are instructing the agencies on what to produce.

p.s. The product marketing group within GM must be all male. I cannot believe any female approving the crap marketing campaigns over the past 15 years.

The entire marketing "industry" is a joke. I know quite a few advertisements or commercials which my friends and I consider to be brilliant, or funny, or just memorable. They win awards for their "edgy" take on things. Whatever.

Then I ask my friends, "Okay, what was the product that commercial was advertising?"

"Um, I don't know."

They made the commercial itself memorable, but what about the product?

Now, if you actually mention some facts that a buyer might care about:
"Our truck gets better gas mileage than theirs."
"Our car has more room than theirs."
"Our van is cheaper than theirs."
"Our car has more power than theirs."
Well, OK, those have some use.

But how many people said:
"I want to buy the new Silverado because it's 'like a rock'!"
"I can't wait to buy a Mazda becaue it goes 'zoom zoom'!"
"No wait, I gotta buy Ford because this is 'Ford country'!"

[Smoothcat]

I agree with the suggestions that all of 3 of the minicars should be made. I would also sell them all 3 at Chevy dealerships. Haven't we heard confirmation in the past that the Opel Corsa will be coming over as a Saturn sometime in the next few years? I know that it would technically be a class above the minicars, but I think it would be sufficient for Saturn. And how could any of these cars fit in with the BPG channel? Most of you want Pontiac to go all-RWD, and I certainly couldn't see one of these being badged as a Buick. Maybe the Trax could be badged as a GMC - the world's first "professional grade" minicar! Seriously, BPG just doesn't need one of these when 99.9% of towns with a BPG dealership also have a Chevy dealership anyway. If people want one of these, they will buy it no matter which lot it is sitting on.

I think that if GM can find a way to squeeze a REAL WORLD average of 40 MPG out of these things, they will sell. I do almost nothing but city driving right now going between work and school, and it drags my Ion's MPG down to about 22. If one of these cars could get me 40, I could see myself doing it. You have to give it a shot, GM.

[camaro_freak]

Originally Posted by Ming

(Chirping of crickets)

That is a sound we don't want to be hearing out of GM....

unfortunately all the blowhards (sorry Lutz, this means you) are continuing to puff up the Camaro and VOLT which are at least 2-3 years away

[minnfang]

Originally Posted by camaro_freak

That is a sound we don't want to be hearing out of GM....

unfortunately all the blowhards (sorry Lutz, this means you) are continuing to puff up the Camaro and VOLT which are at least 2-3 years away

Actually, the Camaro is about 17 months out.

[Ming]

Originally Posted by minnfang

Actually, the Camaro is about 17 months out.

NOW it is.... I hope you remember when it first debuted as a concept car.

[mbukukanyau]

Originally Posted by CADILLACSIXTEEN

SOURCE:
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl...024/LATESTNEWS

Call it
Aveo

[GMusa]

GM should bring a Minicar to the U.S.

[telo]

Canada is a much more plausible market... Canada typically buys more smaller cars then the U.S. so this would be a good place to at least test these vehicles out in.