[desmo9]

Cowger's branding solution for Saturn is pathetically weak. More European? What's Pontiac, then? There is absolutely nothing Saturn can offer that shouldn't already be available in Chevy, Pontiac, and Buick showrooms.

He needs to realize that to wear the "30" pin, there must be fewer, more focused offerings. Optimize distribution channels so you can sell just a couple models under some brands at a profit. Let Saturn evolve its small-car formula and forget the minivans and large cars. Give Saab a couple quirky cars and leave it alone. Forget the 9-7. Take the cash used for that and do the 9-2 correctly ... It's the only near-luxury car GM offers under $30K. So don't rebadge a 10-year-old Subaru design and expect the younger aspirational crowd to buy it. And if Saab folks really want to move into a Chevy-based Ute, then give them compelling options elsewhere in the company's portfolio. Buick minivan? Forget about it.

A full-range of models for every brand, covering every segment, is crazy when you've got so many brands to leverage. GM's market share won't be bolstered by so many options, but their costs are much higher for it. Their business acumen is not much better than their ability to produce gotta-have products under $30K.

 

[desmo9]

Originally posted by mgescuro@May 17 2004, 08:50 PM


If Saturn becomes "more European," I woudl surmise that its car would have a more Euro feel to il, yet retain the no nonsense pricing and great customer service. It would be a great, inexpensive, high quality car.

That's fine, but take the Cobalt... it clearly has VW Jetta written all over it, in terms of execution and market placement. And the bowtie brand needs the same great customer service as Saturn. GM should not intentionally differentiate brands based on levels of customer service...not at the mainstream level. Cadillac may offer something more, but Saturn and Chevy oughta have the same levels of satisfaction. All that's left is pricing policy, and the no-haggle option by itself isn't enough to give Saturn an identity. The cars used to help...they were different than the old-school Cavaliers and Sunfires. But now that Cavalier has grown up to Cobalt, the little Saturn is all about plastic panels and funky gage placement...no more, no less. I recognize that Saturn has now developed some brand equity that'd be tough to shed, but at the same time the new minivans and others continue to shorten the distance between Spring Hill and Detroit.

It just seems to me that between Chevy and Pontiac, you have every possible incarnation of Ameri-Euro end covered at the center of the market.

Well, almost. If Saturn stays, my vote would be to retain what Saturn originally did well, and where GM still has a huge void. Get rid of all Saturn models but the small car, and make it great. Because Pontiac has no small coupe/sedan and Cobalt has become a pricier, more premium entry, fill the slot below it, where the SC/SL always resided. The Aveo is too small and shouts cheap. It's more like a Geo Metro, and won't fill the sub-Cobalt void very well. So sell a nice small Saturn again that's hip yet conventional enough to retain young and old alike. Redo and rename the Ion. Maybe...maybe do the small SUV like Vue to fit below the Equinox, as well. Figure out a way to structure the division and distribute a couple models profitably so that a full-range of models is not required for profitability. Assemble in Spring Hill, and nowhere else. Saturn was unique in terms of product and buying experience. People even drove to Spring Hill to have reunions! Capitalize on that unique flair !!!! Ditto Saab. Don't turn every division into a cookie cutter full-range spread of models differentiated only by pricing and a few styling touches...accepting the compromises because you believe "the brand cannot survive wothout a truck and SUV." ..Nonsense.