[TaHoE]

GMC gets Pontiac's sport wagon; brand rewarded for soaring sales
June, 21st, 2004
AutoWeek Magazine (Full Text Here)
By DAVE GUILFORD | Automotive News

DETROIT -- GMC will get its first sport wagon under a change in General Motors' product plan.

GM replaced a planned 2008 Pontiac sport wagon with one for GMC, industry sources say.

The move rewards GMC for surging sales. GMC had a record 563,479 U.S. sales last year, second only to Chevrolet among GM brands.

It also shows GM's determination to build a broad portfolio in the growing sport wagon segment.

GMC, GM's "real trucks" brand, has built its success largely with rugged body-on-frame trucks with optional four-wheel drive. Sport wagons typically use unibody construction and are less capable off-road.

GMC has informed key dealers and suppliers of the change. A Pontiac-GMC spokesman would not comment.

Sources say GMC will take Pontiac's slot in the Lambda architecture, designed for front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive minivans and sport wagons. The first Lambda vehicles will be assembled in a factory that GM is building near Lansing, Mich.

Meanwhile, Pontiac still will get a mid-sized sport wagon, the Torrent, for the 2006 model year.

Jim Sanfilippo, executive vice president of AMCI Marketing in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., says distinctions between unibody sport wagons and truck-based, body-on-frame SUVs are diminishing.

"Those two entities are converging because of capabilities," he says. "The crossovers in the fourth or fifth generation are certainly more capable than the first or second generation. They can tow more, they're stiffer, they're more able to go off-road."...


www.GMInsideNews.com

 

[New_Mexico_Sunset_on_Rt66]

cool... uh, huh, huh, huh.... (a GMC station wagon)...cool...huh, uh, huh...

:mf_boff:

 

[New_Mexico_Sunset_on_Rt66]

... if it has the same interior appointments as the latest gen of the Envoy, it'll be a success. Hopefully it'll snag some of the soccer moms presently driving Subaru's.

Women lately have been buying "bigger" rigs because of the safety "feel" factor. Which screams ruggedness, robustness and safety more? GMC or Subaru?

 

[locke]

not a station wagon.. suv baby

 

[nsap]

Already been posted.

 

[jro4566]

I don't think many soccer moms drive Subaru station wagons, at least from what I've seen around my area, but I do think many soccer moms drive Volvo station wagons - the V70/XC70 in particular. Those two models are the ones to beat in this segment...

 

[laserwizard]

Lambda architecture? ***** Eye for GMC......

 

[AMcA]

Originally posted by laserwizard@Jun 22 2004, 12:23 AM
Lambda architecture?   ***** Eye for GMC......

Sharp eye there, Wiz.

 

[tgagneguam]

Originally posted by laserwizard@Jun 22 2004, 12:23 AM
Lambda architecture? ***** Eye for GMC......

So you think this is a good thing?!

 

[MTRANS]

... if it has the same interior appointments as the latest gen of the Envoy, it'll be a success. Hopefully it'll snag some of the soccer moms presently driving Subaru's.

Women lately have been buying "bigger" rigs because of the safety "feel" factor. Which screams ruggedness, robustness and safety more? GMC or Subaru?

Doesn't GM own most of Subaru? Shouldn't we be targeting other brands?

 

[SUPERBADD75]

Doesn't GM own most of Subaru? Shouldn't we be targeting other brands?

20% of Subaru, thankfully, or they'd screw that up too.


what will be the distinction between GM brands if they give all of them the same stuff? that appears to be their direction here, and it's incredibly stupid. why not just dump GMC if it's just going to become Chevy or Pontiac? sportwagons first, then maybe a minivan, and a couple sedans.... stupid.

 

[TaHoE]

My bad, why is it in Pontiac news though...lol

 

[nsap]

Originally posted by TaHoE@Jun 22 2004, 06:44 AM
My bad, why is it in Pontiac news though...lol

Because they are taking the Lambda Pontiac away, to give GMC one!

 

[New_Mexico_Sunset_on_Rt66]

I think at some point GM will exercise their right and purchase the rest of Subaru, which is part of Fuji Heavy Industries, which is what GM owns 20% of at this point. Subaru is just a part of Fuji Heavy Industries.

I heard GM is making a play for Subaru, in part because of their All Wheel Drive technology.

GM is really making in-roads and starting to do things "right" with selection of interior and exterior materials. It will take about 10 years for most consumers to remove the bad taste of the GM from the 80's, you know, big clunky cars with small engines. Strong, kick-a$$ products will change consumers perceptions. In one poll on CNNMoney.com, most people ranked GM ahead of Ford as far as making strong vehicles. Winning little battles matter also.

I saw a show in Speed Channel, I think, about the history of the Chevrolet SS, from Malibu, Chevelle, to Camaro. The guy representing GM had the "new" SS in the background, God I hope they make that.

<_<

 

[tgagneguam]

Originally posted by New_Mexico_Sunset_on_Rt66@Jun 22 2004, 02:14 PM
I think at some point GM will exercise their right and purchase the rest of Subaru, which is part of Fuji Heavy Industries, which is what GM owns 20% of at this point. Subaru is just a part of Fuji Heavy Industries.

It was my understanding that GM's own Rick Wagoner frowns upon fully aquiring additional auto companies. He favors partnerships to acquisitions, as the latter do not offer anything substantive beyond the former. With its alliances, GM still gains access to the specialty talents of its alliance members, and Suzkui and FHI gain access to GM's strengths. That makes sense to me, and it's win-win for all companies.

Besides, there are better ways for GM to spend the nearly $15.0 billion it would take to buy Suzuki and Fuji Heavy Industries, no?

 

[jwvrod]

This is great news. GMC needs something to spice up the brand. The XUV didn't do it.

nsap is right this is old news. :blink:

 

[ViKing]

The concept Buick Centieme is built on Lambda architecture.

If the GMC vehicle looks anything like the Centieme they threw it to the entirely wrong brand. It should have stayed in Pontiac.
But I realize that vehicles that share the same platform can look very different.
The GMC should be "professional grade" with cut lines and sharp edges. It should continue the ruggedness of GMC vehicles that have made it successful. After all, it is having record sales. GM should not introduce a vehicle that takes this brand to a new direction.

A small, 4WD offroad SUV/Wagon with rugged lines and power would be a good fit in the GMC lineup though.

 

[AMcA]

When they say this is a reward for skyrocketing sales at GMC, I wonder whether this decision is going to stick if high gas prices continue. Note this week's sales figures? Plummeting large truck SUV sales clobbered the domestics. If this continues, expect to start seeing "Lambda" and "Pontiac" in the same sentence.

And while I'm on my horse here: what's the point of GMC anyway? It's been a commonplace in recent years to say GM has too many brands. And that may well be true. If you ask me, the brand they could most easily do with out is GMC. It has the least meaning of any of them. It's only recently that GMCs even got their own names.

Dump GMC, not Buick.

 

[spudglo08]

If its gonna be a gmc it will be awd and be avalible in a z71 type pacage and have u seen the subru srx if its like that which chances are it will be soccer moms wont buy it but fun loving offroadin soccer dads that also need a family car thats good on gas will want it as bad as a 14 year old boy wantin porno! lol :lol:



all non gm cars lasma: :microwave: