[Tstag]

If you had asked me this question 12 months ago I'd have laughed at you. But now I wonder if the General may be tempted to sell. Assuming for a moment that GM could figure out a way to split of Vauxhall/ Opel and assuming it could raise maybe $15 billion dollars in the process then I do wonder if GM may be tempted. With $15 billion dollars GM could buy Chrysler, dump GMAC (possibly) and rationalise GM/ Chrysler at home. It could then build up Chevrolet in Europe over time to gradually replace Opel. Loosing SAAB as part of the deal, would be no major loss really.

With Opel/ Vauxhall sold, then Saturn becomes pointless and could be carefully dropped, making it possible to focus more on Pontiac.

Whilst I think selling Vauxhall and Opel would be sad, and not great I do think a sale would be GM's best shot at raising significant amounts of cash. It may be a horrid idea, but it may come of age.

 

[mgescuro]

Opel/Vauxhall is far larger than deadbeat brands like Pontiac.
That would be axing out a large chunk of sales in a significant market.

I doubt GM is that dumb, but they could be.

 

[sigma]

No... No... No... Please god no.

 

[ksr]

Opel & Vauxhall, not a chance.

Saab, possibly. If they were made a good offer, Saab would be gone.

 

[fp115]

If that were to be an option, GM has basically lost its presence in the rest of the markets which they want to play more in.

 

[throwback]

Opel/Vauxhall is as important to GM as Chevrolet. Check out the Opel website and you will see how many countries they sell in. As for buying Chrysler, the only reason GM is even considering this is because they want the 11 billion or so Chrysler has. The thought of Rick and company mismanaging another 3 brands is too painful to contemplate.

 

[96_impala_ss]

Opel is too important to GM. GM rebadges Opels as Chevrolets in Mexico, Central and South America. Holden also lives off Opel rebadges. Vauxhall is nothing more than rebadged Opels. I dont think it can be sold. Its the Mercury (and maybe Pontiac) of Europe.

Saab is a 50 50 chance.
Personally they should sell Daewoo.

 

[fp115]

Opel is too important to GM. GM rebadges Opels as Chevrolets in Mexico, Central and South America. Holden also lives off Opel rebadges. Vauxhall is nothing more than rebadged Opels. I dont think it can be sold. Its the Mercury (and maybe Pontiac) of Europe.

Saab is a 50 50 chance.
Personally they should sell Daewoo.

If GM sells Daewoo they lose all their major sales in LAAM and pretty much lose the small car market.

 

[chaseabryant]

While I couldn't see a sale of Opel/Vauxhall, I could see if offered the right price, GM ditching SAAB. To be honest, I have kind of wondered what BMW could do with SAAB. I for one wouldn't see poeple cross shopping the two, they are much less expensive, plus, the whole FWD/AWD Gas Efficient thing seems to be what BMW is after to help with cafe.... While SAAB has a bit more of a damaged image than Volvo, I do remember hearing rumblings of BMW being interested in Volvo...

Some brands that I could imagine GM dumping in the near future would be Pontiac, SAAB, Hummer, and I could see GMC, Saturn, and Buick having equal chances of being dumped, but not before the aformentioned three.

-Chase

 

[Stéphane Dumas]

on a off-related note, I spotted this article on another forum http://www.247wallst.com/2008/10/as-chrysler-wal.html

 

[96_impala_ss]

If GM sells Daewoo they lose all their major sales in LAAM and pretty much lose the small car market.

At the same time doesnt Daewoo make inefficient small cars?

Im not sure if its true with new models Daewoo makes but lets remember that the Aveo gets worse mileage than a Cobalt

 

[fp115]

At the same time doesnt Daewoo make inefficient small cars?

Im not sure if its true with new models Daewoo makes but lets remember that the Aveo gets worse mileage than a Cobalt

27/34 isn't exactly worse mileage than Cobalt's 25/37. When it comes to a combined mpg the Aveo is better. But without Daewoo GM pretty much losses its entire small car industry, Beat, Aveo, the bulk of LAAM sales,... a small car doesn't only mean power train.

 

[vcs2600]

GM Europe is really the profit center of the company, while North America is this messed-up perennial money loser.

If they did spin off Opel, it would be because they taking North America into bankruptcy. It would be the end of General Motors in all but name. If anyone thinks that move would improve the product here in the US, they're kidding themselves.

 

[fp115]

GM Europe is really the profit center of the company, while North America is this messed-up perennial money loser.

If they did spin off Opel, it would be because they taking North America into bankruptcy. It would be the end of General Motors in all but name. If anyone thinks that move would improve the product here in the US, they're kidding themselves.

Untrue. GME is begining to show troublesome signs in the books. This is the reason that GME needs good products and fast, so they don't repeat what happened in GMNA.

 

[mbukukanyau]

Opel and Saab are Global brands, GM will not sell those. Saab just needs two smaller cars below the 9-3

 

[paul8488]

Suzuki should buy Saab to have a premium offering around the world. Suzuki could then focus on smaller cars and people-movers, and Saab could focus on more upper-level stuff, with a little bit of well-differentiated twins in the middle of the market (a 9-2x on the SX4 platform with standard AWD, a 9-4x on the Vitara platform, and a 9-3 sharing a platform with the upcoming Suzuki Verona 'replacement').

 

[fp115]

Opel and Saab are Global brands, GM will not sell those. Saab just needs two smaller cars below the 9-3

Hummer is also a Global brand, I don't really see what you are getting to.

 

[Bravada]

GM only MULLS selling Hummer, because they would like to disassociate themselves with the image. If they wanted to sell, they would have by now - this brand has life and is profitable. The Chinese or Indians, or perhaps even some of the "old world" (inc. Japan) manufacturers would gladly take it.

As concerns Saab, nobody would want it in its present shape. It plays the seventh fiddle in the premium-brand market, and its only value is the value for GM - that they already have it (even if they'd rather have Alfa, Volvo or Audi for that matter). They could perhaps sell it to somebody for pennies, but there's more to earn by just fixing things. And actually according to latest reports, Saab is at least breaking even, and there are cost synergies for it and other GM units, so there's no push.

 

[Kennyboy]

What a dumb idea to begin with. Pontiac and Buick will be the first to go before any overseas operations get cut.

 

[Tstag]

I actually agree with the people who think it's a dumb idea. BUT I don't think that will stop GM from doing it to try and save "GM USA".

As for SAAB, then I think if GM sold it JLR might be a possible buyer. They could strip SAAB production out of Germany, move it to their UK plants and just take on the Swedish factory. This pushes JLR to full capacity and gives them a brand to slot under JLR.