Hope there will be a G8 with Chevy badges!!!

W

 

Here's how I would structure things:

Chevy = Standard + Performance cars (no trucks)
Cadillac = Luxury
GMC = Trucks & SUV's

 

Pontiac has an Identity crisis..I say dump it..They don't put much effort in designing anything. They pretty much just bring over the Aussiemobiles

 

I think that the Pontiac line of cars are much better looking than what Chevrolet has to offer, and the G8 is one of the few new cars that i would be interested in buying.

 

the way i see it...they definlty need to shed Buick, saturn, and saab. they should kill off the civilian market for the hummers and only make the ones specific for military contracts; do that only if you can still turn a profit, if not sell it.

chevy and cadillac in my opinon need o stay. gmc should just make the work trucks, work van etc. pontiac is a tough call. its not the best, but its not the worse. but i really dont see any potential for the brand right now

 

Couldn't agree more

 

thats an easy one

 

Call the Chevy V8 a Chevelle.

W

 

Very nice.
I love the G8 line and I do hope they bring it over to Chevrolet in the event that Pontiac is removed from the roster.
It could be a perfect marriage...the base G8 (V6 or V8) could be the Impala, the G8 GXP could become the Impala SS and the Ute/pickup model could be the El Camino.





That could work as well.

 

I don't see Pontiac as a performance division any longer.

GM's top performing cars are the Corvette, Camaro, and some Cadillac models. The V8 G8 model comes in behind all those.

When people think "GM performance", they think Corvette.

 

I like this line-up.

I've been a supporter of dropping GMC, but it might be a good idea to keep it on as the truck brand. However, I'd guess that Chevy (and the Silverado nameplate) has more customer loyalty than GMC. GM would need to investigate this option more in-depth.

As for cars though, all GM needs is Chevy and Cadillac for domestic sales.

 

The whole problem with Saturn is that it was originally intended as an import fighter....well the imports have moved up-market into Chevrolet/Pontiac territory, and Saturn has no business up there....but GM tried to squeeze a third brand in nonetheless!

Here's how I would do it....

Pontiac-Scion looks, Kia prices.

Chevrolet-move slightly downmarket, price-wise

Buick- re-form as a vogue brand, heavy on the style, but still luxurious enough for the market-area it is in.

Cadillac-Move upmarket towards MB and Maybach territory.

Kill Hummer, Saab, Saturn and GMC. Just turn the GMC dealers into "Chevy Trucks" dealers. Problem solved.

And yes, I also agree those aussie cars need to be Chevrolets....

 

Hummer=GONE
Buick=GONE(Or overseas only)

Believe me when I say the Chevy Silverado isn't going anywhere.

GMC needs to get the ax.

 

i agree. i've always liked the GMC trucks better than the Chevy's anyway. they can't drop Caddy, and obviously Chevy cars are the foundation which GM stands on...everything else is dead weight that appeals to a very specific group of people and is costing them money.

 

guess ile be buying a ford next

 

Speaking of which, Ford needs to either "restart" Mercury or kill it off already. I think it would do well if Mercury received all those sweet cars from Europe we don't get. Just think, the Focus RS, Mondeo, SportKA, Fiesta, and to top it off, bring us a new Cougar/Capri based on the Mustang, and make one of those RWD large sedans from their Aussie division as the flagship. This would be easy.

I also want to see Lincoln pushed back upmarket towards BMW/MB range.

 

I don't see Ford doing those things anytime soon.

W

 

Most people don't anymore, hence the quotations denoting irony in the phrase

 

GMC is toast. It's a completely redundant brand. Chevrolet already sells a higher volume of trucks and other manufacturers already use their main brands, Ford and Toyota, to sell all sorts of trucks. The political and economic climate is also not friendly for a an all-truck, all-gas guzzler brand. Especially when your company is begging for billions of dollars from the government.

 

Here's the bottom line.

GM needs to be structured to make money. It hasn't been for a very long time. That doesn't mean "fit" or "redefine" or "keep" all it's brands. GM is a business and they must stay in business. We already know the branding ladder is hugely outdated and no longer a viable business model. It's been obvious for years.

What that means is you identify your core business and strongest brands, which is Chevrolet and Cadillac, and you eliminate everything else. There is nothing any other GM brand does that the two main brands don't already do or couldn't do better. You eliminate the other brands because they directly overlap with, cannabalize and divert valuable resources (money and manpower) from your core business. The core business must be the best it can be and adequately supported for the company to make money.

It hasn't been. This has been a big GM problem for at least the past decade and longer actually. I've warned for years online that it's got to change or the market will eventually make GM change it.

Sadly, it looks like GM has to be made to do it or face extinction.