Well, I knew it was coming...

[Reaper]

No plans to phase out any brands, GM's vp of sales and marketing says
Posted Date: 3/24/05

DETROIT -- General Motors reasserted on Thursday it has no intention of eliminating any of its brands in the future.

Mark LaNeve, vice president of sales and marketing for GM, told Automotive News the automaker is investing heavily in all eight brands. Phasing out a particular division is not under consideration.

"We have no plans, or even discussions, of killing any brands," LaNeve said, "We're investing more heavily than ever in product and marketing programs."

On Wednesday, GM Vice Chairman Robert Lutz told a Morgan Stanley Automotive conference in New York if one of GM's "troubled brands" fails to turn around, "then we'd have to take a look at a phase-out," Lutz said.

Published reports linked Pontiac and Buick to Lutz's comments.

LaNeve reemphasized in a message to dealers Thursday that both brands are safe.

LaNeve also said GM is managing Buick, Pontiac and GMC as one channel and providing those divisions with a product portfolio "to service that channel and to focus" the lineup.

That represents a key difference from Oldsmobile, which GM killed last year, he said.

"These portfolios we're going to deliver we don't have to deliver an A to Z portfolio for those three brands," he said. "We can tighten and focus them. I'd rather have four or five great Pontiacs or Buicks than eight undistinguishable products. That business model makes a lot of sense."

Source, Autoweek
http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=102052

 

[Lhorn]

Cavalier (Ooops! my bad they call it the Cobalt now).

Agree with some of what you said, but if you think the Cobalt is a renamed Cavalier, then you don't know too much about it. Or better yet, read the glowing review of it in this months Car and Driver. It's a small point, but statements like this just show our own prejudices against GM. It's not any more a Cavalier than the Ford Focus is an Escort. And the Colorado is not an S10. the LaCrosse is not a Regal or Century. The CTS is not a Catera, etc Not saying they are all stellar cars, but even the most anti-GM auto rags will tell you these cars are lightyears ahead of the cars they replaced.

 

[gn1220]

Originally posted by Reaper
No plans to phase out any brands, GM's vp of sales and marketing says
Posted Date: 3/24/05

DETROIT -- General Motors reasserted on Thursday it has no intention of eliminating any of its brands in the future.

Mark LaNeve, vice president of sales and marketing for GM, told Automotive News the automaker is investing heavily in all eight brands. Phasing out a particular division is not under consideration.

"We have no plans, or even discussions, of killing any brands," LaNeve said, "We're investing more heavily than ever in product and marketing programs."

On Wednesday, GM Vice Chairman Robert Lutz told a Morgan Stanley Automotive conference in New York if one of GM's "troubled brands" fails to turn around, "then we'd have to take a look at a phase-out," Lutz said.

Published reports linked Pontiac and Buick to Lutz's comments.

LaNeve reemphasized in a message to dealers Thursday that both brands are safe.

LaNeve also said GM is managing Buick, Pontiac and GMC as one channel and providing those divisions with a product portfolio "to service that channel and to focus" the lineup.

That represents a key difference from Oldsmobile, which GM killed last year, he said.

"These portfolios we're going to deliver we don't have to deliver an A to Z portfolio for those three brands," he said. "We can tighten and focus them. I'd rather have four or five great Pontiacs or Buicks than eight undistinguishable products. That business model makes a lot of sense."

Source, Autoweek
http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=102052

I seem to remember reading several news stories from GM saying they "would never get rid of the Camaro" They lied. So long Buick.

I hope GM goes out in a great big ball of fire. Have they ever stopped to think that people buy trucks that have all the creature comforts of a Caddy and have no intentions of EVER going off road only because they want V8 and rear wheel drive? Lose the front drive crap and build some cars with character again.

 

[NJTurbo]

Originally posted by Reaper
No plans to phase out any brands, GM's vp of sales and marketing says
Posted Date: 3/24/05

DETROIT -- General Motors reasserted on Thursday it has no intention of eliminating any of its brands in the future.

Mark LaNeve, vice president of sales and marketing for GM, told Automotive News the automaker is investing heavily in all eight brands. Phasing out a particular division is not under consideration.

"We have no plans, or even discussions, of killing any brands," LaNeve said, "We're investing more heavily than ever in product and marketing programs."

On Wednesday, GM Vice Chairman Robert Lutz told a Morgan Stanley Automotive conference in New York if one of GM's "troubled brands" fails to turn around, "then we'd have to take a look at a phase-out," Lutz said.

Published reports linked Pontiac and Buick to Lutz's comments.

LaNeve reemphasized in a message to dealers Thursday that both brands are safe.

LaNeve also said GM is managing Buick, Pontiac and GMC as one channel and providing those divisions with a product portfolio "to service that channel and to focus" the lineup.

That represents a key difference from Oldsmobile, which GM killed last year, he said.

"These portfolios we're going to deliver we don't have to deliver an A to Z portfolio for those three brands," he said. "We can tighten and focus them. I'd rather have four or five great Pontiacs or Buicks than eight undistinguishable products. That business model makes a lot of sense."

Source, Autoweek
http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=102052

The only reason I knew this is, my boss owner(lol) had dinner with this guy lthe night before in NYC, he told my boss who owns 5 GM dealers that the press mis quoted him. Guess my boss was right...

 

[VinsGN]

Originally posted by Lhorn
Agree with some of what you said, but if you think the Cobalt is a renamed Cavalier, then you don't know too much about it. Or better yet, read the glowing review of it in this months Car and Driver. It's a small point, but statements like this just show our own prejudices against GM. It's not any more a Cavalier than the Ford Focus is an Escort. And the Colorado is not an S10. the LaCrosse is not a Regal or Century. The CTS is not a Catera, etc Not saying they are all stellar cars, but even the most anti-GM auto rags will tell you these cars are lightyears ahead of the cars they replaced.

Point well taken, but have you test driven a Cobalt? My comment was made on my personal experience. My wife and I bought a Cavalier new in 97 (we still have the nightmare), went to see and test drive the Cobalt, not much of a difference.

The Cobalt rides like a tin can and has the typical crap interior, just like the Cavalier. The basic Cobalt did have more power, but if there is this great difference then GM failed to show it to me. For sure the up-grade was not made in the quality.

 

[Lhorn]

No I haven't driven it. I'm not really in the market for that type of car (although I have driven the Colorado and thought it was immensely better than the S-10). My comment was made based on the impression I got looking at the car closely at the auto show and based on fairly widespread praise of the car by the auto media. Sorry to hear that your impression was not so good.