Acadia is Lansing Delta's best-seller

[Flybrian]

Acadia Takes The Lead
GMC crossover is expected to be new plant's top seller

By RICK KRANZ | Link to Original Article @ AutoWeek

LANSING, Mich. - General Motors expects the GMC Acadia to be the best seller among the three new crossovers it builds near here.

The 2007 Acadia and Saturn Outlook and the 2008 Buick Enclave share GM's new front-drive Lambda vehicle architecture and are built at GM's newest assembly plant in Delta Township, Mich.

Through May, 28,264 Acadias were sold, compared with 12,694 Outlooks and 1,905 Enclaves. Enclave production started in April.

The base Acadia has a $29,990 sticker price, and the Outlook starts at $27,990. Both prices include shipping.

"I think the GMC is No. 1 for a lot of reasons," said Pete Nico, vehicle line director for Lambda.

"People walking into a GMC dealer expect to pay that kind of money or a lot more for a vehicle," said Nico, who was interviewed at a GM event last week near here.

The Outlook, a large crossover, is Saturn's most expensive vehicle.

"People walking into a Saturn dealer are not necessarily walking in to buy this big of a vehicle," Nico said. "It will be a learning experience for that buyer."

Nico said he expects the Acadia to account for about 40 percent of production, with the rest divided between the Outlook and the Enclave. Nico estimates that 5,000 to 6,000 Acadias will be exported annually to the Middle East.

The Delta Township plant has capacity to produce 180,000 units annually on two shifts, said Randy Thayer, the plant manager. Acadia and Outlook production began in November.

Published reports had said that GM planned three shifts for the plant.

"We wanted it, but GM decided that too many things were going on, and they wanted to put it on hold for now," said Craig Johnson, UAW Local 602 vice president, who attended the event.

Thayer said GM invested $1.3 billion in the plant complex and $500 million on the Lambda product program.

[BuddyP]

Make a visually appealing vehicle in a nice overall package and people will buy it.... Who'd a thunk it??

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

Make a visually appealing vehicle in a nice overall package and people will buy it.... Who'd a thunk it??

I agree 100% (although I like the Outlook the best)

"We wanted it, but GM decided that too many things were going on, and they wanted to put it on hold for now," said Craig Johnson, UAW Local 602 vice president, who attended the event.

Am I reading into this correctly?!?! Is GM actually hampering the sales of one of it's hottest vehicles becuse of the UAW talks?

P.S. DAYYYUM, someone is good at the slalom!!!!

Edited June 16, 2007 by FUTURE_OF_GM

[dlight]

"I think the GMC is No. 1 for a lot of reasons," said Pete Nico, vehicle line director for Lambda.

"People walking into a GMC dealer expect to pay that kind of money or a lot more for a vehicle," said Nico, who was interviewed at a GM event last week near here.

The Outlook, a large crossover, is Saturn's most expensive vehicle.

"People walking into a Saturn dealer are not necessarily walking in to buy this big of a vehicle," Nico said. "It will be a learning experience for that buyer."

What a LOAD OF GARBAGE...

Do the Math. Saturn has 435 facilities, and has sold over 12,000 Outlooks... That's about 30 per facility.

GMC has over 3,000 facilities and has sold 24,000 Acadia's. That's generously about 8 per facility. It would take Saturn having 1500 facilities to have that kind of weak production. The Outlook is way hotter, and they're doing way less advertising. I've also got a feeling that if we had 1,500 facilities, there would have been a lot less Acadia Buyers.

[Oracle of Delphi]

"I think the GMC is No. 1 for a lot of reasons," said Pete Nico, vehicle line director for Lambda.

"People walking into a GMC dealer expect to pay that kind of money or a lot more for a vehicle," said Nico, who was interviewed at a GM event last week near here.

The Outlook, a large crossover, is Saturn's most expensive vehicle.

"People walking into a Saturn dealer are not necessarily walking in to buy this big of a vehicle," Nico said. "It will be a learning experience for that buyer."

What a LOAD OF GARBAGE...

Do the Math. Saturn has 435 facilities, and has sold over 12,000 Outlooks... That's about 30 per facility.

GMC has over 3,000 facilities and has sold 24,000 Acadia's. That's generously about 8 per facility. It would take Saturn having 1500 facilities to have that kind of weak production. The Outlook is way hotter, and they're doing way less advertising. I've also got a feeling that if we had 1,500 facilities, there would have been a lot less Acadia Buyers.

If GM were smart they would have given the Outlook to Chevy from the beginning!

[ZL-1]

Nico estimates that 5,000 to 6,000 Acadias will be exported annually to the Middle East

Them people shouldn't be allowed to like American products!

[Z-06]

Them people shouldn't be allowed to like American products!

As much as they bay for blood of Americans, Middle Easterners whore GMC and Chevies. Just go to UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and you will see many mullahs driving the GMT 800s. I have not been to the other Arab countries so cannot comment on that.

Edited June 17, 2007 by smallchevy

[Regalguy01]

Highlander, Pilot, Vercruz:

Glad to see these and the Edge/MKX doin well in the public's and critic's eyes.

Edited June 18, 2007 by Regalguy01

[jbartley]

"I think the GMC is No. 1 for a lot of reasons," said Pete Nico, vehicle line director for Lambda.

"People walking into a GMC dealer expect to pay that kind of money or a lot more for a vehicle," said Nico, who was interviewed at a GM event last week near here.

The Outlook, a large crossover, is Saturn's most expensive vehicle.

"People walking into a Saturn dealer are not necessarily walking in to buy this big of a vehicle," Nico said. "It will be a learning experience for that buyer."

What a LOAD OF GARBAGE...

Do the Math. Saturn has 435 facilities, and has sold over 12,000 Outlooks... That's about 30 per facility.

GMC has over 3,000 facilities and has sold 24,000 Acadia's. That's generously about 8 per facility. It would take Saturn having 1500 facilities to have that kind of weak production. The Outlook is way hotter, and they're doing way less advertising. I've also got a feeling that if we had 1,500 facilities, there would have been a lot less Acadia Buyers.

Realistically, even if saturn had more dealerships they'd probably still be doing less sales than the GMC dealerships. GM is right, people walk into a GMC dealership expecting to pay a premium price for better materials and image. the Acadia is priced perfectly for that. The outlook is a bit pricey for the saturn crowd. You didn't prove anything, the GMC is still better selling. All you proved was selling unit to dealship ratio and surprise there are fewer Saturn dealers.

And where did you get 3000? I've only seen the amount of GMC dealers at ~2500

Edited June 18, 2007 by jbartley

[ZL-1]

As much as they bay for blood of Americans, Middle Easterners whore GMC and Chevies. Just go to UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and you will see many mullahs driving the GMT 800s. I have not been to the other Arab countries so cannot comment on that.

I've been there a couple of times, and I've seen how they love American cars. Actually they like Americans much more than people believe. What they can't understand is why it was so convenient to America to support the breakup of former Yugoslavia while it is so hard for America to accept a viable state in the Occupied Territories. You and me know it's politics, pure and simple, but they've been getting the short end of the stick on the Arab/Israely issue for so long, so they are angry...

For the record, that by no means excuses people blowing themselves up killing civilians. That is stupid and irresponsible and I think it will turn against Arab governments in the long run.

Edited June 18, 2007 by ZL-1