How would you make all of GM's brands unique?

[Northstar]

If Autonews' new future product predictions for GM are any indication, GM is going down the tubes in terms of desirable and unique products. Pontiac's going to sell rebadged Chevys, Saturn is getting products delayed or cut right and left, Cadillac and Buick are never going to turn their images around because they're going to keep old, uncompetitive cars around until they can't pay people to take them, and Chevy gets globalized and attempts to keep afloat by selling cars, not SUVs.

Anyways, here is what I would do, knowing that it appears GM doesn't want to cut brands but rather just costs associated with them (see Pontiac being rebadged Chevy's). I'm trying to reduce or totally get rid of overlap in GM's lineup. This lineup is only for the near future, and obviously there is room for expansion at most brands if GM turns things around.

Pontiac (cheap BMW):

Solstice (coupe, convert): cheap Z4, Miata/S2000

Alpha-based vehicle: (sedan, coupe): cheap 3er

Continue to import Commodore from AU with minimal changes

Buick:

EPII SWB (sedan): TSX/A4/S40

EPII LWB (sedan): TL/S60

NG Enclave (CUV) on TE: RX330, meaning Enclave would need to shrink

GMC:

Wrangler competitor

Sierra

Acadia (or Yukon): essentially PBG's 7-pass people mover CUV. A clear step above Traverse.

Cadillac:

Alpha sedan (sedan, coupe, convert): 3er

CTS (sedan, coupe, wagon): 5er

BRX on Alpha: X3/MLK/RDX

SRX on NG CTS platform: X5/ML

Possible XLR, depending on cost (would need to be around $60k)

Saab: premium small cars

9-1 on Gamma: sedan, wagon

9-3 on Delta II: sedan, wagon

Chevy:

Gamma II Beat/Aveo subcompacts: 3-, 4-, 5-door versions (Yaris, Fit)

Delta II Cruze: sedan, coupe, wagon (Civic, etc)

Gamma crossover

Detla II crossover

Theta crossover

Malibu on EP II

Combine Tahoe and Suburban or keep as-is. They are best in segment already and I don't see any reason for other manufacturer's to heavily invest in the segment, so they should sell fine to people who actually need such vehicles.

Silverado

Colorado

Traverse

Corvette

Camaro

I may be missing some vehicles here, but I think we all know Chevy needs a vehicle for everyone, it's late, and I'm tired...

Saturn: import small Opels

Corsa

Astra

Zafira

Insignia

Possibly Sky if it's cheap enough to do

Vue

Personally, I think this could work to save GM. Aside from Chevy, I don't think any lineup has more than two vehicles that aren't global or rebadged (see Sierra and Silverado).

[Croc]

As I've detailed in other threads, I'd generally "pair up" divisions as either FWD or RWD and have those divisions share development costs for shared/common platforms.

1. Cadillac and Pontiac would be RWD only. Same platforms. Pontiacs and Cadillacs could NEVER overlap due to inherent market positioning, and Pontiac would be the volume outlet for the Cadillac platforms.

2. Saturn, Buick and SAAB would be FWD only. Buick would be the AUDI to SAAB's VW. Saturn would do what Saturn has always done best: sell small, fuel-efficient cars. This premium repositioning just isn't working.

3. Chevrolet would be mostly FWD, with the occasional limited edition RWD heritage model. Corvette would be the only RWD constant.

4. GMC would share platforms with Chevrolet Trucks, but include higher trim levels, greater luxury, and better off-road capabilities. Think Range Rover.

Those are the basic ideas, I really don't feel like repeating myself to go into the specifics. As far as dealership sales channels go, Chevrolet, Cadillac/Buick/GMC, SAAB/Pontiac/Saturn

[§carlet §wordfish]

I agree all around with Croc.

[Blake Noble]

Let's get down to it:

Chevrolet

• Beat/Groove: three-door (Beat) and five-door (Groove) replacements for the Chevrolet Aveo based on Gamma II.
• Cruze: Delta II-based with a coupe bodystyle added to the recently revealed sedan.
• Malibu: Epsilon II-based sedan. (Coupe on SWB EP-II?)
• Camaro: Alpha-based 2+2 sports coupe.
• Corvette: becomes lighter, more efficient.
• Trax: Gamma II-based crossover SUV.
• "Blazer:" Delta II-based crossover SUV; replaces HHR.
• Equinox: Theta II-based crossover SUV.
• Traverse: Lambda II-based crossover SUV (rename Tahoe?).
• Suburban: receives a moderate mid-cycle enhancement, Tahoe dropped (rename Traverse to Tahoe?).
• Silverado: receives a moderate mid-cycle enhancement.
• Colorado: Total redesign.

Buick

• Regal: Delta II-based sedan.
• Riviera: SWB Epsilon II coupe.
• Invicta: LWB Epsilion II sedan.
• Enclave: uses a short-wheelbase Lambda-II platform and only seats five.

Pontiac

• Tempest: Alpha-based coupe and sedan. (Redesigned Holden Torana.)
• Grand Prix: as Holden re-engineers the Commodore to be more fuel-efficient and lighter, the G8 will simultaneously receive the same updates; it will also transform from its current incarnation of G8 into a brand-new Grand Prix (or Bonneville) with its own specific exterior and interior.
• Solstice: Kappa II-based roadster and targa-top coupe.

GMC

• Sierra: receives a moderate mid-cycle enhancement, which further differentiates it from it's more "work-oriented" Chevrolet cousin into a more user-friendly, but still capable, pickup.
• Yukon: the Yukon XL takes the regular Yukon name as it is phased out in favor for the Lambda II-based Acadia; receives a moderate mid-cycle enhancement to further differentiate it from the Suburban.
• Acadia: Lambda II-based, seven seat crossover SUV that is a further evolution of the current generation model, replaces current standard Yukon.
• Terrain: Theta II-based crossover SUV.

Saab

• 9-3: Delta II-based three and five-door premium compact car.
• 9-5: Epsilon II-based sedan and wagon.

Cadillac

• BTS: Alpha-based sedan, wagon, and coupe.
• CTS: in it's next-generation, it will use a premium version of the redeveloped Global RWD architecture (Holden Commodore) and will have coupe, sedan, and wagon versions.
• DTS: uses a long-wheelbase version of the premium GRWD architecture and will be positioned as the flagship Cadillac with standard premium smallblock V8 power.
• SRX: Alpha-based crossover.
• Escalade: CTS-based, seven-seat crossover.
• XLR: becomes lighter, faster, more efficient.

Saturn

• Saturn dies and is replaced with Opel. Opel inherits Saturn's independent dealer network and expands it with more stores in additional key locations, but not so many as to have excess dealers. All Opel models come to North America.

Edited September 2, 2008 by YellowJacket894

[Croc]

Yellowjacket--what about the positioning of the brands? The models sound good, but how are the brands going to be unique? For example, how will an Opel be different than a Chevrolet or SAAB?