What is GMC? What is Professional Grade? These questions have been on the minds of the GM Authority crew over the last few weeks. Fortunately, we came across this video featuring GMC Design Director Jeff Perkins, who lends a helping hand in answering that question for us.
In effect, GMC’s Professional Grade image is something that’s defined by such adjectives as robust, technical, and well put together. Perkins mentions real-world things like industrial power tools and cool-looking kitchen appliances — and the tough visual presence of these items. That’s something that GMC tries to embody in its vehicles, among other things. According to Perkins, GMC is represented by a vehicle that’s well-built and by a stance that’s wide and planted.
As far GMC’s future is concerned, Perkins envisions greater differentiation from everything else in the GM family, especially Chevrolet. GMC will be a champion of strong design statements, pushing the boundaries with bold proportions, and being “real premium.”
How does that sound? And does any of that embody the GMC Granite?
Comments
I really imagined that “professional grade” ment made for buissness, stuff like standard GPS and big rugged knobs and swiches that can be operated by big burrly man hands in winter or work gloves, power ports; maybee a built in lockable laptop desk with charging port, durrable heavy grade vinyl bench seats; The stuff Mr Perkins is talking about reminds me of a Cadillac truck, Cadillac has trucks they are premium, as well they should be, allthough someday I may win the lottery and I wish GM could build a Duramax 3500 Escalade for me insted of me having to have one made. But I digress.
Professional grade is tough to do in a famaly suv, like the Accadia and Terrain, so I kind of get the “slightly masculinized version of a Chevy thing” I do’nt really get the Premium thing. or really the Denali thing, it just reminds me of the old GM with divisions competing against each other. If it moves units it can’t be all bad, it’s just not a pure vision to me.
Jason you have hit the nail on the head
Actually it might be beneficial if GMC would slightly shift from “Professional Grade” to “Precision Grade”, then they wouldn’t be hampered by the perception of being the “truck” division of GM.
GMC is getting away from Professional trucks to plush trucks. My ’01 GMC Serria 1/2 ton was the toughest truck I have ever owned. It would tow amazing loads with a 3.4 V-6 it wasn’t fast but it was steady. If GMC goes too plush they to me will no longer be Professional Grade Trucks.
So, instead of GMC being Chevy truck clones sold at non-Chevy franchises, they are going to be Cadillac truck/SUV/crossover clones sold at Buick and Cadillac franchises? Might work if Cadillac focuses on passenger cars only. But, how can GMC pursue this ‘professional grade’ image if they continue to de-emphasize commercial vehicles? I think a lot of the image of the GMC nameplate came from GMC’s long history in commercial trucks. There is still a strong association in the minds of consumers between the GMC products they buy for private use and the large GMC commercial vehicles they still see every day. Jim Perkins wants GMC customers to associate the GMC brand with professional power tools. Hell, for many years, GMC MADE professional power tools!
Yeah, I still think that the positioning is shaky… At best. Should be more clear-cut: “We make tough cars that are tougher than Chevys not only in styling, but also in the following functional areas…”
I’m not even sure they mean being premium like Caddy… just more premium (less mainstream) than Chevy.
Years ago there was a difference between GMC and Chevy trucks. The GMC was in fact heavier duty truck, though they looked the same, the parts were not compatible. Today basically the only things that can’t be interchanged are the name badges. I don’t understand the hype of Chevy and GMC claiming that they are better or more rugged.
Just another Marketing hype word.