mobile-menu-icon
GM Authority

How GM Plans On Increasing Chevrolet Market Share In North America

In a recent interview with Automotive News, GM North America President Mark Reuss shared GM’s strategy to continue growing the market share of the Chevrolet brand. In a word, it all revolves around product.

In particular, Mr. Reuss said that in North America, Chevrolet has one of the oldest product portfolios in the industry and that it is getting ready to change that. More importantly, Reuss mentioned that whenever GM introduces new product, it gains sales as well as market share.

So, Mr. Reuss mentioned the following all-new Chevy vehicles that will help The Bow Tie brand gain market share:

Perhaps more important is what Mr. Reuss said at the end of his answer, saying that “there’s no substitute for product, and that’s what we’re doing.”

The GM Authority Take

Indeed, there is no substitute for product — and it makes us feel all warm and fuzzy inside to hear just that.

Here’s to hoping for the continued development of the Chevy Cruze and Malibu into true compact and midsize vehicle ranges that will go toe-to-toe with VW’s broad range of Golf- and Passat-derived offerings, respectively, in North America and globally.

The GM Authority staff is comprised of columnists, interns, and other reporters who provide coverage of the latest General Motors news.

Subscribe to GM Authority

For around-the-clock GM news coverage

We'll send you one email per day with the latest GM news. It's totally free.

Comments

  1. In regards to product, how about a Cruze wagon to go with the diesel. Hopefully next generation?

    Reply
    1. The wagon would be lower in volume than the hatch, but both should be available in North America nonetheless. That said, both have a higher possibility of making their way to the NA market with the next generation since the associated production costs can be factored in from its inception at Lordstown.

      If VW and Mazda find a way to do it, albeit in minuscule volumes, so should GM.

      I’m also hopeful for a Malibu wagon for Europe…

      Reply
      1. How many wagons have to fail before people catch on that the Mini van and CUV has replaced the wagon. The utility of a taller roof is much more appreciated vs styling anymore I am sad to day.

        Case in point would a Cobalt wagon have sold multiple years at and over 100,000 units like the HHR did? No.

        The money to tool up here for the small volume of wagons would be better spent on another GM project that would be done in greater volumes for more years.

        On the other hand a small 3 door hatch like the Opel could be done if done in a Mini type competitor.

        Not trying to bust on wagons but the reality is this nearly all of them have failed after a couple years and even if they do live the numbers are not worth the investment in tooling here.

        Reply
        1. People still like options when it comes to people movers and enthusiasts will continue to want wagons for a long time to come.

          Reply
          1. Options are nice but the issue is few will pay the price of low volume in this country for a wagon.

            It comes down to simple economics.

            While you can get cheaper wagons in Europe where they are still popular in this country the low volume leaves you generally with only expensive wagons because of the low volume.

            The sad fact is enthusiast are becoming a smaller and smaller group as the love affair of the automobile is over with the majority of buyers in this country. I went to a local cruise in last night and marveled at how many old people were there with their rods and even Shelby 500GT’s and how so few people below 40 years old were there.

            People today leave the wagon styling aside because they like the taller roofs to haul things as Utility comes before styling.

            I too feel this is sad and would love to see a wagon make it but I also understand the realities of todays market too.

            Reply
            1. having a wagon in the US will not require a production line or any minimum build requirment, holden already build a wagon and can BTO as many LHD chevy wagons as people want, most of the tooling is done, the only thing left to do is design the wagon power harness in LHD, (just need to modify the sedan for a different tail light position)
              also you do not need to build 50k per year when it is already being built, same goes for cruze,
              GM only need to price it and offer it, those who do want a wagon should be able to order one.

              Reply
        2. HB and SW Cruzes can even be imported if you think that volumes are low.

          Reply
      2. The new G M seems to avoid varients which does keep focus on volume sellers.
        I wonder how Cruze sales measure up against the primary Ford Focus model? If Chevy wants to avoid varients, then I would like to see more related models like Holden Utes or Spin.

        Reply
  2. So, let me get this straight.

    * GM says better products will lead the day
    * Civilians still can’t order Caprice
    * Pontiac is still dead
    * Buick still has no RWD, we’ve been teased with GNX for how long now?
    * Chevy SS is only offered in the highest-tier engine trim, limiting RWD to over $40k
    * Dodge and Chrysler now offer lifetime bumper-to-bumper warranty options again, zero answers from GM
    * No CNG/LPG fuel options in passenger cars, despite GM offering this in several countries, and Chrysler tapping out CNG engines
    * No twin turbo V6 choices on anything outside of Cadillac, despite Ford ramping up TTV6 car production over the next two years (Mustang, Fusion AWD, etc).

    Hey, GM, wake up. Good products mean putting car guys ahead of bean counters. These bullet points read like a Bean Counter Special.

    Reply
    1. Unfortunately, “car guys” are the minority of car buyers, by a great deal.

      First and foremost, please want fuel mileage right now. Secondly, they want luxury/gadgets/style. Peformance considerations, at best, are a distant third. Most car buyers do not care about RWD. Most people don’t care about a twin-turbo V6 (is Ford really going to put a TT V6 in the Fusion?).

      The Caprice was always intended to be fleet only. Plus, the Caprice styling is so bland, it wouldn’t do well on the open market.

      As sad as it makes me, Pontiac needed to die. GM screwed up Pontiac so badly that, despite how awesome the G8 was, the brand was probably hopelessly tarnished.

      I fully believe that we will see a Buick Grand National/GNX, but these things take time.

      I 100% agree that GM should offer competatitive warranties.

      As for CNG, until the infrastructure is there, these will never be volume sellers. There is a VERY limited market for these types of vehicles. GM has to be very careful with the niche markets right now. They are still recovering from the late 2000s and they have to put their focus on the volume sellers to ensure the revenue is coming in. For niche cars, they have to very carefully weigh cost/reward. Yes, it’s a bean-counter attitude, but in this case it’s one that is a stark reality in today’s economic environment with GMs financial state. Frankly, I’m really surprised we’re even getting the Chevy SS.

      I think GM is doing a lot of the right things. Yes, there is still some “old GM” attitudes that rear their head from time to time, but mostly, they are doing the things they need to do to make the company stronger and bring a much stronger product portfolio to market.

      Reply
      1. CNG infrastructure is here on the west coast, especially when factoring in bi-fuel cars. Bi-fuel is really easy to implement on larger sedans (ask Holden, where you can fill up your 430 hp HSV VF at under $2 USD/gallon LPG, and switch to gasoline with the flick of a button).

        Honda sells out of CNG allotments rapidly, and most go to the coasts. Chrysler gets this and will be deploying its CNG and bi-fuel cars out here first. The maddening thing is that GM already has cars like Caprice and Commodore that could be sold on the west-coast today with this technology.

        But they won’t. Why GM is insistent on breaking the bank with Voltec, but won’t deploy their innovations on CNG, is beyond me. The only conclusion I can come to, is Detroit has no CNG and execs have a midwest mindset to CNG potential for sales. This is one of the reasons why imports win on the coasts, imports tend to do much more product development to target coastal customers.

        The downside will be when CNG becomes popular (gas at $6/gallon, etc), and GM will have to wait 2-3 years for CARB approval. You can sell a lot of $2/gallon Chrysler 200’s and Fiat 500’s in that time.

        As to Pontiac/Buick – a strong GM can have a sport car brand alongside Buick. I’m not saying the lack of Pontiac and lack of Buick RWD should all be achieved at once, but some progress should be made in the beyond-Chevy situation… unless GM is content with downgrading Cadillac and becoming just Chevy-Cadillac… which, honestly, they might.

        Reply
        1. With advanced in electric CNG is not convenient for the customer. Simply plugging your car in at home is the ultimate convenience. CNG in cars is a waste of time and money. GM is doing the right thing with Voltec.

          Reply
        2. There may be an infrastructure of sorts on the West Coast. That’s great! However, it doesn’t exist for the majority of the country.

          Reply
          1. But clearly, CNG infrastructure will roll out. Honda didn’t stick it out with Civic NG out of stupidity. They made the bet that fracking would work. It did. They are set to benefit as CNG stations roll out nationwide.

            One could argue GM is rolling out slowly, Silverado bi-fuel is a good start. But there is demand on the coasts for CNG passenger cars (especially where GM is strongest, bi-fuel cars), and GM could deliver using existing technology (Commodore NGVs could be adapted in less than a year’s time from the Aus build). Reuss has even said he’s thought about it once or twice.

            Reply
        3. “Why GM is insistent on breaking the bank with Voltec, but won’t deploy their innovations on CNG, is beyond me. The only conclusion I can come to, is Detroit has no CNG”

          Because CNG is finite whereas electricity can be generated from many difference sources, some of which are renewable.

          “As to Pontiac/Buick – a strong GM can have a sport car brand alongside Buick”

          Pontiac was never a ‘sports car’ brand. They sold cars that were advertised as “sporty”, but there were hardly a majority of cars in their range at any time that would have constituted the brand being called a ‘sports car brand’.

          “unless GM is content with downgrading Cadillac and becoming just Chevy-Cadillac… which, honestly, they might.”

          Why not? Less is more, and it would allow GM to concentrate their money and attention on their core products and not on frivolous things like “theme oriented brands” like Pontiac.

          The same set up works for VW and Audi, Toyota and Lexus, Ford and Lincoln, Geely and Volvo, Honda and Acura, Daimler’s buses/trucks and Mercedes, Nissan and Infiniti, Mini and BMW, Tata and Jag/LR…..adding Chevrolet and Cadillac to the list would actually make sense.

          Reply
    2. These 4 points…

      * Civilians still can’t order Caprice
      * Pontiac is still dead
      * Buick still has no RWD, we’ve been teased with GNX for how long now?
      * Chevy SS is only offered in the highest-tier engine trim, limiting RWD to over $40k

      Simply don’t matter.

      The Caprice can do nothing better than what the Impala can do. The Caprice being RWD doesn’t matter when you sit down in mid 2000 sea of plastic versus the interior of the Impala. Besides, they’re both in the same segment, and the Impala nameplate has more clout than the Caprice name does.

      Pontiac died in the late 80’s, not in 2010 (get over it) and the automotive world has little place for “theme oriented” car brands nowadays. Also, Pontiac was a doomed venture because the cars that appealed to the “enthusiasts” were the cars that lost money on each unit sold. The G3, G5. G6, SV6, and Torrent were the backbone of Pontiac and the only reason there was even an G8 or Solstice at all. And since the former were cars that Chevrolet was selling anyway, the reason to kill Pontiac was only more justifiable.

      RWD won’t make Buick whole, and it certainly doesn’t matter to other luxury automakers as well (MB CLA, Lexus ES and CT, forthcoming BMW 0), and the GNX is a tarnished name that would harm Buick in 2013. Nobody targeted by Buick today wants to be associated with horry old 3.8’s and lynyrd skynyrd LP’s; the baggage imagery that comes with the GNX.

      The SS was always intended to be a halo car; it was never meant to be affordable. If you want affordable RWD from GM, get a Camaro. RWD is a luxury feature after all; it’s not something that every car has and thus costs more money when it’s used.

      To be honest, you sound less like “A Tech CEO” and more like an automotive reactionary stuck in the mid-80’s.

      Reply
      1. The VF Caprice solves the problems you cite with the VE Caprice. Try one. It’s a better product than Impala. If GM is product-focused, that would matter, and with DOT/EPA approval, I see no reason why consumers can’t have the choice.

        I would respond to the rest, but I didn’t call you an “automotive reactionary” and it really soured me to having an intellectual conversation with you.

        Reply
        1. The new Impala starts at $27.5K, and that’s built in NA.

          VF Caprice’s, even if they were available in NA, cost $59K AUD (xe.com converted to $56.5K USD) weighs more (1800kg), and are subject to tariffs. Part of all this is why the SS is a low volume car; GM will lose money on each unit sold in NA.

          Mind you, only the old VE Caprices made it to NA…as stripper models for fleet use. GM wouldn’t dare give the public such garbage and charge upwards of $50K for.

          Also, I really don’t care if you think you aren’t a reactionary. Your comments about the industry echo from the 80’s, so I can’t really describe you otherwise.

          Reply
          1. The new, VF-based Caprice PPV has already been approved for sale in the United States for fleets, announced with photos too, so you’re incorrect factually.

            The new Caprice is priced for profit in Aus, because there’s Commodore below it $30k cheaper. Strip down to Mid-East and PPV trims, and $30k is realistic for an MSRP. Ask VF Evoke.

            I’d love to hear where your source is that GM is losing money on Caprices or SS’s sold domestically. That’s pure speculation unless you can back it up.

            Reply
            1. “Strip down to Mid-East and PPV trims, and $30k is realistic for an MSRP. ”

              Nobody is going to buy a stripper Caprice, especally one that can’t make it off of Oz without being hit by a $10K+ tariff.

              You’re fooling yourself if you think an $30K AUD Commodore-cum-Caprice will make it to NA devoid of any features or content and with huge tariff waiting for it at the docks. Even it it did, there is still the Impala; a better built car that cost less and is available in every Chevrolet dealer in NA.

              The only way to mitigate this is to sell a full fat, mid-size Commodore (not the more expensive and lower volume fullsize Caprice; full size cars are selling in less volume anyway) and swallow the tariffs….which is what the SS is going to do. Even if it hurts GM, the SS is a halo car and such pain comes with making a product people want.

              That, and the Commodore/SS has greater appeal than the Caprice anyway. Nobody but handful of idiots want old barge nowadays.

              Reply
              1. Your argument that the Caprice should not come over here, basically is that we should have a V6 and base V8 Commodore over here.

                And, you’re correct. But you really haven’t driven the modern Caprice models because most G8 owners that do, say that the VE Caprice actually handles better thanks to mid-revision improvements.

                VF Caprice is not an “old barge” in terms of handling, try one!

                Reply
                1. “Your argument that the Caprice should not come over here, basically is that we should have a V6 and base V8 Commodore over her”

                  Talk about a straw man argument. I don’t even think the Commodore should exist as the SS. The SS itself is stepping on the CTS-V’s toes. That, and nobody wants a base anything.

                  “But you really haven’t driven the modern Caprice models”

                  Neither have you, neither in VE or VF forms. You’ve just driven the VE SSS/sedan Zeta (G8, Commodore, et al). Not the LLL/sedan Zeta (Caprice). They aren’t the same thing no matter how hard you try to twist it. Underpinned by the flexible Zeta, but that it.

                  “VF Caprice is not an “old barge” in terms of handling, try one!”

                  Why would I want 5 metres of car to handle like 3 metres of car? I wouldn’t because I know it won’t no matter how hard I tried to delude myself….that, and there is an ocean in the way, and no profitable way to get myself even near one given that the nearest one is half way around the world.

                  Reply
    3. Well let’s see Mr CEO, you’ve obviously misread the opening sentence which states this is about Chevrolet in particular, not GM in general. This makes the Pontiac, and Buick non-players.
      The Caprice is a “purpose built” vehicle. It was never intended for public consumption.
      GM is indeed considering twin turbo engines for Corvette and Camaro.
      As for Chrysler and Ford, good for them.

      Reply
      1. Caprice is not “purpose built” – it’s sold globally as a Chevy, just without the only-fleet status. Ask the whole Middle East.

        Quite frankly, it’s insulting that with DOT and EPA approval, GM can’t just make it a custom order offering for civilians. If you’re importing a car, you should not thumb your nose at those that want an affordable RWD sedan with a DI V6. I don’t want a Camaro I can’t drive 300 miles and not have my rear aching.

        Yes, there’s the Dodge Charger. Chevy should be stealing some of those customers with a car already approved for sale. Park one at each dealership and make it custom order only. Simple, easy, and won’t affect fleet fuel economy averages at all.

        GM doesn’t want to though. They want people to decide between Impala, Camaro, and SS. They fail to recognize a significant number of customers chose none of the above, and are buying Chargers with lifetime bumper-to-bumper warranties. When my G6 and G8 go kaput, I’ll probably be one of them, sadly.

        Reply
        1. “They fail to recognize a whiny consumer minority chose none of the above because they’re ignorant of the fact that RWD is an expensive engineering proposition ”

          Fixed.

          It works for Mopar because all the engineering for the Charger was done by Mercedes nearly 10 years ago. That way, they can charge almost anything to get the gullible into a car on an old platfrom.

          It worked for Ford with the Crown Vic and all it’s variants. Once the initial cost of development was paid for (the platform in a period when full-size RWD was popular), Ford sold them for years without making them competitive. They were eventually laughed out of the market because of their inferiority.

          Effectively, you’re asking GM to make a car that won’t be profitable or is a hand-me-down. It’ll either be on a platform that’s over 10 years old, or it will be on a new platform who’s engineering costs sales will have to be realized by a high MSRP.

          The days of affordable full-size RWD cars are dead. If you’re incapible of reconciling with this, I suggest you hold onto your G8 for as long as you are comfortable with.

          Reply
          1. LWB Alpha is ancient, you’re right. We should just surrender to FWD and forget about the technological advantages that GM is building out that show how RWD and rear-based AWD is inferior to FWD.

            Not.

            I don’t need to make the case for RWD, or we wouldn’t see Alpha stretching from Corvette to CTS. All I’m saying is that the rest of the industry is scaling their RWD platforms to the normal population (Charger, Genesis, etc) in the sedan segment, and Fiat is going to continue that trend shortly with global RWD for the masses… GM shouldn’t ignore that.

            Fiat is about to launch a global RWD successor just like Alpha, and you can bet they will be selling cheap sedans using it.

            Zeta can be run domestically right on Camaro production lines, and Alpha can be kept for premium customers. It’s not crazy and it doesn’t involve gullibility. It almost happened, twice in the past five years. The bean counters won out at the last minute with more Epsilon-for-all mundane. It’s Chevy’s loss.

            Finally, your points didn’t address my last reply at all. So what if Caprice buyers would be a minority. Nothing in my last post would put Caprice as a low-volume premium RWD sedan into the red to offer alongside Impala as a build-to-order offering for consumers.

            You avoided my argument by creating a straw man alternative thesis. You failed. Once again, you bore me out of interest.

            Reply
            1. “LWB Alpha is ancient”

              As of now, the largest form of Alpha underpins the CTS, which has always been a mid-size car. This isn’t about RWD vs. FWD, this is about the marketability and demand for FULL-Size cars, something that the CTS and all current Alpha products are not.

              But then again, FWD cars are more marketable and easier to make. It also doesn’t hurt luxury automakers either as I have mentioned before and you’ve chosen to ignore.

              “Fiat is about to launch a global RWD successor just like Alpha, and you can bet they will be selling cheap sedans using it.”

              Highly doubt it. It will underpin Alfa’s, Lancia’s, and maybe a Chrysler, but it won’t work as a Fiat, especially not an affordable one.

              “Zeta can be run domestically right on Camaro production lines,”

              Nope. The SSS/coupe varriant of the Camaro’s Zeta doesn’t allow for SSS/sedan to LLL/sedan Zeta. Zeta wasn’t intended coupes lest it needed reengineering, which it did for the Camaro; all Zeta coupe concepts notwithstanding.

              “Alpha can be kept for premium customers”

              As it should be. RWD IS a premium feature after all. Not everyone is entitled to a RWD car, no matter how much they whine.

              “It almost happened, twice in the past five years. The bean counters won out at the last minute with more Epsilon-for-all mundane. It’s Chevy’s loss.”

              Because the Epsilon is already available on every continent, whereas Zeta is only available in Oz. It’s not a “bean counter” thing, it’s a rational thing. Also, it won’t be Chevy’s loss if the Impala outsells the SS, which it will. GM is going with the most profitable option, and not with the least profitable option, the Caprice.

              “So what if Caprice buyers would be a minority.”

              They aren’t worth listening to if they are a consumer minority. Consumer minorities almost always have irrational demands that cannot be fulfilled unless at great cost to the company. They always ask for too much, play the “tradition card”, and complain about needless trivialities about how it isn’t like a car they owned 40 years ago.

              “Nothing in my last post would put Caprice as a low-volume premium RWD sedan into the red to offer alongside Impala as a build-to-order offering for consumers.”

              It’s the overlap. There’s no need for two cars in the same segment with only one thing (drivetrain) separating the two from one another. Besides, as stated, the Impala is cheaper, already built here in NA, is built in the highest rated GM plant in NA (Oshawa), and will cater to the majority of full-size buyers in NA without any difficulty.

              You’re still the same broken record. You have unrealistic and out of line consumer demands and won’t take no for an answer. I can’t take the blame for your shortcomings.

              Reply
              1. You really don’t get sarcasm… sigh.

                Zeta is not only in Oz. It’s made right here for a little car called Camaro. Do your homework. Alpha is based on Zeta, so this whole Aus vs Detroit game you’re playing really makes my head hurt.

                I’m done talking to you.

                Reply
                1. I would be forgiving if English was your second language.

                  “Zeta is not only in Oz. It’s made right here for a little car called Camaro.”

                  That’s a highly modified version of Zeta that was never intended to be produced in the first place; Zeta was never intended to support a coupe unless it was heavily modified.

                  That heavy modification is why the Camaro is a variant of Zeta; as was the mk1 Epsilon (G6 and 9-3 verts are completely difference cars, SWB and LWB), and how the Theta Premium exists (9-4 and SRX). These modified platform forms exist because the orginal platform from which they were sourced from couldn’t be utilized or re engineered.

                  And if you think the varriants are limted to cars, just look at the GMT’s:

                  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_GMT_platform

                  For example, take the GMT 368 (SSR). The GMT368 is a variant of the GMT370 (LWB) which itself is a varriant of the GMT360 (Trailblazer et al). The SSR is a GMT360 platform varriant in the EXACT SAME VEIN as the Camaro is a Zeta varriant of the Commordore. They may be similar platforms, but they are not the same platform.

                  “I’m done talking to you”

                  Yeah, you are done. Come back with a working argument next time, not some broken dreams of a chrome boulevard cruiser.

                  Reply
  3. In the cars Mark names only the Impala will make a great dent as the rest are lower volume cars. Even the large SUV will help a bit but the smaller CUV is where the volume has moved.

    The Caprice would never sell at the price it would cost with the exchange rate once you add the Civilian options.

    Pontiac dies years ago and no one really noticed. I am a Pontiac guy through and through but I am observant enough to understand GM gain 1% market share this year and did not need Pontiac to do it.

    RWD is not important to the majority. The market has shifted and for their own reasons majority of buyers want FWD. I expect we will get a Buick RWD but since there is only one Alpha out many more to go it will come. Even a company the size of GM can not fix them all at once.

    The SS price is self limiting as GM made it clear long ago they did not want to import a ton of them due to CAFE issues. The car is a two-three year car and may just end up being built here with the new Alpha Camaro. Then you might get your Caprice.

    Dodge need a life time warranty. There are still many issues with their perceived quality. Also industry analysis say Fiat may axe Dodge. Think not? Well look for the Dodge name on the tail gate of a Ram truck! It still may not happen but with the way things not it is not out of the questions with Fiats money issues.

    CNC has limited appeal as you just can’t fill up just anywhere.

    Cruze wagons. How many times do wagons have to fail before people catch on. Chevy does miss the HHR as it sold in six figures for many years. Make a Cruze/better Orlando based CUV and you may just have something. It can be car based but make it tall and look like a SUV and they will come.

    You can’t even get a TTV6 in a Cadillac yet. How can you complain that there are no other cars as even the first offering is not out yet? You will see more variations but 80%+ cars today are going to be 4 and turbo 4 cylinder cars. They already are.

    Tech you need to look big picture here and address the majority of the market. People like us on the enthusiast sites feel differently than the majority of buyers but were are still a minority. The market has shifted and buyers today want utility, value and dependability before style and all out performance. This is why the best selling cars are drab Civics and Camrys.

    Also part of the big picture is that you have no clue what is coming more than 18 months out. Do you know what GM has coming? Not really in great detail What is the LTS going to offer. What is the Camaro going to look like. Have you seen the new Nox that is coming that is selling presently near 200,000+ units per year. Chevy has a new Cruze coming that sells just under 400,000 units world wide coming.

    The fact is GM has a lot of things coming in the next 5 years and it takes time to get the money to pay for them that is why they did the new truck for the income to pay for other lines. GM just can not pop a Billion here and there when ever they feel like it things like this need product cash flow to pay for them.

    The Volume increase that is coming short term will be these cars.

    New Chevy trucks.

    The new Cruze

    The new Terrain and Nox

    Hopefully the imported Malibu.

    Continued enhanced Sonic models.

    The Impala is lower volume but higher profit models now.

    The Vette is low volume and even with a goal of 25K units that is a increase of only 11K units.

    The Z/28 will only sell a few models but the SS sales remain strong.

    The Cruze diesel sales are only going to account for 3-7% of Cruze sales here in the states.

    Mark did not pick good models to address the volume as much as profit or transaction price. Other will carry the volume.

    I see GM having a good shot to reach 20% share again in the next couple years with their yet to be announced models.

    The think to remember is inside GM there are a few of the old school but they have been losing out to the new blood as most of what they have done has increase revenue and volume. This trend will continue. Also people like Ackerson have been trusting their product people like Mark to do some fun cars like the Z and the new Vette.

    As for now I wish people would just let Pontiac go as they are not coming back. GM has enough things left to do to fix and improve the products they have vs. trying to bring back a mortally wounded division that really had been gone since the Aztec and the loss of the Firebird.

    Even at the Tri-power nationals the largest Pontiac show and race few even mention a word as to many their the heart of Pontiac was gone in 1979.

    We have not seen our last failure of a brand in this market. We will see a couple more go in the industry yet as nearly everyone has such high development cost that only the strong will survive and even they are now working together. [Ford and GM on transmissions and Honda and GM on night vision or Toyota and BMW] Mazda also has to find help as they lost Ford and only have one model shared with Alfa coming. They are selling a ton of cars but development cost are eating them up.

    There is a lot to consider and that is why we all need to look Big Picture.

    Reply
    1. Civilian options? You mean OnStar? Seating options aside, Caprice is tuned for after-sales marketing to taxi and consumers… in fact, it’s a selling point GM makes with police is that they expect Caprices to have a high auction value.

      A 9C3 Caprice is civilian-ready. Ask anyone that got a dealer to break the rules and sell them one.

      Reply
      1. “Civilian options? You mean OnStar?”

        Non-Civilian options found in a 9c1 Caprice include:

        *Optional front-seat-only side curtain air bags
        *Two trunk-mounted batteries
        *Designed for five-passenger seating, meaning the upper-center section of the dashboard can be used for equipment mounting without the concern of air bag deployment interference
        *Special front seats designed for the long-term comfort of officers whose car is their effective office, including space that accommodates the bulk of a typical equipment belt
        *Vinyl rear bench
        *no rear seat head curtains
        *no rear window control
        *no Bluetooth connectivity
        *and yes, no Onstar

        Sure, you can find the 1 or 2 that convinced a dealer to break the rules, and sure you can drive a 9c1 Caprice…..but GM can’t sell a stripper Caprice at $50K because only 1 or 2 idiots would ever buy it. If the Caprice was to be sold for $50K, it would need to be loaded, something that a 9c1 would never be.

        Reply
        1. Get a grip and take in the big picture.

          #1 the car would sell at too high of a price and lower profits for GM.

          #2 The new Impala will sell to most who would want a car like this and at a higher profit and less CAFE dent.

          #3 GM has a plan and you need to let it happen. The present VF is a short term car and will be replaced in a couple years. Odds are it will be built here and make it easier and more profitable to offer a Caprice at that time.

          Sorry you can not just build cars on want. You have to look at the market, price points, profits and long term of where the platform will be.

          Even at the price it is at the police departments are not flocking to the Caprice in the numbers they had hoped.

          I think in 2-3 years you will see why with the new VF replacement why things are as they are.

          There is a lot more going on than they are saying. Holden has made it clear the VF replacement is already being readied. I note that it is due around the time the Camaro is due and is reputed to be on a GM global platform. Hmmm Alpha?

          Reply
          1. The same people at Apple said you shouldn’t build products based on want. That guy was Gil Amelio. He was around when Apple was losing $700 million, and didn’t have feds to lean on for bailouts.

            GM should make cars people want. A 30 mpg sport sedan with RWD, 323 bhp, and a $30k price tag is what the Caprice can deliver today. And people do want that. CAFE wouldn’t be hurt by that.

            I hope you are right, I hope Alpha-based commodores are jointly produced across both shores, right alongside Alpha-based Camaro, and God help us, an Alpha-based Firebird… and all led by Holden and HSV in development.

            I have a sick feeling GM will screw it up, and it will arrive five years too late, in trims that are too expensive (Buick/Cadillac, not Chevy/Pontiac).

            Reply
            1. “A 30 mpg sport sedan with RWD, 323 bhp, and a $30k price tag is what the Caprice can deliver today”

              Meet JJ.



              The Caprice will never get 30mpg, or be anything close enough to call a “sport sedan”.

              The ATS is what the people want. GM has addressed the consumer demand for such a car fully as the reviews will show.

              But if you want a hopeless full-size car and with RWD, wait for the proposed LTS. It doesn’t matter if you can’t afford it, it’s a Cadillac after all, you aren’t suppose to afford it.

              “and God help us, an Alpha-based Firebird… and all led by Holden and HSV in development.”

              ….

              Where’s your god now!?!? HA! You’re even more irrational than I thought! Not only is the civilian Caprice in NA unlikely, the chances of GM even bothering with the tired and worn Firebird nameplate is all but a “never going to happen” event.

              And worst of all, you’re hedging you bets with prayer, on an invisible sky daddy, that it’s happening right now.

              You really need to come to grips with reality. Pontiac isn’t coming back, nor is the Firebird.

              Reply
              1. Wow, I didn’t know GM bean counters can also be jerks.

                What’s the car Reuss said recently he wishes GM was making? Oh, yeah, Firebird.

                To say it’s never going to happen is a crass effort to rule out options GM could put on the table. As I said to a president who promised GM wouldn’t go bankrupt, and then murdered Pontiac, I hope you fail.

                HSV-Pontiac would be an epic win for both shores, and I could easily see Holden thriving with an Alpha coupe of their own. An Australian sport coupe that could be, like the SS, imported in limited quantities.

                Reading through the crud that you’ve poured into this post, Grawdaddy, you claimed previously the VF Caprice wasn’t stateside, and it was. You claimed the SS isn’t profitable. That’s conjecture you put forth as fact.

                The more I think about it, you don’t work for GM, and you should never count beans.

                Reply
  4. Nice to hear it publicly stated that “product is key”, but GM has teased and teased for years and given the U.S. public less than stellar products and broken promises. The volume products need to be stellar. Cruze, bring us the hatch (and hot hatch) already and some more potent engines. Malibu need continuous improvement beyond what has been done since 2014. Equinox needs a refresh and a new base engine (2.5 liter I-4) to stay competitive. I hope it’s not going to left to linger on the vine like so many other volume products before it.

    Reply
  5. I believe and have believed for a while that if GM truly wants market share they need to lead in technology and Warranty.
    I think GM should offer 6 years 72,000 miles bumber to bumber. And also keep the 100,000 powetrain warranty but extend it from 5 to 10 years. This will show interested customers that for a full year after you’re done paying the loan GM still has one more year on it of worry free driving. It shows that GM has complete faith in all it’s offerings. People on the coasts need reasons to even look at a GM car let alone purchase one. I do not agree with it but it is reality.
    Second thing GM needs to do is offer every single option in that specific car segment. All the cars Chevy sells has to offer more tech.
    Just for an example: The Malibu…does not offer TFT screen, no cooled seats, you can only get turn light indicators on the top line LTZ, does not offer AWD option, does not offer rear vents, no fold away side mirrors, no eBreak (had it but got rid of it?)
    no visible tailpipes unless you get the 2.0 (why?) no rear window sun shades option, No Hybrid version, No plug in version (this one I do not understand. Why have the Voltec technology then?)
    So all im saying is that GM makes great cars right now but in some very important segments it is really lacking.
    Just one more small example…The new updated Regal GS is available only in Auto now, which i guess it’s ok if they weren’t selling the stick. But why not offer paddle shifters at least? This is what i’m talking about. GM needs to start sweating the little things a lot more.
    But in the meantime bring out the industries best Warranty and watch sales take off!!!

    Reply
    1. I prefer Driver Shift Control over paddle shifters anyway. . . .

      Reply
  6. I like these Ideas but how much would they cost?

    That is where the issue comes in on these things.

    Extended warranties add to cost and how much would it add? GM already is as good or better than most makes. Often longer warranties are something a company does as a hail Mary when sales are down and market grows is shrinking. GM is get the last year and is expected to grow this year.

    Adding more options as you suggest would also increase the cost of the car. While it may not seam like much it adds up over many cars. They look at things right down to the cost of the smell of leather in a Camaro. Yes it cost money to add the smell and do the owner really want that or do they want the money put into other areas of the car.

    Also with the Malibu I do not expect this car to be with us long. It was an old design and GM knew going in it was dated. With only so much money and time to put it out flawed was the lesser evil vs. keeping the old car around another 4 years.

    It is easy to build an expensive car as you can toss what ever you want in it as it as the price will generally more than cover the expense of the part.

    On the other hand the hardest car on the market to make is a entry level or value volume car. You have to work to keep the price down and then sell a hell of a lot of them to make the money.

    Yes some cheaper models out there have offered more options and tangible things but they also skimp in many areas that GM does not skimp in. While many Imports still use rubber timing belts that require change at 65,000 miles at the tune of $400 even on the base Eco GM uses a chain that generally last the life of the car for most people. Some may wear it out but often it is very high miles when it happens.

    Other areas where companies like Hyundai give you flash but little substance. Having a friend in a Hyundai dealer helps me understand where issues happen and how a good purchase can come back to bite you later with parts that are not up to GM standards.

    Take a look at most mid west High School parking lots and most of the cars are often Ford or GM as they may not be pretty but they are often the only ones that hold up long term and are often cheaper to fix if the need comes. It has been how long since the Berretta was built and you still see them daily in Ohio as well as the Grand Am.

    As for paddle shifters unless it is a semiautomatic system similar to Porsche of Ferrari they are a waste. You will find most that own cars with them never use them after the novelty wears off. I had them on two car and generally used them only in the Mountains for engine braking. I still have one car with them and just play with the flaps driving but never use it.

    GM is now working on one area that will touch all their models and that is interior technology. Look for GM to take the lead in electronics and web access. I know to many here it is not sexy like HP or torque but this is an area hot with many of todays younger buyers. For GM to appeal to more of the market they need to go after the younger buyers and what they want.

    I do hope they can find ways to package more items into the Chevy line to make them more appealing but I hope they do not do it at the expense of other things that count.

    We all have to remember it was not all that long ago that GM nearly failed. They are just now getting back on their own feet and are building for the future. There is a lot of work to be done and it was not going to happen in just 5 years. Cars like the Malibu were things they worked up pre chapter 11 to have something as they fixed things like the new trucks and Impala that both were in greater need. The truck will help pay for the other things that need to be done.

    As of now Chrysler is in poor shape as all they have are some mild refreshed vehicles and a new truck. The 200 is a Sebring with a better interior and the Dart is just a rehashed Alfa. The 300 pretty much just got the interior it should of had in the first place. Dodge right now in great peril as while they sell some Chargers and Challenger they are hurting for the rest of the lines. While the Malibu is in the market flaws and all Dodge has nor real player in the segment. Some speculate Dodge may get the axe and while hard to believe note there is no longer a Dodge name on the trucks.

    While GM still has a lot to do they are at least moving forward as a corporation and getting more right vs. things wrong. As time goes on the more they will gel and become the company they need to be. This from the start was going to take no less than 10 years if you know how things work. That is if the economy does not set them back.

    We all need to remember that most of us have no clue on what products and features are coming more than 12-18 months out. GM has gone dark and when the new product comes it comes fast and at a full surprise to many. Just like the Z/28 that is coming many inside GM did not even know about it.

    Reply
    1. To be clear, Chrysler’s lifetime bumper-to-bumper is an extended warranty add-on. It is not standard on any vehicle they sell.

      It is, however, available on all new cars, including SRT’s (only excluding Viper and Diesel).

      Even CPO’s are offered lifetime extensions (excluding SRT, probably due to higher mod risk).

      Extended warranties are always a profit center. The frustrating thing is that GM can’t even price out an extended warranty with lifetime bumper to bumper, so they aren’t even willing to offer an answer to what Chrysler has rolled out at any price.

      Fiat’s engineering is not as skin deep as you describe. Test drive a first-gen 300/Charger and a second-gen 300/Charger. They’re different cars, practically, in terms of night-and-day improvements. Yes, the platforms are dated, but Chrysler is mating their new 8-speeds to their all-new RWD platform that has been on the roadmap for awhile now… it won’t disappoint.

      The Z/28 was hardly a secret. GM can say they were mum on products all they want, but they aren’t doing a good job on keeping things actually quiet. They lack the internal tools to keep cars quiet.

      Reply
  7. To make things perfectly clear.

    Chrysler resorted to the extended bumper to bumper warranties back in the 80’s when they could not give cars away. It was a Hail Mary by Lee. In this case it worked as they really did not have the product to attract customers and most of their cars were great lease vehicles as you would not want to own it after the warranty was gone. Note how many of their 4 cylinders smoked blue smoke before 100,000 back then.

    As of today Chrysler is in trouble as the only things selling are the Jeeps, Rams and in smaller volumes the RWD. They really have nothing in the small car range that has done much let alone much to offer.

    The Dart and 500 have been slow sellers. The Fiat has grown in sales but is still behind their predictions. The 200 is just an old car no matter how you mask it. It is for sure a better car.

    The 300 is better but way too heavy and needs a full replacement. It is a old Chrysler based on many old Benz parts. It need to lose weight. Even in the comparisons with the Impala, Hyundai and Toyota it fails to lead even with FWD cars in the class anymore. It is a model that should be leading and just adding an 8 speed is not enough.

    The truth is the Z/28 was known it would arrive but no one had a clue when or what the package would hold. This is why they even changed the name internally. Even today many will be shocked at the price once it arrives as so many expected it to replace the SS in the line up not over take the ZL1 in price. In this case being dark on what was coming I think hurt them as so many expected it to be a cheaper car.

    GM has a good warranty now and their engine warranty is better than many others. I would let the product speak first and then make the move to the Warranty addition once and if the need arrives. If the new product takes there is not reason to take this to the next level. Now if it fails then you can add the warranty extension later. I really believe you have to give the product a chance if they believe it is really that good.

    The only real sales disappointment of the moment has been the Malibu. The others have been meeting expectations or in some cases beating them in the likes of the old Nox and Terrain that keep adding sales even with their age and a new model coming.

    Reply
    1. Hey Scott what is the new Equinox and Terrain going to look like? I haven’t heard anything about redesigning those yet. . . .

      Reply
      1. y question for you is whether there is still space in the marketplace for Pontiac, or did the division outlive its purpose much like Oldsmobile? Did Pontiac still have a place on Sloan’s latter given that preformance now belongs to luxury–Caddy, BMW, Acura?
        Where did Pontiac fit globally and Holden isn’t an answer given its relationship with Chevy and small size?
        Did Pontiac compete with Chevy or Acura?
        Did people under 50 care about Pontiac in large enough numbers and, if so, why was the brand in trouble anyway?
        In 2013, GM must look at the entire world, not just the US. In this era, a brand like Prius brings more to the table in terms of sales and good will. For the final 30 years, Pontiac was no different than a Chevy outside of body cladding. Kia, with the Optima, built what could have easy passed for a next gen Grand Prix at a lower price.
        I loved Pontiac but between Corvette and Caddy, GM has no justification for the brand outside of sentiment.

        Reply
  8. Malibu- (8 spd Auto)
    A 1.2L Twin Turbo I3 iVLC start/stop with 176HP and 215TQ. 27 mpg City / 38 mpg Hwy

    A 2.5L I4 iVLC eAssist, regen. braking and start/stop with 202HP and 191TQ. 29 mpg City / 44 mpg Hwy

    A 2.0L Turbo I4 iVLC with 259HP and 295TQ. 24 mpg City / 31 mpg Hwy

    A 2.8L Turbo V6 VVT and AFM with 335HP and 327TQ. 20 mpg City / 27 mpg Hwy

    A Hybrid Plug In/2-Mode Transmission/Regen. Braking/Start-Stop 2.0L Turbo Diesel I4 151HP/264TQ. 39 mpg City / 52 mpg Hwy and 58 mpg City / 75 mpg Hwy for up to 20 miles

    Impala- (8 spd Auto)
    A 2.5L I4 iVLC eAssist, regen. braking and start/stop with 202HP and 191TQ. 27 mpg City / 41 mpg Hwy

    A 2.0L Turbo I4, Start/Stop with 259HP and 295TQ. 21 mpg City / 30 mpg Hwy

    3.6L Twin Turbo V6 VVT and SIDI with 420HP and 430TQ. 18 mpg City / 26 mpg Hwy

    A Hybrid Plug In/2-Mode Transmission/Regen. Braking/Start-Stop 2.1L Turbo Diesel I4 163HP/278TQ. 37 mpg City / 49 mpg Hwy and 55 mpg City / 68 mpg Hwy for up to 25 miles

    Equinox- (8 spd Auto)
    A 2.5L I4 iVLC eAssist regen. braking and start/stop with 202HP and 191TQ. 25 mpg City / 38 mpg Hwy (Start/Stop)

    A 2.0L Turbo I4 VVT and IVLC with 259HP and 295TQ. 21 mpg City / 29 mpg Highway

    A 2.8L Twin Turbo High Feature V6 VVT, SIDI, AFM and DOHC with 375HP and 363TQ. 18 mpg City / 28 mpg Hwy

    A Hybrid Plug In/2-Mode Transmission/Regen. Braking/Start-Stop 2.1L Turbo Diesel I4 163HP/278TQ. 35 mpg City / 47 mpg Hwy and 52 mpg City / 64 mpg Hwy for up to 30 miles

    Traverse- (8 spd Auto)
    A 2.0L Turbo I4 eAssist, regen. braking and start/stop with 272HP and 305TQ. 22 mpg City / 30 mpg Hwy (Start/Stop)

    A 2.8L Twin Turbo High Feature V6 VVT, SIDI, AFM and DOHC with 382HP and 377TQ. 18 mpg City / 26 mpg Hwy

    A Hybrid Plug In/2-Mode Transmission/Regen. Braking/Start-Stop 2.1L Turbo Diesel I4 172HP/289TQ. 32 mpg City / 43 mpg Hwy and 48 mpg City / 59 mpg Hwy for up to 35 miles

    Tahoe/Suburban- (9 spd Auto)
    A Hybrid Plug In/2-Mode Transmission/Regen. Braking/Start-Stop 2.5L TDI I5 with 150HP and 285TQ. 26 City / 32 Hwy and 39 mpg City / 45 mpg Hwy for up to 40 miles.

    A 5.3L Ecotec3 V8 VVT, SIDI and AFM with 362HP and 387TQ. 16 mpg City / 21 mpg Hwy

    A 3.0L TDI V6 with 268HP and 421TQ. 22 mpg City / 29 mpg Hwy

    Reply
  9. Caddy aim is t be a preformance brand, like BMW. This was a segment Pontiac half-heartily chased minus the premium prise point. Lutz wanted to make the brand a poor man’s BMW, even though top trim G8 was 40,000.
    Caddy has no need to move down due to Buick. I could see this generation Regal as a Pontiac easily. Even the turbo Verano covers Pontiac turf while chasing the Japanese imports like Acura.
    I agree with the poster who said varients such as Cruze hatch and low volume sellers like Regal and SS should always be imported. This way GM avoids paying for tooling while making a sale that might otherwise be lost.

    Reply
  10. If you want the next G6, buy a Regal G T; G8, get an SS: Buick and Pontiac shared everything untill the end and so much so that no shopper should feel left in the cold.
    ‘Car Guys’ are a dying breed with the youth demo leaning into Prius and other hybrid sub compacts. The bean counters have won, it seems.
    Btw, have touch noticed that the Kia Optimal looks like an old Grand Prix? May be time to look outside of GM for fake sport sedans.

    Reply
    1. I am still mad, because Pontiac was an 84 year old brand. My family has always had Pontiac(s) in the driveway, we still have 3 Grand Prix’s (00′ GT sedan, 01′ GTP S-E Coupe and an 07′ GT) an 05′ Bonneville GXP and an 09.5 G6 GXP. Mine are the 01 GP Special Edition, 07 GP GT and 09.5 G6 GXP. They all have under 65K miles and we expect to keep them forever. You don’t kill a car band over 75 years old, it’s really sad. If GM had kept Pontiac as a niche brand back in 2009, I’d bet that once GM was making profits again they bring Pontiac back full scale. New models with new fit and finish etc.

      Reply
  11. y question for you is whether there is still space in the marketplace for Pontiac, or did the division outlive its purpose much like Oldsmobile? Did Pontiac still have a place on Sloan’s latter given that preformance now belongs to luxury–Caddy, BMW, Acura?
    Where did Pontiac fit globally and Holden isn’t an answer given its relationship with Chevy and small size?
    Did Pontiac compete with Chevy or Acura?
    Did people under 50 care about Pontiac in large enough numbers and, if so, why was the brand in trouble anyway?
    In 2013, GM must look at the entire world, not just the US. In this era, a brand like Prius brings more to the table in terms of sales and good will. For the final 30 years, Pontiac was no different than a Chevy outside of body cladding. Kia, with the Optima, built what could have easy passed for a next gen Grand Prix at a lower price.
    I loved Pontiac but between Corvette and Caddy, GM has no justification for the brand outside of sentiment.

    Reply

Leave a comment

Cancel