General Motors product chief Mark Reuss wants a wagon. At least that’s what he told Fox News at the reveal of the 2015 GMC Canyon when they asked him what product GM currently doesn’t make that he thinks it should.
“I still think no one’s offered a really good, affordable wagon in the United States. You know, mainstream, fun, good-looking, hot-looking, fun-to-drive wagon at a reasonable price point,” said Reuss.
The only station wagon presently offered by a domestic manufacturer in North America is the CTS Sport Wagon, which had less than stellar sales numbers and is set to be discontinued this year. Cadillac’s German rivals currently offer a variety of station wagons, but they don’t quite fit the bill for what Reuss has in mind.
“There’s a lot of wagons in the market, but they’re really expensive and there’s a lot of people that can’t afford that, and I think there’s an opportunity there,” he told Fox.
Due to the rising sales of SUV models and crossovers, station wagon sales have been in decline in North America. The new wagon would have to make a strong case for itself to draw consumers out of their larger SUVs.
“It’d have to be really fun to drive, otherwise people aren’t going to get out of the crossover and the mini-crossover market,” Reuss said.
Still, with GM’s planned expansion of the Alpha platform on which the sporty Cadillac ATS is based, a fun-to-drive wagon could easily be a possibility. President of Global Cadillac, Bob Ferguson, didn’t immediately dismiss the idea of an ATS wagon when the Automotive News brought it up to him last week at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
The only thing left for Reuss to do is convince his new boss, CEO Mary Barra, that people really do want a sporty wagon. Maybe he should start a petition, we can be the first set of signatures.
Comments
You say maybe you should start a petition, well, I’d be one of the first to sign it. Other manufacturers offer wagon bodystyles and they do sell, not in the volumes that sedans do but they still exist. I think the all new Cruze would be an excellent place to start, then maybe the Buick Regal. Mary Barra are you paying attention?
Simple solution: Insignia Sports Tourer! Could be exported from Europe to the US as a Buick Regal Station Wagon.
GM doesn’t need another niche vehicle right now. We need a full redesign of the Malibu/regal and Cruze/Verano.
I love how Mark wants to use the remaining brands to cover any and every niche from an offroad for GMC to a sportswagon.
I want big brands, much like Opel seems to be chasing various pricepoints within the same segments:A– New Spark varient; Corsa; Adam.
Insignia Sports Tourer would be great for Buick OR Chevy depending on desired demo. Its silly for GM not to import such great cars.
Although I’d love to see an ATS wagon, it wouldn’t be very affordable like Ruess is talking about. I think a Cruze and/or Verano hatch would be cool, but not a wagon. A Malibu and/or Regal wagon would be awesome!
GM has wagons just not in US. If it’s supposed to be fun to drive gonna need a manual. Took the wife’s NEW Impreza Sport (manual) for a drive today just to have some fun on the twisties. Gave up waiting for GM to even offer a hatch so she replaced her HHR with the Subie hatch. I drive the HHR now. Hurry up with those Colorado/Canyons.
GM still propose wagons but world wide, as the Cruze wagon, Insigna wagon and the Orlando as an mpv. But GM could rebirth the Chevy Nomad with the same platform of the Corvette, and produces luxury ones for Cadillac.
Korea already manufacture the Cruze wagon (Australia manufacture the hatch). Why are GM going to waste millions on R&D for a new wagon when there is already a Commodore Sportwagon. GM are hell bent on destroying any trace of Holden….
It’s not gm it’s the Australian government. In 1987 the tariffs on imported cars was 57.5%. The Australian auto industry is not big enough to compete with cheep labor dumping cars in OZ. raise the tariffs and you will have an auto industry.
Destroying any trace of holden! You know I tell you that sounds like a brilliant idea! Yes yes yes I think that approach will work if given enough time! Excellent!
Now to the topic, if there are people dumb enough to be interested in a wagon and not a crossover then build the dam thing and get as many sells out of it as possible before GM has to discontinue it again!
There’s a reason why wagons come and go in the us! I mean really how much more can you put in a cruze wagon?
If you need that much room move up to a crossover!
Mark Reuss realizes that GM has to meet the 2025 CAFE standards and people will still want a practical vehicle. All manufactures will have to start weaning people away from thirsty SUVs and Crossovers whether they like it or not. Creating wagons and hatches is the logical solution, just don’t call them a wagon or hatch.
Where I live in West Vancouver, Canada, the place is crawling with upscale wagons. However, in the lower and medium priced categories the selection is rather slim.
If they time it right, they could take advantage of the bursting of teh crossover bubble.
@Main Wayne, writing on January 19, 2014 at 6:15 pm
In 1998 GM put German-born Peter Hanenberger at the helm at Holden, after GM failed to get the Opel AG supervisory council elect Hanenberger as boss of Opel (he was blamed for the brutal cost cutting measures at Opel which created many quality problems and caused Opel sales to drop, and which are blamed by some for today’s low market share of Opel).
In Australia, Hanenberger also became president of the Chamber of Australian automobile industry, and participated in this quality as part of the NZ-AUS delegation with the ASEAN league of former colonies in South-East Asia, to lower the tarrifs for automobiles. Hanenberger had especially the GM factory in Thailand in mind, which he wanted to build up as an export base, to Australia, too.
So here is GM’s part of the lowering of Australian import tariffs for automobiles.
On the other hand, Hanenberger championed Daewoo as a cheapo bargain based Korean import brand in Australia, below Holden, and only his successors converted Holden into the Australian badge engineering of Daewoo cars…
Observer 7 are you sure that Hanenberger was to blame for the quality issue? My understanding is that Lopez was to blame for that.
It was my understanding that Hanenberger and Herman crossed swords with Jurgen Stockmar and Hans Wilhelm Gaeb, who were attempting to take Opel upmarket These were the factors that influenced the Opel supervisory board to refuse Hanenberger as the head of Opel.
But you seem to know your stuff so please expand. However, while your comments are interesting why is this topic included with Reuss wanting wagons?
There are only two viable options
One is a Cruzeiro the other is a shared model from Buick/Opel. They could share them in a global market to cover the expense and risk of another wagon.
I think the new cross over wagon Opel has been showing could compete with the Forester as it has that exciting edge vs. just a Cruze also a better price point for a limited model.
@Scott; there is the possibility of not just “a shared model from Buick/Opel”, but two of them:
• an Astra kombi as Verano station wagen
• an Insignia “Sports Tourer” as Regal station wagon
@Luisf:
I did not and do not blame Hanenberger for the sharp cost-cutting course, I just reported “he was blamed” (emphasis added).
The article on Peter Hanenberger in the German language Wikipedia has some references to newspaper articles of the time claiming this. In case you understand enough German… Sure, back then I did not follow so closely the automobile industry as I do today, and I do also remember only the role of Lopez for the cost cutting. So I have to rely on news available on the Web today.
It was also said, that Hanenberger was in the middle of a conflict between the Opel management and the central GM management, where the latter tried, so the reports said, to put tight reins on Opel with GM Europe (located in Switzerland) taking all important decisions, not the Opel management. Or something to this effect.
I mentioned Hanenberger because of his role in the AUS/NZ negotiations with ASEAN for lowering tariff barriers, thus pointing out that it is not only the Australian government responsible for lowering those barriers, but that GM played a role in this, too.
Daewoo is now GM Korea, where the gas and electric Chevy Spark is manufactured. If Holden did a rebadge of the “Daewoo” cars”, that will include both Spark versions. The EV version should be the more important to increase EV sales in Australia. An assembly plant to build EVs in Australia is even better than just rebadging.
Station wagon = low volume sales. It is what it is.
Rather than a wagon… how about a mid-size SUV based on the Colorado/Canyon frame. GM just has the crossovers and they are big outside… not so big inside and they don’t really fill the bill as a wagon nor do they fill the bill as any kind of SUV. Big and bulky and bad mileage.
What a great idea! GMA just said that GMC will get a new “truck” that Chevy won’t. If GM was smart, they’d do a small SUV that compares to a Toyota 4Runner. How about that TrailBlazer overseas as a GMC? With a 3.6 or a 3.6TT and the new 8-Speed auto?
@Raymonddjram:
It is only three years now that GM Daewoo changed its name to GM Korea. The company is still the same, and the cars, too. The Daewooization of Holden began six years before that, in 2005, at just the same time that the Daewoo cars imported into Europe got a different brand name and logo.
As an owner of a 2006 Malibu Max and a 2011 HHR I have to say my next purchase would most likely focus on a Terrain or Equinox but SUVs dont interest my wife and I and a Sonic hatch may be to small. The issue here is creating the right vehicle and perception that drives sales… A wagon that combines all the right features and functionality while having SUVish attributes and yet being fun to drive. No question I would consider a European Captiva (not the captiva here) or Trax if such vehicles existed in US market.
You are on point, and I think Reuss is thinking the same thing. Why would GM waste r&d when these great models already exist?
Also, with Chevy leaving the EU, it is time for GM to consider splitting Opel’s range, rebadging smaller (or niche) vehicles as Chevy, giving them vehicles Buick can not use. As an example, Astra beats Focus in many markets, and should be a Cruze replacement with wagon variant included. Buick could then have Insignia wagon or it could even be reskinned for Chevy.
Once the US-EU free trade agreement is negotiated, such moves will become easy, and allow GM to develop a ONE policy, in line with Ford, built around Chevy, Opel and Buick with Opel serving as the development backbone. This will make any wagon scheme less costly from a labor, R&D, and tooling perspective.
I’d buy a Cruze wagon tomorrow to replace my Pontiac Vibe!
^^stereotypical dumb American alert^^ would you like fries with that? bryan
For Chevrolet, the Cruze still exist in hatch and wagon GM can bring them to USA without addition in R&D costs. The Trailblazer, Captiva and Trax could be good too in USA. For Buick, it could use Opel variants such as Astra Kombi and Insigna sports tourer.
Cadillac could to propose an ATS or the new CTS with wagon types.
Even GMC could propose the Granite.
GM have the ability to propose a wide variety of cars segments worldwide that not all carmakers could do.
GM needs:
Chevrolet-
Sonic 3-Door
Cruze 5-Door Hatch
Malibu Wagon
Buick-
Verano 3\5-Door Hatch
Regal Coupe
Regal Wagon
Anthem
Skylark sports sedan on Alpha
GMC-
Envoy small SUV
Denali XT small truck concept
Cadillac-
ATS Convertible
CTS Wagon
@stephen Marcus
This badge-engineering was one of the causes GM has failed in the past. BTW Opel and Chevy will still be sold side by side in Eastern Europe, especially Russia, a great market for both brands. What GM must do is developing common platfroms which can be used by all brands to save costs but end badge-engineering with some exceptions: The Opel-Buick alignment makes sense and is a very good strategy as both brands are not present in the same markets.
I’ve given this topic a considerable amount of thought, in particular the manner in which GM allows some great Opel models to sit landlocked in Europe, like Zafira, now that Spin has been developed-BTW, sales dipped upon replacement. Historically, many Opels were rebadged globally with great success. This sort of “badge engineering” is not what hurt GM; it was the selling of near identical cars in the same market under different brands (Chevy, Pontiac, Olds, Buick all selling the same mid sized entry at different price points with various trim packages)
General Motors can sell Opels unfit for Buick in the US, or other markets, as Chevy without the blowback of badge engineering. This is especially true niche models like a wagon (look at SS from Holden) but such a program could be expanded to cover the majority of the Chevy/Buick lineup with Opel serving the backbone.
I believe the smaller, more mainstream Opels such as Astra OPC would be a good fit for Chevy just as Ford has globalized their European lineup. (Astra beats Focus, is the bench mark for the next Honda Civic.)
As for Russia, and the Eastern Europe, Boajan autos could be sold as Chevy given the brand’s status as a value offering in those regions. Regardless, the CIS/European East does not justify R&D for an entire brand when cars are already available from China.
Such badge engineering will only be noticed by people like us and would not harm GM given the global nature of such a program. As I’ve said before, a One GM should be the focus with the line up being sold as Opel in Europe, Holden in AU & NZ; Opel in Europe; Chevy and Buick in NA and China; Chevy in South America,with any overlap handled by Boajan such as is happening in Africa already.
@stephen marcus writing on January 20, 2014 at 2:19 pm
a recommendation: “it is time for GM to consider splitting Opel’s range, rebadging smaller (or niche) vehicles as Chevy, giving them vehicles Buick can not use.”
Well, the main compact and small cars, the Astra and Corsa, make up nearly half of Opel’s sales (at least in Germany), and if one adds all compact and small cars by Opel, they make up three quarters of all sales.
The rest is Insignia, Zafira, Cascada and the commercial vehicles, the trucks and small transporters produced in cooperation with Renault or badge engineered from FIAT.
In other words, following the advice of of stephen marcus, Opel would cease to exist.
GM has decided to rely, as far as compact and smaller cars are concerened, to rely on Daewoo rather than Opel.
EvanG writing on January 22, 2014 at 3:15 pm
with comments by me interspersed:
• GM needs:
•• Chevrolet-
••• Sonic 3-Door
exists
••• Cruze 5-Door Hatch
exists
••• Malibu Wagon
would need to be developed
•• Buick-
••• Verano 3\5-Door Hatch
exists, is called Astra, or Excelle XT in China
••• Regal Coupe
the Regal (originally Opel/Vauxhall Insignia) is already more or less a coupé, by the roof line descending from the B pillar
••• Regal Wagon
exists, is called Opel/Vauxhall Insignia
••• Anthem
••• Skylark sports sedan on Alpha
two dreams of fans. May come…
•• GMC-
••• Envoy small SUV
would that be a Mokka/Encore rebadged as GMC?
••• Denali XT small truck concept
by “truck” you mean these crossovers of passenger cars and LCVs, called Pickup?
Cadillac-
••• ATS Convertible
well…
••• CTS Wagon
the previous generation CTS did have a wagon…
I know they exist, but I was talking about for The U.S. market. The old CTS did have a wagon, but a new CTS wagon would be cool (and ideal. Haha, nobody wants a 2008 in 2014).
As for the Envoy, I want it to be on the new truck platform that the Colorado/Canyon ride on. An SUV not a CUV. With a 2.8L TDI and a 3.6L TT. Instead of the Denali XT concept, a Terrain or Acadia XUV would be great!
No, my goal is to see Opel handle Chevy’s compact range much like Ford uses it’s European operations. GM needs to continue downsizing GM Korea.
The next gen Corsa, Minerva, and Astra should be federalized, sold as /Holden globally with minor adjustments made to facadas/sheet metal. The same is true of other vehicles Opel-based vehicles Buick can not use like Zafira and Insignia Tourer.
Such a move would give these products more scale, reduce R&D, and allow GM to fully invest in one great line up of compact cars/wagons. With Chevy quitting Western Europe, there is no longer any need for two redundant lines.
Such a move would aid Chevy in competing against Ford in the US, where those products have moved upmarket. Such a move would also allow Chevy to better focus on vehicles like Malibu, not to mention chasing niche segments like Code and Tru were supposed to do.
Opel would not disappear. It would just share it’s cars with both Buick and Chevy on a global level.
Any current Chevy projects need not be aborted, but sold as Boajan in China/Chevy in Russia with a value based budget focus.
I think the potential is there for a Malibu wagon, based on the Opel Insignia, and then an Upscale version called, the Nomad, with AWD, the 3.6L VSport twin turbo, and modified sheet metal and interior, to capture the spirit of the look of the ’55 Nomad, or that ’53-4-5 looking prototype wagon that was around a while ago. Then it could also be offered as a Buick, for those with more $$$, or less adventuresome outlook than the AWD Nomad. I also like the idea of not having to climb up into a CUV/SUV. I love my V40, but would like a little more room, more power, and the chance to BUY AMERICAN again. My wife and dog love our wagon, as do I, but we’d like more room. I’m waiting for the right replacement, so please make it soon Mark Ruess.
The Regal is what GM should be mainly focusing on right now. A Malibu Wagon, Regal Coupe and Wagon would be ideal. I really like the current powertrains in the Malibu, but not the Regal. GM needs to design with fuel economy in mind.
The Regal and Malibu need:
1.4L Turbo Hybrid (VVT, SIDI and iVVL) with 180HP and 195FT-LBS $5K Premium Fee
1.6L Turbo I4 (VVT, SIDI and iVVL) with 215HP and 230FT-LBS
2.0L Turbo I4 (VVT, SIDI and iVVL) with 280HP and 300FT-LBS
5.3L V8 (VVT, SIDI, iVVL and AFM) with 365HP and 390FT-LBS HiPer Struts and AWD (Replacement G/P GXP)
8-Speed Manumatic with TapShift
6-Speed Manual
Sonic SS with the 2.0 turbo, to compete with the Ford snot rods, for daily driving,
In my opinion GM could propose in USA the Cruze hatch and wagon as they still exists. Also a Malibu wagon like the insigna. for Buick, they could offers the Verano in hatch, wagon, and sport varriant as the astra. Cadillac should offer a wawgon varriant of the ATC and CTS but also a GT and a bmw serie1 and x1 response. addind to this, a serie of diesel engine to compete against tdi’s familly, a four, six, and eight cylinder diesel engines.
A Cruze hatch is unnecessary because they have the Sonic. However, a Cruze coupe would be nice. I personally think that the Cruze wagon is ugly and wouldn’t sell well. A Malibu wagon would be much more sporty and have more space for families. A Verano hatch would be amazing. An ATS convertible is realistic, but a wagon is weird. A new CTS wagon would be better.
Here is the bottom line on wagons. They are cheaper to build and buy than SUV’s and crossovers. They haul as much as a midsize SUV and still get way better gas mileage. They are lighter and more fun to drive, especially with a diesel powerplant and manual transmission. They are really cool looking cars. Just check out all the pictures of them from all the markets they are sold in. Which is everywhere but the U.S. There are already petitions online with thousands of signatures of people that want the manufacturers to bring them to the U.S. The only ones here are the high end expensive models. Be ahead of the game and start now because it will happen. All the other large markets have more expensive gas and it may not seem like it now but the prices will go up for the U.S. This will drive the trend in the future despite the current trend of SUVs. They are the best solution for the future of the family vehicle in the U.S. that can carry what you need, be fun to drive, and not break the bank doing it. Just look at the rest of the world! Bring the Cruze wagon you already make to U.S. You will not be disappointed. Leave the diesel and manual transmission in it! Most of those thousands of people that signed petitions want the diesel engine with a manual transmission.