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There's so many GM brand names that don't really accomplish much, BUT, they do accomplish one thing: Marketing. If there were only one or two brands, sales wouldn't consolidate into those brands; they'd just sell less. People know that each brand is a GM, but they still get most of the treatment of a separate brand.
Some brands could really do with getting back to their roots...
Chevrolet -- still the everyman's car. I wouldn't call it the "Flagship" line, that'd be Cadillac. Keep.
Buick -- Trying to get a new image, because people don't want the old Buick stereotype, and the "old people" demographic is no longer a profitable market. It's too bad, the market does need a few cars matching the old Buick stereotype. I'd like to see them get back to their roots, but the most healthy thing might be to let Buick die like Oldsmobile did.
Cadillac -- Appears to be a success story. They've got the new image that Buick needs. Keep.
Pontiac -- suffers from lack of purpose and uninspiring cars, but that's not how Pontiac sells; they sell from marketing. Pontiac is a marketing powerhouse and as long as they can ride on that strength, they're worth keeping.
Saab -- Brings diversity to GM. Gives GM a brand that is far different from all their others, a foot in the door in a very different market. As long as they can stay different from the rest of GM, great. It's important to have something very different for when the tide turns. Keep.
Saturn -- REALLY needs to get back to its roots! The original Saturn concept really worked, and would work even better now, IMO. While most of society has left behind that feel-good hippie attitude that Saturn was doing (as well as selling on the "no bullshit" attitude), there's quite a lot of people who don't want more of the same noise/power/hardcore attitude that is so popular now. Saturn has diluted what they had. Especially now, they should sell lightweight, practical, fuel efficient cars with less power (like the original Saturns), for those who want that sort of thing. Keep.
Hummer -- Serves a niche. If they could get back to their roots, they'd be a keeper. As is, cut the fat.
GMC -- Too perfectly duplicated with Chevy. If GMC sales were combined with the sales of the same models under the Chevy nameplate, the numbers would be huge. The big question is, is the GMC marketing tool an important part of those sales? I don't think anywhere near as many would sell if they were only one brand.
Daewoo -- Why is that name still alive? Delete!
Note: If I've gored anybody's ox...just look at my sig. I LOVE my GMC and my Buick, but I accept reality on the brand names.
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