Quote:
Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65
This isn't like the 80s and 90s when GM spat out crappy passenger cars and then shrugged their shoulders when they didn't sell. They aren't selling now simply because people are buying other types of vehicles, the difference is that for the most part, GM has plenty of that other type of vehicle, and the sales figures for those vehicles reflect that.
Go look at the sedans GM is having issues with right now and tell me exactly what you think they should do to improve sales. I'd love to hear your ideas. The fact of the matter is all of those cars are really damn good cars, but the sedan market across the board has simply collapsed. I know you've been shown the data on this before, you just refuse to accept it for whatever reason. If you haven't noticed other automakers reworking their product mixes, you just haven't been paying attention.
EVERY manufacturer is dealing with a drop in passenger car sales and an uptick in crossovers and light trucks. It's not just GM. Saying that it's their fault for a shift in consumer preference is simply laughable.
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#1. No where did I say or did I recall hearing that we're in the 80's or 90's. You are paraphrasing something from I don't know where. You also didn't hear me say that the current GM cars are junk or are not dependable. Far from it. What I was saying is that GM needs to examine their marketing strategies and improve them, instead of eliminating
once successful lines in lieu of others.
#2....May I????? Alright.....
Impala. It should stay. The design is ok. Perhaps it needs to be a tad smaller. Perhaps it needs to stop trying to imitate its chinese rivals. Perhaps Impala needs to re-connect to its earlier styling roots, where many of us fondly remember older, more successful Impalas. I had a sad feeling once GM got away from some of the smaller styling cues of Impala, that this model would eventually get lost and become obscure. It appears that this fear might be coming to light.
CT6. It should stay. The design is ok. It hasn't been on the market long enough to make an impact. Cadillac and Buick have long discussed bringing in a flagship full sized vehicle to challenge the likes of Mercedes and BMW. CT6 could be a great opportunity to do this with a little work and more exposure. As of now, the CT6 is barely distinguishable from its stable mate XTS, in which it was supposed to either replace it or aid it. Now both sedans are in peril.
XTS. It could stay. The design is boring, predictable. The car is unecessarily large, and it actually is less exciting than the Impala. Cadillac needs to decide what its target market for it is. Cadillac could eliminate it and focus on CT6. They need to do something with it.
CTS. It should definitely stay. The design is good.
The CTS-V is the best sedan in the company...meaning ALL of GM. The lower levels of CTS perhaps could use a little spicing up with unique trim touches, an array of affordable options, and more aggressive marketing. Cadillac needs to take a page out of Toyota/Lexus' marketing strategy, and hit harder in promoting Cadillac.
ATS. It should stay. The design is ok. It is a good sedan, but in reality the styling leaves one with a bit to be desired. In some angles it looks akin to the Malibu LTZ (They share a couple of components, like the engine, and are close in size), and in other angles it looks like a dwarfed XTS. ATS needs to make its designs more aggressive in the body profile....it needs to make a bold statement. As of now, its pleasant but a tad forgettable in appearance. ATS also has great potential, in that it has a wide array of models and options. The strategy is good with ATS: It just needs a bit more force in its improvement.
ALL OF BUICK; GM needs to decide and focus on its mission. I feel that the entire brand is in peril. Most of its designs, while some cues are interesting, still leave one bored and wishing for more excitement. They have an interesting line up with nice options and reachable price points. Buicks are still very boring to look at and to compare. At one point I thought they were benchmarking Acura and Lexus for their designs, but it looks like some of that flare got lost.