egmCarTech

GM doesn't have to axe Buick entirely GMfan87, if China likes it they can easily just keep the Buick name for China. That's been proposed time and time again: Chevrolet and Cadillac for America, Daewoo and Buick for China.

Daewoo hasn't been sold here for ages, but it's basically just low rent (really low rent by most standards) Chevrolet vehicles in China. In Korea though, Daewoo gets the same stuff Holden has.

Really, we need to get away from this idea of killing brands and instead kill them in one market or another. Killing Buick altogether makes no sense: China loves it. Its even a prestige item. But in America, Buick doesn't sell. So axe Buick here, keep the name in China.

And about losing loyal Pontiac customers: most of them are either working for or have worked at GM plants. There aren't enough loyal Pontiac customers to make the brand work, saying we need to keep it to keep those customers is frivilous. Those customers will probably just go to another GM brand anyway, so why keep the Pontiac badging?

Really though, if Pontiac has to stay, it needs a major overhaul. GM can turn Chevrolet into the "go-wagon" brand, something to compete with Toyota and Honda and Hyundai. But performance oriented vehicles are still a market, just not as large as the non-enthusiast group. Hence, Holden and Opel vehicles that are more performance oriented can come to America via Pontiac. Although for god sakes, get rid of that stupid dual grill. BMW has survived in spite of, not because of, things like dual grills and one number names. I honestly think its the styling that has ruined G8 sales, not the car itself. If the G8 looked more like, say, the Chevrolet Caprice they sell in the Middle East, or the Holden Commodore that it actually is underneath, it'd do much better.

GMC should become the heavy vehicles brand. Although the costs are low, keeping heavy duty trucks larger than the one-ton series in the Chevrolet brand is just adding costs, not creating more sales. And those buying Chevrolet heavy duty vehicles will still buy them if they say GMC: its not the label on the front of the truck thats important to commercial buyers its how it affects their company to have it.

There is nothing to say that GM cannot press the delete button at anytime they like.

For GM less is more.

But then you run the risk of losing those loyal to pontiac. Unfortunately, you're right though, it has to be done. GMC and Buick probably need to go too, again each have their own loyal buyers they risk losing. There goes GM's market in China if buick gets hacked....what a shame it will be to see the G8 go though, I love mine so much.