Wow
I’m impressed with the passion and insight of you fastlane bloggers. Believe me: interiors definitely are as high on my list as they are on yours. Stuff like you see on HHR and Cobalt, H3, or the Sky will be the standard at GM going forward. Very much encouraged also by many of you acknowledging that you see the progress we’re making. You real people have more faith in us than many media seem to do! Pity I can’t reply individually to each of you. Keep up the flow, even though I might be too busy these next 2-3 days with the Detroit auto show to give much of an instant response.
Bob Lutz
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Are you going to blog the auto show? It would be great to see some thoughts and pics from your perspective.
I can’t wait to hear more from the Detroit show.
By the way, are you watching who is linking to you? Check out Technorati: http://www.technorati.com/cosmos/search.html?sub=toolsearch&url=http%3A//fastlane.gmblogs.com/
Bob,
I really like the HHR overall and absolutely agree with you that retro did not die when the fever pitch over the PT cruiser died down or the Thunderbird flopped – its a great idea to have old style Suburban-like cargo space in a fuel efficient, stylish package. It may not tow lik e an old Suburban, but GM has a gazillion trucks that will.
Here are a few styling changes I’d like to see with it:
1. More Chrome. Painted plastic bumpers just don’t say retro to me, although white painted bumpers might, I’m not sure it would work with today’s glossy paint. The PT cruisers unpainted, unchromed plastic bumpers are the worst.
2. More COLOR in the interior. It doesn’t have to match the body color or have clear-coat painted inserts, but a little more variation of colors other than gray, please…it’s better than the Malibu, but not by much, color-wise.
I’m guessing we might see some of these things on a future HHR, but I’d like to see them without paying for an SS version with a supercharged engine.
One other thing that strikes me as odd about the HHR is that with the Equinox, Malibu MAXX, and Uplander Chevy seems to be getting more than its fair share of unique crossovers while Pontiac gets a rebadged Equinox and a Toyota Voltz…I’d love to see more GM investment in Pontiac.
By abandoning its heritage on many higher-volume models, GM’s missing an opportunity. The appeal of looking back while looking ahead is one of the few bona fide advantages the domestics possess. The appeal of the current Impala is that, while not truly retro, its link to Chevy’s history is unmistakable. It achieves this, in part, with the taillight treatment. Surely, the 2006 Impala could have pulled in doubles or triples, even under a single corner lens, without being overbearing. This would have allowed the car to please the conservative buyer without alienating Chevy traditionalists. As it is, it’s as non-descript as a Toyota Camry. Nothing really “gotta-have” about that. We expected much more on this one.
Bob,
There is no doubt in my mind that interiors are changing for the better. However, as you will probably agree, there is always room for improvements..
1) Get rid of of gray! Black is the new gray in automotive interiors!
2) More navigation systems.
3) More color period in sporty cars.
The Sky interior is really, really great! It looks as if it could be a new benchmark in automotive interiors for North America.
Can’t wait to see GM’s NAIAS offerings!
I purchased a saturn SL2 in 1999. I had read Consumer Reports for many years in which Saturn was basically the only American car that they would recomend.I have little reason to believe that my Saturn is any better than comperable models from other auto makers.The visibility , especially for parking , is down right terrible. I don’t understand how everyone in the industry have been getting away with maintaining a completely missleading image of the car.
Bob, I’m starting to see your work thus far and I have to say that it is heeps better then it was 2-3 years ago! If the Sky’s interior is setting the standerd for GM products then you guys will be on top!
Bob, I know you’re going to read this so…PLEASE LET THESE ZETA CAMARO RUMORS BE TRUE!! Even if it’s not called the Camaro but it is a v8 rwd Chevy Coupe and the quality and finish is on par with a great price, there will be a huge demand for them
!!
Keep up the great work Bob!
Up until now Saturn’s claim of ‘being different’ held no water. After today I wait eagerly to see what Saturn releases next.
To the point about interiors:
I’m a proud Chevy Colorado owner and while I am not necessarily big on interiors there’s room for improvement.
The radio for starters needs to be re-done — it just plain looks atrocious. Update that please.
The center console gets a lot of grief for being rather weak feeling and wobbly, that needs to be addressed as well.
For the dash, bring the gauge cluster all the way over to the heater/AC/Radio controls. Right now there’s a small divot in between the top of the gauge cluster area and the aforementioned area. Use the extra space to add in gauges for oil pressure or oil temperature. Make those accurate and useful gauges, not the ones that you see all too often in cars today that are too woefully inaccurate and only show you three things: Off, Warmed up, Dead engine.
The seats need a bit of updating too — the lumbar support for the seats still cracks off, just as they did in the S10s. Apart from that they’re pretty decent seats that could definitely use an upgrade in terms of comfort and aesthetics. Some of the fabrics used on them looks so unbelievably out of place on the trucks it’s embarassing at times. Give them very lightly styled fabric, ala what the GMC Canyon has.
For the rest of the truck it’s very, very, very hard to find a complaint. The I4/I5s leave you surprised when you lean on them a bit. Excellent delivery of power and excellent economy. Still, more cylinders sell. Offer a V8 or forced induction option for a revival of the ZR2 nameplate or the addition of the SS nameplate to the Colorado lineup. Especially the SS — in their slimmest trim Colorados weigh about the same as an F-Body. With some suspension tweaks I imagine they can get to be dangerous on the slalom. When you throw in 300, 400 horsepower as well and you have an incredible performer that WILL get people on the dealer lots.
I don’t know the feasability of it all but isn’t that the point — get people on the lots. Same thing with loss leaders, just get the people on the lot and they’ll probably end up giving you money. When “400 horsepower” and “Mid-size truck” are mentioned in the same breath in a commercial, what possibly could keep the potential buyer from not stopping by to see what the trucks are all about? Not Toyota nor Dodge nor Ford nor Nissan are capable of doing the same thing, especially not with currently developed parts that have already been thrown into concepts several times now.
Either way, the Saturn Sky and Saturn Aura made me a believer that Detroit can enter into the car market again and succeed. I can’t wait to see what you do next.
ps.
Every time I preview the comment it comes through erroneously as one long paragraph instead of being seperated into paragraphs to which I apologize.
While I may not be a fan of the HHR, I will say that I like the result better than I thought I would. Regarding the above post, please do not put more chrome on it. Chrome became outdated as soon as it was replaced with chrome-finish plastic in the 80s. Cars today look better when their bodylines define the shape, not chrome brightwork.
Sure, there might be exceptions, but they are in the minority. The Chrysler 300C has a lot more chrome than is the norm these days (too much in my opinion), but it fits the car’s attitude.
The Saturn Aura’s plastic chrome grille piece is an attention-getter, but at least it doesn’t extend to the rest of the car.
Chrome has its place, but its heyday was decades ago.
Hey Mr. Lutz
First of all this is a great concept – I think you might find this more a more useful gauge of public opinion than any of GM’s surveys.
One thing that concerns me is Pontiac. This brand is supposed to offer total performance. The GTO accomplishes this brand mission in spades, but no other model in the lineup does. The Grand Prix GXP for instance, will certainly accelerate very well, but I would have been more impressed if it had a manual option or at very least a beefier automatic transmission. The Torrent on the other hand, says in the press release that it has handling enhancements, yet offers the same bleak 3.4l weezer as the Equinox and thus will have very unsporting acceleration. Shouldn’t Pontiacs by definition offer both taut handling and visceral acceleration? I would think its very important that Pontiac better defines this brand image, especially since the new Saturn models (nice job by the way!) seem to slot that brand above Chevrolet.
BOB
i think that the HHR is a great idea. And geatjob for putting v8s in the new monte carlo, and impala. but my guestion is why did you guys use the same headlights in both cars, that kinda says your being cheap, otherwise i like both cars. Is there also any chance of a cool magnum style wagon coming out or a new camaro soon?
Mr. Lutz,
GM is taking its designs in a positive direction, however, there are a few things i’ve noticed that worry me a bit.
1. Look at the chevrolet upcoming cars section, then at the cobalt SS. The thick five spoke wheel design is quickly becoming overused. It seems most people preferred the Racing Hart style wheels on the Cobalt SS for example. Another note on wheels. Please don’t make them bulge out like they are hubcaps (see Cadillac Deville). It really cheapens the look. The best wheels to come out of GM lately are the ones on the ‘06 z06.
2. Steering Wheels. The Cobalt interior impresses in its many incarnations. The only problem I have with it is the cheap looking steering wheel. With the new z06, the HHR, Sky and the Torrent, it seems to me someone has realized that three spoke wheels, for the most part, look better. Having four spokes is not necessarily ugly, the base C6 steering wheel is not BAD. I think what makes the Cobalt wheel especially ugly is the white circle around the Chevy logo in the center. Regardless, I think the Cobalt SS deserves a 3 spoke wheel with some accents that match the dash.
Ill leave the comments on Cadillac interiors for another time.
Mr. Lutz,
Im sorry, but to me the me HHR was a huge letdown as far as the whole ‘American Revolution’ is concerned. It feels like a blatant cash in on the retro design idea started way back by Chrysler with the failed Prowler. I suppose I can understand where fans of this design are coming from, but now it feels completely tapped out. I want my cars to feel and look new. In my opinion, this retro idea is only hurting automobile design.
I think the Cobalt was a step in the right direction, finally the elimination of the gaping sore that was the J-Body. I’m a little disappointed in the power output by the SS Supercharged, it falls sort of what I se as its biggest competitor, the Dodge Neon SRT-4. As long as you can bring the fit and finish up to near Japanese standards I cant see any reason why it wont sell like mad.
The only thing I can hope for from GM in the near future is the return of a car that caters to a performance crowd. You have all your other bases covered as far as commuter cars/wagons, minivans, sport compacts and SUV’s go but are sorely lacking an affordable performance vehicle. Even people that absolutely abhore the current GM lineup tell me they would jump at the chance for an updated performance model :cough: Camaro :cough:. If Ford can move Mustangs off dealer lots only hours after they arrive, certainly the perennially more powerful Camaro could do the same. LS6 with an updated, non retro body and T-56 would be an absolute dream.
While I cant say I’m very happy with GM’s current lineup(only the Corvette, GTO and maybe a Cobalt SS interest me at all) I can assure you that if GM continues evolving the way it has in the past year you will have a customer in me for life. I would love to trade in my SS for a comparable new car, sadly nothing is offered at a practical price point to fill that gap.
Bob–great blog. I have recently been browsing through photos of the ‘06 Impala, Saturn Aura, G6 coupe and Chevy HHR–General Motors in certainly back to building exciting, beautiful cars again. I applaud your focus on interior quality, as it’s clear that exterior design and powertrain are already dead-on. I also applaud some of the “work in progress” improvements that have been made already–my 2004 Alero GL has a great interior–comparable to any of it’s competitors in fit and finish. Everyone at GM, and at Lansing Assembly deserves credit for giving Oldsmobile a fitting end by building such a quality car. If I might make one more quick comment–the LaCrosse TV spots using “Dream On” are excellent–as good as the L.Z. ads for Cadillac. Seeya at the NAIAS…JT
Mr. Lutz,
GM has been doing an excellent job of shaking the stigma of cheapness and unreliability gained from 70s and 80s vehicles while at the same time injecting performance, a la Cadillac. Beautiful job so far! I’d love to have a CTS-V in my driveway, and it’s good to see the Northstar in the RWD platform it has always deserved.
New concepts like the Solstice and the Sky are very promising, as long as GM pays attention to weight. I was mildly shocked to read that the Solstice was weighing in at over 2.25 tons! I don’t think something that’s supposed to be a sporty RWD roadster should weigh much more than 200lbs. Look to vehicles like the Lotus Elise and Mazda Miata and their relatively low weights. The Elise comes in under 2000lbs, and that’s after all the crash-standards junk that had to be added to get it street-legal in the US!
Basically, there is a big demand among enthusiasts for an affordable, RWD car with a good powerplant and a well-thought-out suspension. The F-body twins fit this niche beautifully, and I think it would be beneficial to give Chevy fans who can’t afford a C6 Vette and don’t want FWD something they can enjoy.
Mr. Lutz, you’ve done great so far, and I think you are definitely on the right track!
On that note, I think it would hearten true enthusiasts to hear from you that the brand dilution so painfully evident in today’s badge-engineered lineup is a temporary condition. It’s honestly insulting to be expected to accept a TrailBlazer as a Saab; I call the Saturn Relay the “Rehash”, and that’s the honest truth.
–
It’s reassuring to see that you have such a genuine willingness to listen to our input. Blogs are a powerful tool, and this one may very well restore people’s faith in GM.
First, I’d like to say that not everyone wants RWD. Being from Kansas — and we just had an ice storm — I like FWD because of the extra peace of mind when driving on ice and snow.
Now, a question for Mr. Lutz: Any chance of GM bringing the currently Canada-only Pontiac Pursuit to the United States? I know this is the last year for the Sunfire, so I presume GM wants to have something ready to replace it when its production run is over, and I think the Pursuit would fit the bill quite nicely.
Finally someone to complain to.
I usually buy a car recomended by Consumer Reports. That eliminates most GM products.
There have been times that I would have purchased a GM even with known problems only because I liked that car better. I did not buy the car because I did not want the hassle with the dealer or zone people to get it fixed.
Buying a car and dealing with the sales process is bad enough. Every time it needs repaired one has to deal with the same process and people.
You have demonstrate that you have cleaned up that part of the business before I will buy another GM.
I was raised on 409 Chevys and GTOs. There is a soft spot in my heart for GM but I haven’t bought one for many years.
Bob…I recently read an article in The Detroit News where you were quoted saying, “the GTO was priced too high. And unless it’s a Mustang, sport coupes are a hard sell in today’s U.S market”. Your statement is curious. It’s almost as if you’re saying (and I’m not trying to put words in your mouth) that the Mustang is the only sport coupe worth building because it’s the only one popular enough to pull it off. And you would be right. However…there is a car we used to build that could pull it off too. And for as popular as the Mustang is, this car was every bit as popular. Heck…I would even go so far as to say, it might be more. It’s called the Camaro. And you’d make an awful lot of people happy in this country if you ever brought it back. We need a ‘pony-fighter’ again Bob. And I’m sorry…but the GTO is no ‘pony-fighter’.
GM.com website flaws.
Bob there is a problem with the GM.com website that is frustrating and needs fixing. If I go to “The Company” and then select “News & Events” and then try to go to other portions of the website such as “current offers”, it won’t work even though there is a hyperline for “current offers”. To make it work, I have to click on “home” and then click on “current offers”.
Maybe you could get your network weenies to work on this, it has been this way for several months.
Also what happened to the 04 incentives in the “current offers” page? Did GM sell all of the 04’s in December?
New Saturns look great, keep on charging like Patton through Europe!
Bob,
With all of these new products coming out from GM, GM is looking very good lately. Lots of good looking cars that not only will sell a lot, but will also inspire some passion in GM. However, I would like to point out one deficiency at GM. It is in the affordable RWD performance category. Right now, the Mustang is making a killing, and GM doesn’t have anything to answer back. I would like to make a suggestion on the perfect answer. Bring back the CAMARO! I have heard quite a few rumors on its return, yet nothing definite. It is my understanding from statements made by you and others that there will be a Chevy performance coupe in the 2007-2008 timeframe. It is my hope that this is the Camaro. However, please, don’t make something that isn’t true to the Camaro heritage, a Camaro. Me, as a Camaro enthusiast, and an owner, would absolutely love to see the Camaro return, but do not want a large luxury coupe to be a Camaro. Affordable performance is what we want. That means performing in the straight line, as well as in the curves. I apologize for this long rant, but I know you are a true car guy, and can appreciate what the Camaro has brought to many people, and what, if done properly, could bring to many more people in the future. Thank you sir!
In response to a previous post, if GM is planning a Zeta based Camaro, let’s hope that Zeta is flexible enough to spawn a “proper” Camaro, and not merely a “Chevy GTO”. If Zeta can’t be configured to ponycar proportions, I’d like to see the Torana’s architecture used.
Don’t put the Camaro name on a car which is not a Camaro.
While I am glad that GM has improved its interiors exponentially, one aspect of GM’s interior design still bothers me. When it comes to plastic trim, GM still uses black or gray. For example, the new Cadillac STS, SRX, or even the CTS. These “charcoal” tones appear very cheap, and while I know they were the trend in the mid-to-late 1990s, this is the year 2005. Look at Lexus; instead of using dull black or gray plastic, they use a silverish color. While I know the only difference between their plastic and GM’s plastic is the color, the perception of higher quality exists in the Lexus. I promise you the SRX interior would look 100% better if it used a silverish plastic instead of the dull gray it currently employs. All of this being said, the SRX is still hands down the best SUV in its class; however, why be complacent?
Mr. Lutz,
First of all, I’d like to say that starting a blog to talk to consumers takes guts and I commend you for it.
I am most interested in vehicles with high fuel economy and low emissions. To me, the hybrid powertrain is the best blending of technologies to meet the goal of greener transportation. I am familiar with the Silverado mild hybrid, your recent joint venture with DCX on a “two-mode” hybrid system, and your upcoming 2007 Malibu Hybrid.
How important does GM consider these technologies? Do these projects exist only because it makes for good PR or have you reconsidered your position on hybrid technology from a year ago?
http://money.cnn.com/2004/01/06/pf/autos/detroit_gm_hybrids/
Mr. Lutz,
I hope that pontiac and sky don’t become even closer in future directions than they appear to be. The solstice and the sky are both great cars, but the differentiation seems to be minimal. At first I loved the solstice, but now I’m starting to like the sky. Hopefully the market segmentation of each brand becomes more clear.
matt
How about the Camaro? It might be a sore subject, but I think you lost something great. Although, maybe now the “return” of this Pony Car could bring more sales due to the anticipation of a new Camaro? Of course the Camaro will struggle to sell as well as the Mustang, the Mustang didn’t have the Firebird to compete with. The Camaro should be brought back, without the Firebird. And you might as well get rid of the GTO or Grand Am or whatever that “muscle car” is.
I have been waiting for years for some American auto mfr to begin to again produce high quality upscale cars. The Cadillacs and Buicks of the 60’s were tremendous cars. Hearing of the new STS, I was anxious to test drive and possibly buy. I was so disappointed with the fit,finish (including heavy “orange peel” paint) and boring interior design and appointments. I presently drive a 2000 Audi A6 4.2. After looking at the STS, I invited the sales rep to look over my 5 year old Audi. He had to agree that the difference was striking. The much older Audi’s quality of paint finish and interior finish was superior. I can buy a new Audi with better:
- fit and finish
- equal or better driving dynamics
- equal or better V8
- all wheel drive
for less money. This is a car assembled by incredibly highly paid German employees and imported here with the Euro trading some 30% higher than the dollar.
I am confused. I wanted so badly for this car to be good. You have succeeded with only one car – the Corvette.
sincerely,
I am very impressed that GM and some executives are savvy enough to tap into the internet and blogs, in order to communicate better with their customers. Very new millennium of you. I suspect it will grow so popular you’ll soon need a staff just to filter the feedback, but the interaction can only improve the products and perception. Kudos.
Mr. Lutz,
Great blog, and I feel that you are doing a great job on getting GM turned around from the early ’90’s bankrupt era to the newer fresher looking Vehicles they are definitely bringiing sales in. I am currently driving a 2005 Colorado and am loving that thing to death. I hope that by the time the Solstice or the Sky come out that I will be able to afford andother vehicle and one that is more “play” oriented (well more than my ZQ8). Great job with the newer, fresher interiors, and remember that the biggest thing that I have noticed in the newer car designs interiors are aluminum, and black leather.
Mr. Lutz,
As a car guy (M Coupe, thanks), designer, and blogger, I welcome you to the blogosphere.
Excellent!
- Diego
Mr. Lutz,
Congratulations on the blog, and nice work on some of the great vehicles… I’m really impressed especially with the new Saturns. Even my “import-cars-only” snob friends had to admit that the Sky and Solstice are some pretty nice vehicles.
A good friend of mine met you when he in charge of PR several years back at Chrysler Japan, and he told me that he hadn’t met many guys in your business who truly love cars as much as you do; I guess it shows…
-Cameron
Nice blog.
Suscribed.
Mr. Lutz,
I am a General Sales Manager of a Pontiac, GMC, Buick Dealership in the Chicagoland Area. Please keep up the great work you and your team are doing. But, do it fast! We need products like the G6 Convertible, Lucrene, Velete, and Torrent NOW!! I’ve been fighting the good fight for 18 years and we never seem to be ahead of the curve. We need to start excuting like the Largest Car Company on the Planet not REacting like one. We are losing great people to the imports…not customers…employees. Please dial it up a notch!!
Mr. Lutz,
Like many of the other posters, I think what you’re doing with this blog is great and should be viewed very positively within your company. I would be very surprised if the other auto manufacturers don’t start blogs of their own. Please keep the candidness flowing and do not turn this into a soapbox for your marketing folks.
-Fred
Mr. Lutz,
I would like to know when Buick is going to start seeing the 3 billion dollar investment like Cadillac? As a fan of Buick for years it is sickening to see how they have been neglected. Yes the Lacrosse is a nice car but it is not a spectacular vehicle. The chassis has been around for years, the styling is non descript. Buick is and will always be known for power, and comfort. They should not be getting all these warmed over products. And please stop with the new names. Electra, Invicta, Roadmaster, GNX, Regal, Century, Skyhawk, Skylark, Riviera THIS IS BUICK
Mr. Lutz,
I am very interested to know if GM will be bringing back the El Camino, by using the Holden Ute. I enjoy fast fun cars, but I also enjoy mountain biking and riding ATVs, so I am stuck having to drive a truck so I can enjoy my outdoor activities.
I really hope that GM will introduce a performance car-based pick-up to the US. It is exactly what I am looking for, a fun, fast car that I can use to haul my toys in, and I’m sure there are many people out there like me. Thank you.
I can see a positive change in recent GM products, but nothing excites me. I grew up with GM products in a GM family and was brand faithful until last summer when I purchased a new Acura TL. My wife and I looked at the Grand Prix, Bonneville, and CTS but they were not as exciting or refined as the Acura for the price. This is my first import and it is a sensational vehicle. In 2 years I’ll be selling my 2002 Camaro SS daily driver but right now I see a Mustang or another import in my future. The GTO has all the right goodies and I’m sure it’s a fine car, but the price is steep and even with the ‘05 refinements, the overall exterior styling is tired and uninspiring like an old Grand Prix. What I’d like to see is another V8 powered coupe from GM that will compete with the Mustang at under 30k (name it what you want). I’m guessing you have a rear drive platform ready and able to pull this off. Please keep me at least 50% a GM customer, I’ve never owned a Ford.
Mr Lutz,
It is great that you know just how unattractive GM interiors have been in the past and you are finally doing something about it. While you are at it just produce one steering wheel for the corvette. Shelf the standard steering wheel and make the new Z06 steering wheel the only one available. Also will a convertible Z06 be produced?
It doesn’t really matter what you do to the interior design, or exterior design, for that matter – It won’t impact my tradition of buying Japanese cars.
In 1970, my 1968 (or was it a 1969) Olds Cutlass engine blew up on I-70 driving across Kansas. I had it towed back to Colorado Springs, CO for an autopsy and post mortem. It seems that the timing chain had let loose because the timing gear was made of PLASTIC!!…and all of the teeth on the gear had worn away or broken off. Why was it made of plastic? I was told that it cut down on the engine noise level. So I unknowingly paid a lot of money (to me, in those days) for a slightly “quieter” car that would last two or three years as opposed to a somewhat “noisier” car that might have lasted 10 or 15 years. I wasn’t told that when I purchased the car. I learned my lesson well, and never purchased a Detroit “designed to fall apart” car since. I’m still the original owner of a 1985 Isuzu pick-up with 170,000+ miles, still running, with the original clutch, oil pump, & fuel pump. My wife and I also own an infinity G20, a honda Accord, and a Toyota Tacoma 4X4. The ‘Japanese only’ philosophy has worked for me for 30+ years, and I have no good reason to change it.
Why no navigation system in the Lacrosse?
I’ve my second DTS great sedan, very comfortable. have a Denali, compared to Porsche, more; Denali best. thanx for such nicer looking products, and better quality. next thing i’d address; door closing(s). compare to mercedes. no reason can’t match. thanx, and best wishes; you’re the best.
This takes guts and a lot of time, hats off to you. Your new GTO is a great concept – bad execution. The previous version as you know was based on the Tempest-a great option package on a good car. Here comes the judge! This idea is too expensive, too bland, not American, and we know it. Give me 300 hp in a Pontiac priced version of the CTS, that would be a GTO. Oh yeah, give us a new Judge too. Kamml
Hi Bob,
Was reading your comments about Toyota and am hopeful you can win the market share battle. I agree with others that you’re making progress in the US. The products are getting better. But I think we’ll know GM has found true success when we see less reliance on rebates to move market share. Southeast Michigan real estate values are depending on you!
Hello Bob,
First let me congratulate you on the launch of FastLane – it is great to see big business embrace blogging. I hope that the interaction between GM execs and the general public stays fresh and engaging. I have been reading a lot of GM in the Detroit Free Press lately – mostly focusing on Asia/China. GM is so important not only to the global economy, but to SE Michigan’s economy as well.
Now let’s talk minivans. Now that I have 2 kids in my family (both under 2 years of age) my wife and I have decided it’s minivan time. I’ve owned SUVs for the last 7 years and while they are great, you can’t beat the convenience of a minivan. My only problem? Which make/model to pick? Toyota and Honda have top quality products, and the Chrysler Town & Country is still the most versatile minivan on the planet – which leads me to GM. Where is the desire to compete with the Sienna, Odyssey and the Town & Country?
Bob, MEGA-kudos for the courage and foresight to open this direct channel to the consumer. My only concern is that you seem to have caught the ear of those with a faascination for the new, shiny things. I love an auto show as much as the next guy, and I love drooling over concepts and pre-productions models.
This is all well and good when I browse the web, and read car magazines, but when it comes to purchasing a car, my emphasis, and that of many others, is QUALITY. Given the choice between a GM product and a competitively spec’ed Toyota/Honda, I will pay at least $1000 more ANY DAY, and I’m not the only one. Not every buyer looks at Consumer Reports, but those that do will shudder at the reliability ratings of the SRX, Malibu, H2, Ranier, Safari, and Astro – and they should. Listen to CR: “The new Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon both scored above average–a rarity for first-year GM products.” What does that tell you? GM’s lack of quality is systemic, and documented.
If believe you can lead the industry targeting customers who don’t care about quality, carry on. But I tell you this – I WANT to buy American. I would love to buy some of the slick designs you are turning out. But until I can imagine that the average GM vehicle will be even close to the average Toyota or Honda in terms of reliability, I can’t do it. I’d rather keep the hundreds in repair costs I’ve seen myself and others spend annually maintaining their American cars and use that to make my country better instead of rewarding companies like GM that make sub-par vehicles. (Hear me when I say I WANT to be your customer, just show me the reliability. Build quality and you WILL earn our business.)
I just wanted to say thank you for listening to your customers by finally putting some muscle into the SSR. I can’t begin to say how dissapointed I was when it first came out as both underpowered and slushbox-only, but my dissapointment has recently been trumped by suprise that GM reacted so quickly to correct the shortcomings of this vehicle by giving it an appropriate amount of power, and a manual transmission. After years of “too little too late” (see the Fiero and Allante) I’m glad to see GM fixing issues right away. I’m sure your company will find this to be a much more profitable measure than rebating a mediocre product until the point where you have to kill it due to lack of sales.
Bob, please don’t ever expect anything from the media. Just listen to your consumer (the internet will make it a lot easier) and try to suprise your consumer (pleasantly, of course) and then your business should prosper — assuming management doesn’t do anything outrageous and try to hide it in the footnotes of an annual report.
Thanks,
Escapehybrid@yahoo.com
Bring back the Camaro and Trans Am!
I have to echo the previous post about bringing back the Camaro and Trans Am. Don’t get me wrong, the new Solstice and Sky are sharp looking cars, and will probably perform quite well. They’re also right in my price range. Unfortunately, as far as I’m concerned, there isn’t enough horsepower under the hood. I would like to see something come from the GM garage that is DIRECT competition for imports, and more especially the Mustang. In other words, some kind of 2+2 coupe with a smallblock V8 and a 6-speed manual, at a relatively low price ($24k-30k). However, PLEASE don’t follow Ford’s lead and give the top of the line model only 275 hp. I would think a 5.3 or a 6.0 from the GTO/Corvette would be very appropriate. If GM wants to take back the street scene from the imports, we’ve got to give the younger generation something cheap that will require few mods to keep up with and/or dominate the competition.
Hello folks nice blog youre running
Having read an article in a recent Business Week about this blog compelled me to write.
Mr. Lutz commented that it’s nice to be able to put the shoe on the other foot. I think that’s another example of GM arrogance. It’s the consumer that will be (and has been) putting the shoe on the other foot, not a GM marketing campaign. Declining market share and declining profits. I don’t think GM gets it. My main concern about a car is quality and reliability. Second is fuel efficiency. Third, does it meet my family’s needs? I owned a Honda Civic for seven years. It was flawless. Not one problem. I only had to replace parts that normally wear out (brakes, tires, two light bulbs). Someone hit me once, and I got a late ’90s Grand Am (brand new at the time) as a rental car. The first day my shoe lace caught the trim around the door frame and RIPPED IT OFF. I was shocked. The car was filled with cheap, rattling plastic. I was glad to get my Civic back. Nothing EVER fell off or rattled, even after a car accident. My wife has an Acura Integra that’s 8years old. Same story. NO PROBLEMS. Just recently replaced the tires, brakes, and muffler. A solid car. We’ll keep it as long as we have only two kids. The only reason we replaced the Civic was the need for something bigger with two kids. We never considered GM.
Look at Consumer Reports and the reliability statistics are almost all black (negatives). Look at Honda and Toyota – almost all red (positives). We settled on the Honda CRV. It gave use more room and decent fuel economy for the size. It’s also an ultra low emission vehicle. I’ve read the average GM fleet gets worse fuel economy and puts out more emissions today than a few years ago. When I read articles where GM execs are interviewed they say: so what about gas prices – adjusted for inflation they are at historical lows; they don’t say QUALITY IS OUR MAIN GOAL; they instead say we are giving our cars bold styling, brighter head lights, etc. I could care less about bold styling if the trim will fall off in a year.
You’ve boxed yourself in with large trucks and SUVs that sold well in the past but are now an albatross around your neck. I skimmed this blog a bit before writing this post and noticed some GM manager responding to accusations of low fuel economy vehicles. “We have 30 fuel efficient vehicles” he says. “That’s just not true.” (I don’t remember the exact number and I’m paraphrasing.) Having them available for sale and actually selling a large quantity of them are two different things.
It frustrates me that the American car industry has squandered so much over the last three decades. At the time we bought our CRV, there were no Honda rebates. Why can the Japanese sell literally boatloads and boatloads of cars at premium prices and the American car makers have to have incentives on top of incentives? Quality. Investing in the future. Making a broad range of cars that appeal to consumers. The GM responses to posting on this blog say otherwise, but the American consumer has the final say and they are saying something else.
Not Dead Yet
These are the frantic and frenzied times for my friends and foes alike. My company is going through tough times and the negative coverage in newspapers about our imminent death is making them quite restless. This must be a serious matter because many of them didn’t check on me last year when I went through two major surgeries. It becomes very confusing for me to answer their questions because I can’t draw the line between their concern and idle curiosity. Some of my sympathizers fire uncanny salvos and pass sly comments at my company’s present condition. They even suggest to me how my company should be running its business. Others try to drag me in arguments over my company’s declining market share, profitability and stock prices. I am glad that the rest of the world is doing so well. However, this is what I know about my company:
1. At the outset, my company competes in a free market structure where, unlike the government or monopolistic societies, there is no guarantee of eternity. We go through different life cycles of business. Some are favorable to us and others are not. We sell products to the consumers according to the law of ‘demand and supply.’ We don’t depend on handouts. So, if we are presently cruising through rough weather due to high health care cost and retiree benefits, there is nothing to sneer at us or to be mad about. As far as I am concerned, I have chosen to work for my company on my own free will and will gladly sink or swim with it. There is nothing to be mad about that.
2. As for my company’s declining market share in North America, remember that we are not the only players in the market anymore. When IBM was the only computer manufacturer, they had 100% of the market. Now they don’t. Similarly, there are at least twenty major car manufacturers from all over the globe who are trying to sell their cars in North America. In spite of that that my company sold 6.6 million vehicles worldwide in 1997 and in 2004 it sold 8.59 million vehicles worldwide. So, we are growing in terms of total delivery of vehicles and revenue. With the growing demand in Asian markets, we feel that our growth potential is unlimited.
3. There is no sense concentrating on our January and February sales alone. Remember that every month or every quarter is not the same. My company recently introduced many new vehicles such as G6, Equinox, Lacrosse, Relay, Cobalt, the Hummer H3 and many more. It takes time for a new product to gain acceptance and grow in a saturated market. If you watched the March sales figures, those brands are already making tremendous inroads. Moreover our truck lines such as Chevrolet Silverado and Suburban are aging. The new models to replace them are coming soon. I am pretty sure that they will enable us sell more vehicles in the market place in the coming months.
4. And don’t cry for Oldsmobile. That’s just a brand name. We have a new division called Saturn now. GM has strong brand commitments for them. Remember, many critics had prematurely predicted the death of Cadillac? Cadillac has rejuvenated itself and is going to have its presence in Europe and China. Buick and Pontiac will be around for a long time, refreshed every year with strong new products. Following Cadillac’s success, GMC and Chevrolet, and soon Saturn will follow suit by building new models.
5. People believe what they want to believe in. If you read this weeks’ financial news, you should know that GM is the biggest player in China, North America, Latin America and Australia. GM’s Chevy brand is going global. Its sales in the first quarter of this year increased 18% in India and 34% in Europe. Chevy is making inroads in Eastern Europe including Russia.
6. As for North America, we are going to bounce back. We are presently mired by the legacy cost that we’ll eventually take care of. As for the quality and reliability, the Chevy Impala finished ahead of Camry in the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study, and Impala has been a recommended buy by Consumer Reports for five years. Chevy Malibu shares the same success story. But you don’t change perceptions overnight, so we’ll have to have patience. Did you know that the newly introduced Chevy Aveo is the best selling small car in America? The media, probably, didn’t tell you that. Below is some additional information:
Here is the first 90 day satisfaction comparison
Passenger Cars With Highest J.D. Power Rankings of 2003
Segment J.D. Power #1
Compact Car Toyota Corolla and Toyota Prius (tie)
Entry Midsize Car Chevrolet Malibu
Premium Midsize Car Buick Century
Full-Size Car Buick LeSabre
Entry Luxury Car Ford Thunderbird
Mid Luxury Car Lexus GS 300/GS 430
Premium Luxury Car Lexus LS 430
Sports Car Mazda Miata
Premium Sports Car Chevrolet Corvette
· GMNA had three of the top 10 models in the industry with Buick Century and Cadillac CTS and XLR
· All GMNA brands improved quality performance over 2003
· GMNA and Toyota were tied with 14 models ranked in the top three of their respective segments
· The Buick Century and Chevrolet Suburban each received Best in Segment awards in the Premium Midsize Car and Full-size SUV segments
7. I’ll quote Bob Lutz to demonstrate the next point. “These past two weeks, the automotive press has smelled blood in the water and has been falling all over themselves trying to paint an ugly portrait of General Motors. This happens when a company’s financial results are not meeting projections and so I can understand and respect the increased scrutiny. But I must draw a line between legitimate coverage and manipulating facts to create news.”
8. General Motors Corp., the world’s largest vehicle manufacturer, employs about 325,000 people globally. Founded in 1908, GM has been the global automotive sales leader since 1931. GM today has manufacturing operations in 32 countries and its vehicles are sold in 192 countries. In 2005, GM has about 15 percent of the global vehicle market and hopes to grow it further with increasing demand in Asia Latin America and Eastern Europe. Chances are that someone you know may be directly and indirectly benefiting from General Motors’ benevolence.
I am glad to work for GM. It was my childhood dream that has been fulfilled. I am lucky to be with my company during these historic times. Don’t you worry about us! We’ll survive. Having said that, how is your company doing? In case I don’t hear from you again, have a nice life!
Britain’s MG Rover Group entered receivership on Friday April 8, 2005 after a five year lifespan. What about GM’s Saturn division buying the MG name and trademark. Putting it on the forcoming Saturn Sky and sell it as an MG-TG in North America and thru Vauxhall or Chevy (Daewoo) in the UK, Opel in Europe and Daewoo in Asia. After all MG was “The Sports Car America Loved First”, to use a 1970’s ad tag line. Mr Lutz owns(ed) a pre WWII classic MG. It would be great if GM could bring a world class new MG roadster to market in the 2007 model year and if the Saturn Sky was rebranded an MG a truly classic sports car marque could be saved for the world.
Dear Mr. Lutz, I have owned Chevy’s for the last 20 years, 3 Camaro’s, a Trailblazer, and an Impala ss. With gas prices at $3.00 a gallon I am not sure the future are in large trucks. I see a need for rear wheel drive cars including base models for people looking for basic transportation but also “excitement models” such as a new Camaro even with displacement on demand. I was never one to move “upscale” to Cadillac for more performance or luxury. I would like to see at least one model of Impala compete with the likes of the Toyota Avalon in both interiors, quiteness and attention to detail. The mechanicals are good but the interior ambiance is missing so far. GM is improving but automobile design is still lacking in many models. The Soltice and Sky are great looking! Now we need a Camaro to compete with the Mustang again. It would be deja vu 1968 again!
For the last five years I’ve driven a ‘95 Geo Metro equiped with a four cylinder angine and an automatic that now has 165,000 miles. I’ve had to replace the drive axles, brake linings, and rear wheel cylinders. It accelerates like a riding mower cutting up a 45 degree grade, and handles like a gut-shot garbage truck.
I’ve gotten tired of driving-as-a-chore. I’ll be ordering a 2007 Saturn Sky. I knew that I had to have it from the second that I saw it on the web. I don’t care if it’s badged as a Saturn or a hummer or a Saab. Assuming that the quality is equal to the sizzle, then these are the kind of cars that GM needs to be building.
Good luck General Motors, and here’s to one more worker at the Wilmington plant that won’t loose their job to someone in China.
Alex
‘95 Metro
‘93 Tercel
(2)’84 C10’s
‘68 Cutlass conv
‘60 Dynamic88
and soon: ‘07 Sky Roadster
i think that the HHR is a great idea. And geatjob for putting v8s in the new monte carlo, and impala.
I think the HHR is just about a home run as you will get for over all approach. The only thing in design that really seems out of step. Especially in the grey is the plastic which covers most of the interior. Though not to visually offensive in the beige it leaves much to be desired in grey and feel period. The plastic insert that is where your arm goes on the door is a finer texture. Still GM really really should consider switching to more soft touch or at least some what pleasing to touch materials in all but the very cheapest models. I really like the HHR and will more than likely buy. The only things that give me pause are the heavy use of obviously cheap material on so much of the surface that gets touched often. The other and more worrying is reliability. Being a new model it is a gamble and seems an even greater one when much is shared with the Cobalt under the skin. Which has some good things and some that worry. The car Cobalt has not exactly gotten stellar reliability reports. I really want to buy the HHR but I do not want to pay well over 20G once it is loaded the way I want to have it in the shop every month or two for some nagging problem. I should mention I have a mixed view of GM product so I am on the fence. We had a GM van that was great. My father has a Blazer that is a nightmare. It was literally in the shop today and has not gone three months without some problem that required a garage visit. He thinks I am crazy to consider GM and he is buying a Nissan because he honestly believes american companies especially GM can no longer build a decent car at a decent price. I hope he is wrong.
I have owned two GM products, a 1999 Corvette and a 2002 Z06 Corvette. Both were fantastic cars. I used the exhaust sound and driving experience of the Z06 to help with the development of a high-quality physics based racing simulator. Unfortunately, both cars had engine manufacturing problems. The dealers were reluctant to work on the cars and even told me they had a hard time finding qualified people to do the work. GM’s position on the Z06 required external assistance to get a fair result. What disappointed me most was not the fact that both cars had engine problems (the heart of a sports car), but rather the way GM handled the situation.
How to improve GM:
1. Copy the Japanese model. They can build quality cars on US soil: it’s a production and management issue, not a personnel issue. Spend more time+money on quality control, using best practices defined by the competitors who are beating you in both price and quality in the marketplace. This will save money later on in warranty claims and improve future sales through word of mouth, internet feedback, and magazine reviews.
2. Listen to customer feedback. You exist due to the customer’s money, not the other way around.
3. Be honest with your mistakes: when a product has an expensive problem, fix it right away, and don’t make the customer suffer any further. Denial of obvious problems has generated a new market to help consumers, which costs GM money. The negative PR and power of the internet has hurt sales far more than what it would have cost to make the customer happy. I recently had a problem with my Nissan. I could barely demonstrate the problem to the QA tech, and they bent over backwards to fix the car, admitting that the problem was due to a design/manufacturing problem. I tell friends and family about the experience, and highly recommend Nissan products. When I read about the possible Nissan/GM deal, I thought, “great idea”.
4. If (1) and (2) above are successfully implemented, (3) won’t be much of an issue in terms of warranty claims and making customers happy. Service after the sale and keeping existing customer happy results in future sales and long term company stability and growth; Japanese companies have this model down to a ‘T’. Copy them, and if possible, improve on the model.