GM FastLane Blog

Why do some negative people automatically assume that just because we say GLOBAL we mean cheap?

GM are using global resources because
1. We dont have enough resources to do all the work in the US
2. Experts in Korea, Melbourne, China, Europe and USA can collaborate to create a SUPERIOR product.

GM needs to make sure people understand this clearly!

GM is not sending work to the ‘lowest cost producer’ it is distributing work in the interest of achieving the best products!!!!

These are great concepts, each one could have a place for GM, even in the US market. They could be great if they are effecient enough without sacrificing too much power, and stylish enough. There is a market for these cars

I’m in my mid-30s and have always disliked traditional American vehicles – too big, ugly, impractical, poor fuel economy – they just didn’t work for me.

If General Motors can bring one or more of these new small car designs to market with a reasonable price, good quality control, and a reasonable dealership experience (sales/service), then there might just be hope for them yet.

To get ahead of the curve, GM should offer a fuel efficient turbodiesel engine that could be shared between the US and Europe. On-demand AWD, possibly electric, would also be a welcome option.

Global brands Chevrolet, Cadillac…Hummer? Sorry to see that Saab among others failed to make your list, Mr Lutz. Still POd that they made the 93 better than you wanted? One would think those advances would have made it to the 95 by now.

In the face of globalization and the Digital Revolution, companies must face new challenges with simplification. Bringing German Opels and Australian Holdens to North America and exporting American Cadillacs and Hummers (I’m not so sure about the latter, but Europeans drivers seem to like them) is the smart move in streamlining production with a unified global product line.

It’s funny to see how wrong the news and business media were. In the near past, Chrysler was proclaimed as the standard for Detroit and Bill Ford, Jr., was Dearborn’s messiah. Since then, Ford ceded day-to-day operations to Alan Mullaly (and the Ford company is in its third restructure this decade) and Kerkorian is out to buy ailing Chrysler for around 1/5 of what he offered a decade ago.

I pray GM doesn’t drop the ball. This is the best the company has looked since 1972. There is energy at the top, a clear vision for the future, and attractive vehicles. The Pontiac Solstice and the Saturn Sky wonderful examples of styling contrasts. The Camaro is retro without being regressive in aesthetics. Cadillac is once again a world-class luxury brand. It’s good to see progress coming out of Detroit.

Mr. Lutz, We need a convertible for Buick. Those of us driving Mercedes CLK/BMW 3 series convertibles who want a 4 seat upscale American convertible have nothing from GM to buy. Can’t you make the Velite, or make a Buick version of the Saab convertible? Pontiac is more performance/blue collar, andGM needs to make something upscale to compete with the Sebring and those foreign models I mentioned.

How hard would it be to make a Lucerne convertible and call it a Riviera?

A Buick convertible is one of the missing pieces and keys to GM’s revival.

Oh yes, the new Hummer dealership in Manchester; just in time for the new British gas-guzzler tax. As much as I am pleased to see Chevrolet trying to get serious about small cars, your immoral obsession with pursuing the development of gas guzzlers makes me sick to my stomach. You are just not reading the writing on the wall and I believe and hope it will bring your down fall. We, habitants of the planet, cannot afford selfish short-sighted corporations like GM any more. Please spare me the BS about giving customers what they like in every segment and all those flex fuel cars your build but don’t have ethanol to burn. Even if they did, chances are that the grain-produced ethanol you are promoting would not be doing a damn difference on the world’s carbon balance. Surely you know this, but like the car salesman you are, you are drowning the truth in a sea of half lies and half truths. In any case, egocentric, selfish, rich customers who are either ignorant or choose not to care, just don’t count in today’s precarious situation. If we are to survive, certain segments of the auto industry will have to disappear and the time to act is now ! That goes for German, British and Italian manufacturers also. On a side-note, I notice how you did not mention Saab as one of your ¬´other global brands¬ª. Is that because most Saabs don’t waste enough fuel getting from point A to point B in a spirited, safe and relatively frugal way ? We were counting on you to make a difference but it doesn’t seem you understand the true scope of that statement.

GM Daewoo recently introduced L4X, a RWD, long wheel base, premium large sedan.(http://www.globalautoindex.com/news.plt?no=1814#) This car should be made available in US, Europe and China. The next-gen Impala and Cadillac DTS should be based on it. Trust me it would work. i’m a proud GM shareholder.

I am not a young urban consumer. I am a 58 year old woman who wants to move from my minivan to a fun, small auto. I am tired of going to Italy and viewing a wide-range of attractive small cars. I was excited to see the Beat and hope to have it as an option in my quest to move into a small, energy effecient car.

Utilizing GM’s facilities around the world to streamline design and production is a good strategy, but I would advise against shifting too much production and design out of America. It looks like the global zeta platform will become important for GM in the future. One of the rumored cars to be built off this platform is a Pontiac coupe – presumably the next generation GTO. This car must compete with the likes of the BMW M3 while reviving it’s classic styling. I assume you are personally overseeing this vehicle and ensuring that the zeta platform is up to this task. Meanwhile, I will be awaiting the “global zeta” concept GTO.

Nice looking… but NOT an electric powered of the 3… what will it take for you folks to get “out of bed” with the oil industry, and produce a truly “urban” vehicle that is non air polluting, quiet, and affordable ?

The Japanese automakers have led the way in kicking our butts in the development/production of true hybrids… can we again become the industry leader… in the verrry near future ? electrics are long overdue,needed, and should be a price factor… let’s face it…in the American family household, where there are 2 cars.. 1 is for dad to get back & forth to work, the other is for family outings,vacations etc. Would it NOT be a great selling point to ‘dad’ to have an energy efficient, quiet, smaller car (that could take advantage of compact car spaces in parking garages etc in the inner city, where he plugs it into the home garage electric outlet to use the next day, instead of worrying about long lines at the gas station) ? Oil changes ? spark plugs ? catalytic converter replacements…. ha ha ha … all a pricey, time consuming remnant of the past !
Please help get this country back on track !

Happy Easter Bob,

As it’s still two minutes to go…

Thanks for answering my last blog about the need to take the small mini-car segment seriously. The fact that you need to be wise about oil use while India and China are exploding in growth. The supply of oil is not growing and the noose on GM’s neck is only getting tighter.

I heard all three of your responses loud and clear, here is my response…

As I said you loosen that noose around GM by supplying the US a small to mini-car option. You cut that noose all together with the advancement of HEED technologies and the immediate development of all three Trax, Beat and Groove models. And I’ll be the first to say it. You need all three in the U.S. Period.

Wow, that wasn’t hard. No seriously the world is not getting any more secure. And I am the optimist.

Now that is how GM survives here is how we prosper.

Now don’t get me wrong what you are doing with Hummer and Cadillac in Bahrain is a great start and as a human being I hope the sun is at your feet, the wind is at your back and may your clouds be white and gold. As you know success comes at a price and right now that cost is the cost to fix what GM calls its “volume luxury brand.”

Let me tell you a story…

About 10 years ago I found a small article in the USA Today from the “states” section in which they have about two sentences on news from every state. In the Nevada section they had a clip and it said something like…

Sheldon Adelson has begun work on a $2 billion Venetian themed hotel. It will feature replicas of the canal with gondolas and feature authentic recreations of Venetian landmarks right on the Las Vegas strip.”

I couldn’t believe my eyes, I am a man that appreciates beautiful things. I cut the article out put it in my pocket saved it for 2 years until it was complete.

Couple of weeks ago I read from Forbes Sheldon Adelson is the third wealthiest man in America.

Here is another one for you. Jeep Wrangler doubling its sales this year on the success of the 4 door model. It’s an authentic Jeep with 4 doors and it is blowing all sales expectations out the window. This vehicle is definitely the must have vehicle this year. Jeep Compass is failing in the marketplace.

Here is another one, Porsche is increasing its stake in Volkswagen. The most profitable automaker on the planet may have intentions of buying Volkswagen outright.

What do these three stories have in common? Brand, authenticity and heritage. You know Toyota says it’s “Moving Forward” but being from a country so steeped in tradition and heritage I would take that saying with a grain of salt. No, Toyota believes in a lot of things and those things do not change even when they are looking forward.

Now since I am here in the world’s biggest automobile market and still the most abundant I have my ears to the ground and everybody is saying it. Your brands are dying, the heritage is lost and authenticity? What is that?

I want you to remember this point and I think I heard it somewhere. The best thing ever to happen to the European automakers such as Mercedes, BMW, Volvo, Porsche etc. is that unlike American automakers they never had the cash nor enjoyed the prosperity as American automakers to be allowed to thoroughly and completely change their cars as much as American automakers did.

That weakness became their greatest advantage, and GM’s success became its greatest failure. European makes kept their heritage and American automakers lost theirs. American automakers became a failure of their own success and sometimes I wish GM didn’t have the money to change all its cars in the 80’s. And I definite wish that GM did not have the ability to kill all of its “volume luxury dealerships”.

Put it this way take the vine, you have to prune it and grow it but the quality of the vine and the wine must stay the same to protect the brand.

Value comes not from those grapes but from the process by which you maintain your belief in the brand and quality or eventually you will have just grape juice. And that is what GM is “mostly” producing today.

In short…

Go find some brand, go find some heritage and go find some authenticity for your “volume luxury brand” and take some pointers from that more successful automaker.

Go ask Porsche why it just doesn’t buy GM and save themselves $25 billion and forget about Volkswagen.

Nope we would rather have a brand!!!

Bob,

You should bring all three to N. America. They could be Chevrolet’s Scion. Scion went from 0 to 150,000 units/year in a very short time, seems pretty enticing to me.

Bob,

I do not think that diesel engines are the answer, without some kind of massive subsidy from the federal or state governments to bring diesel prices down. As GM is well-aware, European governments have a tax scheme on fuel so that diesel is competitive. To pay 10-20% more for a diesel engine and then 10-20% more per gallon in the US is not a winning proposition. Furthermore, diesel is just different form of pollution from unleaded gasoline, particulates in the atmosphere annoy people with allergies and black soot tends to cover monuments and buildings, etc. Europeans have decided that this form of pollution is more acceptable in their political and environmental climate, so let them have it. The US loves gasoline, so lets focus on ethanol, hybrids, and electric.

These mini-cars would be a niche product at best in the US, and perhaps better on the streets of Rio, Seoul, Beijing, Warsaw, Jerusalem, etc. As a previous poster correctly recognized, the Opel Corsa is easilly the best small GM car in the world (although admittedly bigger than these triplets). The fact that it is not North American-ready is a shame.

Perhaps the reason is because GM perceives that the Corsa would be a low-to-zero profit margin automobile in the US. That may be true. However, I doubt Toyota/Honda make a yen on the Yaris and Fit. They probably do not make money on the Prius either. However, some genius in their marketing departments has figured out that those offerings increase their reputation as innovators and environmentally-friendly, so that I will feel better about purchasing a non-fuel efficient Camry, Pilot, Tundra, or Accord.

A Saturn Corsa should not have to wait for the next generation, in four to five years. Strengthen the body, put that good-old American-spec bumper in it, replace the windshield, put in standard side airbags, and do whatever else you need to do to get it US-ready. Gas prices are only going up in the next four-to-five years. When Americans are looking to buy/lease GM cars in 2008, with gas over $3.00/gallon, there better be something there for us. The Astra is great, but still not fuel-efficient enough (seriously, how many europeans buy the 1.8L gas engine, as opposed to the diesel or 1.4/1.6s?) Small, 40mpg car now, or GM is going to be in trouble.

Mr. Lutz,
I’m still waiting for my Saturn Corsa.A few years ago after seeing the Vauxhall & Opel Corsa in Uk and Germany i said i would buy one if they arrived in US.The new model corsa looks great better than Honda,Toyota. Mr.Lutz I have the cash sitting in the bank waiting for my corsa.Are you going to make my buy a Vw?

From the Detroit Free Press, 5-Apr-07 in an article explaining why GM objects to the a proposal to increase average fuel economy 4% yearly:

Bob Lutz, who oversees GM’s global vehicle development system, said meeting a 4% increase would require hybrid systems and other technology on nearly every vehicle and could add $5,000 to $6,000 to a vehicle’s cost.

“You tell me what happens to the market if these cars come out and everybody looks at the one they own and the new one is six or seven thousand dollars more expensive,” Lutz said. “This technology does not come for free.”

Mr Lutz,

You are obviously the professional auto maker and you should know, but I do have a question: The fleet average of new European cars is 43 mpg. If the Euro automakers have figured out how to get their average that high without adding six or seven thousand dollars to the cost of each car, why will it be so difficult for GM?

You must have inside information, so can you be more specific about what makes it so expensive for you to build cars that get high fuel mileage?

What exactly is it that GM will have to do that will be so expensive? How did the Europeans get their enviable results while avoiding the onerous expense you claim will cripple GM?

What is it that your Opel division in Germany does to contribute to the high average mileage in Europe? Why can’t you use the European technology here without the tremendous expense you claim?

V/R

Gary Dikkers

Bring ‘em on Mr. Lutz – why only one if they’re built on the same platform?? Wouldn’t it make sense to lower costs and grab all customers rather than one-third, by building multiple body-styles on the same basic architecture??

Japanese auto-OEMs have several kei-cars on the same platforms in their portfolio – get all 3 – you will have a massive hit parade for Chevy ( and ofcourse that means the end of Scion!).

The Europeans are doing it too, so it can’t be that hard – and with three cars you have a ready made trident for the China, India, SE Asian, Japanese and Korean markets along with traditional markets like Europe and the new micro-mini ‘cult’ niche in the US of A.

And ofcourse – Bring ‘em soon!!!!

V@z!R….
Bombay, India

I like the groove, but was disappointed with no MPG figures provided. I would like to see a small pickup designed in this class. I currently own a 04 Toyota Tacoma and was disappointed when toyota like all the other manufactures up sized their small truck lines. I would buy a small truck with 40 MPG figures if it were availible.

“The fleet average of new European cars is 43 mpg. If the Euro automakers have figured out how to get their average that high without adding six or seven thousand dollars to the cost of each car, why will it be so difficult for GM?”

Hi Gary,

I really have some doubt, that 43 mpg as the average European fleet-consumption is real. Let’s just look at VW, Europe’s (by far) largest car company. Their Diesels may be fuel-efficient, ok. But the gasoline-fueled Volkswagens partly belong to the worst gas guzzlers. And why is there such big excitement among the European manufacturers, concerning the latest buzz about CO2-restrictions, if they would be so far ahead.

Volkswagen actually HAS added some thousand Euros on its so-called 3-Liters-Lupo. That was finally the reason for its failure, this model consequently had been phased out in the meanwhile. I think it’s unrealistic to achieve significantly better fuel-efficiency free of charge. That’s valid for both sides of the Atlantic.

We are indeed living in a international economic community where many products are built using parts manufactured all over the world. For example, if I open the hood of my Toyota Tacoma, the first thing I see is the radiator, which interestingly enough has a GM stamp on it. Many of the components are made by Delphi. Things like the belts are made by Gates. All of these are US companies. But at the same time, a large percentage comes from Japanese companies like Denso. But even some of the Denso parts are made in Tennessee. There are even German made parts in the truck. A number of the electrical components are made by Bosch in Germany. I replaced the water pump which was made in China. The original tires came from South Africa. The car was built in the NUMI Fremont CA plant that has has a relationship with both GM and Toyota over the years.

You will find the same in almost any brand regardless of make. Some Volvos have Ford engines. Some Fords use Mazda engines. A number of Saabs use Subaru platforms.A few Saabs use Chevrolet SUV platforms. And so on. We are living in an era where the nameplate and where it is made has less and less meaning. What matters to modern companies is whether or not they can build a product better, cheaper, and more efficiently.

If you look at it this way, GM’s ability to utilize international research, development, and manufacturing has probably enabled it to promote such as seemingly rapid turnaround simply because they have the flexibility to choose from a vast array of different global products. Cars are becoming more and more like fashion.They even provide the niche for filling the desire to make political statements, as I’m sure many Prius owners fit into only too well. So as a company, it is important more than ever to listen to what the people want. Do it faster and more effectively, and you win.

Utilizing a global manufacturing system is the only way to success these days.

Ted H, 4/10, 1:54 PM:

Thanks for the link.

Time for Lutz to retire. The handwriting on the wall is 10 feet high, and he can’t read it.

If the Feds don’t increase CAFE, the market will do it anyway. GM will be left flat footed with no saleable product again.

If you can’t build small cars in this country and make money Bob, we need to find somebody who can, or close the doors.

At least you are helping me get to the point where I will be able to buy a Prius without having a guilty conscience.

Gereon said:

I really have some doubt, that 43 mpg as the average European fleet-consumption is real.

Gereon,

I heard the number of 43 mpg two weeks ago in an interview with former US senator Bill Bradley who just wrote a book called, The New American Story with his opionion of what’s wrong with America and what we need to change.

Also did a web search seeking a second source. Didn’t find anything to directly support the number of 43 mpg, but did find this from the US magazine Business Week:

…we have all the technology we need to get America to an average fuel economy of over 40 mpg. Europe has already achieved it. And the last time I checked, GM, Chrysler and Ford sell vehicles in Europe. In other words, we already possess the technology to dramatically increase our national fuel economy.

Big Three Show No Leadership on Fuel Economy

Regards,

Gary Dikkers

From Left Lane News Bob Lutz said,

“Small-car mileage only counts toward CAFE if you build them here, and you can’t build small cars here at a profit.”

Now, we’re getting to the heart of the matter — it’s not that GM doesn’t know how to build cars that could meet higher CAFE standards, it’s that they don’t think they can profitably build them in the U.S.

Perhaps that is an area that GM and the UAW will need to correct with some team work. It would be nice if GM could build competitive, profitable, high-fuel mileage cars in the U.S. using American employees who belong to the UAW.

I understand the reasons why that can’t happen:

mr lutz said the new CAFE standard would pump up each vehicle’s price by $5,000. I wonder why GM doesn’t use Bluetec/Bin 5 diesel. Bluetec can easily get 40 mpg. It is used by DCX, BMW, and VW-Porsche. Dr Z is a nice guy and i am sure u can work out the licensing issue. Remember, GM, DCX and BMW worked on the two-mode hybrids. I also wonder why GM did join DCX and BMW on RWD performance luxury mild-hybrids. Was GM discriminated?

Global A-Go-Go?

I am a strong GM supporter but I have to say no to this. The Buick Park Avenue was just unveiled in Shanghai today and I must say, its probably the best car GM has ever built. I love every mm of that car. It has every feature that it needs to compete in America and demand a higher asking point. It puts almost every luxury car maker to shame in the NA market, and that includes Cadillac. It definitely puts the current NA Buick models to shame. The Lucerne can not hold a candle to Chinese Park Avenue, and the sames goes for the LaCrosse.

It was reported earlier, that the Buick dealers were shown this vehicle and turned it down as they feared it would compete with the current Lucerne. I have to wonder why GM would allow this to happen. Its obviously short sited and the dealers are not in touch with what Buick SHOULD be.

The next generation LaCrosse needs to be moved to EpsilonII and for the matter the Lucerne should be axed. It doesn’t have any name recognition and hasn’t put a dent in the market. It gets beat by the Hyundai Azera, which is just plain sad. The Chinese Park Avenue needs to be a NA Buick Park Avenue. Everyone knows the Park Avenue and its a great name. Buick would then have a large crossover, Enclave and a small crossover to compete with the likes of the RDX and upcoming Lexus small crossover (slotted below the RX350). To finish off the brand, it should receive a Zeta based Velite as a halo car. This would allow Buick to be small but potent.

So you are scared it will overlap with Cadillac? That shouldn’t be a problem. It just shows Cadillac needs to be pushed up a notch or two, again, so it can truly compete with Mercedes-Benz.

And on a side note about features, offer BLUETOOTH. We all know you want us to buy Onstar calling minutes but in all honesty, they are pricey and there is no advantage. Why not offer both? I personally would buy a small amount of minutes for dire situations. Stop dumbing down vehicles for the NA market, you are only hurting the GM core. Why should the 07 Saab 9-3 offered in Europe get Bluetooth, but the ones shipped over to NA don’t get that feature. It just doesn’t make sense.

Here is your evidence of the GM supporters being fed up with this practice. In less that one day, there is a 12 page thread and counting about how much we LOVE the Chinese Park Avenue, but at the same time hate GM for not brining it here. Stop hurting yourself and give the people what they want.

http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/showthread.php?t=47787

The “pause” on Zeta for NA, is terrible. Give us more hybrids and DIESELS to combat the 4% increase of MPG each year that the President has proposed. Don’t start back peddling after you have taken the world by storm with the amazing cars riding on this platform.

I just saw pics of the new Buick Park Avenue headed for China. It is JAW dropping gorgeous!! Then I compare it to what the NA market is getting “Super Buicks” more like super blah. Market share is increasing in China, decreasing in NA. Look no further than the Buick product in NA compare to China to demytify this scenario.
GM can build the best cars in the world. Why not let the US market see this?

Bring over the Chinese Buck Park Avenue, pronto!

Do you know how embarrassing — humiliating — infuriating — it is to see the red white and blue logo of a company as all-American as Buick on the front of a Chinese Park Avenue that totally outclasses the junk you guys are selling in… America? Has anyone in Detroit put a LaCrosse next to the Chinese Park Avenue and still wondered by North American Buick sales are in a free fall?

It is not that hard, people: stop making excuses and offer America the best GM has.

Mr. Lutz,

Congratulations on a successful NY Auto Show. But I think your showing in NY was severely upstaged by GM in China at Auto Shanghai, where they debuted the Buick Park Avenue. This car is gorgeous, stunning, and exactly what Buick needs in North America. Why does China get a beauty like the Park Avenue (along with a much more handsome LaCrosse) and US customers get a LaCrosse/Lucerne “Super” with nothing more than a new grille? It’s a shame that GM is not putting its best efforts into Buick on both sides of the Pacific.

If you really want Buick to be successful in the US, please bring over the Park Avenue and the Chinese LaCrosse. Your loyal Buick customers are waiting.

Why is the China built Buick Park Avenue not headed for the USA? For crying out loud the car looks amazing and far superior to any current Buick offerings. The new “super” line is a joke. There is nothing special about them. They suck..point blank. The Park Avenue is stunning. I would definently consider the Park Avenue in a heartbeat, and this is coming from a 21 year old that only drives F-bodys and Corvettes.

Sadly, GM still seems somewhat tone-deaf.

I have a ‘99 Metro. I also had a ‘94 Metro…….

My current one (with AC…has gotten just shy of 53MPG on state highway)……… My old one, got almost 54MPG……

Yet GM screams about its “more than 30 MPG”…..

I had a Ford Fiesta in the late 70s and got up to 49.87mpg on the freeway… back then EPA said 42mpg max…..

So far…those have been the best cars I have owned…..

In part… it was the quality of the cars… in part the quality of the support……

Ford Fiesta…..had multiple engines available…from the 1.6 liter……down to 1.3Liter/1.1Liter/900cc/750cc when they were being sold in Great Britain…only the 1.6 was available in the US…… Imagine the mileage that would have been available if the other engines were available….

Also…..be smart….Toyota was great with XB Scion….. but now they are going bigger and heavier with the new XB and ruining what had been a successful design. GM could have a design opening for a similar size XB of its own, with several engines (1.1 and 1.3 perhaps? even a hybrid or a diesel in the future)……
For GM to have a hope of my business in the future, they have to offer High Mileage…High Quality…..good to excellent interior space and layout… (I am 6′2 and 200+)….and excellent support…..

Right now, I am looking for a car in the next few months…. So far Corolla/Scion XB are the leaders…followed by the Prius….

GM’s current crop of vehicles has nothing that interests me. That has to change to get my business….

My sister will also soon be in the market, but if you had something similar to a high-mileage XB type with the same or more interior room…that would draw her attention….. She has a 120 mile commute daily…and she need to lower gasoline costs……

In this blog, there have been several suggestions…..good ones….. like bringing back the Metro (with multiple engines)…..bringing all three of the Triplets here….

Another thought….revive the Geo tag and put all your high mileage (40+) and hybrids under that nameplate….

30 miles per gallon isn’t really something to crow about….

Also, if there is a need for the short term, how about seeing if getting a waiver from the EPA can bring in high mileage cars from Europe (like the Matiz)….

Please bring the new Chinese Park Avenue to the U-S, with portholes of course. Mr. Lutz, please answer the question, why does China get a better Buick than we do?

Bob,

I have been a GM fan for many years but have always had one problem – you never have the product that I am ready to buy. In 2004 I wanted a midsize sedan with a V6 and manual transmission that costs less than $25K. I looked at all GM brands and nothing fit the bill – so I purchased a 2004 Mazda6S. Now I am in the market for a minivan – the CSVs are terrible and should have been put out of their missery years ago. A Buick Enclave is on the list – but my wife wants sliding doors. Again, GM doesn’t have the product we are in the market for. Ever wonder why your market share is dropping faster than the Hindenburg? Now you are asking for our opinion on these three micro cars. No thanks. How many people are really in the market for these? Even the Honda Fit sells in relatively small numbers. I think all are horridly ugly and wouldn’t be caught dead in one. I appreciate the effort to get into this segment – but it is small. It seems the only segment that you and your GM management are interested in remaining competitive in is full size trucks. I don’t want a full size truck – so no thanks again.

A minivan is on my wife’s list. You know what I want…a RWD sedan. The G8 is nice – but a little too boy racer for me.

I am very very sad that you ask our opinion about micro cars but do not ask the public about your midsize and full size sedan programs. The very existence of this blog proves that you are leveraging the internet. Surely you know that your fans and critics are aware of what you sell in other countries.

So here is my question – why in the world do you not sell your best products here in your home market. Case in point – the Cadillac SLS and the new Buick Park Avenue. Not to mention the Chinese LaCrosse. Instead you seem to consistently offer the second rate product here in the States. Why do we continue to get W-Body LaCrosse and Grand Prix? They are horrible and the sales numbers support my opinion. Yet you turn out much higher quality and finely designed products for China. It is so frustrating that GM is content to let their American market share wither and continue to give us horrible products. You should all be embarrased to offer us the LaCrosse and Lucerne Super editions while selling sedans like the Park Avenue in China. Did you think we wouldn’t find out? There is no reason that these shouldn’t be offered here this fall.

If you were serious about this market you would cut bait with lame duck offerings like the LaCrosse, Lucerne Pontiac GP, CSVs, DTS and other products that lag the competition and lose sales every month. Get out now and offer the products that the rest of the world are snapping up as fast as you can build them.

Do you really think American consumers would rather have the Lucerne over the new Chinese Park Avenue? Or the LaCrosse Super over the Chinese LaCrosse?

I agree with another poster that expressed frustration over the fact that you want our opinion on these three vehicles yet give us no vehicle specs with which to help us make an educated decision.

GM has a long way to go. I wish you would listen to your fans and critics a little closer and not just the bean counters deep within GM’s management structure. Next time you have some free time check out GMInsideNews.com – for example check out the latest comments on the 2008 Chinese Buick Park Avenue. Clearly – you are asking for opinions on the wrong vehicles.

Please – I want GM to be around for many years. I will be 33 this summer and would love to aspire to purchase a vehicle like the Chinese SLS or Buick Park Avenue. I will never ever desire to purchase a DTS or LaCrosse and that is part of GM’s problem. They have limited aspirational vehicles. And I will not move to China just to support the home team.

Please change GM – for the sake of my generation – the generation of car buyers that still have 40 years of purchases ahead of them. I beg you to think beyond your pensions… Make the tough decisions to bring cars like the Park Avenue to the states now – not in 2010 or 2012. Your fortunes would improve – I guarantee it.

Marc Asher – San Antonio, TX

Global, eh? Global like how China gets the SLS and Park Avenue (with a red,white and blue TriShield) while we get the Lucerne and STS. Global like how Holden was screwed out of thier Opels?

Can you tell me why the Park Avenue in China is twice the car that we get here? I don’t care about the RWD, but the interior is simply beautiful. I feel shame of what GM brings to North America anymore.

Bob, Here is an idea

Caddy future product lineup:
New BTS – Alpha PF (Lexus IS, BMW 3 series, etc…) fighter
CTS – Sigma (BMW 5 series, MB E class, etc…) fighter
Next DTS – MB S class, BMW 7 series, and Lexus LS fighter
Next STS – will be the MB CLS fighter
The DTS & STS offer a V12 and the BTS and CTS will come in coupe, conv., and wagon config. based on the market. Keep the same price points with room to grow.

Keep Buick in the FWD (add AWD to the lineup) platforms except for the top the line large car should be the Buick Park Avenue RWD.
Buick should be the economical and Safety first luxury brand. Cadillac is the over the top luxury and sporty brand ie… the Caddy Escalade

It’s been great to hear the German perspective on GM and the car business. Herr Langlitz, keep those posts coming.
Gary Dikkers wants to know why it doesn’t cost $7000 dollars to achieve high mileage averages in Europe. The difference is in the types of vehicles that people want to buy. Here in the US, we have relatively cheap gas while the government tries to dictate what kinds of vehicles the manufacturers can sell in an open market. In Europe, the governments artificially raise the price of fuel with high taxes, and travel distances are much shorter, so people buy small cars with small engines and high mileage. Combining high mileage with the type of vehicle that Americans want to buy is what costs $7000 or more, if it’s even possible.
The real challenge is to change customers’ behavior. I don’t want to pay $6.50/gallon or an extra $7000 for my car, and I like performance, plus I have a family to transport. But I agree that we have to reduce our consumption. So what is the solution for me and a few million other customers? I don’t think waving the congressional magic wand will do it.

Save for a few select vehicles, GMNA’s products are very depressing compared to what others are getting outside of the homeland (aka Chinese Park Ave and Caddy SLS).

Why GM, why must you lag behind in your home market with inferior products? And now with the supposed news of Zeta cars (post-Camaro) being on pause is just plain embarrassing. It’s one thing to delay a product, and it’s another to delay a product that should have been here years ago.

And people wonder why Japan Inc. is on its way to the top.

Bob,

You need to drop everything and do whatever you have to do to get the Chinese Buicks here NOW! I haven’t seen this much buzz about a vehicle in a long, long time. I’ll bet you would sell more Park Avenues than Camaros. You wouldn’t be able to keep up with demand, but that would be a good thing.

Mr. Lutz:

Please give Buick in North America a competitive product line-up ASAP, including:

Epsilon II LaCrosse
Lambda Enclave
Global RWD Park Avenue
Riviera concept

I also wish that you’d have a smaller SUV for Buick, a “baby” Enclave, if you will.

You should have already given Buick in NA the Chinese LaCrosse, but at this point, NA’s Epsilon II LaCrosse needs to be moved up in the product cadence!

As it stands, the W-body LaCrosse Super and G-body Lucerne Super are little more than a simple grille change. How can a LaCrosse have more horsepower than a Lucerne Super?

If you don’t have any good ideas for Buick, look at the designs being photoshopped on GM Inside News and Cheers & Gears – they beat GM’s hands down! I hope you’ll give more effort to rebadging a Holden Statesman as a Buick, should one be coming to America. The car is very nice inside, but the Chinese Park Avenue exterior is still too plain. Just a little tweak here and there could make it so much better (see GM Inside News for a classy, silver Buick that’s distinctive and luxurious).

Give Buicks AWD or E-85 or hybrid capability, too!

You give all your other brands good product or future hopes, please do the same for Buick and do it now!

Thank you.

Hi Gary,

thank you again for your response and telling about your sources. Nevertheless: 43 mpg is nearly 5.5 liters/100 km in our words. This would mean, even the 1.2 (75 HP) Opel Corsa, which my wife owned before, would almost belong to the gas-guzzlers with its 6.3 liters/100 km (=37.5 mpg). To be honest, I only met a few drivers of SMALL vehicles (mainly Diesels) so far, who reported about 43 mpg or similar. I just recall a young guy, driving an Opel Corsa CDTi, who told me about 47 mpg. Well, you might have done research carefully, but nevertheless, it’s hard for me to believe, that 43 mpg is an AVERAGE figure for European fleets.

BTW, my brother’s Pontiac G6 (3.5 6-cyl., 201 HP) clearly needs less fuel, than my neighbor’s BMW 325 Wagon (192 HP). For that reason I think, we should be careful with generic statements about Europeans’, American or Japanese fuel-efficiency.

The designs are smart and likely appealing to a global audience. But, is that it? What type of locomotion? Is this a 4 speed Aveo clone which gets lower MPG than a twenty five year old Chevette? (EPA) You must marry these with creative drive trains or people won’t bite. In addition, where will they be manufactured? I’m a firm believer in global development but another requirement I would have is to produce them in my market. I’m sure consumers in other global markets would want the same. GM finally “gets” the aspect of interior and exterior design but remember that this is a consumer driven market now. It’s more than design. It’s about social consciousness and investing in the markets you sell in.

1409 EDT, 11-Apr-07, Frank Meinert said,

Gary Dikkers wants to know why it doesn’t cost $7000 dollars to achieve high mileage averages in Europe. The difference is in the types of vehicles that people want to buy. Here in the US, we have relatively cheap gas while the government tries to dictate what kinds of vehicles the manufacturers can sell in an open market. In Europe, the governments artificially raise the price of fuel with high taxes, and travel distances are much shorter, so people buy small cars with small engines and high mileage. Combining high mileage with the type of vehicle that Americans want to buy is what costs $7000 or more, if it’s even possible.

Thanks for your reply Frank.

I do understand your point, especially since I lived in Germany for nine years while a fighter pilot in the US Air Force. While living there, I drove a stick-shift Mercedes diesel that got about 43-48 mpg depending on how fast I wanted to drive on the Autobahn. (I usually drove about 135-140 kph, which is about 83-87 mph.)

I now drive a Volkswagen with a turbo-diesel and get similar mileage. (Once got as high as 53 mpg on a long trip on a cool day with a tailwind.)

You say that Americans don’t want to buy and drive the kind of cars that get high mileage in Europe. I’m certainly no marketing expert, but for the life of me, I can’t understand why at least 95% of the average people in this country couldn’t be satisfied with a car similar to either the Mercedes or Volkswagen diesels I’ve driven. It seems to me that GM could build and sell a car similar to either — driving their corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) far above what the government wants — all without needing to spend the $5,000 to $6,000 extra per car that Mr Lutz claims would be necessary.

As I’ve said before, in my opinion it’s a matter of attitude and lack of will, not a lack of technology.

V/R

Gary Dikkers

Mr. Lutz,

I eagerly awaited the new cars from GM at NYIAS. The Triplets showed up, and that was a good thing. Small, intelligently designed small cars. Something that would offer people an alternative for a city car, perhaps more.

But I kept hearing of other debuts. I thought we’d see a new large Buick. Instead we got to see two cars that, well, aren’t that “super”. And it was only highlighted when the we saw the new Buick Park Avenue in Shanghai! What a beautiful car. It would easily be a car that can compete with the Lexus LS and do to Lexus what Lexus, years ago, did to all the other luxury brands.

Instead, we’re saddled with some pretty sad Buicks. The Enclave is a very beautiful vehicle, but other than that? Nothing.

And I thought GM was going global and that we’d see something akin to the Chinese Park Avenue as OUR Park Avenue.

But then I remember the MCE STS and shed a tear for what might have been. The SLS in China is gorgeous, and stretched. Our NA STS is slightly larger and with an inferior interior. Why, I wonder, does GM think anyone will want to buy an STS when, sitting next to it in a few months, will be a new 2008 CTS that is better looking, better designed, and richer in appearance. Better to kill the STS than do what was done to it. What irritates me more is the fact that there was that Business Week photo of what we all thought was the new STS interior. For shame, Mr. Lutz. A stretched STS with that interior would sell. It would have finally been a Cadillac with an interior to compete against the likes of Lexus or BMW. Now, it’ll languish and, ultimately, will be killed by poor sales. No surprise considering what it looks like compared to the competition and to its own sibling, the CTS.

But back to Buick. Either it should be given the attention it requires or put out its misery. And it’s not like there aren’t Buicks out there that can do Buick justice, they just happen to be in China. So much for “global” I guess.

PLEASE bring the Chinese PArk Avenue to the USA! I can’t believe I have to say that to General Motors, but I guess that’s the sad reality of today’s world. That vehicle is a total class act, beautiful, powerful, elegant, upscale, everything Buick should be. The current lineup is an embarassment, except for the Enclave. If this car does not get built in the US in EXACTLY the same way (interior bits, projector beam headlamps, etc) I will lose faith in GM’s ability to avoid stumbling over its own feet. It’s a winner and I hope you can see that.

Just to add, count me as having money in hand, waiting for those beautiful Buicks!

Dear, GM

I hope that you are listening to us. We are your fans and byers that can get turned away.Why do we get weak products like the LaCrosse and Lucerne Super? When we could have the Chinese LaCrosse and Park Avenue. Also, look at the MCE STS. Do you call that a luxury car? That’s what a Buick interior is suppose to look like. The Cadillac STS should be the SLS. Do you guys even have a clue how to position them? They should be all RWD and AWD. They DTS is a mistake since it is no where close to an LS or 7-Series or a Park Avenue. Finally, why do you show us cars that will never make it to production at NY? You could have used that money into making the Cobalt and Aveo better and make world class small car engines. Also make a real Aveo5 to compete with the Versa, Fit, and Yaris.

Let’s not complain too much about the American government about gas mileage; cut the weight, lower the drag-coefficient, stick a diesel in it, hybrid, plug-in, or whatever just don’t cancel Zeta!

Hi Noel and Gary,

after reading your latest comments, I also would like to recommend this release from the Union of Concerned Scientists: http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documents/clean_vehicles/autorank_2007report.pdf

First of all, it demonstrates that the Big 3 still have a long way to go, concerning the environmental performance, but on the other hand these charts, referring to the various car-segments, display some results, which might be amazing to you. Probably you wouldn’t have expected, (e.g.) that GM gained class-leading smog- and global warming scores for large cars and station wagons, performed better than Honda among the small cars, got better results than VW and Hyundai at midsize cars. At the midsize- and large utilities there’s not even such a big advantage for Toyota vs. GM, among the small utilities Toyota even scored worst.

It’s not my intention to deny GM’s still existing flaws, regarding environmental issues, but on the other hand this study (in my opinion) tells again, that there is no reason for all this omnipresent generic “Japanese-and-Europeans-are-always-more-fuel-efficient-and-environmental-friendly-talk”, which is repeated by the media again and again like a Tibetan prayer mill.

After all, a further chart of this release shows, that GM, as the only Detroit automaker, improved its performance during the last four years (see page no. 9, top). I think the new Hybrids, especially the High-Low, may contribute to further improvements.

Have a nice weekend.

Bob,
After reading all the comments it sounds like you need to do the following:
1) Get a micro car here asap.
2) Abandon the pathetic “Supers” from the NY Auto Show.
3) Import Chinese Park Avenue as THE “Buick Super” for the 2008 Model Year, a new halo car for Buick.
4) Fix the other Buicks by 2009/2010 MY.

Just came from the New York Auto show.

Here it is in a nutshell!!

Let the guy who penned the Enclave restyle the Chinese Park Avenue, and bring it here as ELECTRA. The name Park Avenue impresses octegenarians, and NO ONE ELSE. Priced from
$34,000 to $45,000 it would do just fine. Sales of Lucerne would barely be affected because OLD people who want FWD DO NOT WANT REAR WHEEL DRIVE! Electra is what people NEED, not some ‘SUPER” garbage.
Fact: The Lucerne and LaCrosse are new faces on DECADES-OLD platforms. Everybody knows it. This is why they don’t sell well. Don’t try to tell me they do.
Adapt an inexpensive but effective AWD option, and replace the Lucerne with a 4-inch shorter, less luxurious version of the Zeta Electra. YOU CAN KEEP THE LUCERNE NAME.
Quickly get that Lacrosse to Epsilon II before it’s sales dry up. It sucks.
I didn’t see the news about a DELAY on Zeta, but if that happens, GM will have broken the final straw on credibility, and NO ONE WILL LISTEN TO ANYTHING YOU HAVE TO SAY AGAIN. THIS IS A FACT. THOSE ‘SUPERS’ ARE THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION NOBODY ASKED, PERIOD!!!!

What’s the point of bringing over the Astra if you can only bring 25,000? Get that car pumping ASAP at a US PLANT!
Oh and I sat in the base version of the Outlook and Acadia, and you and your COST-FIRST IDIOCY PUT THE WORST POSSIBLE STEERING WHEEL PLASTIC RIGHT SMACK DAB IN MY HANDS! This is the same garbage from the old Saturn L-Series. Replace it with something that feels richer IMMEDIATELY, AND FOLLOW SUIT FOR ALL GM CARS AND TRUCKS.
You gotta be crazy to let that slip through. That’s your permanent interface with the vehicle!!!

The Groove/Trax needs to come to America with a 1.3 liter turbo/supercharged engine, and better than Yaris mileage. It would sell very well for its segment.

Luckily for you Ford watered down it’s Flex’s nose. Make sure the Chevy crossover doesn’t look like it’s platformmates, with a slightly higher roofline, and different C-pillar angle. Also, there should be more rear hatch glass so you can
ACTUALLY SEE BACKWARDS!
I expect the replacements for all the Thetas to be as strong as the Vue, and the Pontiac version NOT TO BE A RE-BADGED US CHEVY!
G8 HAS GOT TO BE PRODUCED HERE AS WELL. AWD AGAIN.

You can’t get it right 40% of the time and expect to compete in the world today.
Remember GM’s whole lineup is 5 YEARS behind, so every product from 2009 model year forward must represent a DOUBLE QUANTUM LEAP over its replacement if it is to be in the leadership position.
EVERY PRODUCT. NO EXCUSES.

“BTW, my brother’s Pontiac G6 (3.5 6-cyl., 201 HP) clearly needs less fuel, than my neighbor’s BMW 325 Wagon (192 HP). For that reason I think, we should be careful with generic statements about Europeans’, American or Japanese fuel-efficiency.”

Gereon, just to satisfy my own curiosity, how did you get a Pontiac to Germany? I know those aren’t sold in Europe. Did you use an importing service? Must be unusual to have something like that there. That’s be like having an Opel in the US.

Lutz:

Let me start by saying that the new trio is a nice step and might be able to bring some excitement back to GM. Unfortunately it won’t be enough…

The way I see it Chevy offers nothing so unique that it requires it’s own marque. The Corvette and HHR are the only two vehicles that emote any sort of passion. The rest look like Hondas after an allergic reaction. The Corvette could be sold in Cadillac dealers. The HHR down with Saturns, granted, Saturns have really come a long ways and the HHR may not be around much longer anyways. As for the rest of them. The Lucerne is a perfect if not better fit to take the Impala’s place, and there’s the G6, Lacrosse, Aura,and Grand Prix to replace it. As for the trucks, there is GMC, and for the Aveo and Cobalt, variants from Pontiac would work. Essentially Pontiac needs to be your bread and butter. Buick and Saturn need to combine as your premium division, drop the Lacrosse while keeping the Lucerne and Enclave. As for the G8/Malibu. The G8 has it’s place with Pontiac, but the revised Malibu needs to be renamed and badged as a Buick or Saturn so that it can target Entry level luxury buyers. Leave Cadillac as the Luxury unit. And finally pawn off the entire SUV and Truck line-up on GMC, with the exception of the car based utes for Pontiac. One last note, please offer a non sporting/luxury seat option for your Pontiacs. The seats are horrible.

Can we also remeber that GM has many hybrid buses on the roads in major cities! word has it they are saving over a million gallons of fuel a year!! Factor that into the whole equation!!

Two things:

1) Why not advertise all of the different versions of each car together, maximizing the impact of the advertising expenditures, and touting choices not offered by competing car makers? For example, advertise the Malibu, G-6, Aura, and 9-3 together. To go further, include the Impala, Lucerne, Lacrosse, and DTS, and compare that with Toyota’s much poorer selection – Camry, ES340, and Avalon?

2) GM is giving buyers in the USA “the finger” by only selling the Lucerne here and selling this new Park Avenue in China! Having owned a 1988 Bonneville SSE, I also see a new Bonneville based on this platform absent from Pontiac dealerships. Unless they have radically goofed in the design of the car and its subsystems (wiring, airbags, and so-forth), what is the bid deal with selling them
here? The changes required to meet our regulations should be very minor (e.g. program the computer to have the headlights on with the wipers, now required in California). They should obtain top scores in the wreck tests, and should pass all of the emissions tests. If not, they blundered the design.

Hey GM people, have you ever been to the east coast? Did you know that barely anyone buys your cars here? (trucks & SUVs a different story)

Maybe if your design studios realized that people like what asia and europe make, you could sell more cars here too!

These mini cars are finally a step in the right direction.

Bob,

I keep looking at the vehicles being sold in China and the vehicles sold here in the US – most importantly the Cadillac SLS and the new Buick Park Avenue. It’s no wonder why Buick sold more cars overseas compared to the US. The only thing Buick has going for it right now is 1. They have one of the best warranties in the industry and 2. Buick rates as one of the most dependable and reliable cars in the US beating Toyota and steps away from Lexus. Why can’t Buick in the US become what they have in China? I am in my middle twenties and have never considered a Buick, only because of the ho-hum styling. I showed a few friends the Buick interior without telling them it was a Buick. They guessed Mercedez, Lexus, or BMW. All I can say is they were stunned when I told them it was a Buick. They could not get over how sweet the car was. Again, TONS of younger aged people do NOT consider Buick, but they will if this Chinese design is incorporated in the US!!

All of this advice goes for Cadillac also. How can Cadillac (specifically the STS) compete with other luxury brands when brands like GMC and Chevy have better interiors?! IT CAN’T! That is why people are moving on. The CTS is a breakthrough design for Cadillac, so why can’t the STS carry on some breakthrough design? How can GM expect to stay #1 when they are allowing better interiors to one country and not another?

1) start groove and trax production.
2)import Saturn Corsa
3)allow china to build future Buicks.
4)Volt Production

All three of the body designs have appeal, but I believe it will take more than visual appeal to attract most drivers to smaller cars.

The mini car concept is a winner IF makers ensure they offer “four star” safety and lower emissions.

While I would choose the GROOVE design, I would not buy it with a diesel (unless it was a bluetec-type diesel).

I’m less enthusiastic about the styling of TRAX, but would buy it if it is offered with electric assisted AWD (as I’ve read).

I’m driving a 2005 Mistsubishi Outlander today. Until their is a SAFE car that is at least 50% CLEANER than what’s available today, I will not buy a new car.

From anyone, made anywhere.

I like all of the triplets – fun looking great little cars! The Beat’s front end looks very much like an Opel. Is that more than just a coincidence?

Bob, I found your comments interesting about the triplets: “I’m excited both about what they represent for the brand and about what they say about GM’s global product development system.”

How excited are you about your flagship brand Cadillac? Have you been watching the sales figures lately? Is it any wonder that your “luxury” brand is languishing in the market because your buying staff treats Cadillac like any other global low cost commodity? Bob, this brand needs some serious attention and fast. And I’m talking more than lip service. Everyone in your organization is rewarded for removing content and cutting costs and they are forgetting about the expectations of the customer that buys a Cadillac. You cannot design, engineer and purchase with a “low cost wins” mentality and expect to output a true luxury car.

If Cadillac is ever to be considered among the ranks of Mercedes, BMW and Audi, you need to do some heavy soul searching, and demand the same down to the core of your development teams. At what point will you realize that “cheap” has no place in a luxury car? Your customers have come to that realization – and they are moving away from the brand.

And please Bob, don’t respond saying that the new MY’08 CTS will be the game changer. Name another sport sedan that has designed the eBrake on the floor with a manual transmission. Another prime example illustrating the GM mentality to choose cost over function. GM must do better than this Bob – the little things make all the difference, and big errors like this are deal breakers.

It’s time to change how you reward your employees by changing the focus to sales growth, especially on your “luxury” brand Cadillac. Of course costs need to be managed, but they can’t be allowed to take over and negatively impact performance. Cadillac could be a premium luxury brand that embodies design, materials, technology features and performance that is second to none. And forget developing non-value added content like MMI or iDrive – that is expensive technology that nobody wants. But you must spend serious money on where it counts, especially on interior materials. No cheap imitation anything – keep it simple and keep it real. Unfortunately, the executive direction has resulted in Cadillacs being nothing more than cheap cars with a high price. That’s not luxury Bob and you of all people know it.

Please Bob, enough already about these commmodity econocars that won’t even be sold in North America. Please pay some serious attention to your sinking-ship brand Cadillac, and turn it into the flagship that it deserves to be.

Mr. Lutz and company,

Mike Walker hit the nail on the head. What is so frustrating is that you understand what Mike said in his post – just look at the SLS sold in China. When will GM management get it through their head that they need to make their flagship brand premium on every level – just adding a “Sixteen” styled grill doesn’t make it the standard of the world.

Back when I was a kid in the late 70’s and early 80’s made in China meant cheap and undesireable. We laughed at stuff with that badge on it. My how times have changed. 30 years later and a made in China Cadillac SLS is nicer than any Cadillac you can buy in the United States.

Stop and think about that for a moment… I won’t even get into the Buick issue again.

Still waiting for a response on this blog. Clearly the masses have spoken – but it is silent in Detroit over this thread.

Marc

Mr. Anderson, April 14, 3:26 PM:

My sentiments exactly.

The message is LOUD and CLEAR Mr Lutz

DO NOT STOP THE GLOBAL RWD CARS

BRING THE AUSTRALIAN DESIGNED HOLDEN\CHINA BUICK TO NORTH AMERICA

G8 and Park Avenue COULD have been on the roads in the US ALREADY ..BUT You are stalling AGAIN!!???

WHAT’S so hard about making good products?? I dont get it!??

Bob,

The W- and G-Bodies are ancient. Everybody knows it. Sticking a “Super” badge on it, with a bigger engine doesn’t make it any newer, or better than the competition.

Same old GM. Still trying to pay for mistakes it made in 1980s product development (Read: GM10) instead of bringing truely world-class cars to the market today – and taking some risks along the way.

Leadership is about taking risks. Seems GM is being very short-sighted here. Big mistake for the “Mark of Excellence”.

-Tom

Mr. Lutz,

I was going to buy a Buick Lucerne to replace my 3 year old Malibu Maxx – that is, until I saw the Chinese-market Buick Park Avenue. Unfortunately, you’re putting that program on “temporary” hold.
I would buy a new-generation Malibu Maxx – but unfortunately you axed that line too. Too bad, it would have been really nice with AWD and that new styling.
Net result: no new revenue for GM.

The Park Avenue must come to the US. It’s like a bigger, even better looking (if that’s possible) G8….but with a better brand badge.

The Park Avenue would crush the upcoming Hyundai Genesis in the “super bargain V8 luxo” segment.

Mr.Lutz

I want a Silverado Single-cab SWB with a Vortec-max 367HP 2wd like the Dodge Hemi and the new Tundra Junk. Why cant I have that…I dont want a SS edition just a V-max in a regular Single cab..
You see so may Hemi’s i just dont understand why GM dont offer that

Hi Edvard,

obviously my previous comment, referring to your question, was lost, maybe for technical reasons. Sorry for the delay.

So I try to send an answer again: My brother, owning the Pontiac G6, is living in Florida. But I am also driving an American vehicle myself. It’s a 2001 Oldsmobile Alero. This model was officially available over here in Germany (re-badged as Chevrolet). If you are interested in buying a US-Vehicle over here, which regularly is only offered in the US, you still have the opportunity to order such a car at a special import-dealership. Example: Geiger-Cars, Munich. They also take care of necessary modifications, permissions and documents. I don’t know, whether corresponding companies are existing in the US, either.

haha,

so the fervency is here, I don’t even have to add to all that has been said.

I will sum up with an absolute business case for the Buick Park Ave. Even at a worst case scenario of 12k units/year, priced at $45k, that works out to an additional $540 million of revenue in one year alone. I don’t know what the profit would look like, that’s left to people more familiar with the situation. The important thing is this car would help serve as a harbinger for greater things to come at Buick. Charing $45k for it sounds a little extreme at first, but people will pay that amount of money for the right car with the right quality. And this will get people accustomed to thinking of Buick as a luxury brand, instead of a brand for seniors.

What would it cost to import about 25k maximum Buick Park Aves, spend a significant amount of the Buick budget on advertising yearly on the car, and create huge amounts of good will and buzz for the brand. REVIVE the brand! Give it a car worth praising, give the brand a car worthy of the Buick name! Spend all the advertising money allocated for the Supers on Park Ave, because those cars are a waste, the Lacrosse was never relevant, and subsequent cars have leapfrogged the Lucerne in its price arena.

The Park Ave is something special, and it has the quality aura to back it up. The interior looks special and expensively crafted. The exterior is classic but sleepier than I would like a Buick to be, but nonetheless very substantial, powerful, and sophisticated.

Do you want to spend the remaining amount of life support Buick has in the US, the remaining amount of relevancy it has on the Supers? Do you want to waste our time, and any remembrance of the Buick name? Or do you want it to be synonomous for something grand and important and stately again?

Then the answer is clear you must release the Park Ave. ASAP. January next year sounds like you’re not working fast enough. Every car that is released counts. Every upwardly step counts for attention and good will. Buick needs to do dramatic things to catch the attention of buyers who are confused by the myriad of brands and choices on the market today and magazines who could care less about the next big FWD floaty sedan from GM. Time is wasting, and the competitors are only becoming more and more relevant, and the domestics are becoming more and more forgotten.

Once you’re done approving that,

(a) get us the new triplets with efficient powertrains
(b) fast track efficient hybrid and four cylinder DI engines for as many cars as possible, including Zeta
(c)release a Zeta car that produces 34mpg highway
(d)get us the real breathtaking designs like the Camaro, Shanghai Riviera, Velite, etc etc that you have been promising us for years Bob
(e) I want to see a Cobalt that possesses real virtues of a compact car. I want it to be actually appealing to young people!!!! I can’t believe the product planners haven’t gotten that point yet. I want to be actually fuel efficient!!!!Again I can’t believe it. I want to see a Cobalt with a hybrid, but also a regular engine capable of 43mpg highway. Don’t just settle for meeting the pack!! Leapfrog them, and create a name for GM engineering and powertrain. I want to see a high quality interior, and if it takes a 1.8L engine to achieve what I’m asking for, then you’d better believe i’d like it to be at least as strong as the Civic’s. If it takes DI, then spend the money, and fire the UAW.

Thanks for all the hard work and passion

Mr.Lutz
The field is wide open for el camino like vehicles (holden commodore) and smaller trucks(like the S-10 used to be . Just ask the dealers who can’t give away the Colorado.

Its about time GM is coming out with the diesel 4 cyl. car . I curently own a scion XB , I would without a doubt switch to the diesel groove . It is a shame that in the usa you can not find a 4 cyl. diesel engine in cars are trucks . The prime example is the Isuszu D-max truck it is only sold overseas or in south america . Its time to wake up and build cars that are fuctional and fuel efficent and let the good old boy trucks and cars of a past era go.

I need a replacement for my 4×4 Tacoma V6. Yes it’s an awesome vehicle with higher quality [than most]. Problem is, the manual sings to the tune of 2500rpm @ 70 mph and mileage suffers. I also don’t need all that room anymore. The Astre was a consideration, but it only comes with an n/a 138hp engine. Why not turbo and AWD? You seem to have no rhyme or reason in producing cars. You come out with a brand new design Camaro, and a big engine, but the GTO was a cheap rebadge? A G8 “coupe’ with 4 doors? We need cars with turbos, not displacement. We need a hatch or small pickup with a turbo and AWD, please!