jdavis45

8 Changes GM Needs to Make

I am constantly amazed by the self appointed experts who prescribe a treatment for GM. While Mr. Raman's advice to "focus on key brands" is valid, his list of key brands reveals a lack of knowledge of the auto industry and of GM in particular. GM has two healthy brands; Chevrolet and Cadillac. Every GMC that is sold is one less Chevy. GMC is the ultimate redundant. Keeping Pontiac makes even less sense. If Mr. Raman had ever driven a G6 he would not recommend keeping it. The G6 is an example of the bad cars that no one except a rental company would ever buy. The only Pontiac that should be retained is the Vibe (really a Toyota Matrix) that should be rebadged as a Chevy. Buick may have a role to play as a lower priced alternative to Cadillac, but that is debatable. Mr. Raman's suggestion to keep the Saturn Vue (an Opel product) is interesting. The question is how you retain a dealership network with one product. Saturn has the most unique product line in the GM stable. Importing high mileage, excellent models from Opel (or building them in the US) makes sense. It is sad to see that most people, inside and outside GM, are quick to right off Saturn. That may just be typical of the problem. The insiders can't see the trees for the forest and the outsiders can't see the forest for the trees.