COMMENTARY: Two Dozen New Models May Overcrowd GM's Four-Brand Garage
By Michelle Krebs August 14, 2009It's not unusual for General Motors Co. and other big car companies to show the media a 
couple year's worth of pending new models. The difference this week was that GM showed the goods - and allowed reporters to tell all about what they saw.
With the U.S. Treasury Department holding some $60 billion of its markers, GM must quickly convince all its stakeholders the company's got stuff people will want to buy. Good stuff - better than the stuff it insisted was good in the past. The kind of stuff that generates revenue that pays back the kind of debt GM's run up.
Notwithstanding the 230-miles-per-gallon Chevrolet Volt coming next year, GM brags it has some two dozen new-model launches scheduled between now and 2011, but this quantity indicates nothing about the more-important factor: whether a significant number of these new models are winners.
What GM wouldn't allow was photography. But we'll describe with a division-by-division analysis of the new products, most of which are coming by 2011:
BUICK
The plug-in hybrid version of the Chevy Equinox/GMC Terrain/Cadillac SRX compact crossover coming for 2011 (and a conventionally powered variant next year) was unimaginatively frumpy in the form and lame pastel color we saw.
Buick's got two new sedans that definitely are green-lighted and an intriguing crossover concept that's smaller than its version of the compact-midsize Equinox.
First, to Buick's sedans: The new midsizer has deep door sculpting and a strong-shoulder line that hikes up at the rear fenders that reminds (in a good way) of the Oldsmobile Intrigue. And you don't have to look too hard to see the whole thing is knocked off the lovely Opel Insignia launched in Europe last year. It's a solid and strong design, but not necessarily one that will stretch Buick's showroom appeal.
We were less convinced by a compact Buick sedan based on the front-wheel-drive Delta underpinnings that we'll soon see wearing the Chevrolet Cruze body. The proportions and general design appeared awkward, and there was a distinct lack of character. If there's not more sculpting to come, there needs to be.
The compact crossover concept Buick designers unveiled, however, was more adventurous. The thing wears a revision of the Enclave front clip, has a prominently wide track and a C-pillar/jutting hatch that looks something like the Nissan Rogue only with a lot more thought.
Nobody said, so speculation abounds this vehicle rides on Korea-engineered global subcompact platform of the next-gen Chevrolet Aveo. Then again, we heard the larger "delta" compact FWD underpinnings of the coming Chevrolet Cruze could be the donor chassis.
CADILLAC
The big news was that Caddy confirmed it's pulling the trigger on a rear- or all-wheel-drive BMW 3-Series competitor. The coupe concept of this car looked good enough, if maybe a bit too much like a hacked-down version of the CTS coupe, that, if its silly amalgam of sharp angles makes it to production, probably is too "out there" to really move the needle.
Probably the most significant - and demoralizing - Caddy unveiled here was the XTS concept indicating the division's probable direction for a large sedan that will cover the ground of today's Cadillac STS and Cadillac DTS. We're okay with one car taking the place of those two chronic underperformers, but nobody was bragging about rear-drive with this concept: GM seemingly has locked in the traverse-engine, front-drive layout from the global large-FWD architecture that also probably will accommodate all-wheel-drive.
With the bomb that was the X-Type, Jaguar tried to disguise utilitarian FWD underpinnings by layering on AWD - and we all know how that turned out.
The XTS large-sedan concept and the 2010 SRX indicate the Cadillac brain trust and other high-level execs have conveniently forgotten the promise - and the once-stated need - to use RWD platforms to ensure the credibility to compete with the European luxo-sport brands. Bad move.
The new SRX already is on sale and the CTS Sport Wagon hit showrooms this month - and we hear the 500-horse-plus V-Series version of the CTS wagon is approved.
CHEVROLET
The showpiece was the next-generation Chevrolet Malibu sedan, upsized with increased visual heft and wearing some artfully-integrated Camaro cues. Yes, Chevrolet Camaro - and damned if it doesn't work: there are the four distinct blocky taillights and the Camaro-inspired C-pillar that blends tantalizingly into bulgy rear fenders.
Designers admit they wanted the new Malibu - we think it's a '12 model, though there's haziness about that - to look bigger. Even though it will be shorter in wheelbase and the same in overall length. The big, up-raised trunk (envision the Chris Bangle-ized BMW 7-Series) and beefier sheet metal make the Malibu appear similar next to the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry - the two primary targets. Customers complain about the current Malibu's narrow trunk opening and meager capacity, so the shortened wheelbase accommodates a larger trunk.
Meanwhile, there are going to be a lot of little Chevys running around in the next couple of years. The bowtie division showed off the production Spark, a car "sized and priced less than the Aveo." We weren't impressed. Even if gasoline hits $5 a gallon again, the Spark would be a tough sell, even at the 30,000 to 40,000 annual sales rate that's the reputed target.
The flimsy Spark is balanced by the next-gen Aveo, which looks much more palatable than
the current car, the highlight being a prominently forward-angled C-pillar inspired by the Kia Soul. The handles for the rear doors are cleverly integrated forward of that C-pillar and high on the glass, all but disguised and imparting a coupe look for this 4-door subcompact.
Chevy also showed the production version of the Cruze, the replacement for the Cobalt we've seen before. The Cruze is visually more substantial than the Cobalt and clearly more upscale inside. We can only hope the turbocharged 1.4-liter 4-cylinder generates acceptable shove.
The Orlando midi-crossover looks better every time we see it and is one model Chevy should try to hasten to showrooms. The niche is relatively open and exploitable and the Orlando could make an impact if Chevy can get the lead out.
The Camaro convertible is convincing enough - there's serious retro vibe coming off - although designers say several details are still to be hammered out.
GMC
Even after seeing the new hardware, we can't say we're sure where GMC is going. We're not sure GMC knows where GMC is going.
But we did like a funky and chunky concept car that looks like the fusion of the Kia Soul (there's that Korean C-pillar again), the Mini Cooper Clubman and a Scion xB. How an obvious "car" fits with GMC's genteel-truck image, is anybody's guess, but execs say the fat fender flares at least could accommodate the all-wheel-drive they insist is expected of all GMCs.
Plenty of GM's near-term new products look viable. Whether they will be compelling is less certain - particularly when factoring in the obvious high degree of badge engineering that, now that GM has just four divisions, seems to be perhaps even more crowding of each brand's "space."
Unleashing two dozen new models in the next two years sounds spectacular. Several of these are convincing, but many are badging efforts that leave the uneasy feeling GM's real emphasis remains not on product, but on making that product fit into its still-arcane marketing structure.
Several of the company's new cars and concepts do look great and seem to indicate design has more influence in the "new" company's mandate. But there are enough prominently cost-driven product choices to demonstrate the accountants continue to have their say as well. -- Bill Visnic
Photos by GM
1. Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon one of the few upcoming Caddy models to employ a Cadillac-specific platform.
2. Chevrolet Equinox should be a compelling new segment competitor - so does each of GM's four brands need its own variant?
3. Chevrolet Spark: Save up for the Aveo
4. The new 2010 Chevrolet Equinox, er, GMC Terrain..
LEAVE A COMMENT
Click here to comment on this entry."more crowding of each brand's space". Sounds familiar! This way they are going to compete with each other.
"The kind of stuff that generates revenue that pays back the kind of debt GM's run up."
Um, GM cut its debt by going bankrupt. They have far less debt than they did 3 months ago. How are they running up debt? Most of the money from the treasury was swapped for equity. That's not debt.
So Cadillac is backing off on its popular line of sporty Oldsmobiles and Buick continues to target the nearly extinct WWII generation. Getting rid of Pontiac instead of Buick (except as an Asian nameplate) and GMC still seems like a colossal blunder. The Holden G8 platform provided European performance at a near-Korean price point. A turbocharged Astra would also add a little excitement to GM. GM needs a greater percentage of great cars so that people won't feel so bad about buying the rest.
By January 1, 2015, we will have seen either the elimination of Buick and GMC, or corporate liquidation.
Nothing has changed, nor looks likely to change at the top. Ya keep doin' whatcha been doin', yer gonna keep gettin' whatcha been gettin'.
Chevrolet. Caddilac. Period. Only way out.
Maybe just GMC and Cadillac. GM will save money on the GMC name plate, it has fewer letters. Chevrolet is also famous for bad quality; I owned a few. Yet calling a Buick a Chevy or GMC could cause confusion amongst the Buick customer base. Some of these people actually believe Camry's race in NASCAR.
ADD A COMMENT