If you could restructure GM...

Disclaimer :)

Though I follow this forum every day, I am CERTAINLY no expert. Amidst all these threads about what GM ought to do, I thought why not pool all those thoughts together?

BUICK - ??? Make Cars only, no suv's. Soft, comfortable ride with plush leather interiors. Big grilles, chrome accents ... like i said, I dunno. (Drop??)

CADILLAC - needs a two door coupe besides the XLR. (Eldorado replacement.)

CHEVROLET - Camaro, duh
Cobalt - offer Hybrid
SUV's OFFER DURAMAX!
Chevy can market the FWD's while Pontiac getws RWD's

GMC - Keep them. I know enough people that won't buy chevy cuz a GMC is 'better'. Maybe market with Hummer...

HUMMER - I'm no Hummer guru, all I know is the M998's were maintenance nightmares. But they were tough. Good to see the new Hummer will get Duramax. If H2's don't have them offer them for better MPG.

PONTIAC - MOSTLY RWD's. Pontiac is NOT a BMW competitor - leave that to SAAB. If Pontiac is excitement, then "Make it so." First off, T/A returns, so <percieved> line up is Camaro < T/A < GTO < Corvette. THAT is excitement. Pontiac needs definition. Have Solstice, T/A, and GTO. Update and or ax the Grand am, Bonneville, or Grandprix. G6 was great move marketing wise. Get RID OFF AZTEK - how the hell is that exciting?

SAAB - Only GM nuts know SAAB if affiliated. The purchasing public thinks it is a great Eurupean car. Let SAAB compete with BMW and AUDI. Build reliable, TIGHT, fast cars, and market them well.

SATURN - ??? Do what you do. Continue this different car thing. Market Hybrids that are reliable. Eat into Honda and Toyota sales.

Overall, Chevy and Saturn need to focus on getting Honda sales. Pontiac needs definition. Give them the RWD performance fighters against Ford and Dodge. Buick needs HELP - average purchaser is like 70 yrs old.

Like I said, I'm no expert, but the General needs a hand.

Thoughts?

Me, I would axe Buick, Saturn, GMC, and maybe Pontiac at this point...I am afraid drastic measures are going to be needed.

Chevy needs to do the everyman thing, pure and simple. They need to replace Saturn and do what Saturn does even better and get you in your life from your first car to your last if you want to stick with them...colbalt to truck to vette etc.

If you keep Pontiac it is a more risky line with more style than Chevy that offers some performance you can't find in every Chevy.

Caddy needs to be where you end up...refined and excellent.

You start with chevy as your first car and have the old reliable thing going on. You offer enuff to keep a customer base all the way through your line up.

For the guys that want even more performance and style and have more cash you have Pontiac. Pontiac goes for the BMW guys, mid life crisis guys that have a family, and the upper mobile types that want that performance and the cutting edge thing.

Caddy gets the top hat types.

They need to have a bit more influence over dealers...ensure quality and service as number one priority. Build confidence.

The lack of interesting cars for a guy who grew up doing hot rods and driving F bodies, Monte SS's, and stangs has caused me to stay away combined with some of the worst dealerships I have ever been to.

I did not pay sticker for any of my Fords and many of my stangs were hot items before they were released...I will never set foot on a Pontiac dealers lot ever again. The big one in the DFW area was stuck on sticker and the rest wanted more than sticker on GTO's...and gee, looked what happend with those 04's all of you said were selling and you did not need to deal on.

Combine that with okay looks and Im over and done with it.

saab-market like BMW
pontiac-market to mid 30's
buick-market as a luxury family car

Quite an interesting exercise. I initially thought this would just be a quick summary of what I already think. The more I get into it the more I understand how difficult the decisions are that GM needs to make. Here’s the start of what I’d do. There are still a lot of holes in the thinking though.

Cadillac: Keep doing what they’re doing. They need to add a CTS retractible hardtop Coupe (CTC) in standard and “v” configuration as well as an SRXv. Avoid any move down market.

Chevrolet: The full bread and butter line. Obviously the Camaro needs to return. After that is gets tougher. I’d like to see a return to RWD, but perhaps staying with FWD and adding AWD as an option pretty much across the model lineup would be just as effective. I’m also in favor of the common styling theme for Chevy. Make a manual transmission available on every SS and make sure that every SS is a significant styling, handling and power upgrade from the regular vehicle.

Buick: The “thinking man’s” or “plain brown wrapper” Cadillac. Most of the features offered in a Cadillac in an unpretentious package for less money. I’d mirror the Cadillac model range except for the XLR and Escalades and make the CTC knockoff a fixed roof coupe.

Pontiac: Stays to keep the dealer network happy. Chevrolet with “in your face” styling, for which you’ll be expected to pay a little more.

GMC: For the dealers as well. Chevy trucks and SUV’s with a different grill. Where Chevy has “SS”, GMC goes “Denali” plush luxury with emphasis on ride over handling.

Saturn: Opel USA.

Saab: ?

Hummer: If they’re making money I’d say carry on. It’s a brand that doesn’t register on my radar screen.

Cadillac:
No changes, but they need a coupe of some sort. Badly.

Hummer:
No changes. Take a civilian version of a military vehicle as the top model, then make a Chevy suburban look just like it and sell it for a vault full of money. Ingenious. They are alot smarter than I think I am. :lol:

Pontiac:
By far needs the most work IMO. I'd adopt another member's idea, and actually turn Pontiac into an excitement division. I'd eliminate all SUVs from the lineup. Torrant & Vibe? Gone. I'd also make the G6 the entry level vehicle. Grand Prix the next step, and have a CTS based Bonneville. I'd most certainly keep the GTO, but I'd swap the Solstice body for Saturn Sky's. All cars would have alumunum wheels and single level powerplants. No base cars with Cool Whip suspension or poker chip tires.

Chevrolet:
When I was growing up, Chevrolet was the only car division without a single design theme on all it's cars. Going into a Chevy dealer, you wre greeted with a wide array of bodies and grilles. I'd bring that back. Chevrolet would also be the only division with rebates, and should be the only part of GM with a Wal-Mart feeling (as opposed to the entire company). The only additions I'd make to Chevy is that I'd have Holden's Chevy Lumina positioned above the Impala as a V8 sports sedan (perhaps called Belair), and of course a Mustang competitor.

Buick:
I'd have Cadillac and Buick share some structures. I'd have the CTS and STS as Lecerne and "Roadmaster". I'd keep the Lecross and tune the suspensions of all to be softer than Cadillac's, but just as responsive. I'd keep any SUVs and crossovers. I'd make a Riviera off of a Cadillac coupe.

Saturn:
Except the Sky, I'd gut Saturn & turn it into Opel under Saturn's name. The volume cars would be made here, the low volume cars would be made by Opel. Nothing bigger than Espilon chassis.

GMC:
I'd get rid of it left to my own devices, but GMC has a pretty strong base & is a successful division. Given that, I wouldn't change anything here.

Holden:
I'd yank all US influence back out of Holden, and have it run locally again. If you haven't been keeping track, GM North America is exerting alot of influence at Holden, and the company isn't exactly benefitting because of it. GM-NA's cost cutting, high volume, model dropping mindset is starting to wreck havoc on Holden.

Opel:
Incorperate it with Saturn. This way many vehicles from Opel made in Europe can be sold here, keeping GM operations there in the black. This saves GM money by designing 1 line of cars instead of 2, without killing a brand.

SAAB:
Not sure what I'd do with Saab. It has a unique distinct customer base. It has it's own reputation. It has it's own look that can't be incorperated with any other GM division. Yet it's not selling well or making any money. My knee-jerk reaction is to drop it, but then you'd get Sweedish government involved and the next thing you know, you have a underutilized, government subsidized plant producing a small quanity of cars that can't be sold under any other nameplate. That's one division I really don't have an answer for.

Daewoo & Subaru:
Besides being a parts bin for GM worldwide, and mastering sales in their own markets I'd have them be the driving force for selling cars in low cost markets. Not just low level products here & Europe, but also China, South & Central America or anyplace their cost advantage would work to their good.

Buick <---- Kill it. Buick is simply being squeezed out of the marketplace because their faithful owners are dropping like flies and there's no room between Chevrolet and Cadillac.

Saturn <---- Kill it. Saturn doesn't do a anything Chevrolet can't do.

Chevrolet - Volume division. Chevrolet sells appliances, the trucks, Corvette and our beloved Camaro. Malibu needs an SS version like I need a hole in my head. What Malibu really needs is the best price, features, power, quality, safety, size, economy and resale value in the segment. No hocus-pocus, deliver the iron. Hit the Japanese right between the running lights by making them beat you on value, and market THAT.

Pontiac/GMC - Chevrolet, but with more attitude. Price points start just north of Chevrolet and end just south of Cadillac. That goes for GMC too. Use the extra money you get for the car to differentiate from Chevrolet... kinda like a mid-level appliance.

Cadillac - Picks up where Pontiac/GMC leaves off. World Standard. Shares platforms with NO ONE... EXCEPT for MAYBE the trucks. A Cadillac is a Cadillac. You want a Cadillac body and Cadillac features? Pass the money, bub. Cadillac buyers get a dealer experience akin to being royalty... they pay for it too. Cadillac gets state-of-the-art technology, across the board. Cadillac leads the industry in every respect from powertrains to comfort to quietness. These are not appliances... they speak to status and lust.

UNIVERSAL:
Beat everyone on price.
Beat everyone on quality.
Beat everyone on features.
Beat everyone on dealership experience.
Beat everyone on warranty.
Beat everyone on resale.

Pontiac:
By far needs the most work IMO. I'd adopt another member's idea, and actually turn Pontiac into an excitement division. I'd eliminate all SUVs from the lineup. Torrant & Vibe? Gone. I'd also make the G6 the entry level vehicle. Grand Prix the next step, and have a CTS based Bonneville. I'd most certainly keep the GTO, but I'd swap the Solstice body for Saturn Sky's. All cars would have alumunum wheels and single level powerplants. No base cars with Cool Whip suspension or poker chip tires.
I don't see why you couldn't market two different power options in several of the models. Just make sure that the base is really mid level. I also wonder why you would axe the Vibe? Or is this in lieu of a sportier hatch?

Chevrolet:
When I was growing up, Chevrolet was the only car division without a single design theme on all it's cars. Going into a Chevy dealer, you wre greeted with a wide array of bodies and grilles. I'd bring that back. Chevrolet would also be the only division with rebates, and should be the only part of GM with a Wal-Mart feeling (as opposed to the entire company). The only additions I'd make to Chevy is that I'd have Holden's Chevy Lumina positioned above the Impala as a V8 sports sedan (perhaps called Belair), and of course a Mustang competitor.
I definitely agree with the idea that Chevy should sell cars with a variety of styles. I'm not sure I agree with the Walmart feel, but if they have to keep that feel then I would agree that this is the only place where it may belong.

Buick:
I'd have Cadillac and Buick share some structures. I'd have the CTS and STS as Lecerne and "Roadmaster". I'd keep the Lecross and tune the suspensions of all to be softer than Cadillac's, but just as responsive. I'd keep any SUVs and crossovers. I'd make a Riviera off of a Cadillac coupe.
Since I am not an insider, the "entry-luxury" segment is the one I understand the least. I can sort of get a feel for Lexus and Infiniti as rebadged Toyotas and Nissans for people that have a little more to spend, but I'm wondering if Cadillac would need to become more expensive in order to fit Buick in between it and Chevy? Or is it that Chevy should become more affordable?

Saturn:
Except the Sky, I'd gut Saturn & turn it into Opel under Saturn's name. The volume cars would be made here, the low volume cars would be made by Opel. Nothing bigger than Espilon chassis.
What is the mission of Opel/Saturn in the US? I understand that many people do not know that Saturn is part of GM (a myth that many salesman are happy to perpetuate), so is this supposed to be an entry youth type brand like Scion? Or is it a quirky affordable brand with psuedo sport image like VW? "Euro-tuned" Chevy? Or is it something entirely different?

GMC:
I'd get rid of it left to my own devices, but GMC has a pretty strong base & is a successful division. Given that, I wouldn't change anything here.
I'm wondering if dropping GMC would matter at all if Chevrolet truck styling was a little better?

Holden:
I'd yank all US influence back out of Holden, and have it run locally again. If you haven't been keeping track, GM North America is exerting alot of influence at Holden, and the company isn't exactly benefitting because of it. GM-NA's cost cutting, high volume, model dropping mindset is starting to wreck havoc on Holden.
If this thread was really about restructuring the workforce, I may be inclined to bring in a top executive or two from down under to help streamline GM NA.

SAAB:
Not sure what I'd do with Saab. It has a unique distinct customer base. It has it's own reputation. It has it's own look that can't be incorperated with any other GM division. Yet it's not selling well or making any money. My knee-jerk reaction is to drop it, but then you'd get Sweedish government involved and the next thing you know, you have a underutilized, government subsidized plant producing a small quanity of cars that can't be sold under any other nameplate. That's one division I really don't have an answer for.
Saab is quite the conundrum wrapped in an enigma.

Daewoo & Subaru:
Besides being a parts bin for GM worldwide, and mastering sales in their own markets I'd have them be the driving force for selling cars in low cost markets. Not just low level products here & Europe, but also China, South & Central America or anyplace their cost advantage would work to their good.
How much of Subaru does GM really control? When GM says jump does Subaru ask how high?

SIMPLE

1 company for Vans/Trucks/SUVs

1 company for sedans

1 company for performance cars

IMHO, restructuring GM requires wholesale management changes first, such as replacing the CEO and board of directors. The individuals currently in those positions are borderline criminally negligent. Ask any stockholder.
Head hunt the top people from the most successful auto companies and start with a clean slate at the top. Forget the GQ suits with the fancy pedigrees and used car salesman BS lines. Get some people in there with MBA's AND engineering degrees that can actually change a tire, install a set of spark plugs or heaven forbid get their hands greasy.
How can anyone expect top GM management to make responsible decisions when the vast majority of their product experiences are driving hand-massaged vehicles from the corporate fleet to their next PR event.

chevrolet: the camaro needs to be brought back soon obviiously but the other car that needs to return is the chevelle(a rwd version, not some stupid fwd drive thing called malibu max! its pretty pathetic when i have to drive a 81 malibu to get rwd and a full frame) :( another car that could come back as well would be nova and again not as the 1986 p.os. that was a joint venture with a import manufactuerer) in the 60s you started in a nova then camaro then chevelle then impala, they need to get back to that!also the person in charge of promotion ,ads etc. needs to be fired! there werent any camaro ads shown in canada and what ads they do have are the most boring and pathetic rubbish ive ever had the unfortunate pleasure of seeing! one last thing, where have the 2 door cars disappeared? :mad:

I'm nobody important, but here are my thoughts.

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Cadillac - It's doing well now. Continue moving upscale back to being the Standard of the World. A price increase here won't hurt anything. Offer all models in RWD or AWD. All models stay on the same semi-aggressive yet classy styling path. The CTS is to remain the smallest Cadillac. Base model Luxury Caddys (i.e. DLS, SLS, etc) are smoother riding with good power and lots of chrome. Next step up are the Touring cars with a little more power and a little tighter suspension. And at the top are the V cars and trucks with LOTS more power and an acute suspension with little to no chrome.

Will we see a DTS-V?

Cadillac dealerships will need to step up also. The customer is the boss. If there is a problem with the car and needs a rental, send a nicely dressed Cadillac representative to them in a Cadillac rental car 24/7. If they have to wait at the dealership for their car to be fixed, have a nice Cadillac lounge area.


HUMMER - The biggest and the baddest. The toughest of the tough. The most expensive trucks and SUVs on the planet with the power to match.

The military's HUMVEEs are getting old. They could use a replacement if you ask me. Make the next edition and all other HUMMERs more powerful. 300hp minimum for the H3.

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Buick, Pontiac, and GMC can be sold at the same dealership. There is very little crossover and the pricing is between Chevy and Cadillac.

Buick - The traditional brand. I've got mixed thoughts here. I love the heritage of the GSX, GNX, and others, but I don't see the future of Buick using that. I see lots of interior room with plush leather and woodgrain interior and respectable power. I see lots of chrome on the highend models and non-aggressive traditional styling across the board. A step down from the Luxury model Cadillacs.

Pontiac - The "Excitement Division" :rolleyes: The top model for every Pontiac has AWD and forced induction. Finally "Ram Air" will really mean something. All models have aggresisve styling and sporty suspension. Aluminum wheels across the board. The car looks like it is going fast when it is sitting still. NO MINIVANS OR SUVS!!!

GMC - Professional Grade. Differentiate the styling from Chevy even more. The "big truck" look is getting more popular. There are ways to make small vehicles look big. Torque is the name of the game at GMC. Either larger engines, or forced induction. Let Chevy's SS have the horsepower, but GMC will have class leading torque in every vehicle. Every GMC model will have an available Denali edition with big shiny wheels, special grille, and nicer interior.

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Chevrolet - It is the brand for everybody. Somebody can open up a Chevrolet dealership and basically have 1 car of every platform. If GM offers a vehicle anywhere on the planet, Chevrolet has a version of it. I do like the idea of every Chevrolet being identifiable as a Chevy. I don't like the Gold Bowtie. Have the color of the bowtie emblems indicate the trim level.

Blue = standard
Gold = Luxury
Red = Sporty
Black = SS
Or maybe a red and black bowtie for the SS.

I'm crazy enough to say that every Chevrolet vehicle should get an SS version. The "blue devil" Corvette can be the Corvette SS. Even the Aveo can get an SS... if they put the engine from the current Cobalt SS into it. And then the Cobalt would need more power from something like a 255hp V6. And somebody slap a blower/turbo on the Malibu SS's V6 for around 300hp.

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Saturn & Opel - I like the idea of combining these two. I think Saturn will move upmarket a little. Maybe throw a little Vauxhall in there also...

Daewoo - They get the lower end cars that Saturn has outgrown and their own versions of the low and midrange Chevrolets. I could see a Daewoo version of the base Malibu sedan as the top model.

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SAAB - I like this company's lineup. Can somebody explain what is the current problem here? I say give them a little of the best of everything. Every vehicle in their lineup needs to be turbocharged and have available AWD. SAAB will be like a step down from the Cadillac V series. I could even see a Sigma chassis SAAB with a turbo 5 or 6 cylinder.

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Holden and Subaru can continue what they have been doing as far as I'm concerned. GM-NA can continue to borrow from their parts bin.

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There was talk about a performance group starting up at GM. Time to make it recognizable. Have a group of performance folks (aka "car guys") for all of GMNA. Chevrolet SS, Cadillac V series, Pontiac Ram Air, Saturn Redline, Holden HSV, Subaru STi, etc. will all be handled by the same group. These are the folks that insurance companies will either love or hate.



Now I've spent WAY too much time on this...

SIMPLE

1 company for Vans/Trucks/SUVs

1 company for sedans

1 company for performance cars

Brilliant!

GMC-Trucks/Vans/SUV's
Cadillac-Luxory and Semi Luxory Sedans
Chevrolet-Performance cars;i.e Corvette,Camaro,Cobalt etc....

Brilliant!

GMC-Trucks/Vans/SUV's
Cadillac-Luxory and Semi Luxory Sedans
Chevrolet-Performance cars;i.e Corvette,Camaro,Cobalt etc....
and what about the bread and butter cars for the folks not interested in performance?

ehh then I guess leave saturn for the compact fuel efficent dirt cheap coups and sedans.

One thing I would add to all these replys, having cadillac with its own unique platform would be awesome, but once cadillac moves on to another better new unique platform, you could then pass all that technologie/platform down to other brands to use... since everything would be paid off it seems logical....

Sort of what dodge got form mercedes in there latest car line up upgrade.

Buick: No way I would kill this division. Killing Olds was a mistake. This division has been neglected and must be rebuilt to compete with Acura and Lexus. Only the top-line car should posess the cushy, soft trademark Detroit ride. Make that the Park Avenue. Second in line will be the Century aimed at the 300 series BMW with leather and wood interior and a taught though smooth ride. The two-setting suspension (sport and soft) would be a good idea here. Then there's the Grand National, vital to the "new" Buick image. It has to be a BMW M3 competitor. It could be a luxury version of the Camaro but it has to be a 2+2 with an opulent, generous interior. It could posess a V8 or a turbo six, but it has to be a serious performer. Pacifica should stick around as a luxury SUV. Ditch the cheap velour interior and go to victorian cloth embroidered patterns.

Saturn. I wouldn't put much effort into this brand. It has been a disappointment and its original purpose (to compete reliabilitywise with the Japs) has been lost. It should quietly be phased out.

Pontiac: Pontiac is the family performance division and it sells well, often beating Chevrolet. Firstly, Pontiacs are not BMWs. Never will be. Cars like the Grand Prix and Firebird have always been slight upgrades from the Chevrolet division. That's where they belong too. The problem here is styling which is getting dated and really needs to get back to a more heritage look. Don't use the word "retro" ever when marketing. Use "lineage" or "heritage" when describing styling cues. Lose the kidney bean grille. Put some more angles in the profiles. And do something about the frequency of repair of these cars. GTO will stay as a family musclecar. Firebird will return as a more racy, upgrade of Camaro.

GMC This a truck division. Emphasis should be on business and work for this brand. Fleet sales and tough-built products are what GMC should be about. The successful businessman drives a GMC. You can make these vehicles upgraded Chevs. Hummer belongs in this division.

Chevrolet: This is the meat and potatoes division. Smart, budget oriented family vehicles with a mass appeal. Quality, reliability and price have to be the factors for Chevrolet. Malibu and Cobalt are bang-on so I wouldn't change much here. The Impala is also a good car though it needs styling upgrades, particularly in the interior. Corvette does a great job of being Chev's profile car but it still lags performancewise. The C6 should be eliminated and the Z06 should be the the standard vette. In the ponycar market the Camaro is in dire need of a comeback. Low-cost performance in a comfortable vehicle based around the original Camaro concept of a car that had room for groceries but looked racy. Of course, Camaro has to be RWD and come with SS V8 options that cater to the drag strip crowd.

Chev's SUVs and pickups should also be budget minded but more domestic/family oriented than GMC. Economy SUVs are the future here, along with designs that are viewed as safe and stable. Chevrolets are the vehicles that anyone can own inexpensively and have fun with them.

Cadillac These are CEO cars, executive cars, and old money cars. Fleetwood has to be the best car that GM can build. Generous quality interiors, opulent leather seats, solid bodies and less plastic than other brands. Fleetwood must be the car that says you're rich, and make no mistake about it. Soft floaty ride, insular interior with a very low noise level.

STS must be the 700 series competitor. The supercharged Northstar or even a turbo edition could achieve this. This is an executive, or family executive car. You're either a plant manager or a business owner. You're not worried about paying speeding tickets, its part of the cost of doing business.

XLR. Sadly invisible in the market, I have never seen one on display other than at the car shows. A retired executive's car, or a swinging executive car. There's nothing wrong with this car, GM built it but doesn't know how to sell it. Advertise it in The Economist or The New Yorker magazines, also National Geographic. It's a Cadillac so people don't know it's fast.

In simplified form, that's all folks.

Buick: Switch the Lucerne to a RWD/AWD platform which will be shared with the Impala. Drop the Terraza, Rainier, Rendezvous, add the Velite with a Northstar V8, nice interior luxury goodies, and priced around $45K.

Cadillac: Put the LS2 in the XLR and the LS7 in the XLR-V (not sure if this is already being done). Make a super-luxury $100K car called the "FTS" and make it whomp the S-class in every category. Add a Velite-based convertible/coupe with an LS2, nice interior luxury goodies, and priced around $50-60K. Everything else is GREAT!

Chevrolet: Bring back the Camaro RS (3800 V6 slightly uptuned. Why the 3800? Huge aftermarket, great for people who can't afford the V8.), Camaro Z28 (detuned LS2), and Camaro SS (LS2 at current rating). Z28 and RS both have live axles standard, but SS has option for an IRS. Uptune the Corvette C6 to about 450HP, enough to confidently beat the new Cobra and rape it in a road course. Move the Z06 up about 25-30HP to keep it away from the C6.

Move the Monte Carlo to the GTO platform but keep engine options and pricing similar to the current Monte. Switch the Impala to the same RWD platform that would be used in Buick's RWD/AWD Lucerne, keep the Malibu front-drive and add a hybrid option. Also add a hybrid Cobalt. Put the LS2 in the Silverado SS. Restyle the ugly Colorado.

GMC: Move trucks upscale from Chevy trucks, more torque and overall capacity, and keep Quadrasteer as GMC-only. Also focus on making "luxury" trucks (like the Yukon Denali), which will be in the $30K range and will feature many of the things you'd find in a luxury sedan, and have a quiet and refined ride...while still having V8 power and lots of towing/hauling capability. Great for families or people with money to spend. Take the Montana from Pontiac. Add a cargo van option for it.

Hummer: Figure out a reason why the otherwise identical Chevy Tahoe gets far better MPG, and fix it. Add REAL offroading features to the H2, downsize it just a bit, and make it a SERIOUS Range Rover and G-class competitor. Add an H4 to compete with the Wrangler. H3 is a step in the right direction.

Pontiac Bring back Firebird (Same as Camaro RS) and Trans Am (same as Camaro SS). Add a Trans Am GTA which will be around $38K and will have a ~3500 curb weight (so it won't beat the Vette), the same 450HP Corvette engine, and an IRS (with option for live axle).

Move the GTO slightly upscale, keep the current LS2, and add option for a navi and other luxury goodies, no live axle option. Add a GTO Judge with new styling, the LS7 (the extra 600lbs will keep it from intruding on Z06 sales) and improved suspension, and price it a little above M3 territory. Add a true manual option for every G6 and Grand Prix, drop the Aztek, Torrent, and Montana (move it to GMC). Give the Vibe to Chevy but with different engine options and styling. Bring back the Bonneville on the same platform as the RWD Impala, but make it bigger and maybe a little faster.

Saab: AWD in every car. It has worked for Subaru and Audi for years, why not Saab? They already have a start with the 9-2X, just give the 9-3 and 9-5 a styling upgrade and AWD, and maybe more punchy engines, and you have your Audi beaters.

Saturn: The American Scion. Make a Cobalt-based car with a hybrid option. Keep the Sky but make it very affordable. Make a 2 and 4 door hatchback, also in hybrid, and a tuner version to go with it. Stick to fuel-efficient and inexpensive cars that the younger markets will love to buy, and even tune.

To summarize:
- Buick is the "entry level luxury" brand. Less flashy and upscale than Cadillac but still with a marque of prestige and a bit of performance. The new Oldsmobile.
- Cadillac is the most "upscale" brand of GM, all of their cars are expensive, and rightfully so. They are the brand that everyone wants to own someday. The American Mercedes.
- Chevrolet is the "bread and butter" of GM. They offer every type of vehicle, sedans, coupes, minivans, SUVs, trucks. Not too upscale, that's Buick and Caddy's job.
- GMC makes "professional grade work trucks", and not just a marketing tagline...in practice, GMC trucks are more powerful and more feature-laden than Chevy trucks. Driving a GMC truck symbolizes toughness and financial success. GMC will be the ultimate truck to own, no matter what your price range.
- Hummer is GM's Jeep. Off road vehicles for every size and budget. No trucks, no minivans, and absolutely every single vehicle is 4x4.
- Pontiac is the performance division. No vans or SUVs, a Pontiac owner is someone who appreciates a true performance vehicle, whether that is in the form of a sports coupe, a big sedan, a big coupe, or a sport compact. The Pontiac arrow will become universal for "performance".
- Saab will keep its heritage as a car maker with unique Swedish styling, but with a real edge for AWD performance...just like Audi. Saab needs to remain distinctly European. No muscle cars or big rumbly V8s.
- Saturn will make fun, stylish, easy-to-own compact vehicles aimed at younger people. They'll be functional, good on gas, and inexpensive. And the Sky will be a thrilling vehicle with a great aftermarket.

i'd fire everyone

simple and to the point :)

from concept to sales floor in less than 2 years.

Id have Tiger Woods drive a Cadillac instead of a Buick. It was painfully obvious watching TPC this weekend, when it wasnt raining.

I really like the idea of Chevy/Poncho getting old Cadillac platforms, similar to the LX platform deal. Grand Prix and Monte Carlo would be great on these platforms.

Im not sold that Buick needs to exist. Cadillac is shedding its old-person stereotype because they were able to exist as a ganster's car for a short while before they moved into their current niche. Buick is painfully stuck in a rut.

Im with Pacer on the Malibu issue. They dont need to put money into an SS version, they need to put money into making the base model as good as it can possibly be and price it competitively. I dont think Chevy needs both the Malibu and Impala, one FWD family car would be sufficient. Pick either, if the one car you have is a good car, it'll probably beat the combined sales of the older two models. The Aveo does not belong in Chevy's lineup, make it a Saturn.

Make sure that the GM trucks/suv's get solid interiors and they'll have no problem selling. Their exteriors are the most appeasing on the market right now, there's no problem on the outside. Powerplants are fine, although I'd like to see a 6.0 liter option on the base 1500 and Avalanche. I really think GM is fine with their truck options now.

Chevy would be the only brand with a minivan, too. Minivans just dont screan exitment, sorry Pontiac.

In a perfect world..

The Chevy car lineup would be: Cobalt, Malibu, Camaro, Corvette.

The entire Poncho lineup would be: G6, Solstice, Grand Prix (rwd), GTO

The Saturn lineup: Aveo-type car, Aura, Sky, VUE

Short and sweet.

Saturn: Kill it off, use funds to aid other branches. The original purpose of Saturn to compete with the Camry is long been dead. Affordable cars was and ought to be Chevrolet's job. Very few people give saturn much credit despite the improvements in the past years. Relocated the funds.

Chevy: Get back to the basics: THe working man's car. This means a cheaper base line cobalt, and a hybird version to keep up to date. Camaro needs returned to the lineup as an affordable RWD V-8 coupe that can compete with anything in its class and win. Nothing short of that is acceptable. The Cobalt SS, as great as it is and I am a fan, cannot define chevy's affordable performer. This car needs to help define the brand as well as the corvette. Corvette: No major changes are really needed, just the usual aging and refining of the model. SS models need to be more of a 'wow' factor. Right now no one is really 'wowed' by the Impala SS, nor really the the Monte Carlo, Silverado, or Malibu. Yeah they're all nice, but its time to kick butt.

Buick: Needs a RWD fun car to come out to help it's image. Grand National or whatever it maybe called will help it's image, especially with a younger age group. Needs some more refinement all the way around, because right now I don't see Buick as such a luxery car IMO whatever thats worth.

Hummer: Don't dilute the formula of what makes a hummer.

Saab/Opel: Maybe start combining up some models with Buick for a new image. Market them as more european styled cars with some class.

Pontiac: It'd be nice with a firebird or T/A, but I don't see it happening. Maybe a base model GTO for about 28k would help. A detuned LS6 or whatever with 360 HP would help out sales alot. Solctice (Sp?) and G6 GTP need to help put some more driving excitment into this brand. Bonneville needs to be a bit more classier, even better if it was RWD. Need to put the junky overly plastic car days in the past and move on.

Caddilac: Keep on improving the models. Yeah a 2 door car other than the XLR would help, but funds would probably be better directed to the other brands.

All in all, GM has the motors. Should have all the platforms needed shortly. It just needs the leadership to make the needed changes. Fight toyota and honda on their own merits: Quality and price. Bring American pride back into the American cars. Yeah I know alot hondas and toyotas are made here but in many people's minds its not the same as a bowtie.

Buick
Gets the axe. When anybody thinks about a Buick, all they think about are old people. Really old people(65+). Their new cars won't draw anybody in with snazzy styling. They are trying to go after the same customer that the Japs get, the person looking for non-discript styling, state of the art engineering, and uncompermising quality. This will not work because their new cars are not state of the art, and the public still thinks the Japs are a lot higher quality.

Saturn
Gets the axe. GM should cut their losses and admit the expirment was a failure. All they have ever stood for is cheap, dent proof econoboxes, which have been completely uncompetitive for the last 8 years. The pricing idea, buying experience, and service department was brilliant though, maybe it should be implemented for all other GM brand dealers(except Cadillac).

Chevrolet
#1 Priority. Build a stylish midsize FWD sedan that is hands down better than the Japanese competition in all aspects(engineering, engine, handling, ride, space utilization, interior execution, etc.) and price it exactly the same as a Honda Accord, not a penny less. The secret will be not that its very sporty, but that it is a great looker. Apply the same formula to a large RWD luxo barge type of sedan too.

Reintroduce the Camaro. Make sure its about the same size as the Mustang, with the same level of utility, and it weighs less. 3400lbs is a realistic goal IMO. There needs to be several different engine options. Base V6~230hp, upgraded V6~260hp, base V8~320hp, optional LS2 V8~400hp(for under 30K), balls to the wall LS7 for 35~40K :D

Trucks:
Get rid of all tacky black plastic junk on all trucks.
Put a V8 or the I6 in the Colorado.
Since we're getting all new fullsize trucks and SUV's in the next year or so, i won't say all that much. I think Chevy should take a larger design risk on their trucks and SUV's, and price them fairly, and please give us great interiors this time.
LS2 with a 6 speed needs to be in the Silverado SS, which needs to be availbe in regular, extended, and crew cab configurations.

GMC
Make them more conserative for people who don't like Chevy's style. Maybe make the Denali line into on-road only SUV's(still should have AWD though) with big flashy wheels, a lowered stance, and more luxury features.

Pontiac
This should be the balls to the walls sport division. Every single car with every engine option should have a stick avaible. Every single car should have speed rated, low profile tires. 17" wheels standard across the board. A firm ride and amazing handling should be standard for every model, with a sport package option avaible(stiffer suspension and bigger tires). Get rid of minivans and SUVs and focus on cars only. There should be an AWD only midsize sedan that shares its architecture with the Chevy midsize sedan. And it too should be world class, maybe priced $1500 more than the comparbly equipped Chevy. Also have a large RWD sports sedan that shares the same architecture as the Chevy.

Okay, its late and I'm tired of typing. I know we need some crossover vechiles in the lineup too, should be mostly Chevys though.