Here's the main problem with planning to drop the Cobalt name in 2010: it's two years from now.

In the meantime, GM is going to need to advertise the spit out of the Cobalt in order to survive in this growing segment. But once they commit all that advertising money, they'll have to start over in 2010 because they insist on a global name.

So why not change the name now (or soon)? I'm not sure if the Cobalt is scheduled for any facelift in the next two years, but that would help.

Obviously, it's not ideal to launch a new name on an old model, but it's the best option I can think of. Really, this quandry just highlights the idiocy of GM's higher ups.

 

That is why you don't change the name of a car, unless the car is one that has been left for dead like Caviler.

 

Right. This is why I actually admire Lutz for telling bloggers that the Cobalt is not going anywhere soon. The reality is that the Cruze is two-three years away. In order to be solvent in two to three years, GM will have had to sell a crap load of Cobalts. And yet it seems GM has already decided it's finished investing in marketing the car.

The saddest thing is it's not a bad little vehicle. It's certainly better than Focus, and I think it even can go toe-to-toe with the Corolla (the Civic is and might always be a step ahead).

And yet, Ford is outselling the Cobalt with a decidely ugly and not-all-new Focus by advertising the hell out of its super duper radio and having a presence on American Idol.

We hear so many people calling for Wagoner's head, but I wonder if some blame falls with Mark LaNeve.

 

I'm not a fan of changing the name on an existing car... most everyone here was gung-ho and high-fiving Ford for changing the 500's name to Taurus and the Monterrey to Sable, but just using the "how many I see on the road" measurement, it doesn't seem like it made a bit of difference, yet probably confused a lot of people in the process. Throw the Freestyle to Taurus X in for good meaure.

That said, you have a wonderful point about the amount of advertising they should be pumping into the current Cobalt right now... more reason to keep the better sounding Cobalt name rather than using the goofy sounding (and spelled) "Cruze".

 

There's nothing wrong with the Cobalt name. Yes, the car needs work, but it's not like it was such a bad effort that it spoiled the name forever.

GM needs to stick with a model name for once, and support that name with a succession of steadily-improved generations of vehicle. I'd like to think that the retention of the Malibu name in '08 was a positive sign, but then this sort of crap comes up again...

 

If anything, you'd think the previous Malibu's would have been more reason to give the 08 model a new name... much more so than the Cobalt.

 

I agree. I also think the Cobalt had a better rep than the Focus and look how well sales are after that redesign. I don't think Focus would be doing as good if it got a new name for 2008. (see: 500/Taurus)

 

I think a lot of people would be very surprised if they got in the showroom and test drove a Cobalt. Don't forget a lot of these new small car owners are coming from big SUV's and likely haven't driven a compact in years. For people with images of the Cavalier and even older Civics in mind, the Cobalt is very surprising. It's powerful, smooth, and rides very well on the highway. And don't forget the Cobalt has a legitimately quick pocket rocket topping its lineup.

Again, I'm not saying the car is class leading, but it's certainly worth a major ad push. Some gimmicky enhancements (ala the Focus' radio) along with a hip ad campaign would really get this car moving off the lots.

 

Just saw this tidbit at GMInsidenews. They're selling Cobalt XFE's as fast as they can build them.

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/07...-than-planned/

If you all did not notice already, my "idea" is actually a thinly veiled attack on GM's retarded plan to rename a model that's just starting to gain traction in a growing market.

 

taking a generation of cars and improving upon it through redesign, finesse, sometimes recasting the image and positioning.....working upon an already laid down foundation, is just smart business. it makes more sense to target the already introduced upon product than to have to go through the cost of introducing a new idea to the consumer. However, it's only GM that knows truly how much it will cost to launch a new name.....from an outside perspective, consistency rules the roast, and there has been no consistent and dominating car from GM other than Impala. names need to stick.

 

Cobalt is a much cooler name then Cruze.

 

Cruze is a horrible name.