Buickman

It's nice to wake up and feel the passion. What a way to start the day. Yes, Buick was the foundation stone upon which Billy Durant created General Motors. Once more I contend we can not only survive, but thrive, as single point operations. No feeling that Buick should be full line. However we would be strong enough to warrant stand alone operations if we were given the right product best suited to our targeted demographic.

90rocz

You don't know a lot about Buick history huh, Buick started out as a tough performer, built a reputation on it, and has always kept performance models.
Ever heard of the:
455 Gran Sports
Riv-Wildcats
Skylarks
Turbo Regals
GrandNationals
GNX
Supercharged Riviera's
Supercharged Regals
Many coupe's and Performance ones at that, tho yes, a more refined ride than Chevy or Pontiac.

Buickman

Add to the mix the old sayings at Buick, "We do with 6 cylinders what others cannot do with 8s". "Wouldn't you really rather have a Buick?" I would!

91_z28_4me

Actually I have heard of all of those vehicles. But I would like to point out how many of those were long lived models? What is the CORE of Buick? It is American luxury. If you want a sporty car you don't want a Buick. I am 24 and I have a clearly defined definition of what the CORE of each of GM's brands are. They may not be the definition you hold but MY generation is the one that will be buying the majority of the new cars within a few years. Just to let you guys know unlike most mid twenties Americans I would have know problem driving the Lacrosse or Lucerne, but finances dictate that I cannot (damn student loans). I think people are having the same rose colored glasses about Buicks as they have with SS Chevies.

Buickman

At the risk of sounding like a salesman (which of course I am), if you think you can't afford a LaCrosse, contact Buickman. Dream up.

Chrome383Z

heh

redzed

Oddly enough, that 20 year old Grand National was produced during Buick's "Golden Age." That's right, Buick's sales peaked in the mid-1980s. At a time when the rest of the American automotive industry was coming unglued, Buick hit its peak.

It sounds like you've got some 1980s nostalgia. I haven't heard the term "personal luxury coupe" in a while.

Sadly, cars like the "downsized" 1986 Riviera and the 1988 GM-10 Regal knocked Buick out of the coupe market.

Some might suggest that cars like the GM-10 coupes actual helped to kill the entire "personal luxury coupe" market.

Caps94ZODG

Buickman, I cant dream up to a car..but I can wish a car upon me??? like a nice Buick so that my Z28 can be put to weekend duty?
wish you had the strings to pull off some charity like that. heck I would be your spokesperson down here in Florida...just gotta need to get the right keys

Ill send you my address so you can send the keys

Buickman

Would you agree to change your moniker to Mr. Florida Keys?

mastrdrver

I disagree that GM got to low market share by everyone wanting a full line up. How do you explain everything up to about the 80s? There were a lot of overlap vehicals, but they sold bcuz they weren't the same and that is the key. There is a difference between the 69 Chevelle, 442, Regal and the 3 or 4 minivans that are currently offered by GM right now. If you style the cars different, then you can sell may of the same car. You have to make sure that not only are the vehicals different, but make sure that people feel they are getting more the more you pay for the vehical(like the Tahoe and the Escalade). You felt like you got more from the Civic to the Integra even though they were esentually the same vehical.

91_z28_4me

GM had much more dominance of the market in the 80s. The imports weren't much of a threat till the late 80s just because they had lower productin capacity. The penetration of the imports was limited because they were still considered inferior cars so most people didn't consider them. As you know the 90s changed all of that.

Caps94ZODG

good one..if in a simple world thats all it took sure

ProudPony

Don't exclude the Gran Sports that came with the venerable 350 and Hurst units... not all were 455 cars. I have a close friend that owns a GS-350.

Also, the guy who paints my cars is also into road-racing in the Southeast division of SCCA, and his car of choice is the Buick Skylark running a V8 (caged, panned, and dedicated to racing, but the car looks awesome in black and yellow).

I agree, Buick definitely had it's day as a performer. Kinda sad that GM has decided to relegate it to the mid-to-upper luxury 4-door niche market.

I remember these days...
Buicks in Racing "The first Buick season came in 1981, and it was gangbusters. Darrell Waltrip won the championship in a Buick, posting 12 wins and 21 Top-5 finishes. The second-place finisher, Bobby Allison, also drove a Regal. But there were a lot more Buicks in the Top 10, with Harry Gant in third, Terry Labonte in fourth, Ricky Rudd in sixth, and Richard Petty (who drove Buicks for this single season) in eighth place. "

And I can recall running my 1971 Mach 1 against several GN's at Farmington Dragway in the "Quick-8 Doorslammers" back in 1988-1991. FAST cars.

dav305z

I can definitely understand this, and wish Buick and Pontiac could be thriving full brands. Don't forget Pontiac will be giving up a good deal for this plan too - the Bonneville has been in that lineup longer than any of their cars (though I beleive the name changed for a year at some point). However, we are not in the 60's any more, or for that matter, even the 80's. It's time for the brands to focus so that they can help GM compete in a more crowded market in which they command less share. I personally am happy because I thought one or both of them was going to get the ax right away, though I still suspect it's swinging overhead just in case one of the revised brands still doesn't perform.

Buickman

Look here for, soon to follow, theory on GM, you'll think you're reading a Tom Clancy novel...