In memoriam : Buick 1903-2005 ?

[Markus]

Germans Auto Bild report the end of Buick. Bob Lutz is confirm that this is possible. 309`000 cars in 2004 are 1.8% from the market, witch is not enough. Is Buick following Oldsmobile?

[Lee]

The big question is GMC following the Buick? Yes, the Buick and the Oldsmobile are history. Mainly do to poor and unpopular designs in the present models.

[stanhas87]

Dear Sirs:

No surprise in here. On the Chevrolet thread,I mentioned that Buick may be going as well. Other piece of very sad news.

I would hope that Bill C could comment more about that. To may view, the whole of GM may go under.

[BillC]

I'll let Bob Lutz speak first:

By Bob Lutz
GM Vice Chairman

The media coverage on the auto industry of late has done much to paint an ugly portrait of General Motors. This happens when a company's financial results are not meeting projections and so I can understand and respect the increased scrutiny.

But I must draw a line between legitimate coverage and manipulating facts to create "news." Which is what happened when remarks I made in answer to a question at an analyst conference in New York last week were taken out of context and twisted just enough to cause panic among a lot of good people.

Many of you probably read something to the effect that "GM is considering shedding a brand." Let me say it now, for the world to hear: No, we have no plans to shed a brand. Period.

I blame myself, because I should know better. It's always dangerous to field a speculative question, especially in an environment in which we’re increasingly under the media microscope.

But, if you are interested, here are the facts. Buick and Pontiac, the two brands most often cited in these press reports, will be around for a long time, refreshed every year with strong new products. Just look at the G6, the Torrent, Lacrosse and Lucerne. Look no further than Cadillac, GMC and Chevrolet, and soon, Saturn, to see what our brand commitment is all about.

Remember, a lot of people said Cadillac was dead, and look at it now.

Frankly, I find it inexcusable even in today's "shock-type" journalism environment for the media to run with a story without clarifying the statements actually made.

Mark LaNeve, our sales and marketing vice president for North America, had it exactly right in an e-mail he sent to our dealers last week regarding this matter. "We are not discussing or planning the elimination of any of our brands. On the contrary, we're investing more heavily than ever on new products and marketing programs – GM is investing in all of its brands."

In the same memo, LaNeve also cited our intentions to "reignite Pontiac's muscular design and street credibility" and build Buick as a brand with vehicles that are the "quietest and highest-quality in their segment."

And now you know, with apologies to Paul Harvey, the rest of the story.

Posted by Bob Lutz on the GM Fastlane Blog on March 30, 2005

My Turn:

The time for shedding divisions, models, jobs, etc. is past. GM has to start adding numbers to sales volume and market share. The pension obligations, health care costs, etc. aren't going away and the fewer vehicle sales they can be spread across, the more difficult the math becomes.

Cadillac has had an amazing turnaround, meaning that somewhere in the GM maze, there is some real talent. The brass just needs to figure out how to leverage it through their other divisions.

GM needs to quit trying to cut so many corners. Mechanically, their cars are pretty good. But they need to put some real money into new engines and better interiors. Especially the interiors.

GM is too big to go looking for a suitor. It's also too big to die; the effect on the American economy would be disastrous. In fact, the effect on the world economy would be very noticeable.

Basically, GM has to take a good, hard look at itself and try to figure out what they need to change about their culture to regain the ability to design and produce compelling cars that people will want to buy without the bribes.

[cfesmire]

BillC said:

GM needs to quit trying to cut so many corners. Mechanically, their cars are pretty good. But they need to put some real money into new engines and better interiors. Especially the interiors.
[end quote]


True, recent studies (Detriot Free Press) say that GM is showing the best numbers in terms of showroom traffic of any of the big manufacturers in the U.S. and is simply not closing the deal. The above has been noted as one of the reasons.

[stanhas87]

Dear Bill:

Thanks for this clear statement. Yesterday, as I read about the 'fall' of Buick I went to the Internet and noticed that actually there are lots of plans for Buick;Autoindex alone shows several of these. Another author stated that if GM will let another brand go,this is carelessness. Is even discussed that Buick may even bring is ever-known bullet-holes to its design.Right now I do not have the time,but as I will come back,I will find and exibit Autoindex reports and Edmund's reports about the brand.

Since I am having lots of fun with my couple of Olds,deep down I wish the brand makes a came back. I know,I know not possible.

And Bill,by the way: I am feeling better now.I do love my 1970 Le Sabre,too. Rebuild next year.

Nick K

[stanhas87]

Dear Sirs:

Some of Buick's projects as of Autoindex:

www.autoindex.org/news.plt?no=809
www.autoindex.org/news.plt?no=1064

[skunk]

Yeah, supposedly Buick is supposed to compete with Lexus. It's gonna be a long, hard uphill slog, but I reckon anything is possible. Cadillac has made a comeback of sorts, after all.

But I wonder how many Cadillac sales come from Buick customers? I can even imagine the CTS stealing sales from Pontiac.

The most useless label has to be Saturn. I imagine that it would have been much more useful to have spent all that money and engineering effort on the already established Oldsmobile brand.

It is going to take a long time to change Buick's image, as long as it will for all of those blue-haired septuagenarians blocking two lanes in their Park Avenues to disappear off of the roads. Buick's path just seems a mite confused, reintroducing portholes while at the same time attempting to be high-tech and suave like Lexus et al.

[stanhas87]

skunk said:

The most useless label has to be Saturn. I imagine that it would have been much more useful to have spent all that money and engineering effort on the already established Oldsmobile brand.

.

Dear Skunk:

I completely agree with this statement; I even read that at the Internet in a chat place.

One of the early slogans for Buick was that would build the best cars albeit not in these exact words. On the old GM hierarchy (the one that existed until the early 1980's),Buick was two notches below Cadillac and truly more luxurious than a Chevy.

Nick K

[Markus]

Look at this "new" Buicks: Those are not more than the facelifted mideighty stile. No inspiation, no recognize of the glorius times (remember the `71 Riviera). Just some boring cars. And quality sales after image. Last weekend i visited the seasonstart of the Classic Buick Club of Switzerland. Take a look : www.buickclub.ch .
I`m jure, the buicks of the last decades become never collectible status.

[cfesmire]

skunk said:

The most useless label has to be Saturn. I imagine that it would have been much more useful to have spent all that money and engineering effort on the already established Oldsmobile brand.

This would be a slap in the face to a Saturn owner. Those owners that I have known believe it to be the best thing since sliced bread (I like slicing my own bread personally)
I believe that the whole Saturn thing was more to present a different marketing concept in automobile sales here in the U.S. I understand that there is no price haggling and that the sales people recieve no commissions for sales on new Saturns. I have studied the Saturn and found it to be a reasonably well put together car (unlike the last new Chevy I looked at with chrome strips haphazardly attached and interior trim poorly fit and attached) and it's repair records seem to be respectable. The prices seem to fairly reflect the quality of the vehicles.

[stanhas87]

Markus said:

Look at this "new" Buicks: Those are not more than the facelifted mideighty stile. No inspiation, no recognize of the glorius times (remember the `71 Riviera). Just some boring cars. And quality sales after image. Last weekend i visited the seasonstart of the Classic Buick Club of Switzerland. Take a look : www.buickclub.ch .
I`m jure, the buicks of the last decades become never collectible status.

Dear Sirs:

I agree with one of the club's selections: 1991 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon.From the latest decades,this is a classic!. I did liked the above-mentioned site.

[Markus]

Your right, the kombi is inspiring to me too. But its just one car. And kombis are not much in stock at US showrooms. . We have here a good collectors club scene. Unlike new upperclass cars, the oldtimers are fully acepted as part of the history or kind of art. On sunny weekends you can see dozends of ancient automobiles around the country.

[stanhas87]

Markus said:

Your right, the kombi is inspiring to me too. But its just one car. And kombis are not much in stock at US showrooms. . We have here a good collectors club scene. Unlike new upperclass cars, the oldtimers are fully acepted as part of the history or kind of art. On sunny weekends you can see dozends of ancient automobiles around the country.

Dear Markus:

Love to hear that;I can see a share of old cars going by around here.

Another interesting modern classic should be the 1991-1992 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser Station Wagon or Kombi if you prefer. Only 4000 of these were made and were built on a two year period. When one of these is avaliable,it disappears quickly.

Nick K

[superba]

All I'll say is this:

The 2005 Buick Le Crosse, this dramatic new car that is going to save Buick, looks just like the dramatic new 1997 Ford Taurus.

Good Luck