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Pontiac: * Fiero: Rebadged next gen Opel Corsa subcompact 3-door/5-door and next gen Opel Tigra "TwinTop" roadster. * LeMans: Rebadged next gen Opel Astra compact 3-door/5-door/sedan/wagon/"TwinTop" coupe. * Grand Prix: Rebadged Opel Insignia midsize sedan/wagon/"TwinTop" coupe. * Bonneville: Rebadged downsized next gen Holden Commodore sedan on the SWB Sigma-Zeta platform (193 inches/114 inch wheelbase). * Solstice: Next gen roadster and 2-seat coupe would be merged with next gen Opel GT/Daewoo G2X. GMC: * Meriva: Rebadged next gen Opel Meriva subcompact MPV (Gamma). * Zafira: Rebadged next gen Opel Zafira compact MPV (Delta). * Antara: Rebadged Opel Antara/Saturn Vue compact crossover (SWB Theta). * Vectra: Renamed "Terrain" midsize crossover (LWB Theta). * Acadia: Large crossover (Lambda). Actually, this lineup would transform Pontiac/GMC into an "American Mazda", which would be quite appropriate for this dealer network (and has been hinted at quite frequently on this forum). I initially had a problem with Opels wearing twin nostril grilles, but I think the G8 proves that it could be done quite tastefully (as long as the ridiculous hood scoops are left off; they should really make that styling "enhancement" optional for those who like the boy-racer look). All things considered, it seems like a solid plan if GM wouldn't let themselves get in the way of making it happen.

Mr. Lutz has had a lot of great ideas and suggestions that have been consistently unraveled and derailed by corporate bean counters as well as the corporation's structural and financial demons. I haven't always agreed with everything he has suggested or done, but at least he gave the impression that the status quo at GM needed to be drastically changed.

I think the Mazda5 is anything but a generic box. It is contemporary yet unique in its own right (at least in North America). The only generic Mazda products are the rebadged Ford clone vehicles (Tribute and B-Series). I do understand and agree with your appreciation for the current HHR's cool and distinct retro design, however.

I can understand and appreciate what you're saying, but I don't think GM will ever embrace employing RWD on a grand scale and will continue to succumb to their overwhelming urge to stuff rebadged Chevy clones into Pontiac's lineup if an alternative plan isn't set in motion. At least Pontiac would be better defined and differentiated if its lineup was completed with rebadged and altered Opels (which wouldn't appear in any other North American GM lineup since we agreed to dump Saturn) instead of rebadged Chevy clones. The development money has already been spent to develop Opel products for Europe, why not alter them enough to give Pontiac a unique and moderately premium car lineup in North America (in addition to building them here). To me, an altered and rebadged Corsa is way more desirable than a twin-nostrilized Aveo. I haven't really expanded the lineups of Pontiac or GMC under this proposal, I just refined them. If GM goes through with their plan to eliminate the Torrent and stuff the hideous Aveo based G3 into Pontiac's lineup, Pontiac will have 6 product lines in its product portfolio (G3, G5, Vibe, G6, G8, and Solstice). My proposal actually leaves them with 5, although there are more variants in some lines. Some of the variants could be easily eliminated if necessary. The same thing applies to GMC. If you include the upcoming Terrain and disregard the soon to be killed Envoy, GMC will have 5 product lines (Canyon, Sierra, Terrain, Acadia, and Yukon). My proposal leaves them with the same number, but gives them a lineup that is more in step with the times. Buick and Chevrolet would pick up a few products, but that would be more than offset by eliminating Saturn, Saab, and Hummer from the mix. I still think Buick would better serve the corporation if it was combined with Cadillac to form the luxury dealer network. By assigning the role of FWD luxury vehicle expert to Buick, Cadillac is free to pursue excellence in developing a world class RWD car lineup. I think leaving Buick with Pontiac/GMC only allows it to inhibit what Pontiac/GMC could become. As far as RWD platforms and products, I can see GM developing and/or maintaining the platforms principally for Cadillac (except the Y-body platform, which is prioritized for the Corvette). The cost of these platforms will be leveraged by developing a few random specialty products for Chevrolet and Pontiac in North America. I believe that is the extent that GM will utilize RWD and even that may be a little optimistic. The status quo is simply not working for GM. They need to come up with a clear and coherent game plan (there still seems to be too much indecisiveness and second guessing) that will ensure their longevity and future success. I'm not saying that any of my proposals are the ultimate answer, they just provide suggestions and options. I do enjoy reading and responding to your insights and counterpoints.

Actually, GM did us a favor by not making the current Aura look exactly like the Vectra. The Vectra was one hideous looking sedan. In fact, it closely resembled the '04-'07 Chevy Malibu. North America actually came out ahead on that deal. That was the old Opel. The new Opel now has the stunningly beautiful Insignia midsize sedan and wagon that we will never see over here. GM claims that they are altering the sheetmetal and interior to transform the car into the next gen Aura. How I interpret this statement is that the next gen Aura will essentially be a reimagined next gen Malibu with Opel styling cues on the LWB Epsilon II platform. Exactly how does that align Saturn with Opel or the Aura with the Insignia? It doesn't. It aligns Saturn with Chevy. So you have GM covering the same affordable portion of the market with 2 brands (actually 3 if you include Pontiac) while some of its competitors are efficiently and effectively doing it with one. What a waste of money! No wonder GM's financial state is in critical condition. I don't exactly agree with your statement about Americans. Not all of us think we have to have a land yacht with ghetto sized wheels and an overpowered gas guzzling engine under the hood. There are some of us that appreciate and purchase tasteful, well executed smaller cars. We are the demographic that GM has consistently failed to appeal to and a partial (but small) reason they have lost some market share. Opel's upcoming products could help the corporation attract some of these customers, but it won't be through the Saturn division. The public equates Saturn with quirky and affordable transportation because that was what the division has been since the beginning of its existence. GM will never be able to fully remove or transform this image no matter how hard it tries (which hasn't been too hard in my opinion; the brand's cheap looking advertising really doesn't indicate that anything has drastically changed with the brand). That is the main reason why most of the brand's new products haven't exactly met the corporation's sales expectations (especially the Astra, which happens to have compound problems). Customers are experiencing a huge degree of sticker shock when they enter Saturn showrooms or visit the brand's website because the new products are substantially higher than the customers' expectations (or past products). I think this has actually served to repel some people because they refuse to pay a higher price "for a Saturn" (which still represents "budgetmobile" in their minds), no matter how much improved the new products may be. Attempting to recast Saturn this way was a huge miscalculation on GM's part, magnified by haphazard product planning and poorly developed marketing and advertising. I'm not sure what direction GM should consider taking Saturn. It seems wasteful and ridiculous keeping it as a stand alone division. GM could more effectively cover the affordable portion of the market by redirecting the resources it wastes on Saturn into making Chevrolet the strongest mainstream division on the market. At this point, I seriously think Saturn should be discontinued when the current generation Sky, Aura, Vue, and Outlook reach the end of their model cycles. The only problem would be what to do with the division's stand alone dealerships. I had originally suggested that the next generation of Opel products (beginning with the Insignia) should be sold under the Opel name in the U.S. I now agree with the opponents of this plan who correctly suggest that GM doesn't have the resources to launch a new division in North America just to carry these products. I now think that these products could be utilized to transform, redefine, and reinvigorate the Pontiac and GMC divisions. To do this, GM must streamline and reconfigure their divisions. First step would be to sell Saab and Hummer; GM needs to concentrate on its core divisions and could seriously use the revenue that would be generated by selling these two divisions. The next step would be to combine Buick with Cadillac to form the luxury dealer network with Buick focusing on FWD luxury cars and crossovers and Cadillac focusing on well executed, world class RWD luxury cars. This would leave the door open for GM to set up Pontiac/GMC as a sporty, midmarket dealer network. The Insignia and next generation Corsa/Tigra/Astra would join the next gen G8/Solstice to make up Pontiac's sporty car lineup. The next generaton Meriva/Zafira/Antara would join the Terrain and Acadia to make up GMC's new lineup of MPVs and crossovers (Chevy would become the corporation's sole truck/SUV division). I think the sportier and somewhat premium perception of Pontiac and GMC aligns better with the sleek and sophisticated styling of Opel's future products much better than Saturn. Better yet, Pontiac and GMC would no longer have to resort to selling rebadged Chevy clone products that seriously damage and dilute their brand images. The addition of rebadged Opel products could help restore the brands' rightful place and purpose as a moderately premium bridge between the Chevy and Buick/Cadillac dealer networks. I do agree that some alterations would have to be done to the Opel products before they could be sold as Pontiac or GMC vehicles (besides names, badging, and grilles). Like you said, premium customers are not quite the same on both sides of the Atlantic. There would have to be some decontenting done to lower the price (a point that you helped me realize by revealing the actual conversion prices of unaltered Opel products). The prices of the products will have to split the difference between Chevrolet and Buick/Cadillac. GM needs to be careful that the decontenting process doesn't result in the products leaving a cheap impression. GM also needs to ensure that the products have the power and amenities to justify their premium status and prices to U.S. buyers. The biggest problem with the current Astra is that it is underpowered and suffers from a lack of minor amenities and some bizarre ergonomics (as well as the lack of a sedan version). Since this car is priced higher than its more mainstream Cobalt/G5 counterparts, it should at least have the same level of power. GM also needs to ensure that the next gen car has some of the interior appointments and features missing from the current Astra (front center armrest, front cupholders, auxillary media inputs, satellite radio compatibility, etc.). If GM can correct these oversights on the next generation of Opel products, then they should be successful additions to the future lineups of Pontiac/GMC. Unlike what GM has done with Saturn, I don't believe drastic sheetmetal or interior alterations would be necessary to successfully transform Opel products into Pontiac/GMC vehicles. The final issue that I would like to note is that the products need to be built in North America to avoid the unfavorable exchange rate problem that has also affected the sales success of the current Astra in the U.S. Overall, you presented a lot of info and insight in your post that has helped me reevaluate some of my views concerning this issue.

Oh I believe you. I'm just terribly disappointed. The only thing to hope for now is that the car is well executed.

Here's the link to the article that talks about future Chevy product plans (including the HHR replacement): undefined

Since it's Delta based, I wonder if it will eventually replace the HHR in Chevy's lineup. I thought I read somewhere that the HHR would eventually be replaced by a more contemporary vehicle that can seat up to seven people. This looks like it may possibly be that replacement.

I don't completely agree with everything in your reply, but I can understand why GM shouldn't attempt to launch Opel in the U.S. given their current dire financial situation. I still think Pontiac should be more than an outlet for twin-nostrilized Chevy clone products and that Saturn will never be fully accepted as a North American version of Opel due to its established market image. I do have an alternative plan: 1) I would still sell Saab and Hummer. 2) I would discontinue Saturn. This brand's quirky and affordable market image is the wrong fit for Opel's sporty and sophisticated products and GM doesn't need to waste money and resources to continue to support a brand that does nothing more than provide in-house competition for Chevrolet. The only problem would be what to do with the stand alone dealerships. I'm not sure how many of them are left. Saturn is housed in a 3 brand dealership where I live. 3) I would still combine Buick and Cadillac to form the luxury dealer network. Buick would sell FWD luxury cars (Invicta and smaller) and FWD/AWD luxury crossovers. Cadillac would focus solely on producing well executed, world class RWD luxury cars. 4) Chevrolet would still be the sole division in the corporation's mainstream dealer network. The division would continue to sell affordable FWD cars (Malibu and smaller) and affordable FWD/AWD crossovers as well as serve as the corporation's sole truck/SUV division. The next gen Camaro would be slightly downsized to fit on the Alpha platform (188 inches/109 inch wheelbase). A downsized next gen Holden Statesman on the LWB Sigma-Zeta platform would form the basis for a North American built next gen RWD Impala (198 inches/118 inch wheelbase). The Corvette would continue in Chevy's lineup. 5) Pontiac/GMC would become the midmarket dealer network. Pontiac would carry cars while GMC would carry MPVs and crossovers. Rebadged Opel products would figure prominently in forming the network's lineup. All the network's products would be built in North America. Pontiac: * Fiero: Rebadged next gen Opel Corsa subcompact 3-door/5-door and next gen Opel Tigra "TwinTop" roadster. * LeMans: Rebadged next gen Opel Astra compact 3-door/5-door/sedan/wagon/"TwinTop" coupe. * Grand Prix: Rebadged Opel Insignia midsize sedan/wagon/"TwinTop" coupe. * Bonneville: Rebadged downsized next gen Holden Commodore sedan on the SWB Sigma-Zeta platform (193 inches/114 inch wheelbase). * Solstice: Next gen roadster and 2-seat coupe would be merged with next gen Opel GT/Daewoo G2X. GMC: * Meriva: Rebadged next gen Opel Meriva subcompact MPV (Gamma). * Zafira: Rebadged next gen Opel Zafira compact MPV (Delta). * Antara: Rebadged Opel Antara/Saturn Vue compact crossover (SWB Theta). * Vectra: Renamed "Terrain" midsize crossover (LWB Theta). * Acadia: Large crossover (Lambda). I'm not sure how well this would work out, but it's definitely better than the status quo. Pontiac wouldn't be selling rebadged Chevy clones and would reclaim its rightful place as the sportier, somewhat premium division that slots between Chevy and Buick in GM's brand hierarchy. Maybe Opel's products won't need to be significantly altered or diluted since the brand images of Pontiac and GMC align better with Opel's sporty and sophisticated products (just the badges and grilles will need to be changed).

I say convert Saturn to Opel and combine it with Pontiac. Opel would provide dealers with small yet sporty, fuel efficient FWD vehicles. This would free Pontiac up to be a small, all RWD niche brand (as well as a Cadillac platform mate division). I had previously proposed to combine Pontiac with Chevrolet, but Pontiac's all RWD lineup might get overlooked or overshadowed by the Camaro and Corvette. Besides, Opel has a sportier image that might mesh better with Pontiac. This arrangement would be contingent on GM selling Saab and Hummer, combining Buick with Cadillac, and figuring out what to do with GMC. The lineups for this sporty, midmarket dealer network would look something like this: Opel: * Volt: Rumor has it that the car will be sold in almost identical fashion through Opel dealers in Europe, so why not do it in North America also. This would be the only time that I would allow 2 divisions (Chevy and Opel) to sell identical products in North America (I don't believe the car will be badged as a Chevy product in Europe; it will be exclusively an Opel over there). * Corsa: FWD subcompact 3-door/5-door (Gamma). * Tigra: FWD subcompact "TwinTop" roadster (Gamma). Could be absorbed into the "Corsa" line to save marketing costs. * Astra: FWD compact 3-door/5-door/sedan/wagon/"TwinTop" coupe (Delta). * Insignia: FWD midsize sedan/wagon/"TwinTop" coupe (SWB Epsilon). * Meriva: FWD subcompact MPV (Gamma). * Zafira: FWD compact MPV (Delta). * Vectra: Next gen morphs into FWD midsize MPV (LWB Epsilon). Pontiac: * Solstice: RWD roadster/2-seat coupe (platform unknown). There are rumors that Kappa will be discontinued and that the next generation Solstice/Sky/GT/G2X 2-seaters have been cancelled. If there is a next generation Solstice, it should be merged with the Opel GT for Europe and the Daewoo G2X for Korea. A luxury retractable hardtop roadster could be spun off for Cadillac. * LeMans: RWD compact 5-door (Alpha). Styling would be based on the Holden Torana TT 36 Concept (which would make the transition from concept to production as the Holden Torana in Australia). The production version would be approximately 182 inches long on a 109 inch wheelbase. Shares platform with compact Cadillac products. * Grand Prix: RWD midsize sedan (SWB Sigma-Zeta). Styling would be merged with a downsized next gen Holden Commodore (approximately 190 inches long on a 114 inch wheelbase). Shares platform with next gen Cadillac CTS (midsize) products. * Bonneville: RWD large sedan (LWB Sigma-Zeta). Styling would be merged with a downsized next gen Holden Statesman (approximately 198 inches long on a 118 inch wheelbase). Shares platform with Cadillac flagship sedan. * If the respective 5-door/sedan versions of the LeMans/Grand Prix sell well, other variants could be added to the lineup. The LeMans line might pick up a 3-door version and the Grand Prix line might pick up a coupe and/or wagon. This scenario would give dealers the smaller FWD vehicles they claim they need without forcing the corporation to resort to rebadging Chevy products for Pontiac or diluting Euro Opels for Saturn (The development money has already been spent developing the Opel products for Europe, so why not build and sell them in North America under the Opel name). Of course, Opel will be the volume division in this setup, but at least Pontiac will have a small yet distinct lineup that would make the brand relevant in the market once more (as well as targeting a different demographic than Chevy).

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!... GM changes model names all the time. It figures that they would drop that practice with the one name that most of us would like to see them change. I can understand retaining the "LaCrosse" name in China where the car probably helped to establish Buick as a leader in that nation's auto market. Over here, the car was not that successful and the name doesn't have that much market recognition (not to mention that the name wasn't even used in Canada due to its rather racy connotations). I think the production version should use the "Invicta" name (at least in North America), since that was the name of the concept car (the current Canadian market name of "Allure" is okay, but I think it sounds a little too effeminate for the new car).

Not according to this (if it's accurate): undefined

I guess I do need to adjust my extremely negative attitude. It does get really frustrating when the corporation leads you to believe that something great is going to happen, only to backtrack and announce that they have reverted back to their old ways. I do understand what you're saying: excess negativity doesn't really help matters much either. My bad!

"Liz Wetzel's team in GM's Global Brand Studio has studied the brands' history to unearth the ideas and themes that set each apart. The eight-person -- that's less than one for each million vehicles GM sells annually -- group began work three years ago. They've identified key elements to codify a product-development system that has too-often relied on intuition and guesswork. Designers are visually oriented, so the studio distilled the images and key phrases to clarify the differences among the brands. Buick and Cadillac owners both have money, but they choose to spend it on radically different things. A Buick owner would be inclined for a quiet vacation on an isolated beach, while Cadillac is more about dressing up for a night out on a weekend in the city. A Pontiac will be designed for the nightlife, too, but for a fashion-forward agenda with pounding bass and flashing strobes. Chevrolets aim to look good as well, but with the effortless appeal of blue jeans and a good shirt, not Pontiac's club-hopping flash. Saab sells cars around the world, so it can speak to a smaller audience: people who consider themselves independent thinkers and want a car with Scandinavian style and environmentally responsible performance. Saturn attracts buyers who wouldn't touch a Chevy or Pontiac with a 10-foot-pole and its theme will build on Opel's European strengths: design, handling, fuel efficiency and interior room. Time will tell how GM executes the strategy, but the automaker appears to have a solid product plan and design vision for its other brands for the first time in decades." It amazes me that the company actually spent money to come up with this ridiculous dribble to try and define their brands through words without having to spend money actually developing products to back it up. I guess it's cheaper in the long run, but it makes the company look foolish. I don't see how a twin-nostrilized G3 or G5 would designate "fashion-forward" attendees at a club with "pounding bass and flashing strobes" while a split grilled Aveo or Cruze would designate "the effortless appeal of blue jeans and a good shirt". I seriously doubt that anyone wants to be seen pulling up to "da club" in a G3 or G5. The one that really gets me is that the corporation seems to believe that Saturn actually appeals to buyers who favor imports and that the brand will eventually be accepted as an European substitute or equivalent by the U.S. buying public (instead of the mainstream, affordable Chevy alternative brand that it is). Sometimes I wonder if there is a huge cloud of refer smoke hovering over GM's corporate offices (accompanied by "pounding bass and flashing strobes" maybe). Why else would GM bother to spend money coming up with these ridiculous scenarios for their brands, when they ultimately plan on rebadging themselves into an early grave. GM needs to realize that "talk is cheap" and "actions speak louder than mindless marketing dribble". What's even more amazing is the fact that it took them 3 YEARS(!) & 8 PEOPLE(!) to come up with this pile of rubbish. It seems like the time, money, and resources would have been better spent creating clear and coherent product strategies instead. I know this is old news that was submitted in another topic forum, but I wanted to remind myself how the corporation defines Pontiac because it's too hard to figure out by the number of rebadged Chevy products in the division's lineup. I guess I should be able to tell by driving past the clubs with the "pounding bass and flashing strobes" and observe all the G3's and G5's sitting in the parking lot.

Actually, if the Forte and next gen Sorento are any indication, Kia might finally be coming into its own as far as styling. In fact, Kia might actually be ahead of its Hyundai parent company as far as styling (which I realize is not saying much, but I do find it sort of bizarre). If this trend continues, the car in the spy shot might turn out to be much better looking than its Azera platform mate (and definitely better than the current Amanti, which is an odd combo of Lincoln Town Car combined with Mercedes/Jaguar design cues). I am sort of looking forward to seeing this car without its camo. It would be interesting to see Kia finally finding a solid place for itself in the market. I'm not a Kia fan (or a Hyundai fan either), but the design direction they have implemented with the upcoming Forte is fascinating.

But the problem is that GM is not going to spend the money to give Pontiac distinct and sporty FWD small cars. They seem to be content to give the division rebadged Chevy clones to fill Pontiac's lineup. This is why I think the dealer networks need to be reconfigured. If Chevy, Pontiac, and GMC were combined to form a mainstream dealer super-network, then Pontiac would be free to pursue the affordable RWD niche (and there is obviously one out there) while Chevy would target the mainstream affordable portion of the market (GMC would become the corporation's sole truck/SUV division). There would be no need to give Pontiac rebadged Chevy hand-me-downs and Pontiac could actually be positioned to draw new buyers back to the corporation. The other two dealer networks would be Opel/Saab and Buick/Cadillac. Opel/Saab would go after import shoppers and Buick/Cadillac would target the luxury end of the market. Saturn would be discontinued in favor of Opel (which I think could capture import shoppers without having to dilute/alter/decontent Opel's Euro products; unlike the present situation where the products have to fit in with the market's perception of Saturn's affordable price range). Hummer would be sold off to the first company foolish enough to enter a bid for it. The next gen Corsa, Astra, Meriva, and Zafira should give Opel dealers some sportier FWD small product offerings that should be competitive with similar vehicles from Honda, Nissan, Mazda, Subaru, Mitsubishi, and Volkswagen. Saab should have some small product offerings that would compete with similar products offered by Audi, Volvo, Mini, and Mercedes Benz (A-Class/B-Class). As for the other brands: Chevy/GMC would compete with Scion/Toyota, Ford, Kia, Hyundai, Suzuki, and Dodge. Pontiac would have no competition because it would be the only affordable RWD car brand on the market. Buick would compete with Acura, Lexus, Lincoln-Mercury, and Chrysler(?). Cadillac would compete with Infiniti, BMW, Jaguar, and Mercedes Benz (C-Class and larger).

It sounds like status quo to me. The G3 will be nothing more than the current gen Aveo with a twin-nostrilized grille. The Cruze based sedan will be the Cruze with a twin-nostrilized grille. Does anyone see a pattern forming here? Do you think that GM would really bother making something distinct just for Pontiac? They claim that they are considering making the next gen G6 RWD, but you know they won't. I am very doubtful that the small sedan to slot between the G3 and G5 is RWD either. I doubt that the Solstice, G8 sedan, or G8 ST will stay around long enough to see a next generation. I was beginning to hope that GM had finally seen the light and realized that they had brands in their arsenal that could be targeted at specific demographics to help the company actually gain back market share (if these divisions were arranged correctly and given appropriate products). That hope has been diminished and very nearly extinguished. The corporation still views their divisions as a pile of interchangeable names and badges that they can randomly and haphazardly slap on vehicles just to claim that they gave lineups to the divisions. Instead of positioning these brands to appeal to and attract different portions of the market, they will continue to let them cannibalize themselves with cloned products and incompetent marketing. If GM does anything with Pontiac that differs from what I described above, then I'll be extremely (and pleasantly) surprised. I know I am being extremely negative, but I get frustrated watching them repeat some of the errors that were responsible for getting them into the dire situation that they are in today.

This just came out on Autoblog today. The only really newsworthy thing about it is that it doesn't have the cheap looking black grille that was seen on the car in the fuzzy Car & Driver photos. Let's just hope that the rest of the car looks good. undefined

I kind of have mixed emotions about the info in the linked article. The midsize LaCrosse replacement and the compact Delta II sedan sound promising, but the rest of the article has me concerned. I have to say that I'm more than a little disappointed that there will be no Riviera and that the Lucerne will basically carry on unchanged until it rots on the vine. I wasn't expecting a RWD Lucerne replacement like most people, but I did hope that they would have a FWD redesign or replacement ready for the 2011 model year. I also hoped to see something about a sub-Enclave size crossover, but there was no mention of that either. I'm not quite sure what to think about GM at this moment. It's surprising that Buick seems like such an afterthought to them, expecially considering how important the brand seems to be to the corporation in China.

I love the Insignia and I think it should be sold in the U.S. and China, but not as a Buick. Even if they put a waterfall grille on this car, it still won't look like a Buick. To me, they would have to do much more to this car than change the grille and badging before it will look like a Buick. I would rather see Buick receive a SWB Epsilon II compact sedan that was created exclusively for Buick, not rebadged from another global brand's lineup. I don't quite understand why this car is not for sale worldwide as the Opel Insignia. Opel is in China, why not sell this car (which has an obvious next gen Opel styling language) as an Opel? I just don't get it. GM seems content to continue to dilute the images of their brands by giving them rebadges instead of vehicles with their own distinct brand appropriate designs. I also don't understand wasting money to alter, decontent, and/or restyle the car to sell as a Saturn in the U.S. GM needs to face the fact that Saturn will never be perceived as a premium brand. Why continue to support and market a brand that essentially provides in-house competition for Chevrolet in the affordable portion of the market? Saturn appeals to those who already are considering a GM branded vehicle. Giving diluted Opels to the brand seems like a waste of money and resources. The money would be better spent launching Opel in Saturn's place. If they would combine Opel with Saab in an import focused dealer network and market this network properly (focus on both brand's Euro origins and downplay GM's connection and involvement with the brands), then the corporation might have a couple of brands that would attract and appeal to buyers who prefer import brands (and give the corporation a better chance of increasing market share, instead of cannibalizing and competing with itself).

This should be Pontiac's compact car: undefined A RWD Alpha based 3-door/5-door compact (I know that the concept is only a 5-door, but this design could easily be morphed into a 3-door body style too). This car wouldn't have any competition in the market because there wouldn't be anything else like it out there (there aren't any affordable RWD compact cars in the U.S. market that I can think of). Just install the 2.0 liter turbocharged 4-cylinder from the Solstice GXP in this baby as the base engine and it would be ready to go (and quickly fly out of showrooms). That's the fantasy. The sad reality is that the Pontiac version will probably end up being a Cruze with a twin-nostrilized grille, if GM bothers with giving Pontiac a version at all. GM might be content to let Pontiac carry on with just the Vibe and the rebadged Chevy Cobalt clone G5 and call it a day. If Pontiac is really, really lucky, it might eventually end up with the current Aveo cloned G3/Wave when the Aveo replacement arrives at Chevrolet dealers. It's good to be Pontiac, isn't it?

I understand and appreciate that Delta II is supposed to be one heck of a great platform, but I still think Buick's compact sedan should be developed on the SWB Epsilon II platform. The Insignia is on this version of the Epsilon II platform (and possibly the next Saab 9-5), so it's not like GM is developing an exclusive version of Epsilon II just for a Buick vehicle. To me, this would make the Buick compact a little more exclusive and a cut above the other FWD compacts offered by GM (which it should be given Buick's status). If they give the division a "Buickized" version of the Cruze, I will wash my hands of GM. If the company embraces the brand engineered mediocrity of their past, then they deserve to go under. If GM does give Buick a Delta II based sedan (which I'm not entirely against, but I still prefer the suggested scenario above), it had better have its own unique exterior/interior design and appropriate premium features to justify its place in Buick's lineup.

Yes, my version of a future Pontiac lineup is nowhere near being factual (it is just a proposal, after all), but I don't think it's all that wild. It could be a reality if GM really wanted to make something out of the brand. To me, giving Pontiac an all RWD lineup shared with the corporation's other global brands (such as Holden in Australia or Chevy in the Middle East) would be a better way to leverage the development costs of RWD platforms for Cadillac than to randomly stuff RWD products into other GM divisions without any rhyme or reason. Pontiac would then become the corporation's designated brand for affordable RWD cars (except for the Camaro and Corvette for Chevy). I'm just as doubtful as you that it will happen based on what appears to be the company's recent abandonment of their RWD expansion products. I agree with you about Pontiac's current state and have even submitted a similar post prior to your post. I don't want to see Pontiac discontinued, but I think it would be in GM's best interests to do so if they are not going to truly commit to transforming the brand. It simply seems like a waste of marketing money to support 2-3 weak brands (Chevy, Pontiac, and Saturn) to target the affordable end of the market when the corporation could do it more effectively and efficiently with one strong mainstream, volume brand (To me, Chevy would be the most obvious choice). I think that Saturn and Pontiac dealerships would be better utilized targeting import shoppers as Opel/Saab dealerships instead (after transferring Buick to join Cadillac and possibly moving Pontiac/GMC to join Chevy). Quote from post submitted on August 11, 2008: To me, Pontiac is a bigger waste of resources in its current form. Why spend money to market a brand that basically targets the same affordable portion of the market as Chevy? Unless GM really has a plan up its sleeve to make this brand over (which I seriously doubt at this point), why keep spending money to market it when most of its products are either redundant rebadges or could be sold just as effectively by other brands?: * The G3/Wave, G5, and Torrent are all unnecessary rebadges of Chevy products and could be discontinued. * The G6 Sedan is outclassed by its Malibu/Aura platform mates and could be discontinued. The G6 Coupe could be sold as a Chevrolet Monte Carlo. The G6 Convertible could be replaced by a "TwinTop" coupe version of the Opel Insignia if GM were smart enough to create it and sell it here as an Opel Insignia. * The G8 Sedan could replace the current FWD Chevy Impala. The G8 ST (if GM still insists on importing the Ute) could be badged as a Chevrolet El Camino. * The Sky outsells the Solstice and is aligned with the global product sold abroad by other GM brands, so I would definitely keep it instead of the Solstice. A luxury retractable hardtop platform mate could then be developed for Cadillac. * If GM is somehow contractually bound to coproduce the Vibe with Toyota, then it could also be badged as a Chevy just like the coproduced Prism before it. My preference for Pontiac's future would be to give it the 4 vehicle RWD lineup I proposed before ("Solstice", "LeMans", "Grand Prix", and "Bonneville") and make it an affordable performance sub-brand of Chevrolet (much like Scion is a sub-brand of Toyota). Pontiac would still be a niche brand under this plan, but at least it would be a niche brand with a purpose (and a brand that might be able to draw new customers into Chevy/Pontiac showrooms; something that the corporation desperately needs).

Thanks for providing the link to the additional pictures. The pics provide a more in depth look into the external appearance of the car. I think with some minor exterior alterations, the car would look great and could even be considered a style leader in the compact sedan segment. The C-pillar fake out has to go; it cheapens the design (the chrome piece below the window line needs to be morphed into a window surround). The protruding matte black parts surrounding the fog lights need to be body colored (it would make the front end appear more upscale). The Chevy bowtie needs to be solid chrome or hollow in the middle to let the car's body color show through; gold just looks so ghetto (to me). If GM would tweak these minor issues, I would consider this one of the best looking compact sedan designs on the market (still not Mazda3 caliber, but pretty close). I've looked at these photos extensively to try to find bigger faults with the design and I simply failed to see any. I think this car is a huge stylistic leap forward for a compact Chevy sedan. I think it could even attract new customers back to the brand. If you parked this car next to a Corolla, Civic, Elantra, Spectra, Sentra, Impreza, SX4 Sport, Forenza, Cobalt, or current U.S. Focus, it would shame them all. The Mazda3 and Lancer are the only two mainstream compact sedans currently available in the U.S. with designs that compare favorably (or might be slightly superior) to this car.

Pontiac could be salvaged if GM reshuffled their dealer networks and gave the division a brand appropriate lineup. I think the current dealer network setup is still too confusing and causes too much overlap and internal competition. Buick needs to join Cadillac in the luxury dealer network (Buick/Cadillac). Saturn needs to be converted to Opel and combined with Saab to form an import focused dealer network (Opel/Saab). Pontiac needs to be given an affordable RWD lineup and combined with Chevy to form the affordable dealer super-network (Chevrolet/Pontiac; this idea actually originated from a post submitted by "InvictaMan"). I'm not quite sure what to do with GMC or Hummer. Pontiac could justify its existence with a 4 product future lineup: 1) "Solstice" roadster and 2-seat coupe (if GM hasn't pulled the plug on the next generation). 2) "LeMans"^ compact 3-door, 5-door*, and wagon based on the Alpha platform. Styling would be based on the Holden Torana TT 36 Concept (which would make the transition from concept to production). The production version would be approximately 182 inches long on a 109 inch wheelbase. I'm sure most of the GM enthusiasts on this form already know about this car, but I still provided a link below: undefined 3) "Grand Prix"^ midsize coupe, sedan*, and wagon based on the SWB Sigma-Zeta platform. Styling would be merged with a downsized next gen Holden Commodore (approximately 190 inches long on a 114 inch wheelbase). 4) "Bonneville"^ large sedan on the LWB Sigma-Zeta platform. Styling would be merged with a downsized next gen Holden Statesman (approximately 198 inches long on a 118 inch wheelbase). * I would initially offer "LeMans"/"Grand Prix" in their respective 5-door/sedan configurations first and then add other versions based on how well the initial configurations performed in the market. ^ I hate the current G-numeric model structure so I replaced it with model names from Pontiac's past (except "Solstice", which doesn't need replacing) that conjure up sporty or racing imagery. Pontiac might do better with this kind of lineup if the division was morphed into an affordable, sporty offshoot of Chevrolet. This arrangement might attract more attention and traffic to Pontiac since Chevy is the corporation's high profile, large volume division. Chevy's lineup would consist of affordable FWD cars, FWD/AWD crossovers, trucks/SUVs (if not assigned solely to GMC, which would then be combined with Chevy/Pontiac), and the Camaro/Corvette (which are iconic Chevy products). Pontiac's lineup would consist solely of affordable, but sporty RWD cars. Except for the Solstice, the other three products would be based on Holden products that could be rebadged and shipped abroad to foreign markets (much like the current Commodore and Statesman). This would leverage the development costs and offset risks if the products prove to be market failures in the U.S. (I personally think the "LeMans" proposal above has much more youthful appeal and potential than any of Scion's products).