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GM needs to decide if GMC or Buick is going to offer CUVs in the B-P-G sales channel. Having both brands offer CUVs is a bit redundant. GM looks more than a little ridiculous having the Acadia and the Enclave at the same sales channel. I do think a rebadged Vue could be slotted in GMC's lineup below the Terrain (YIKES! I still think it's sort of hideous; I think a Buick version would have looked much better) if GM only offered the rebadged Vue with the 2.4L DI 4-cylinder/6-speed auto combo. The Vue is shorter than the Terrain and sits on a shorter wheelbase. I think if GM would have played their cards right Buick would have 3 CUVs (a rebadged Antara, a LWB Theta product, and the Enclave) while GMC would have the Avalanche (which would be a GMC exclusive) and maybe a Zeta based rival to the 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee. This would have given GMC 2 products that would not be available at any other GM sales channel. I do hope GM realizes what a potential asset it has in B-P-G and comes up with a product strategy for it that can show the government what an important role the sales channel can play in the corporation's future. A future GM without B-P-G would be very bland indeed. GM really does need to give each brand in this sales channel a distinct purpose and mission and also give them appropriate product portfolios to reinforce those assigned purposes.

Basically, transforming Pontiac can sort of be put on hold for a while. As far as B-P-G is concerned, transforming, expanding, and improving Buick should be the top priority. Buick is the brand that will generate the most volume for B-P-G in the future. It should receive most of the attention at the moment. The next gen Zeta project that I proposed would be something to pursue once Buick is generating volume (and hopefully profits) for the sales channel and the corporation. The Solstice coupe/roadster and G8 sedan will have to be enough to position Pontiac in its proper niche for the time being.

I think retro icons and their related designs are great and there is a place in the market for them. I also think the new Camaro is a beautiful modern interpretation of a classic and iconic design. I just don't think retro design needs to be explored at every GM division. Chevrolet has done it quite successfully and I think it should remain their "thing". I would like to see Pontiac move in a more contemporary direction with their RWD offerings. Having 2 sporty, contemporary, affordable RWD sedan/coupe car series would make Pontiac sort of unique in the market (to me, Chrysler LLC's Challenger, Charger, and 300 are all varying degrees of retro design also) and serve to better differentiate it from Chevrolet. It would give GM a chance to attract 2 different types of buyers. Chevrolet can be utilized to appeal to those who appreciate retro styling while Pontiac can be utilized to appeal to those who want something more contemporary. I also think the current G8 (as well as the Torana TT36 Concept) has the same sort of BMW-esque thing going on with its styling that you touched on in your post; it is a design that could simply be evolved with each succeeding generation and still remain fresh, relevant, and instantly recognizable as Pontiac (at least in North America). The G8 is understated and doesn't break any new ground design-wise, but it has an appeal that effectively straddles the line between timeless and contemporary while exuding a conservatively sporty edge. I think this is an appropriate future design direction for Pontiac.

I agree and disagree. I think Pontiac could find its way back to relevance if GM would stay the course on transforming the brand into a RWD affordable performance brand. I don't think the road to relevance includes burying the brand in pure nostalgia or slapping a retro-ized twin-nostril grille and flaming bird hood decal on a Camaro and calling it a day. Chevrolet has fully explored the retro route; Pontiac should be something more modern and contemporary. I think following the path implemented by the current G8 sedan would be the way to go in transforming the brand into something other than a somewhat sportier alternative to Chevrolet. The initial development of Zeta and its associated costs are completed and spent. I would continue development on Zeta to get it to its next phase of being a lighter and more fuel efficient platform that could underpin a next generation of downsized vehicles. The Pontiac of the future could play a unique niche role in the market if GM used this next gen version of Zeta to create 2 sporty car series (one compact sedan/coupe and one midsize sedan/coupe) for the brand. The styling direction of these vehicles should continue the Holden inspired direction implemented with the G8: no nonsense, yet sporty styling. The only thing I would revive from Pontiac's past are a couple of the brand's former model names to grace the exterior of these 2 brand redefining car series (Grand Prix, Bonneville, Fiero, LeMans, Tempest, Ventura, etc...). To offset costs, these cars could be rebadged to be sold in foreign markets. To me, this plan would make Pontiac something unique, distinct, and lucrative for GM. Until these 2 car series can be launched, I would go ahead and reduce Pontiac down to its niche status with just the Solstice coupe/roadster and G8 sedan to serve as a sort of precursor to what the brand will become.

I agree with you. The speculation, rumors, announcements, and denials are getting a little tiresome. I would feel much better about GM receiving bailout money if they were to release a clear and coherent plan that states what they are going to do and how they are going to accomplish it. I think this would instill at least a tiny ounce of the general public's confidence in the corporation and its future. Right now, the corporation looks just as indecisive and directionless as it has in the past.

I guess I was looking at it from the standpoint that GM tried to go above the Corvette before and failed miserably (the Cadillac XLR). That was why I thought they should spin it off, merge it with Cadillac, and develop something a little smaller, more affordable, and more fuel efficient (that maybe even managed to balance sportiness with a degree of practicality) than the Corvette off the Y-body platform for the corporation's affordable performance division (Pontiac). Maybe I'm focusing too much on the fact that the XLR failed instead of the exact reasons why it failed. I guess the big question on my mind is: If people didn't accept a "fancier" and more expensive Corvette as a Cadillac, would GM be setting themselves up for a second round of failure by developing one for Pontiac? I think Pontiac is perceived by the general public as a slightly sporty, but still affordable alternative to Chevrolet. I'm just not sure a costlier Corvette variant would fly at Pontiac any better than it did at Cadillac (although it does sound as if your Pontiac proposal wouldn't be quite as expensive as the XLR). I also don't view the Corvette as a budget priced sports car with a near $50,000 base MSRP, but then I might be a little out of touch with the pricing realities of this particular segment. It seems to me that the Corvette should be the corporation's flagship sports car while a smaller, cheaper, and more fuel efficient platform mate would exist at Pontiac. I was looking at this car's pricing to start in the low 30's and maybe extend into the low 40's. Your idea is interesting, though. Maybe I am guilty of looking at the proposal from too much of a bean counter's perspective instead of a car enthusiast's viewpoint (I know, shame on me). It could possibly work if people can accept the idea of a Pontiac that starts out near $50,000 (which might be a little questionable).

Again, I am getting a little sick of the "Cruze-based sedan" or "Orlando-based MPV" labels that are attached to possible future Buick products just because they share the Delta II architecture with the Chevrolet products. To me, the media is trying to cheapen the positioning and appeal of these vehicles before they are even fully revealed or introduced to the market. I don't recall seeing any "Accord-based TL" or "Highlander-based RX" headlines when referring to these other vehicles. Why can't they just say "Delta-based" in their headlines. If anything, these future Buick products are more than likely Opel-based. I seriously doubt that these future Buicks will be anything close to any G3/G5/Torrent styled blatant rebadges.

I think it should considering that the base price is pretty darn close to $50,000. I think it looks a little ridiculous sitting in the lineup of the corporation's affordable division. Spinning it off into its own division (which it essentially is already since it doesn't carry any Chevrolet badging whatsoever as far as I can tell) and pairing it with the corporation's flagship luxury division seems like a more natural fit. People who spend almost $50,000 or more on a car should get the top notch customer treatment that one would expect from a dealership that carries the corporation's flagship luxury brand (of course I'm assuming Cadillac dealers are giving their customers top notch treatment; I hope that assumption is correct).

+1. This is the "one and only" natural name for a Buick E-REV vehicle.

I think they were talking about the wheelbase. The Converj Concept had a 108" wheelbase while the production Volt shares the Cruze's 105.7 inch wheelbase. If the production version of the Converj is built on the exact same platform as the Volt, then it will probably have to be shortened a bit. The Converj Concept is 182 inches long, while the Volt is 177 inches long. I really don't think a few inches will make all that much of a difference in its overall look though, but I could be wrong. I really don't believe that GM would be stupid enough to simply slap a Cadillac grille on a Volt and call it a day (at least I hope they aren't that foolish; people will definitely be screeching about the return of the "Cimarron" if GM does this).

I think Corvette should be spun off into its own brand and merged with Cadillac to form a luxury/specialty vehicle sales channel. In this position, Corvette would be GM's rightful Porsche fighter. I think spinning off Corvette and moving it in with Cadillac would give GM a chance to use a downsized version of the Corvette's Y-body platform to develop a more affordable sporty 2-seat convertible and 3-door coupe for Pontiac that would become the next gen Solstice or resurrected Fiero (I would actually prefer the latter). This car would be positioned as a competitor to the Nissan 370Z. Its dimensions would be 166 inches long, 72.5 inches wide, 52 inches tall, and would sit on a 101 inch wheelbase. The car would feature a turbocharged 2.4L DI 4-cylinder as its base engine and a turbocharged 3.0L DI V6 as its optional engine. This car, along with the proposed LeMans and Grand Prix car series from my previous post would be Pontiac's lineup:

I think they should make Caddy's version a car series (sedan, coupe, and possibly wagon). Hopefully shrinking the wheelbase 3 inches doesn't negatively affect the nice proportions of the concept car as it is translated into production form.

I would expect the Buick version to be a rebadged next gen Opel Zafira, which should be properly and appropriately differentiated from its Chevrolet Orlando platform mate. I think that either the next gen Zafira or next gen Meriva should be used to resurrect the "Rendezvous" name in the U.S. Both vehicles should be included in Buick's lineup as sub-Enclave people movers.

Zeta is paid for. Downsize it, lighten it, and utilize it to give Pontiac a couple of Euro-esque RWD car series (sedan and coupe) that undercuts the old world luxury brands' products by several thousands of dollars. That would make Pontiac unique and something to hold on to. For example: * Le Mans: RWD compact 5-door sedan and 3-door coupe. The styling of this car would be strongly influenced by the Holden Torana TT36 Concept. The sedan would be a 5-door hatchback with a sedan silhouette (much like the Torana TT36 Concept). The coupe would be a 3-door hatchback with a coupe silhouette. The hatchback configuration would help to maximize the car's utility. The Le Mans' dimensions would be about 184 inches long, 72 inches wide, 57 inches high, and sit on a 110 inch wheelbase (the coupe might sit a little lower to emphasize its sportier intentions). GT and GXP trim levels would be offered. The GT would be the base trim and would come equipped with a turbocharged 2.0L DI 4-cylinder engine and 6-speed auto trans combo. The up level GXP trim would be equipped with a turbocharged 2.4L DI 4-cylinder engine and 6-speed auto trans combo. * Grand Prix: RWD midsize sedan and coupe. This car would essentially be a downsized next gen Holden Commodore in sedan form and a resurrected Holden Monaro in coupe form. The Grand Prix's dimensions would be about 192 inches long, 74 inches wide, 58 inches high, and sit on a 114.7 inch wheelbase (the coupe might sit a little lower to emphasize its sportier intentions). GT and GXP trim levels would be offered. The GT would be the base trim and would come equipped with the 3.6L DI V6 and 6-speed auto trans combo. The up level GXP trim would be equipped with a turbocharged 3.0L DI V6 and 6-speed auto trans combo. Giving the brand smaller and lighter RWD products with smaller, yet still adequately powerful engines would help GM make a stronger business case for the brand. Underpinning the cars with a platform that is already paid for and available would also make this plan appear to be more lucrative to the government. The fact that the cars will have understated, yet purposefully sporty styling (like the current G8 sedan) will help the products fit in with Buick (which will hopefully get rebadged next gen Euro Opels to complete its lineup). I think this plan would give Pontiac much more of a chance at a future than trying to resurrect the Firebird/TransAm (which I think will have little to no chance of being approved by the task force overloads).

If GM wants to add another RWD product to Pontiac, then they should add something that is unique and wouldn't directly compete with the Camaro (like a Firebird would). If Zeta is flexible enough to be downsized a bit, I would rather see Pontiac receive a production version of the Holden Torana TT36 Concept. This would give Pontiac something unique in the market and within GM's product structure. It would also be a perfect smaller companion vehicle to the G8 sedan. The Scion idea for Pontiac seems ridiculous and unnecessary to me. There is no reason Chevrolet can't expand its small car portfolio to compete with Scion. If GM wants or feels it needs to split Opel's Euro products between Buick and Pontiac then they should simply do it by bodystyle. Buick should take Opel's higher volume bodystyles and Pontiac should take Opel's sportier niche bodystyles. Out of the 2 options presented above, I would prefer the first one. It would make Pontiac something that is truly unique in the marketplace and within GM.

I still think Buick has the potential to expand into becoming a full scale premium brand. It has offered a diverse variety of vehicles in the past and has the ability to do so in the future. The only exception I see for Buick is trucks or truck based products. Sedans, coupes, hatchbacks, MPVs, and CUVs are all types of vehicles that can be added to Buick as long as the products are properly executed. The proper products and marketing are all that is needed to transform Buick from an outdated, stodgy brand to a cool and relevant premium marquee.

I think that's the case with sketches or renderings in general. They always seem to promise something that these automakers simply cannot deliver. GM has released their fair share of these type of sketches, but so has everyone else.

This still seems a little ridiculous since Buick would give GM a way to earn more profit off their FWD platforms. Buick has a little more wiggle room than either Chevrolet or Pontiac to go upmarket and offer higher profit premium FWD vehicles. Buick could pick up the next gen Opels to complete its lineup and actually turn into something cool, relevant, and profitable for GM. If GM unloads it, it will be yet another missed opportunity for the corporation.

This is disappointing. Subaru should be a sporty looking alternative brand, not Japanese alternative bland. I was really hoping this car would be much more than this.

I think they did a good job on it. This should have been the followup to the 2nd gen version.

Hideous and ridiculous: Not a good combo.

I completely agree with all the above.

I agree. I was expecting the Terrain to be more of a mini-Acadia. The Acadia is the perfect CUV design for GMC: it's a no nonsense design that looks professional and tailored. The Terrain looks too over-the-top and cartoonish. The overall shape of the Terrain is perfect, but the front end design and wheel flares are overdone and the back end design is too soft and bland. If GMC could tone down the overdone elements and beef up the rear end treatment just a tad, then I think this vehicle might be just about perfect for the brand. They started out with a good basic shape, but ruined it with the details.

I can say that it is appropriately differentiated from its Chevrolet Equinox platform mate and that's a good thing. I also appreciate the brand appropriate "chunkier" design of the Terrain that will make it look like it belongs next to the brand's truck based products (which it should). However, the oversized grille and the Compass-esque stuff cheeked lower front bumper treatment seem awkward and unattractive to me. I like the squarish wheel arches, but I think they could be smoothed out and shrunk a bit; they're appropriate for GMC, but they are overdone (just like the front end). The back end design seems like it belongs on another vehicle; I would have expected blockier taillights instead of the Sienna-esque units that are on the vehicle. The overall shape is fine and most of the brand appropriate design elements are present and accounted for, but some of the overdone details (front end treatment and wheel arches) need to be toned down a bit while the almost blandish rear end treatment needs to be injected with a little more visual interest. The entire product just needs a touch of refinement to make it look a little more integrated and seamless. A Disclaimer: Contrary to my earlier post, this vehicle is not nearly as hideous as the Pontiac Aztek. It isn't pretty (which it probably shouldn't be since it's a GMC product; tough and butch are more appropriate for this brand) and it could still use some design modifications, but it really isn't nearly as ugly as the Aztek. As soon as the initial shock wore off, I took a closer look and could find some aspects of the design to appreciate (which I still can't do with the Aztek).

I thought the same thing. This monstrosity is proof that GM wasn't smart enough to fire the designer(s) of the eternal poster child for automotive deformity, the Pontiac Aztek. If this is an example of future GMC CUV styling, then I think GM should reduce GMC back down to just SUVs and trucks and let Buick carry the CUVs instead. I would hope GM wouldn't drop such a blunt block in Buick's lineup. I seriously like the Acadia and had genuine hope that this vehicle would carry on the nice divisional CUV styling that began with that Lambda based product. Geez, am I disappointed. Chevy definitely got the better looking version of the 2 LWB Theta products. YIIIIIIIIIIIKES!!!!!!!..............