Buick Ranier in news section

CMNTMXR81 · June 24, 2002

Zane, I think you may want to make a small correction. Yes, it is based off the GMT 360 platform, but it's nothing more than a re-badged and re-grilled Bravada. It's not a new vehicle in Buick's stable.

pacodiablo · June 25, 2002

it's ugly

Zane · June 25, 2002

Thanks.

From what we've heard, there is a little more differnt than that...

The dash is supposed to look like the Rendevous...

CMNTMXR81 · June 25, 2002

Of course, but it's still a Buick Bravada.

gmcjoe · June 25, 2002

*SNIP* It's not a new vehicle in Buick's stable.

I don't think Buick has one for 2003 ;)

GreenRado · June 25, 2002

It's a warmed over Bravada, rather than a completely new Buick.

Poor Olds, not even dead yet, and they're making over her spoils already!!!

Don't know about anyone else out there, but that makes me sad (Olds demise, that is).

gmcjoe · June 25, 2002

Don't know about anyone else out there, but that makes me sad (Olds demise, that is).

Yeah, but GM is too fat. They have too much internal competition IMO.

The only Olds I owned was a pretty unique car. I bought a 1987 Olds Ciera GT coupe. Black/Gray. To this day I don't see any of these cars around :bored:

GreenRado · June 25, 2002

Yep, I agree that basically GM had little choice this late in the game. They definitely need to trim fat. Ironically, I think Buick will be next.

Actually, I fault them for letting it get to this point, and the down-hill slide to the point of no return started in the early 80's if not the 70's.

Anyway, back on topic, maybe Buick can give the old Bravada a better-defined and differentiated market, which is what GM can do that will help all their divisions, assuming they are committed to keeping all of them. Who knows!! ???

CMNTMXR81 · June 25, 2002

*SNIP* It's not a new vehicle in Buick's stable.

I don't think Buick has one for 2003 ;)

Right. But for '03, it's still be the Olds Bravada, come '04 it will be the Buick Bravada, errr, the Buick Ranier.

It sucks that Olds is going the way of the Studebaker and others. However, GM is too fat, and has repetitive products and overlapping segments with those repetitive products.

Buick will be next on the chopping block unless they generate a massive turn around like Caddy is going through. Problem is though, even as Caddy evolves and spawns to market towards a younger crowd, there are still members of the geriatric community that are loyal to Caddy as well as Buick. Once again two overlapping divisions. Plus as that old school geriatric community passes on, so will the need of having a barcalounger on wheels. As the Baby boomers who were wooed into the Acura's, Infiniti's, Mercedes, BMW's, and even the newer Caddy's get older, they will want something comprable. Not a barcalounger. This is another reason Buick's days are numbered.

GM needs to streamline to todays needs in the domestic market. They need a mainstream cheap and reliable "common mans" vehicle and truck division. That would be Chevy. They need a performance division, that would be Pontiac. A luxury division, that would be Caddy and of course a dedicated truck division, that would be GMC.

Get rid of Buick (sad to say), Saturn, Saab, Subaru, Opel, and really any other useless divisions/acquisitions. This allocates more R&D to the core products which is what you should be focusing on anyway.

Clinging onto old divisions because of "nostalgia" is great, however in todays business environment, it isn't a successful one as the market for those nostalgic divisions is dieing off. IN today's market, one must be nimble and react to change quickly. GM is slowly but surely doing this, but still needs to shed a few extra pounds (or divisions).

And I owned 3 Oldsmobile's and one Buick, so it hurts, but it needs to be done in order for GM to return to greatness.

pacodiablo · June 25, 2002

whats it's competition? aviator? the avaiator will eat it.

whats it target audiance? old people who want to be "hip"?

CMNTMXR81 · June 26, 2002

The Aviator will eat it up? Isn't the Aviator just another exploder/mountaineer clone? I see how those two already are mopping up the TrailBlazer and Envoy. The Aviator will find it's niche market just like it's big brother the Navigator, as well as the current following the Bravada has (One of those Olds I used to own was a 94 Bravada). But it isn't going to set the world on fire and sell 200,000 units a year!

Target audience? Are you referring to Buick? Or Caddy? For Buick, old people who just want their living room sofas on wheels and Caddy who is marketing to a younger, more demanding consumer who has most likely already had some form of import luxury car. The target audience for Buick is quickly dieing off and the target audience for Caddy is quickly increasing.

With that in mind, figure out which division will be going the way of their current target audience if they don't make a change in thought soon.

pacodiablo · June 27, 2002

im assuming the buick clone is meant to go up against the lincoln clone. the lincoln has (IMO, and in many other peoples opinions) much better styling than the new buick.

i was talking about buick, old people might want to get into whats trendy so they buy the ugly buick SUV.

why did they screw it up?? the bravada looked fine...now its just plain ugly

CMNTMXR81 · June 27, 2002

Styling is subjective though. For instance, the F-Series and Ram are much more aggressive in terms of styling than the GM's, but the GM's hold their own in sales.

I like the looks of the current Bravada too, but I don't think the Buick coat of arms would look good on in place of the Olds "Rocket" logo if that were the only change. They changed it cause it's now part of the Buick family and as such, you want it to fit in.

I actually kinda find that Buick front end (which is very BMW'ish) to be kinda stylish. And we know BMW sells every piece of junk they build, so it's got something going for it.