10 Things General Motors Needs to Do
Just a few suggestions to help the ailing auto maker.
General Motors is in trouble. If you have not heard that your probably living under a rock. I do not think it’s all doom and gloom for the worlds once greatest company. I just think GM needs to start doing things a little differently. I have come up with a few suggestions.
1. Sell the Hummer brand! Yes I said it. Get rid of I, if they can. If GM can salvage any money out of this name sake then they need to jump on that. If this is not an option, then I would just say bye bye.
2. No more Buick! Who buys these cars anyways? Young people are not purchasing Buicks. Older people would rather buy a Cadillac. I am 29 years old. I am never going to buy a Buick. Anyone who would have bought one must have been drinking that day.
3. No more GMC Truck! I am sounding repetitive now I know. For those of you that do not know, a GMC truck is a Chevy with a different grill, wheels, and maybe interior parts. The line is redundant. I would suggest offering an upgrade to the Chevy line to satisfy those buyers.
4. Build a inexpensive car younger people want to drive! You know why young people end up driving foreign cars? Because there are no cars made by GM that they can aspire to own. Future car buyers do not dream of one day owning a Cobalt. Because of this they fall for foreign automobiles that they love and become hooked on their products. GM needs a cool car! I would simply shrink a Cadillac CTS to the dimensions of a Cobalt. Next I would put the supercharged 4 cylinder in it as the base engine. This needs to be done for less than 22k. I would also offer an upgraded all wheel drive version starting somewhere in the upper twenties.
5. Require all dealers to sell all brands. This would mean that I could walk into a place and see every model the company has to offer. Your chance of selling a customer something is much higher. You now have a car for every possible situation right on your lot. This also allows for constriction of the dealer network, something that is needed.
6. Hire Someone under 40 to be the face of GM! I would suggest going right to Toyota or Honda for this. Whoever is the force behind Scion would do just fine, if they are under 40. Let’s face it people over the age of 40 are set in their ways. Your not going to turn them into GM people if they have been buying another brand forever. GM needs a young, hip, visionary. No more old “car guy” Take a hint from the country electing Obama.
7. Gm needs a 35 mpg full sized car! I am not talking a hybrid. I do not want to spend an extra 10-20 percent on my car to make it a hybrid. Anyone that has a brain or a calculator would soon know that it would take them years to break even, if ever. GM needs a true gasoline powered 35 mpg sedan. One that 4 adults can ride in. I drive a Saturn Aura, nice, it gets about 30 mpg highway. Close but no cigar.
8. Put a 4 Cylinder in a full sized truck! Blasphemy you say. Most people do not haul a huge heavy load with there trucks. People just like the way they look and occasionally want to hall a couch around town. I thing the 4 banger with a supercharger and the right rear end setup and torque converter would do just fine. Maybe a 4 Cyl diesel with a turbo as most of them have. This would allow for the necessary torque. Point is that in a few years people are going to want their trucks back. I have been without mine for a year and half and I am going crazy. Make a full sized truck that gets 25 mpg and you’re the truck selling giant you once were.
9. Your going to have to not pay your employees as much! I hate to say this. My father is a GM employee. Would one rather have a pay cut or no job. Yes in many cases new hires are paid much less than their formers. Everyone needs to take a pay cut. Most of you people do not know how this company works. It is standard practice to lay 5 guys off and then have the remaining 5 guys work 80 hours a week. You can thank the UAW for that.
10. Once again, market yourself to the younger buyer! GM is losing young people in droves. They buy there first car and it’s a Honda or a Toyota. Maybe a VW. Your never getting these younger people back. They do not worry about the older people, that’s what Lexus is for. GM needs to make younger hipper automobiles that the youth can fall in love with and become GM buyers forever. Oh an enough with the stupid SS moniker. Once again your marketing yourself to a bunch of older buyers who are set in their ways.
These are just a few suggestions I quickly thought of. I would also suggest firing all people who were ever involved in such great automobiles as the Aztec, SSR, HHR, and the Lumina style minivan. These people all need to go. GM makes cars people do not want. They’re not cool. Start buy designing some cool cars.
3 Comments
Now how do we get GM to read this??? hmph. Some good points. I agree they should make a “cool” car for under 20k that teens can want, and one that gets 35mpg that is not a hybrid.
I nominate christopheri as new marketing manager for GM! Great ideas.
I agree 100%. While they are at it, make the execs take huge pay cuts and make their pay reliant on the stock price.
Another problem is that within their redundancy of engines, trims, vehicles, etc, Their are some very good vehicles. But as with most domestics, they fall extremely short in the marketing division.
An example is Ford. They were contacted by Emminem back when the Ford Fusion was about to come out. He wanted them in his video’s. They said NO! they thought he didnt convey the right message. Like selling cars? what an ignorant move, kind of like the Blackwood.
Fresh blood is needed in MANY large US companies, stop the cycle.