Buick offers some fine cars, but their marketing strategies suggest a combination of frustration and desperation. For most of their models Buick now offers: 1. A 1SV trim level 2. A “Sport Touring” trim level The 1SV model lacks only a few features than the next level up, but costs far less. To take the most extreme example, in terms… More →
Category: Marketing
Marketing
Study: Gen Z very practical about cars
Autotrader / KBB surveyed Gen Z about cars and, as reported today to the Automotive Press Association, found dramatic differences between the responses of this group (12 to 17 years old) and those of 18-to-34-year-old “Milllennials.” While cars are often an image-driven purchase for Millennialls, who rate Audi as their favorite brand, they’re largely seen as transportation appliances by the… More →
Can Lincoln sell “quiet luxury?”
Luxury cars are an odd market. Cadillac has been trying to out-BMW BMW by producing the fastest accelerating, best-handling, rear-wheel-drive-based luxury sedans. Mercedes-Benz also has been pushing performance and handling more than at any previous time in its storied history. A consensus has been emerging that the C63 AMG is the best among an increasingly large, increasingly capable crowd of… More →
Who will buy the 2014 GM pickups? Does it matter?
I haven’t reviewed a full-size pickup in years because I assume that my tastes are so different from those of the typical pickup buyer. My review simply wouldn’t be relevant to them. Or so I thought. I might be wrong. Today I attended the reveal for GM’s redesigned full-size pickups, the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra, which will launch next… More →
Is Ford cheating the specs for the new 2013 Escape?
Inputting the interior dimensions for the redesigned crossover, the combination of 43.1 inches of front legroom and 36.8 inches of rear legroom surprised me. I’ve been in the new Escape, and its rear seat is considerably tighter than most in the segment. Yet these specs from the brochure (and various popular car sites) suggest it should rank among the roomiest.… More →
Chrysler abandons Mainstreet
As FIAT started to take over Chrysler, the executives assigned to the American company cast about for ways to reverse its declining sales. New products often help but, having just traveled through bankruptcy, they had nothing new to offer. But they could pretend to have something new by putting new labels on the old bottles. So, part way through the… More →
Buick to eliminate CX, CXL, CXS trim levels in 2012 MY
Buick has announced that they’re going to eliminate the CX, CXL, and CXS trim levels with their 2012 models. Instead, they’ll offer a hierarchy of option packages. Why? To eliminate the impression that the base model is the “cheap one,” which is unbefitting a premium brand. Which is why premium brands generally don’t have trim levels. I’m all for this… More →
Chrysler’s mistake with the Dodge and Ram brands
Today Chrysler officially announced that they will be splitting the Ram pickup away from the Dodge brand, and making “Ram” a separate brand. Pickuptruck.com has posted 5 reasons why it’s wrong to divorce Ram trucks from the Dodge brand. And they’re good ones, chiefly that Ram truck owners think of their trucks as Dodges and are the brand most loyal… More →
Ford’s plan for survival?
I’ve been wondering for some time what Ford’s plan for survival, much less success, might be. Detroit has traditionally gotten by by hitting one out of the park from time to time–while striking out most times at bat. But Ford isn’t swinging for the fences the way GM is. Its cars aren’t dramatically styled. It doesn’t have a moonshot like… More →
Lose your job, walk away from your Hyundai
Realizing that people weren’t buying cars because they feared losing their jobs, Hyundai now includes job loss insurance in the deal. Buyers who lose their jobs within a year taking delivery can return the vehicle to the dealership without damaging their credit ratings. An insurer pays off the loans. One problem with this scenerio: the insurance only covers the first… More →