Building strong brands: GM leverages its global prowess with a focus on improving the perceived quality of its North American fleet

Automotive Industries,  Sept, 2004  by Gary Witzenburg

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General Motors' key areas of emphasis for 2005 and beyond, not surprisingly, are direct responses to two of the company's most consistent criticisms: "a renewed commitment to building strong brands" and continued improvement in the overall quality, including an intense focus on "enhancing and improving perceived quality--the vehicle attributes that a customer sees, hears, smells, touches and experiences."

"Our new products will help each brand deliver on its individual promise" said GM North America President Gary Cowger at GM's July '05 Preview. "A broad-brand portfolio, with clear and relevant differentiation between brands, allows GM to address highly diverse customer desires and expectations. The renaissance of the Cadillac brand gives us confidence that we can extend this kind of success across our lineup of brands. To accomplish this goal, we are continuing to leverage global vehicle architectures, compelling design, inspiring performance, surprising and meaningful product innovations and continuous quality improvements."

Do GM's new and improved 2005 products stand up to these objectives?

Chevrolet has four all-new products, three new nameplates and other major improvements for 2005. Most exciting is the sixth-generation Corvette, amply powered by a 400-hp 6.0L LS2 version of GM's new Gen IV small-block V-8 engine family. The C-6 Corvette (see April 2004, AI) is dramatically better in performance, handling, interior appointments and (most agree) styling than the already excellent C-5, leaving us to wonder why it does not have a manual-shift feature--increasingly popular on performance and luxury products--for its available 4-speed automatic. Chevy's SSR, criticized by some for less than Vette-like performance, also gets the 6.0L LS2 and a 6-speed manual gearbox.

Chevy says its all-new Cobalt coupes and sedans, which share GM's Delta front-wheel-drive small-car platform with the Saturn Ion, "will rewrite the rules of the small-car market." We'll have driving impressions soon, but Cobalt--powered by a 140-hp 2.2L Ecotec DOHC 4-cylinder--appears to have what it will take to compete effectively with class-leaders Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic. It slots in above the outgoing Cavalier in price, features and appointments, leaving ample room below for the Korean-built entry-level Aveo. And a hot SS Supercharged Coupe version boasts a blown 205-hp 2.0L Ecotec.

The second new nameplate is Uplander, one of four upgraded and facelifted FWD mid-vans GM is positioning as "crossover sport vans," blending SUV and minivan attributes. This conversion is mostly a matter of grafted-on SUV-like noses and C-pillars, available AWD and some nice new features, including standard rear-seat DVD entertainment systems. Their only engine is the same 200-hp 3.5L pushrod V-6 found in Malibu and a growing list of GM products. The third is Equinox, the compact SUV intro'd earlier this year on the Saturn VUE platform. Fuel-saving Displacement on Demand (DOD) cylinder deactivation becomes available in just one Chevy product, the 5300 Vortec V-8-powered long-wheelbase TrailBlazer EXT, while availability of the gas-electric hybrid Silverado pickup expands to retail customers in six states.

Besides its new Relay "family utility unit," Saturn showed 2005 Ion coupes and sedans and Vue SUV models with significant improvements addressing most of the criticisms aimed at earlier versions. Also performance-tuned and-trimmed Red Line versions of both (actually '04-1/2s), the Ion getting the 205-hp supercharged Ecotec. The '05 Ion benefits from much-needed interior and NVH upgrades, while the troublesome CVT is dropped from both.

In addition to the Montana SV6 "crossover" van, Pontiac's major new entry is the G6 compact sedan, which shares the excellent Epsilon architecture--and, unfortunately, the 3.5L pushrod V-6 engine and 4-speed automatic--with Chevy's Malibu and Maxx. Not that this isn't a perfectly good engine--it pumps out a healthy 200 horses and 220 lb.ft. of torque along with impressive economy (20/30/25 EPA mpg in the G6). But its "old tech" valvetrain will hurt the high-aspiration G6 in the eyes of media and enthusiasts. There will be more technically exciting powertrains down the road, but Pontiac--aspiring to be GM's Euro-performance brand--should have found a more appropriate powerplant for launch of this critically important new product. New vehicles make their reputations with initial media reviews, and those reputations are tough to turn around--a lesson the fast-improving GM still needs to learn.

Otherwise, the Grand Am replacement G6 looks good inside and out and promises outstanding dynamics thanks to its crisply tuned 4-wheel independent suspension. One noteworthy feature: a market-exclusive "Panoramic" roof with four sliding-glass panels to create a "convertible-style open-air driving experience." Pontiac's Australian-born GTO gets the Corvette's new 400-hp LS2 V-8 plus improvements including a new rear fascia with dual exhaust outlets on both sides, where they belong, and (for those who really need them) optional simulated scoops for its hood.