| General Motors' strategy going forward is to | | | | Pontiac's role will be diminished, with GM retreating |
| concentrate on bolstering four brands – Cadillac, | | | | the brand back to just one or two models. Over the |
| GMC, Buick, Chevrolet – while shrinking Pontiac | | | | past two decades, management has been uniting |
| and possibly doing away with Saturn. Saab and | | | | Buick, Pontiac and GMC dealers to one dealership, |
| Hummer remain on the market, with the former not | | | | which would make the change much easier and less |
| an important part of the automaker's American | | | | costly than closing down the brand altogether. After |
| marketing plans. GM's Fritz Henderson, Chief | | | | shuttering Oldsmobile in 2003, GM cannot afford to |
| Operating Officer for the automaker shared GM's | | | | pay out hundreds of millions of dollars to do the |
| restructuring plans at a recent Automotive News | | | | same for Pontiac. |
| World Congress meeting which included a discussion | | | | Saturn has been one of the biggest disappointments |
| on brand marketing. | | | | for GM. Initially launched as a separate car company |
| Essentially, Cadillac, Buick, GMC and Chevrolet will be | | | | in 1985 with the first cars rolling of a Tennessee |
| the core brands for GM, especially as pertains to | | | | assembly line in 1990, Saturn quickly drew praise for |
| selling cars in the North American market, the | | | | truly being a different kind of car company, one |
| company's home base. Both Saab and Hummer have | | | | whose owners embraced the compact S models. For |
| been for sale for some time, with GM Henderson | | | | the past decade, Saturn has been part of GM's |
| acknowledging that the car company is working with | | | | brand structure and has benefited from a number of |
| the Swedish government to find an investor. Three | | | | new models. Still, Saturn's identity remains clouded |
| quarters of Saab sales are in the European market | | | | despite its blossoming alliance with Opel where the |
| with just a small number of cars sold in the states | | | | two brands share a number of car lines. |
| each year. | | | | GM still is looking to get an additional share of the bail |
| Hummer remains a mystery as the automaker has | | | | out money promised late last year. At that time, |
| twice set deadlines for when its specialty off road | | | | now former President George W. Bush allocated |
| vehicle brand would be sold and has twice missed | | | | funds to GM and Chrysler in a bid to keep the two |
| those marks. Thought that a Chinese or Russian | | | | automakers afloat. Part of the loan deal has required |
| company would scoop up Hummer have surfaced, | | | | that GM restructure, hence its new found emphasis |
| but given the brand's niche and very low demand, | | | | on full out supporting just four brands. |
| finding a buyer remains a challenge. | | | | |