NEW YORK — General Motors could phase out another one of its U.S. car brands if sales continue to plummet, according to Bob Lutz, vice chairman and head of product development for the struggling automaker.
At a Morgan Stanley automotive conference here, Lutz described Buick and Pontiac as "damaged brands" due to lack of investment over the years, according to Reuters, and said GM hopes to alleviate some of its problems with a variety of new and future products.
In the past six months, GM has launched the new Pontiac G6 and the Buick LaCrosse. Neither vehicle is meeting internal sales projections. For model-year 2006, the company plans to introduce the Pontiac Solstice, the Pontiac Torrent and the Buick Lucerne, as well as coupe and convertible variants of the G6.
If the automaker's brands continue to flounder, "then we would have to take a look at a phaseout. I hope we don't have to do that," Lutz was quoted as saying.
GM announced the demise of Oldsmobile in 2000, and completed its phaseout last year.
What this means to you: Things appear to be getting desperate at GM when the vice chairman talks about killing another brand.
At a Morgan Stanley automotive conference here, Lutz described Buick and Pontiac as "damaged brands" due to lack of investment over the years, according to Reuters, and said GM hopes to alleviate some of its problems with a variety of new and future products.
In the past six months, GM has launched the new Pontiac G6 and the Buick LaCrosse. Neither vehicle is meeting internal sales projections. For model-year 2006, the company plans to introduce the Pontiac Solstice, the Pontiac Torrent and the Buick Lucerne, as well as coupe and convertible variants of the G6.
If the automaker's brands continue to flounder, "then we would have to take a look at a phaseout. I hope we don't have to do that," Lutz was quoted as saying.
GM announced the demise of Oldsmobile in 2000, and completed its phaseout last year.
What this means to you: Things appear to be getting desperate at GM when the vice chairman talks about killing another brand.
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