I would LOVE to see the American auto companies follow the Japanese and have only two brands. One would be their “everyday” lineup (Ex. Honda) and the other would be their high-end/luxury lineup (Ex. Acura).
Imagine if DaimlerChrysler dropped Jeep and Dodge and they just had Mercedes (luxury) and Chrysler (everyday).
Imagine if GM dropped Buick, GMC, Hummer, Pontiac, Saturn and SAAB and just focused all its efforts on Cadillac (luxury) and Chevy (everyday).
Imagine Ford dropped Lincoln, Mercury, Mazda, Jaguar, Land Rover and just focused on Volvo (luxury) and Ford (everyday).
With fewer lines, the Big Three could dedicate more R&D money per line.
Not a bad idea.