Posted on 11/26/2018 4:47:20 PM PST by Eddie01
General Motors will end production of six sedans by the end of 2019.
North American customers want SUVs, crossovers, hatchbacks and trucks. Sedans have fallen out of favor.
As GM (GM) adjusts to changing customer behavior it is also planning ahead for the future. The company announced massive layoffs and is closing five North American facilities as it transitions to self-driving, electric cars of the future.
The soon-to-be closed plants mean GM will no longer make these cars:
Buick LaCrosse January - September sales: 13,409, down 14.2%
The LaCrosse is a large car built by a brand that was a pioneer in small crossovers. Buick is still shifting heavily toward crossovers: Sales of the Encore and Enclave crossovers are both up this year. But Buick is struggling after turning itself around a few years ago.
Cadillac CT6 January - September sales: 7,270, down 10.6%
The only surprise of the bunch, the CT6 is an unusual choice for GM, because it serves as the tech halo for Cadillac. It's still the only car that has GM's Super Cruise semi-autonomous driving technology. But it's also the least popular Cadillac.
Cadillac XTS January - September sales: 12,664, up 15.9%
Most XTS cars are sold to limousine and taxi companies. GM recently updated the XTS' design to keep customers happy, helping drive sales higher. It's the only car GM is killing that has performed better in the first nine months of 2018 than in the first nine months of 2017.
Chevrolet Cruze January - September sales: 109,662, down 26.5%
The bestselling Chevy sedan, the Cruze is highly regarded among auto reviewers and enthusiasts. The Cruze was the "Consumer Reports" top pick for compact cars last year. It was beat out by the Toyota Corolla and a handful of other small cars this year, and sales have disappointed.
Chevrolet Impala January - September sales: 43,952, down 13.4%
The recently redesigned Chevy Impala was the 2018 "Consumer Reports" top pick for large cars. But it's a large car in a market that seems to have forgotten that large cars exist. The Impala is among the worst-selling Chevrolets.
Chevrolet Volt January - September sales: 13,243, down 13.7%
The Volt is a plug-in electric hybrid sedan lost in the excitement of all-electric cars. Chevy has been promoting the electric Bolt hatchback, though Bolt sales have fallen too.
I wonder if the Cruz would have any sales if not for the vast numbers in rental fleets.
Someone needs to start a new American car company, headquarter it in a right to work state, avoid the unions, and make sedans. I bet they sell.
The Cruze has gotten slightly larger but still gets well over 30 mpg.
The Malibu is on a slightly larger frame and I consistently get 28 - 30 mpg.
The Impala is just a shade larger and I also get about 28 mpg from it.
I have grabbed a Toyota (not sure) and it was getting 5 - 8 mpg better than any of these. No idea why.
Killing the Cruze and keeping the Malibu seems short sighted.
I remember when Ford, Chevy, etc. made a single car, a sedan and a pickup.
There were different trim levels, 4 door or 2 door etc.
I haven’t bought a GM car since the 1970s.
If that two door Charger they keep hinting at materializes, I’m all in.
I’m working on my 72 c10
Anything less than an 8 ft bed is pretty useless as a truck.
My Econoline could carry a 10 ft. sheet of plywood inside.
Anything less than an 8 ft bed is pretty useless as a truck.
My Econoline could carry a 10 ft. sheet of plywood inside.
My ‘05 TDI Jetta s/w still gets >40 mpg.
No suitable replacement available AFAIK.
oh HELL yeah!!!
Thanks to Obama
Try to find an 8 foot bed on a pickup today. Good luck.
Once upon a time unions got workers some security like in their job, retirement, and wages as contracts in sharing in the company success. I figure the corruption grew astronomically like politics. And that was the failure bases.
I’ve rented the sporty stitched leather Malibu
Sells for less than 30k
A decent car
Good choices. We have been all Toyota and Subaru since 2001.
Mustangs and Jeeps are also popular as rentals, I suppose for splurging on the vacation.
A certain set of circumstances appear to be developing for me and I will need to get a dually truck that has a 30,000 GCVWR
rating.
I like the Chevy the best but if GM is going to put 15,000 Americans out of work and ship the work to Mexico.....and parts unknown I believe I will stick to Dodge or Ford. Ford didn’t borrow any money from the taxpayer in the Obama years is a definite plus too.
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