GM kills Buick crossover in the womb after "sneak peak"

Blind_Io

"Be The Match" Registered
DONOR
Joined
Apr 5, 2006
Messages
24,200
Location
Utah
Car(s)
See signature
http://www.freep.com/article/20090819/BUSINESS01/90819069/1320/Buick-kills-crossover-that-drew-jeers

In a striking and atypical move, General Motors Co. today announced that it had killed plans for a compact Buick crossover ? plans that were announced less than two weeks ago.

Since that time, GM brought about 100 consumers, as well as industry analysts and automotive journalists, to its Warren Technical Center to get a sneak peak at its future product pipeline.

That unnamed Buick vehicle, which was slated to hit the market late next year, got poor reviews, however.

?We were all struck by the consistency of the criticism of the compact crossover,? Tom Stephens, GM vice chairman for product development, wrote on a GM blog today. ?And what we decided to do in response is a good example of the essence of the new General Motors? acting quickly, and boldly, and listening to feedback from customers, employees, dealers, media and just about anyone else with an opinion.?

Stephens said GM decided to cancel the project after GM?s executive committee met last Friday and discussed reaction to the vehicle. ?It was decided that if it didn?t belong, it didn?t belong,? Stephens wrote.

In 2011, GM had planned to offer the Buick crossover with hybrid plug-in technology in what it had been touting as the first SUV crossover to offer such technology.

Instead, GM will apply the technology to another vehicle, according to Stephens. ?At no delay,? he noted. Further details would be released later.

As the Free Press had reported, some of the consumers specially invited into GM?s secret design studio were less than impressed with the Buick crossover.

Consumer Joel Feder of the Minneapolis-area wrote on his Twitter page about the vehicle during the tour, calling it ?hideous.?

After emerging from bankruptcy July 10, GM CEO Fritz Henderson has promised the new company would do a better job listening and reacting to customers.
 
Last edited:
?We were all struck by the consistency of the criticism of the compact crossover,? Tom Stephens, GM vice chairman for product development, wrote on a GM blog today. ?And what we decided to do in response is a good example of the essence of the new General Motors? acting quickly, and boldly, and listening to feedback from customers, employees, dealers, media and just about anyone else with an opinion.?

I love how they spin 'listening to our customers' as a novel idea...
 
I love how they spin 'listening to our customers' as a novel idea...
What's delightful is that how they phrased it, they're forced to admit that it is novel to them.
 
So, now I want to see a rendering of such ugly vehicle. Was it worse and uglier than an Aztek?
 
Blind_Io, bringing you posts so damn good they have sponsors.


Anyway, this is good, we don't need another crossover, especially from Buick.

Sorry, I thought I got all that out of there. It's kind of difficult when I don't actually see the ads online.

Let me see about fixing that for you, and I'm sorry about that.

EDIT: nuked the little bastard.
 
Last edited:
So, now I want to see a rendering of such ugly vehicle. Was it worse and uglier than an Aztek?

No, it was just a rebadged Saturn/Opel.
 
Opel's weakest offering over here is their crossover - it sucks big time - Even the Ford Kuga and the Renault Koleos eats this alive.

http://www.worldcarfans.com/10610195935/opel-antara-in-depth

So if the Buick was based upon this crap - good bye good riddence IMHO never mind how it looked. The old Vauxhall/Opel Frontera was a seriously crap car too.
 
Last edited:
so GM are learning that they actually have to put some effort in and cant just take an existing car from one of their many companies, slap a new badge on it and call it new?
 
So, now I want to see a rendering of such ugly vehicle.

Surely someone was sneaky and captured a pic with their cell phone?
 
Top