Hello everyone,


Someone is buying them. If the demand (and profit) was not there, GM would not continue building it.

Demand doesn't seem to be there for this one.

Regards, Norm

I know demand is obviously there.......Hummer really started to reap the rewards right as the General along w/Ford and DCX were experiencing a boom in SUV sales.

What I should've gone on to say was, now with oil prices such as they are and this whole 'energy conscious' mindset having taken over the industry.......it would be a good choice (in my mind) for the General to either ax or better yet, sell the Hummer brand to an automaker that isn't struggling quite so bad in the market.

In so doing, GM could use the profits to help stabilize it's position (at least somewhat) and in the long run, perhaps we could see them regain a respectable position in the N. American Market without that leach on their backs.

You need an understanding of how GM, got where they are now. Ford, Mopar, and the Independents stories are very similar.

The journey didn't start yesterday or last year. It started with "Planned obsolescence" in the thirties.

Chevrolet, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Buick, and Cadillac, were not clones. Each had its own niche, appearance, and personality and were based on three different platforms. Most people did not realize the '49 Olds 98 and all '49 Cads shared the same C body, because they looked to be different cars. Same with the Olds 88 and all Chevs using the A body.

In '55 VW started importing cars and pickup/vans, GM answered, in '59, with the Corvair. That's another story.

In '64 A body was used by all but Cad. Differences between Divisions was becoming less. With the A body, they became quality conscious, not to make the cars last, but to be able to use the same design for the next 30 yrs.

Japanese companies invest more into the Companys future and pay lower divenends. The only mistake, of any consequence, Toyota made, was in '58, when they started importing cars without a distribution network. In less than a year they pulled out, went home and did their homework. In '68, they came back prepared and never looked back. When offered a better car for less money, many buyers made the logical choice. Took another ten years, and the loss of a big chunk of market share before "Detroit" figured out what happened. They've been playing catch up since.

There's a lot more, but I'm not here to write a book. Suffice it to say it only went downhill from there due to continuing bad management decisions, most of which involved less investment in the future, and higher dividends to keep stockholders quiet.

Re: Clones and loss of brand identity.
Can anyone tell us if there are any differences between an '84 Chevrolet Citation and a Cadillac Cimarron?

Regards, Norm

Wait...I know them things. They were both identical in every way except for badging and the Cadillac was a couple grand more. Great job GM on that one, like we didn't notice.

Correct me if Im wrong, anybody.

And, when the pendulum swings back the other way, again?

The same line of reasoning lost the aluminum V8 to the Brits. They used it to replace the smaller 4 cyls in time to see the gas prices drop back to an affordable level.

To take the place of all the 'lost' Hummers......GM could put that money and those resources towards the continuing improvements of it's 'normal' SUV lines........design/development, power/drivetrain tech. as well as fit & finish could very much benefit there.

It wasn't Hummers that brought GM all those profits at the height of the SUV craze, it was the Suburbans, Escalades, Tahoes & their ilk. Hummers merely boosted the bottom line.

While I agree with '88 coupe' on the whole line of reasoning thing........why would there need to be any regrets when the pendelum 'swings back the other way' ?? You got Cadillac and it's Escalades to appease those looking for a 'status symbol' while Chevrolet & Buick (and to a lesser extent, Pontiac, Saturn and Saab) can take care of the rest.

If offerings continue to evolve and improve, I don't see any reason why the other GM divisions wouldn't be able to fill the gap and pick up the slack.

SUV's may have fallen from favor and gas prices may still continue to recover, but to a struggling corporation like GM--a brand like Hummer which sells the kind of oversized, overpriced gas guzzlers that have become villified as of late--can only be seen as an increasing liability

hi all,

Then there is the most obvious question.


In this economic climate, who could/would buy it?

Regards, Norm

"Can anyone tell us if there are any differences between an '84 Chevrolet Citation and a Cadillac Cimarron?"

That question should be Can anyone tell us if there are and differences between an '84Chevrolet Cavalier and a Cadillac Cimmarron? (As the Citation is built on the X platform, the others on the J platform-Frank

I stand corrected, it was Cavalier/Cimarron. Thanks 85cieraholiday.

Point is still the same:
When the "Standard of the World" included a FWD econobox in their line, what was left of Cadillac prestige took a very big hit.

Norm