Lexus President Concerned with Brand’s Global Positioning

[Ian Schmidt]

You definitely don't have to cater only to young people, but at the same time a lot of GM's brands were basically aging themselves out of the market. If it weren't for the Escalade they might've cut Cadillac instead of Pontiac.

 

[ssun30]

An interesting note about Lexus' low average buyer age in China is a cultural thing: many parents do pay for the car (at least they will cover the down payment) for their children when they get married. The parents in question don't need to be rich because we have a very high savings rate (we have ten times as much cash on hand compared to Americans with similar income). It is very hard to get married without a new car and a new home so parents save up most of their income for their children. It also helps new college graduates don't have crippling amount of college debt.

 

[maiaramdan]

You definitely don't have to cater only to young people, but at the same time a lot of GM's brands were basically aging themselves out of the market. If it weren't for the Escalade they might've cut Cadillac instead of Pontiac.

Honestly the one need to be cut was and will always be Buick not Pontiac at all

Pontiac case was much more better and was the most reliable among all GM portfolio basically due to NUMMI and Toyota sharing

 

[Ian Schmidt]

Honestly the one need to be cut was and will always be Buick not Pontiac at all

Pontiac case was much more better and was the most reliable among all GM portfolio basically due to NUMMI and Toyota sharing

No arguments here. Pontiac had a clearly defined brand image as GM's performance division, while Buick's always been sort of between Chevy and Cadillac (but at least they had that - I don't think GM knew what to do with Oldsmobile at all). When Caddy themselves started making low-end badge swaps in the 1980s there was no space there for Buick to occupy.

Also, Pontiac was responsible for the greatest car commercial of all time.