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Originally Posted by quaddriver
thursday the last Oldsmobile rolls off in Lansing.
A memorable car company will be missed.
And may all the execs and suits who caused or let happen its demise rot/burn/suffer in hell for eternity.
For those with a proper sense of history, a fitting epitath would be:
The Doctor is OUT.
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Well said.
Oldsmobile was a well recognised brand name, something very valuable these days. It was a waste to let it and the dealer network go.
This is a symptom of a much larger problem, that is, how GM has been in full retreat for 25 years.
It has been losing market share, (from about 45% in 1980 to 29% today) consumer preference and technical leadership for a long time.
It has been retreating from some important market niches, such as small and large sporty cars, (Fiero, Camaro, Firebird) and rwd fleet vehicles (Caprice).
With a few exceptions, GM is the 'discount' brand, in that it is not the favourite or first choice for consumers but the cheapest.
This does not mean that GM builds bad cars, but in so many ways, consumers want, prefer and buy something else.