Wild-Ass Rumor Of The Day: I Got It! What If Buick Sells Opels?

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

The fate of GM’s dead brands walking generates rumor and hearsay like few other topics. GM is unraveling into a buyers market, and secret talks are typically denied within hours of their leaking. Ironically, one detail that rumors seem to have in common is the proliferation of Opels in the United States. Thus far Saturn has been the defacto donor brand for American Opels, but Motor Trend now claims it “makes sense” for Buick to cover Opel with brand familiarity.

The point of the exercise? Rescue the DOA PBG (Pontiac-Buick-GMC) sales channel. Which means there’s a “huge caveat:” only with a bailout can GM turn PBG into a “middle-priced channel consisting of Opel-based Buicks, a small fleet of sporty and affordable Pontiacs, and more crossovers for GMC.” You know, instead of whatever it is right now. What they mean though, is that if you like the looks of that Opel Insignia, and you want to buy a slightly cornier Buick version someday you should get on the horn with your elected representatives now.

But would Buick really make a better Opel-peddler than Saturn? After all, even MT admits that “Saturn’s 400 dealers are considered the best franchises in the corporation.” Or is this a bailout for every purse and purpose, with Opel’s Euro confections as bait? Either way, by the time GM figures out what label to sell its European offerings under, Ford’s Euro-invasion will have already begun. Oh yeah, and the bailout isn’t a sure thing anymore either.

Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • Corsa Corsa on Dec 19, 2008
    I think it is safe to say now Opels don’t sell well in the US. Astra 2008 - 11,200 I think there are a couple of reasons why. 1) They only brought over the boring, base-model versions. They should have also brought over the performance versions and made the Redlines (if they kept the Saturn badge at all, which leads me to...) 2) I think because they are Saturns, they failed. Who thinks of "excitement" when they think of Saturn? In Europe, the Astra line competes against the Golf/GTI line, and even the MINI. But the Saturn version we got? Who in their right mind, if they were already looking at the VW GTI and the MINI Cooper S, would even think to see what the Saturn dealer has? Even if they did have a Redline version? That's why I say, they should bring Opels over, as Opels, and turn all the Saturn dealers into Saturn AND Opel dealers. They have a great dealer infrastructure there, and a new brand name like Opel (and bring the performance versions over so they have something to cross-shop with the GTI and MINI) might bring some more people in. Personally, it wouldn't bother me if they ONLY brought over the performance versions, sold them as Opels, and killed the Saturns altogether... but I suppose if they have to sell hybrids and base models and such, and really wanted to keep the Saturn badge, they could. Or, just bring all the Opels over, as Opels, unchanged, and sell the full line. Change all Saturn dealers to Opel dealers. Kill the Saturn brand. It's boring.
  • Nikita Nikita on Dec 19, 2008

    Am I the only one here old enough to remember the Opel Kadett of the 1960's sold at Buick dealers? It was the Aveo of its day. Car and Driver did the photo shoot for its road test in a junkyard.

  • Diewaldo Diewaldo on Dec 19, 2008

    The 60's Kadett was a nice car. But it was never aimed at the US market. It was an entry class car competing with the VW Beetle in Europe and nothing else. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp1qeBMllfQ&feature=related

  • BMW325I BMW325I on Dec 21, 2008

    That would be a disgrace to opel. That would associate Opel's cars to people that are at their last stage before death. I really want Opel to break away and sell in the US as a European brand.

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