[MarksBolt]

In the article linked below concerning lessons learned from the life and death of the Chevy Volt, I thought these were interesting comments:

The problem, suggests auto analyst Rebecca Lindland, was that “Chevrolet is not an aspirational brand for innovators and early adopters.”​

Analyst Lindland* echoes Posawatz's** thought.

Asked what GM learned from the Volt, she responded, “Not enough, or else the Chevy Bolt EV would have been the Cadillac XT4.”​

(*founder of RebeccaDrives.com)
(**product manager for the 2011 Volt)

https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1122269_10-lessons-from-the-short-life-of-the-chevy-volt-2011-2019

 

[sparks]

yeh but

In the article linked below concerning lessons learned from the life and death of the Chevy Volt, I thought these were interesting comments:

The problem, suggests auto analyst Rebecca Lindland, was that “Chevrolet is not an aspirational brand for innovators and early adopters.”​

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If such things as the first overhead valve v8, the Corvair, the Camaro, and the Corvette, the affordable and totally available BEV are not aspirational

 

[redpoint5]

It's at least as much a perception problem. Chevy has some great products, but if I were to do word association with Chevy (before the Bolt), the first words out of my mouth would have been Aveo, Impala, Sonic. I imagine most of the public associates Chevy with trucks and economy cars.

Cadillac needs a good marketing campaign to change perception that it's not just for old people, while not alienating their older base.

 

[rlhammon]

It's at least as much a perception problem. Chevy has some great products, but if I were to do word association with Chevy (before the Bolt), the first words out of my mouth would have been Aveo, Impala, Sonic. I imagine most of the public associates Chevy with trucks and economy cars.

Cadillac needs a good marketing campaign to change perception that it's not just for old people, while not alienating their older base.

This already failed... remember, the moved Cadillac to Tribeca to grab the "hip crowd" and now they have moved Cadillac back to Michigan and are trying it make it the all electric brand. This is after they tried to make the German car killer.

While I agree it's needed, they haven't shown the ability to reinvent brands or Oldsmobile, Saturn, and Pontiac might still be around.

 

[Vertiformed]

I'll admit that we bought our Chevy Bolt because it was a Bolt and absolutely not because it was a Chevy.

But I like other GM brands even less. Here's the spot for the Cadillac ELR, where they thought it would be good to have Arrowverse super-villain Damien Darhk tell us the value of pulling ourselves up by own own bootstraps to focus on materialism. From being the brand for old people, they tried to turn it into the brand for self-centered douchebags. I don't think I even realized the car was a plug in hybrid because the ad ground my gears so badly.

 

[Mister Dave]

Often you’d hear owners saying they drove a “Volt,” entirely ignoring the Chevrolet part. The problem, suggests auto analyst Rebecca Lindland, was that “Chevrolet is not an aspirational brand for innovators and early adopters.”

“It’s critical to understand the technology adoption curve, and the people who live there. Innovators and early adopters are financially secure and risk-oriented: They want luxury, and will put up with inconveniences to be seen in the first of something. But Chevy isn’t aspirational. That was GM’s first and very, very critical error.”

Automotive analysts say a lot of funny things, particularly about EVs. This article (Lindland aside) is a good example. As to Lindland's assertion I have three letters:

ELR

Not convinced? Three more then:

CT6 (hybrid)

 

[NewsCoulomb]

Automotive analysts say a lot of funny things, particularly about EVs. This article (Lindland aside) is a good example. As to Lindland's assertion I have three letters:

ELR

Not convinced? Three more then:

CT6 (hybrid)

Yup. You pretty much shut down that entire argument with six letters.

I really dislike the presumption that car buyers aren't pragmatic. The biggest reason electric vehicle adoption is as slow as it is in the United States is that consumers have been convinced (rightly or wrongly) that that current EVs are not practical or sensible for their needs. "Aspirational brands" have nothing to do with it.

 

[Mister Dave]

Yup. You pretty much shut down that entire argument with six letters.

Thanks, I appreciate the support.

I really dislike the presumption that car buyers aren't pragmatic.

With as many German luxury car buyers as we saw buying Volts (from unscientific polling), at least some of them are pragmatic. $75K for an ELR is further evidence. It's a better car in a lot of ways, but not $35-40K better. The luxury car buyers for the most part took a pass.

And that's the real shame.

P.S. An XT4 EV (mentioned in the article IIRC) would be on my short list for the next car though I'd prefer the EREV version if possible. Just don't try to ELR me. I can have the ICE version for a song by comparison.

 

[Sean Nelson]

Asked what GM learned from the Volt, she responded, “Not enough, or else the Chevy Bolt EV would have been the Cadillac XT4.”​

They wouldn't have had my sale if they'd have done that.

 

[Raymondjram]

It's at least as much a perception problem. Chevy has some great products, but if I were to do word association with Chevy (before the Bolt), the first words out of my mouth would have been Aveo, Impala, Sonic. I imagine most of the public associates Chevy with trucks and economy cars.

Cadillac needs a good marketing campaign to change perception that it's not just for old people, while not alienating their older base.

You missed the Bel-Air which is the most iconic Chevy of the fifties!

I would also add the Suburban which is the oldest model in history, and the first SUV. "The Chevrolet Suburban is a full-size SUV from Chevrolet. It is the longest continuous use automobile nameplate in production, starting in 1935 for the 1935 U.S. model year, and has traditionally been one of General Motors' most profitable vehicles."https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Suburban

 

[GregBrew]

It's at least as much a perception problem. Chevy has some great products, but if I were to do word association with Chevy (before the Bolt), the first words out of my mouth would have been Aveo, Impala, Sonic. I imagine most of the public associates Chevy with trucks and economy cars.

Cadillac needs a good marketing campaign to change perception that it's not just for old people, while not alienating their older base.

There's a reason that a small Cessna aircraft is often called the "Chevrolet of the Skies".

 

[Mister Dave]

There are some Camaro and Corvette owners who might take exception to a few of the remarks here. Maybe even some Bolt owners? I guess there are the glass half full and the glass half empty types.

The more pertinent question IMO should revolve around what happened to Cadillac. Their sales in North America are looking anemic. They haven't been able to sell more than a handful of hybrids here either. Probably why GM is doing their Cadillac EV push in China now, and not here. Cadillac sales in China are up even without any BEVs.