Buick Isn’t Just For Old People Anymore
October 4th, 2011
Anyone who thinks General Motors Co. hasn’t changed for the better since its federally financed bankruptcy in 2009 should test drive a Buick.
Just a few years ago, Buick buyers were those who had been collecting Social Security for at least a few years.
A former Buick public relations guy once told me, half-seriously, the typical occupation of a Buick owner was “retired” and the average age was “dead.”
But the old people division of GM has sprung to life, becoming one of the hottest-selling brands in the United States.
The luxurious Buick Enclave crossover has been attracting fashionable soccer moms for several years. The stunning LaCrosse sedan is a serious competitor to Lexus.And the sporty (yes, you can now use “sporty” and “Buick” in the same sentence) new Regal GS is regaling auto writers who several years ago wouldn’t have parked a Buick in their driveways for fear of ridicule from their hip neighbors.
I had been thinking that Buick’s turnaround might make for an interesting business school case study, but the lesson is pretty simple: if you’re successful, don’t throw it away.
That’s what Buick (and much of the rest of GM) did over the past few decades.
‘The banker’s hot rod’
Buick was Lexus before Lexus was Lexus.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Buick was known for its combination of tasteful styling and high performance. Its buyers were doctors, lawyers, local bank presidents and other professionals who weren’t earning quite enough money to buy Cadillacs.
Back then, Buick was called “the banker’s hot rod” for its deceptive power under the hood.
Some of the prettiest cars GM ever produced were drawn in Buick’s design studios, including the 1953 Skylark, the 1963 Riviera and the 1938 Y-Job, considered the auto industry’s first concept car.
But Buick took a wrong turn into Blandville in the 1980s, and it nearly destroyed the brand.
When GM threw Oldsmobile and Pontiac on the scrap heap, many consumers thought the company was crazy for dumping them and keeping Buick.
Despite the fact that hardly anyone who wasn’t on Medicare considered a Buick for purchase, the brand did have several things going for it.
Buick held a reputation for reliability and quality. Its cars were sold and serviced by a strong network of dealers. And, as GM executives often pointed out, Buick was still profitable, thanks to the loyalty of its Greatest Generation buyers.
China to the rescue
In a weird twist, Buick likely was saved by China.
When GM decided to enter the Chinese market in the early 1990s, the Communist government, which had to approve the move, demanded the company sell Buicks.
While Americans had long forgotten about Buick’s lost styling and performance attributes, the Chinese hadn’t.
They remembered when Buick was the choice of government and business leaders in their country, including Pu Yi, the last emperor of China.
“In China, Buick was a revered brand,” Bob Lutz, GM’s retired vice chairman, wrote in his new book, “Car Guys vs. Bean Counters.”
Buick is back.
Source: [M Live]
