Isuzu is partially owned by GM too. So much for your argument.

As for Suzuki, as long as the folks at Suzuki really wants to keep making cars, their profitable motorcycle division will keep the auto division afloat.

 

Both Ford and GM are carrying huge amounts of debt -- in the billions. You'll see a couple of brands being cut there. I just don't see the logic of making the same vehicle for 2 or 3 different brands. Why? It's the same vehicle with the same drivetrains, just different option packages. In my opinion it's a huge waste of money.

 

Making the same vehicle for 2 to 3 different brands isn't the problem, its making them and overlapping them pricewise where they compete with one another is the problem.

Example: Chevy Impala LS, Buick Regal LS, and Pontiac Grand Prix GT. All same platform, same 200hp 3.8L OHV V6, and same $25k msrp starting price. Sure each one is a different "brand" with cosmetic and ride differnce but its not that hard to imagine them competing with one another since most consumer starts out buying their cars based on price.

Compare this to say the Camry and ES300 and see how the ES300 is a step up from the Camry quality and price-wise and how they do not compete with each other.

 

I think that Mini will still be around in 2015...how strong? I can't say.

Saab has the loyal following...if they stick with the new 9-3 design Saab will be fine.

Mitsu. is doing well now because they practically give their cars away. Any person with two consecutive pay stubs can go get a Mitsubishi car or truck with no money down, now payments for a year while interest accrues and when they start paying on it a year later the amount they owe is 1.5 times the value of the car...they will be stuck with that car forever the resale will never match the value of the car so there is no trade in (most dealers won't take a Mitsu in trade unless the owner has the title) Chances are the car will fall apart before the owner is done paying for it. Not to mention the people that Mitsu. finances are not the highest credit worthy individuals out there. With this business model I cannot see Mitsu. surviving.

 

BMW already has plans to expand the MINI line. Including a drop top version, a performance version, and also a 4 door version. There is even talk of a MINI truck version as well as a MINI station wagon.

These were all done with the Mini and to me they seem to be following the natural proression that the Mini took with the MINI.

BTW over 100K MINIs have been sold thus far.

 

I seriously doubt Saab is in all that much danger. Most people, myself included, think the new 9-3 is a huge leap forward from its predecessor. In fact, most dealers are already puting people on waiting lists which is not typical for Saab.

 

I agree, Saab is here to stay. They have a lot of backing, and making the car more conventional will end up bringing in more buyers as opposed to alienating previous enthusiasts.

Babingatron (I'm still calling you that, your Eternal RSXness and Troopa-R names are :ghey: ), Isuzu is partially owned by GM, but my point was that each company will have money being poured into it, as long as they still wish to build passenger cars. Isuzu made the decision without any influence from GM.

 

Let's go back to 88 and guess what brands would be around today. Would our guesses be too far off? Seriously, things change so quickly, that anything could happen.

 

Alright Big Man... change it back to Babingatron then. I dare ya. :fawk: (Come on... I couldn't have been the only person to think that "Babs" was the gayest nickname ever. )

As for Isuzu. I agree that they tried and failed with Axiom to reach a broader market. But I don't see why the GM is pouring money into them argument can't apply to Isuzu. Let's see how the new Ascender does in the market. Most likely, it'll be craptacular and die, but this is America - where Aztek owners are the most satisfied car buyers, the Toyota Camry manages to outsell the competition year in and year out, and folks just don't "get" diesel. Anything can happen.

 

From what I heard Mercury, Plymouth, and Oldsmobile are gone or will be gone very soon. Daewoo is dead. Isuzu and Suzuki will be gone by then also. I dont see Saturn sticking around for much longer either. The cars are subpar and dont sell well at all. Mitsubishi isnt going anywhere, I read somewhere that out of all the car companies out now that they have the youngest average customer age out of all of the car companies, which is big. The MINI will survive, I think.

Now with the whole same car under three different names thing: remember the whole van craze back in the day? What is the point of having the:
Plymouth Voyager
Dodge Caravan
Chrysler Grand Caravan
when they are all the same? I never understood this.