As far as I can see not much. Why are there two? Wouldn’t the price come down if they just merged into one? I have always to know this.
There isn’t any difference other than name and a few cosmetic differences. The base price is the same. Years ago, GMC was different and was considered “better” than Chev. GMC was even a different truck. I suspect that the reason there are still two is because of the personal preferences of the buying public. Some may not “like” GMC but they do like Chevrolet, and vise versa.
The reason there are two is because Chevrolet doesn’t want to let go of the nameplate and other GM dealers (Buick, Pontiac, Oldsmobile) can’t sell Chevrolets. But no, the price wouldn’t come down.
Anyone else remember when Plymouth tried selling small pickups, then gave it up and yielded that market back to Dodge?
The GMC is less formal - no bowtie!
And now classic Plymouth pickups are quite rare and worth a pretty penny to a restorer.
–Tim
This is called “Badge Engineering.” Well, we call it Badge Engineering; marketing types may call it something else. Consider that every vehicle has its target market, either due to historical significance of the brand (kind of like Oldsmobile), or because of the different appointments available to a vehicle (you know, options, including “prestige” of the name).
This means, for example, GM could build a single vehicle (let’s call it the H-Car). They can then change the name and a little bit of the plastic, and market the nearly identical H to three different markets. Thus until recently, the H provided a Buick (LeSabre), a Pontiac (Bonneville), and an Oldsmobile (Delta 88). I used to have an old H-Bonneville, but I would never have had any of the other two – the “badge engineering” ensured the Bonnie hit my market niche, whereas the two other identical cars did not. GM and Ford and Daimler all do this with most of their brands. Cadallac (GM) used to be the only exception, but even now it’s sharing one of its platforms with the new Pontiac Bonneville.
As per cost, no. For example, the GMC Yukon XL (formerly the GMC Suburban) and the Chevy Suburban roll off the same assembly line in Silao, MX. Their body shop process (i.e., how they are made) is identical. Some of the body panels (the sheet metal) are slightly different between the two brands, but PLCs (computers) dicatate what brand a certain body is, and the operator either grabs a part from the “Chevy” rack or the “GMC” rack.
While this may make manufacturing just slightly more expensive, it’s more than made up for in the fact that both can roll off of the same line, and be sold to essnetially TWO DIFFERENT MARKETS! To further benefit things, you’d be surprised how many people really don’t know that GM encompasses so many “brands”: GMC, Checy, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Buick, et al.
Ford, on the other hand, isn’t as extreme in its badge engineering. This results in higher profit margins, but fewer sales. The Taurus (Ford) and the Sable (Mercury), for example, are identical, but not marketed differently enough and don’t have different enough equipment to affect different markets in the way the H-Car example above does. Thus, while GM may sell a heck of a lot more vehicles, and make more money, they don’t generate the same returns as does Ford.
As a consumer, I prefer what GM does as far as choices and options. As an employee, I would have to recommend Ford. I’ve never worked for Daimler, so I can’t say anything about them.
Let us not forget the infamous Cimarron. Let’s put power windows and leather seats in a Cavalier and pretend its a Cadillac!
Cimmaron! HA! Just wait till 91 and buy a Z24. Then you got the leather and full power for only a (I think) 1500 option, INCLUDING a V6! :rolleyes: Cimmaron was stupid.
Then there’s Chrysler’s infamous K-Car. The K-Car was an 80’s platform that took over literally ALL of Chrysler’s platforms. It’s considered the car that saved Chrysler. It was the base for the Shadow, Sundance, Acclaim, Spirit, 600, E-class, Daytona, first-generation minivan, LeBaron, Reliant, Aries, Executive, Limousine, Saratoga, Caravelle, and many others.
List of cars stolen from here.
–Tim
Just in case you guys didn’t know: Diamler-Chrysler is killing off the Plymouth line. All of the cars with the Plymouth name have been either discontinued or re-named as Dodges or Chryslers. Remember the Plymouth Seabring (sp?)? It’s now the Chrysler Seabring.
Luckily, only a single Plymouth dealership exists (all other Plymouths sold out of Dodge or Chrysler dealers) so very few people, if any, will lose their jobs. IIRC it is in Ohio and is going to be rebadged as a Chrysler dealership.
A sad day for classic car fans. Roadrunner, Duster, we hardly knew ye.
–Tim
They may not lose their jobs because of Plymouth, but plenty of Daimler-Chrysler employees are about to get layed off. According to what I heard on the news, a full one-third of Chrysler’s employees might be affected :eek: Plus, remember about all of the allied industries that will be affected. Parts makers, steel workers, machinists, car dealers; this will affect a lot of other people’s jobs indirectly. Interesting how Chrysler’s troubles started right after it got taken over by Daimler. One might be tempted to think that the Germans in charge can’t find their asses with both hands and a flashlight.