GM's cross-brand cannibalization continues. The inbred Lambda triplets (Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, Saturn Outlook) now have a fourth sibling: meet the Chevy Traverse. To accommodate the family shopper-required third row, it looks pudgy and pregnant the way the Enclave does, except with a giant Chevy bowtie on the front. Since Ford's Edge outsells any of the Lambdas (and almost outsells them combined) and there were issues with supply for the Enclave, GM's reasoning for introducing this crossover behemoth escapes this writer. "Because some customers want Chevy products" is not an explanation. Engines and options are the same as the other siblings. Even the name is bad: with the TrailBlazer name familiar to many, and the TrailBlazer itself in a permanent vegetative state, there's no reason for Chevy to introduce yet another new product name. But above all else: didn't GM promise to stop with the senseless rebadges?
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didn’t GM promise to stop with the senseless rebadges?
I don’t recall ever hearing anyone at GM admit that the company’s mindless compulsion to badge-engineer was part of its problem.
Yet again GM has proven that it has TOO many divisions with TOO many products that overlap with what some have called “badge-engineered” vehicles. Wonder why Pontiac and Cadallic haven’t been given one of the lambda platform vehicles yet???? I’ll bet before all is said and done GM will do just that. I still say kill Saturn (a brand i believe wasn’t needed to begin with), either Pontiac or Buick (pick one), sell Saab and Hummer. Make Chevy the enrty level brand, make pontiac OR Buick the mid level brand and make Caddy the top of the line luxury division. Stop diluting your brands with these cheap badge engineered clones.
I think I like the looks of this Lambda best of all, to be honest. But that doesn’t change the fact that the Chevy version should’ve come first and that they don’t need even three of these, let alone four.
When GM can stop endlessly rebadging all its vehicles, I’ll know that they’re finally turning things around.
I do not have a problem with four or five or more of the same vehicles. I’ll take these over a trailblazer or pickup based UV any day. I look at badge-engineering as being body kits. Same with the Aura/Malibu. Its cool with me. Wish there were a few 3- series designs on the market.
Now is it good for the company? I dunno, I don’t need to care. Although being an auto lover, I care in my own way, just I have no problem with it. Its not my company. Yea, I’m happy with the new CUV, hope they changed the interior. I wonder if I can change the interior from the buick to the traverse to the Saturn etc etc…sounds cool.
Why does GM build so MANY SUVs that are SO LARGE? Even their “small” CUVs are LARGE.
No thanks..
At least they aren’t too identical – like mid 1980s A – Bodies.
I prefer the looks of the Chevy over the other 3. Of which, the GMC and Saturn shouldn’t exist.
So when do the Saab and Suzuki versions of this turd roll out?
It is time to stop thinking about GM as a auto company that is made up of different brands. The truth of the matter is GM is auto company that has a dealer network that happen to have different names on their stores but all appear to have the exact same business model; Sell any and everything at whatever price you can get!
As far as GMs dealers themselves are concerned a Chevy, Buick, Pontiac, Saturn, and to a large degree Cadillac are all the same shit and they all deserve to have a version of each and any product GM can produce.
So when does Pontiac get its Lamdba CUV so it can successfully compete with the Chevy and Buick dealers on the same strip?
I am sure that GM and Ford combined have a larger dealer network than all other automakers in the USA combined. If I were to go CUV shopping today with a budget of $35 grand I can check out the LARGE CUVS from the follwing dealerships
Chevy
Buick
GMC
Saturn
Ford
Merucry
Lincoln
HOnda
Toyota
Nissan
Mazda
Hyundai
Mitsubishi
Here the problem while I have named 13 brands (Dealers) I can only count 8 unique products. The domestic brands only have 2 products for 7 brands. On the other hand each of the 6 different Asian brands have a totally different vehicle for you to look at.
7 brands 2 products
6 brands (companies) 6 products
Now if I test a Edge and Outlook I have zero reason to check out any of the other domestic brands. But a Highlander, Pilot, Morano, CX9, and Veracruz are all completely different from each other so I will be forced to spend the time in those dealers. If the Mazda dealer sucks it has no bearing on how I will feel about the Nissan PRODUCT, but if the Ford dealer pissed me off I am less inclined to spend any money for anything Ford so the Lincoln/ Merucry dealer might feel the pain inflicted by the Ford dealer down the block from them or even in the next county!
I think that GM is stuck in a loop of “the more, the merrier.” What else explains why they release SO many of the SAME vehicles? One of my local dealers doesn’t even bother to organize their cars anymore – the Chevys, Pontiacs, and GMs just sit side-by-side.
The distinguishing factors? The badges.
From the A-pillar back it looks exactly like the Enclave.
From the A-pillar back it is the Enclave.
Well, technically speaking it is the same as the Enclave from the front bumper back. But at least the other Lambdas were more differentiated visually.
“Well, technically speaking it is the same as the Enclave from the front bumper back.”
Nuh-uh. The Enclave has port holes, while the Traverse clearly does not.
Nuh-uh. The Enclave has port holes, while the Traverse clearly does not.
Advantage: Traverse.
I thought we defined badge engineering as just swapping grilles, a la the old tauruses and sables?
sure the drivetrain is the same but the look of the vehicles are adequately different. Do you think that the average consumer is gonna realise that these are the same cars? you’d be surprised.
Hey, thats an Enclave. Why in heck didn’t GM realize a Chevy Lambda first? Their marketing boggles the mind. The lambdas are acutally solid mid size SUVs, er I mean CUVs.
@Brendino:
If not literal badge-engineering, then at least overlap for sure. Four seven-or-eight seater large crossovers with the same platform, the same wheelbase (thought the Buick’s an inch longer), the same engines, the exterior of the Saturn and GMC look very similar and now the exterior of the Buick and Chevy look similar. I’ve said this before, but GM doesn’t fully utilize their platforms.
That’s one way to kill the Enclave’s “specialness”-release a Chevy version that looks identical to the Buick version. Why didn’t they make it look like the Saturn Outlook?
It’s the dustbuster® minivans all over again!
release a Chevy version that looks identical to the Buick version. Why didn’t they make it look like the Saturn Outlook?
I still miss Olsmobile. Even if they were tarted up Chevy’s or diluted Buick’s, they were special. Saturn is no substitute for Olsmobile.
I say GM could do us all a favor and go back to 1 car per division. Chevy could be special and have 1 car, 1 truck, AND 1 SUV.
fastest way to weed down the bloated dealer network at low cost
Chevy Impala
Chevy Colorado
Chevy Tahoe
Pontiac Solstice
Saturn Aura
Buick Enclave
Cadillac Sedan Deville (or whatever alphanumeric nonsense they use now)
Cadillac Coupe Deville (ditto)
GMC Sierra
GMC Suburban
Saab Whatever they sell now
Hummer H2/H3
And their you have a lean, organized GM.
Which will never happen.
Quote:
“So when do the Saab and Suzuki versions of this turd roll out?”
That would be right after the Hummer and the Daewoo version. GM’s Badgineering department is a bit overworked right now.
@CarShark – overlap is a more fair term. and it’s also fair to say that they could utilise this platform better. longer/shorter wheelbases, different engine choices, etc.
I thought we defined badge engineering as just swapping grilles, a la the old tauruses and sables?
That’s how I’d define badge engineering too, despite what I said in my earlier post. Someone mentioned the old GM A-bodies, and those were a prime example, too. The Lambdas are more an example of platform sharing, though I agree that more could be done to differentiate them.