Automotive News - January 4, 2016 - Supplement - 26S

26S * JANUARY 4, 2016

BUICK
Fresh sheet metal
ends product drought
● Detroit debuts: 2016 Envision midsize
crossover; a surprise on tap?
● 2016 pipeline: Cascada convertible goes
on sale in February; Envision and redesigned
LaCrosse in summer.
● 2015 share: 1.3% (Jan.-Nov.); 1.4% (Jan.Dec. 2014)
2016 Buick
Envision

● Sales trend: Three years without a new or
redesigned entry began to take its toll in 2015
while Buick's sedan-heavy lineup has
struggled as consumer tastes tilt toward
crossovers and trucks. The Verano, Regal and
LaCrosse sedans took their lumps in 2015,
leaving the heavy lifting for two crossovers:
the subcompact Encore and large Enclave.
● Challenges: The lineup is still on the aged
side, especially in volume segments (Verano,
Regal). Enclave will be hitting its 10th birthday
by the time it gets a redesign, expected in
2017. The result has been a drop in average
transaction prices and average incentives per
vehicle that approached $5,600 at the end of
2015.
● Strategy: Evolve the long-running
"Experience the new Buick" advertising
campaign to support the launches in 2016,
starting with the Cascada. Envision will land in
the heart of a hot crossover market.
- Mike Colias

GMC
Trucking along amid redesigns, cheap fuel
● Detroit debut: Redesigned 2017 Acadia
● 2016 pipeline: Acadia in second half of year;
Canyon Denali in late 2016
● 2015 share: 3.2% (Jan.-Nov.); 3.0% (Jan.-Dec.
2014)
● Sales trend: It's good to be a truck brand amid
$2-per-gallon gasoline. Recent redesigns of the
Sierra, Yukon and Canyon hit at the right time and
have helped lift transaction prices and lower
2017 Canyon Denali
incentive spending.
● Challenges: GMC must find a way to squeeze out more Canyon midsize pickups.
The Terrain, GMC's No. 2 nameplate behind Sierra, is long-in-the-tooth at a time
when rivals are bringing their A games to the compact crossover segment.
● Strategy: Record marketing spend from '14 will go even higher as GM pushes to
gain market share with its high-margin truck marque. Brand chief Duncan Aldred
says GMC is ahead of schedule on its goal of boosting U.S. market share to 4% by
2019 through new products and heavier marketing.
- Mike Colias

Lighter weight. Lower cost.

Higher performance.
2016 ForTwo convertible

SMART
New variants coming

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Elevate your performance with Continental Structural Plastics.

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● Detroit debuts: None
● 2016 pipeline: The redesigned
ForTwo convertible will go on sale
in early summer. The electric-drive
version of the redesigned ForTwo
reaches dealers near the end of
the year.
● New faces: Mercedes-Benz
USA's relocation to Atlanta last
summer meant the consolidation
of some executive responsibilities.
The position of general manager of
Smart USA, held
by Mark
Webster, was
eliminated and
Webster
assumed new
responsibilities
for MBUSA in
the Northeast
region. Smart's
Nolte
oversight has
been consolidated under Mike
Nolte, general manager of sales
management and volume planning
for Mercedes-Benz and Smart.
● 2015 share: 0.04% (Jan.-Nov.);
0.1% (Jan.-Dec. 2014)
● Sales trend: Smart's sales
continue to drop, despite a
redesigned ForTwo that went on
sale in September. Volume slipped
28% in the first 11 months of
2015.
● Challenges: With cheap gasoline
and SUVs and crossovers
increasingly dominating the
market, demand has lagged for the
tiny Smart.
● Strategy: Smart is launching two
variants of the redesigned ForTwo
in 2016 - a convertible this
summer and an electric version
near the end of the year. But it
won't do a crossover variant. Smart
aims to focus on delivering extra
conveniences in large cities -
guiding drivers to open parking
spots or smartphone-aided car
sharing - as a bid to win more
buyers.
- Amy Wilson

http://www.cspplastics.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Automotive News - January 4, 2016 - Supplement

Nouveau riche collides with old money at Cobo
Cadillac's edgy exterior styling evolves
Design boss Wagener maps out M-B's turnaround
Chevrolet, Toyota raise game in green battle
FCA designer Gilles: People should order their cars
A new minivan and a few sedans
Challenging tasks ahead
Ain't no mountain high enough
Big car launches pose test
Betting on NSX glory
Crossovers are crucial
Flying fashionably under the radar
Bigger, more luxurious
Heating up in '16
Hitch revival on a crossover
Fresh sheet metal ends product drought
New variants coming
Trucking along amid redesigns, cheap fuel
Striving for the luxury crown, again
The good times just keep rolling
Treading water with a stylish life jacket
Onward to luxury cars
Performance overtakes lost volume
Banking on a first: An ultraluxury crossover
Bargain brand no more
Turbos, high-end luxury in the mix
A few big launches in '16, then a lull
Rebooting with an SUV
Waiting for more trucks
Charging up the cheaper EV
Content, volume, profit focus
Major launches on deck
A major truck launch holds the key
Keep the momentum going and win back share
New global boss for growing automaker
Building on Continental buzz
Crucial launches are on the horizon
Ready to fly solo
Crossovers keep sales surge rolling
Finally, some fresh products
Riding the light-truck wave
A new Dawn, crossover
Banking on new models
Key launch year ahead
Selling style and story, but not cars
Waiting for an SUV
Former Detroit stars (and where they are now)

Automotive News - January 4, 2016 - Supplement