Aveo's future uncertain. Will GM keep or drop the name for North America?

[MetroMPG]

Send your love letters to Mark Reuss, GM President of North America - the man who 'may' kill the Aveo... (see post #20)

GM seems to be waffling. Will they or won't they?

I thought the name debate was over after the launch of the next gen production Aveo in Paris, but apparently the speculation is back on again:

This morning the Detroit Free Press says:

Two sources say GM executives are talking about changing the Aveo's name before it launches next year.

...

The name of the first car they'll assemble [at Orion Assembly] is now in question, according to two people briefed on the matter.

GM declined to comment Wednesday on the Aveo name change.

GM is seeking to erase consumers' memories of the former Aveo's cheap appearance by making the upcoming Aveo a more attractive vehicle.

The name change could help disassociate the new subcompact from the former Aveo.

source: http://www.freep.com/article/2010100...abor-situation

[MetroMPG]

On the other side of the debate, Autoblog commented back in May that the Aveo name was a keeper owing to the massive cost of re-branding:

the cost of launching an all-new brand, [...] is estimated at $100 million

That article was mostly about Chrysler deciding to keep the Sebring model name, but it ended by saying,

This isn't the first time we've heard of an automaker retaining a tainted brand because of the high cost of marketing a new one. General Motors opted to keep the Aveo name for its new B-segment Chevrolet that's arriving next year for that very reason.

source: http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/13/c...until-all-new/

[petrified.rabbit]

we need a different name to match the higher asking price..

[MetroMPG]

If it were a matter of matching the name to the price, wouldn't they "transfer" the Aveo name to the upcoming Spark, which will become GM's new entry level car?

Besides, it's typical for existing models to grow from one generation to the next in terms of size, features, price & presumably desirability.

---

I'm trying to think of another example of a car name that might not have been well loved by the general population, but went on to gain wide respect after a redesign. Not coming up with much.

Except the entire Hyundai lineup

[MetroMPG]

FYI, GM's last official U.S. marketing about the "next Aveo" was just last month, talking about the debut at the Paris show:

http://media.chevrolet.com/content/m...Sept/0908_aveo

[petrified.rabbit]

I'm trying to think of another example of a car name that wasn't well loved by the general population, but went on to gain more respect after a redesign. Not coming up with much.

Except the entire Hyundai lineup

the lumina ? haha..

i cant REALLY think of one, hyundai got rid of all of theirs, except the accent, the first few years of accent were terrible. but their faults pale in comparison to the excel ? that everyone thinks of. Total redesigns while retaining the names are usually held to "higher line" american cars, japanese and european cars. Thinking corvette, mustang, 3 series, civic, jetta.. etc. But even the cavalier name was dropped because gm wanted a better image for younger buyers for its "next generation" and renamed it cobalt.
i'm sure there is other reasons too.. but that was the basic belief. Turn it from a 3 musketeer to a gem.

If it were a matter of matching the name to the price, wouldn't they "transfer" the Aveo name to the upcoming Spark, which will become GM's new entry level car?

i could easily see them just sticking a cruze hatch sticker/badge on it, since its the "new" car to the market. I think transformers or whoever paid for the marketing of the spark, beat, and whatever that other car was..

I dont know, the marketing divisions of gm etc seem very fly by night lately though too. They are all hunting cheap ways to give of a new image, etc. but without doing anything.

[Avezoh]

Volkswagen Beetle, Ford Taurus, Jaguar XJ6, to name a few that either the manufacturer brought up to snuff, or the public changed their perspective on.


Steve

[MetroMPG]

Maybe Malibu too?

The latest one has gotten a really good reception. But that's a name with way more history than Aveo.

[Avezoh]

As to a "higher" level name look no further than the Taurus example above. Went from a low to low medium priced car for twenty plus years to the car we have now which starts at high medium price. With the change to domestic production, upsizing, and with a model with performance overtones, Chevrolet has a chance to transform the image associated with the name Aveo. I see no need, at this point, when logos, medallions, literature, signage, etc. have already presumably been started in the works for GM to shoot themselves in the foot with an unnecessary name switch and with the resultant costs that would come with it. Instead, go on a massive advertising mission emphasizing the move up the ladder the Aveo is making and point out the domestic plant revitalized just to produce it here in the States. The first implication is that the Aveo has come a long way, The second is that it's as American as baseball. The third is that much needed jobs , if not having been created, at least are preserved with bringing the brand home to the U.S. Great public relations and it puts the car square in the public eye which will bite into all the fanfare surrounding the Mexican built Fiesta and the Italian ( or Polish, and for US bound versions- Mexican ) built Fiat 500 ( although arguably that car is in Sparky territory marketwise ). By sticking with the name, if Chevy markets the loyalty angle right, they are showing a commitment to developing quality and local content. Potential customers will lap that up.arrghhh- plunder the buying public booty maties!

Steve

[MetroMPG]

Well, after reading the latest GM press release about the Orion production facility (posted a few minutes ago), my money is on GM dropping the name.

They've stopped referring by name to the Chevy that will be built there. They're just calling it "Chevrolet's new small car" - but tellingly, they do name the Buick that will be built alongside it:

Orion will be the home to Chevrolet’s new small car and Buick’s future compact sedan – the all-new Verano

...

No further details on production or timing for the Verano and Chevrolet’s new small car are available at this time.

source: http://media.chevrolet.com/content/m...007_lake_orion