When one thinks of American automobiles, General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) and Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) are probably the top two names on the list that comes to mind. With a long running, and sometimes, not so friendly rivalry between the two companies, it’s hard not to think of these two first. Now, General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) is hoping to get a leg up in the automotive market, by announcing plans to develop 6 new models to be debuted in the next 12 months, throughout its GMC and Buick brand names.
The competition between GMC and Ford has been going on since before I was born, and I remember their slogans and commercials, which aired when I was young. I can remember Bob Seger singing “Like A Rock”, touting GM’s Chevy line of pickup trucks, and Alan Jackson performing an altered rendition of “Mercury Blues”, which boasted of Ford’s F series’ appeal. I can also remember the hats my friends dads would wear around town, touting slogans, such as; “I’d rather push my Chevy than Drive your Ford.” All of this friendly rivalry has been going on for years.
Now, it seems that General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) has plans to boost some of it product lines, and has already begun teasing the public with blacked out silhouettes of the new models, which they will be offering in a revamped style over the next 12 months.
These new models will be in the GMC and Buick lines, which are not GM’s strongest divisions. The Buick division will be getting the following two models; Buick Regal and Buick Lacrosse. GMC will be showcasing four new models in its lineup, including a new GMC Yukon, GMC Sierra HD tuck, GMC Sierra truck, and a new GMC Yukon XL. The GMC truck line is very similar to its Chevrolet trucks, which carry nearly identical features to the GMC line.
GMC has also announced plans to reintroduce its GMC Canyon, which is a midsize pickup truck, however, it is not listed in the models which they plan to offer in the next twelve months. This complete revamping of the two lines means that their oldest models will date back to 2010. This means their entire lineup has been revamped in two years, which may give the company a much needed leg up in the near future.
The U.S. automaker’s industry has been struggling as a whole in recent years, and has only recently begun to show signs of a comeback. The automaker’s union is also fighting a battle in Canada to have wages similar to those available for U.S. workers, available for car makers in that country as well. As we reported, Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) is leading negotiations at the moment for all of the car makers involved.
Watching General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) revamp its lines, and especially the Buick line, could mean there are brighter days ahead for U.S. automakers. We reported yesterday that Japanese car makers are suffering in China, due to disagreements between the two countries regarding a set of islands, which both countries lay claim to, in the South China Sea. These disagreements have led to a boost in U.S. car sales in China, as Japanese brands have suffered. One can only think that GM is looking to capitalize on this situation with its new models.