Three GM plants have been put on the chopping block and will close in the next few months. By the end of 2019, we will be losing several different GM models.
In a similar move to what the chief competitor, Ford, announced earlier this year, GM is making a move away from some of the sedans that it builds in the North American market to put a focus on models that produce profits at a higher rate, which means more SUVs for the future.
The Models Leaving the Market from GM
The three plants that are going to be deleted from the GM portfolio includes the Chevrolet Volt, Chevrolet Cruze, Chevrolet Impala, Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac CT6, and Cadillac XTS. These models will begin to leave the market starting in March 2019 and continue to be deleted until the end of the year. This means we are going to have a seriously reduced portfolio of sedans from the GM brands and have fewer choices to make when looking for the next car to drive and experience on the road.
Does this Spell the End of the Line for All These Models?
The Cadillac CT6 is built and sold in China and in Korea, which means this large luxury sedan could continue to be offered in these other markets to keep this name around. The Buick LaCrosse is also produced in Korea and sold in China, which means it could easily be another model that would make sense to keep in foreign markets. Both of these cars have only been on the market since 2017, making them youthful and a waste if they were to be deleted entirely.
The Chevrolet Cruze is also sold and assembled in many international plants, which means this car could continue onward as well. The Impala is a different story. This car is only built in Michigan and Ontario which means the plant closures might spell the end of the Impala. It is possible that the Chevrolet Malibu will be the only midsize or larger sedan offered by Chevrolet going forward. The Cadillac XTS will likely suffer the same fate as the Impala as these plants begin to close and we see fewer models offered in the GM sedan lineup. The future of the models that are being deleted is hard to determine, many models have been brought back to the market after a hiatus, but that requires a demand for them.
A new Product Portfolio isn’t Ready Yet
It may be a little while before we see a new portfolio of the products that will be offered from GM for the future, but you can bet it will include a large number of SUVs. With the reduction of models in the market over the next year, we’re going to see more profitable models remain in the market, which may be one reason the Chevrolet Malibu appears to be able to continue forward and be the single midsize sedan offered from Chevrolet for the drive we can enjoy.
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