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Originally Posted by Pravus Prime
Yeah, but take a look at all the upset VUE owners. That can really damage the brand view (Only slight pun intended) in the eyes of future consumers (Who, as we see from reports, do most of their research online before ever visiting a dealer). You have people who are returning it after purchasing it, people outraged at the poor MPGs, and others wishing they hadn't bought the hybrid technology already.
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Other than on this site and a couple other "hybrid savvy" forums, I have not seen the level of dis-satisfaction that you are noting. It obviously exists among people who have a pre-conceived notion that hybrid = Prius level fuel efficiency or double digit mpg improvement (in real mpg, not %). The BAS Green Line is not targeted at those people. Even on this site, I'm seeing about a 50 / 50 like it / don't like it split amongst owners. Obviously not what I'd personally like to see, but again, this site is not a barometer for the general buying public. Quite honestly, the VGL seems to be selling very well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pravus Prime
If they had waited and released them together, the 2 mode for people who want some serious MPGs, and BAS for people who don't want to fork out the dough, it would be a different story; and probably a neat innovative idea. Since they were so far behind in the game, why they didn't seems puzzling to me.
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In this business tough decisions are made all the time. Many are good ones, some are not. Typically if you have a product ready for launch, you launch. There is very rarely any benefit to delaying a launch. Given the two radically different target markets, launching VGL when it launched makes perfect sense. Time will tell if it is the right decision.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pravus Prime
Seems to me that GM is taking a serious risk damaging the way people look at GM hybrids. A once burned approach is enough for most consumers when it comes to cars and manufacturers. It's bad enough when people won't buy the Big 3 because of a model they didn't like in the '80's, but to tell them just a few months later that they've improved both seems like a giant slap in the face to current owners and an act of deception at the hands of GM Execs.
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Not certain I really understand the
BLUE part, particularly the underlined part. Not clear where the deception came in. I do get and appreciate your point wrt the '80s. The VGL has always been described as a mild hybrid with modest fuel economy improvement at a low price. The 2-Mode has always been discussed as a high tech potentially high cost system that will deliver world class fuel economy improvements. The only issue
not disclosed was (and remains) full detail on which vehicles will get BAS and which vehicles will get 2-Mode. That's plain and simple Product Planning 101. Don't tip your hand on future product until it suits you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pravus Prime
In addition, they're also facing the damage done by Who Killed the Electric Car; it's not really a good time to take too many miss steps.
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I won't really comment on this because I haven't seen it. I also only know a handful of people who have seen it. Their view of GM seems to be unchanged by that. (These are people who do not work for GM, some drive GM cars, others don't)
Peace,
Martin