Chevy Gmc
Gm Doesn’t C? a Swot Analysis of Gmc
In today’s economy, with skyrocketing gas prices and an uncertain political landscape, American consumers are turning more and more to gas saving vehicles. GM has given the public a taste of its long-term strategy regarding this issue with the recent news that it will be closing its Hummer division. The goal of this writing is to provide a simple SWOT analysis of GM’s other truck division, GMC. The reader can draw his or her own conclusions, but I believe it to be clear that GM may want to go consider going another direction with this profitable yet gas-guzzling division.
Over 100 years ago, when there were hundreds of small companies dotting the landscape of the American auto industry, the then fledgling General Motors acquired a small commercial truck manufacturer named Rapid Motor Vehicle Company. Around the same time, GM also purchased a small car company named Reliance Motor Car Company. These two companies would soon be merged to form the GMC Truck division. Since then, GMC has gone on to become one of the best known, most reliable, and most popular truck manufacturers in the world. With that brief background, we begin our SWOT analysis.
As already noted above, GMC is a very popular brand name. We see GMC trucks everyday as we drive to work. We see them in peoples’ yards, their beds filled with mulch as landscapers work nearby on pretty flower beds. This is GMC’s greatest strength. This notoriety has led to GMC being GM’s second best selling division behind Chevrolet. Their trucks are also strong and durable. They are marketed to people who will use trucks as they were intended to be used. In this respect, they’ve carved themselves a sizeable niche. Another strength, believe it or not, is gas mileage. While still a V-8 guzzler, GMC and Chevy have the best EPA fuel estimates of all domestic trucks.
Let’s move on to weaknesses. As I see it there are two glaring weaknesses for GMC. The first is the public perception that it GMC is the same as Chevy. This is hard to dispute as, save for a few minor cosmetic differences, the trucks are largely the same. This includes engine and package choices. One merely needs to visit each of their websites to view the minute differences. I literally built the same truck on each site. The only difference, of course, is the badge. The other major weakness for GMC is the fact that in an increasingly penny-pinching, fuel sipping society, all they make is trucks for the consumer. With sales for trucks and SUVs dropping like a penny from the Empire State Building, they are in danger of finding themselves going the way of the dodo bird. As we have seen recently with Hummer and in the not too distant past with Oldsmobile, GM is clearly not afraid to part ways with well established brands to help their bottom line.
And now for opportunities. It’s pretty hard to change perceptions when for generations, you’ve been known strictly as a truck company. You’re associated with big engines, muddy trails, and construction sites. Luckily, GM has an ace up their sleeve. That ace is hybrid technology. GMC has already integrated hybrid technology into their lineup of vehicles. A strong emphasis on this technology would show the consumer that while GMC is a truck company, they are also forward thinking and environmentally conscious. They are “going green”, to use one of todays buzz words. Another opportunity for GMC lies in the SUV market. They have long been entrenched in this market, but they now have the ability to appeal to a wider demographic. Soccer moms now seem to prefer the SUV over the mini-van even with rising gas prices. A quick review of GMC’s website shows that many of their SUVs are in fact luxurious but still utilitarian. Additional opportunities exist to make strides in the compact SUV market where GMC has yet to get its feet wet.
Naturally, there are numerous threats in the light-duty truck market. The market is flooded with trucks from all manufacturers claiming to have the highest payload or the most horse power. How do you differentiate? To this point, GMC has countered this threat fairly well with their “Professional Grade Trucks” ad campaign. A brilliant piece of marketing given the surplus of trucks and advertisements currently on the market. With the well known Ford F-150 having been the top seller for decades, and foreign manufacturers with their already stellar reputations for quality entering the market in recent years, it may become increasingly hard for this American icon to stay competitive. Time will tell.
About the Author
Dan Abbonizio
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GMC : Suburban 96 CHEVY SUBURBAN LOWRIDER $3,500.00 |
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Chevrolet : El Camino 1987 GMC Caballero/El Camino 47,735 Miles Unmolested Survivor $4,550.00 |
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Chevrolet : Suburban suburban LT 2011 Gmc Suburban LT Burgandy over tan leather Only 8800 miles. Wow like New $16,100.00 |
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GMC : Suburban 1972 GMC SUBURBAN 2500 3/4 TON 4X4 *LIFTED* RARE MUST SEE!!! CHEVY CHEVROLET $11,600.00 |
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GMC : Sierra 3500 4X4 DUMP 1999 GMC SIERRA 3500 SL 7.4L 4X4 DUMP TRUCK 1-OWNR ONLY 27,540 MILES NO RESERVE! $10,000.00 |
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GMC : Other 3/4 ton 1966 GMC Chevrolet Stepside Longbed Pickup Truck 3/4 ton Classic Chevy Antique $3,000.00 |
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Chevrolet : C-10 1970 GMC Chevrolet C-10 Shortbed hotrod truck $7,000.00 |
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GMC : Sierra 2500 NO RESERVE GMC CHEVY 2500HDSLE CREW CAB $2,851.00 |
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GMC : Acadia SLT/XR 08 GMC Acadia SLT AWD/Saturn Outlook XR AWD!! LOADED!! 8 PSNGR!! Chevy Traverse! $16,400.00 |
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GMC : Sierra 1500 CUSTOM WITH CST TRIM PACKAGE 1971 GMC CUSTOM 1500,CHEVY CST. 1/2 TON*** LOW MILES***SURVIVER!!!! NICE $8,500.00 |
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GMC : Other Custom 1970 GMC Custom C15 all original. C10 Chevy 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 will trade $2,500.00 |
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GMC : Sierra 1500 Sierra 1976 Chevy GMC 4×4 SHORTBOX SIERRA GRANDE V8 LOW MILES FAMILY OWNED $2,627.00 |
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GMC : Sierra 1500 GMC SIERRA Z-71 4×4 STEPSIDE $5,000.00 |
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Chevrolet : Pickup 1986 CHEVY C10 SILVERADO 1 OWNER 49K ORIGINAL MILES ! LOADED ! ORIGINAL ! $6,072.00 |
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GMC : Sierra 1500 CUSTOM 1987 CHEVY GMC 1500 4X4 SHORTBED LIFTED MONSTER SHOW TRUCK $13,900.00 |
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GMC : Other 1966 gmc/chevy pickup truck nice $3,995.00 |
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GMC : Jimmy GMC Jimmy / Chevy Blazer Monster truck Custom Heavy Duty Mudder $10,000.00 |
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GMC : Sierra 2500HD SLT SLT, Z71 4X4, 6.6 DURAMAX DIESEL, POWER STEPS, NAV CAMERA $25,000.00 |
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Isuzu : Other ISUZU CHEVROLET GMC W3500 DIESEL 6 TON, 12 FT BOX TRUCK MOVING VAN WITH LIFTGATE $7,000.00 |
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Chevrolet : C-10 WE SHIP W/W! 1971=GMC=RARE SIERRA GRANDE=FACTORY AC=RESTORED=LQQK!!! $8,000.00 |
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GMC : Sierra 1500 SLE 1998 GMC/Chevrolet 1500 Ext. Cab $6,000.00 |
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GMC : Jimmy SLS Family Owned No Reserve v6 4×4 Same As Oldsmobile Bravada Chevy Blazer GMC Envoy $1,925.00 |
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Chevrolet : C-10 1966 Chevy GMC $5,000.00 |
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Chevrolet : C-10 1970 CUSTOM CHEVY/GMC C-10 SWB FLEETSIDE SHORT BOX PICK-UP TRUCK $5,000.00 |
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GMC : Sierra 3500 sl 3500 hd 2001 gmc chevrolet 3500 hd duramax diesel flat bed one ton $3,550.00 |
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GMC : Pickup Sierra Classic Camper Special 1985 GMC CREW CAB 3500 $1,550.00 |
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Chevrolet : Blazer chevy gmc suv truck blazer jimmy 4×4 4.3 v6 $202.50 |
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GMC : Suburban K2500 1999 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN LT 2500 BIG BLOCK 454 4WD FRESH TRADE RUNS GREAT $5,275.00 |
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Chevrolet : Express 15 PASSENGER 2006 GMC SAVANA 3500 EXTENDED 15 PASSENGER VAN ONE OWNER CLEAR CARFAX $9,900.00 |
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Chevrolet : C-10 4X4 K10 C15 CLEAN & SOLID GMC SIERRAC/K 1500! 100 PICS V8 350 RALLYS, HARD TO FIND CLASSIC!! $1,175.00 |