My last two companies have bought  minivans instead of their cousin panel vans because they use it to not only move equipment, but also sometimes use the full seating capacity to move employees.    So there is definitely a “professional” market out there for it.

Hell, I've seen what smallish families can do to a minivan.  I have no doubt some families NEED a professional grade minivan too.

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You know the more I read this thread and the reasoning many of you have, I do see the advantage to GMC having the minivan. While I personally have vowed to never own one, I would admit a Denali version does sound interesting. I'm starting to see the light a bit more on this and with the B-P-G dealership combos, it could work.

Z28Luvr1, your comment to my last post also made sense and you did have a very good commercial concept.

Please tell me the new 09 minivans aren't going to look like that puke on wheels thing on the main page! Gosh the current one looks 10 times better and i'm not a huge fan of those either.

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I sure as hell hope not. It seems pretty short to be a useful minivan

Someone said Buick is too upscale for a minivan.  I disagree.  If Chrysler isn't then Buick isn't and in Europe, Mercedes Benz offers the Vito, whichi s a biggish mini van.  If MB isn't too upscale for a mini van, Buick certainly is not.  But GM needs to get the product right, and then a Buick (and Chevy) dealership can sell it.

Just because somebiody else does it, doesn’t make it right.

I don’t know what its like elsewhere, but I hardly see any Chrysler minoivans on the road. Pretty much all the DCX minivans I see on the road are Dodges, so I really don’t see a point in a buick version

Buick should have the Minivan.  GMC should be trucks, crossovers, and SUVs.  If this is a traditional minivan it should move to the tri-shields.

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I disagree. A minivan doesn't fit the supposed image of Buick's brand at all. That said, it doesn't fit GMC or Pontiac's brands, either. It's troubling to me that GM will still stick a product where it sees there isn't one just to fill the segment. The B-P-G channel shouldn't have a minivan at all, simply because it's not within the respective brands images or nature. I still think Buick should have stayed standalone, with GMC and Pontiac grouped together. Saturn should have a premium compliement to Chevy's minivan. There's no need for GM to have more than two minivans, and Chevy and Saturn should get them.

DOes LEXUS sell a minivan?  NOPE!  They sell the RX-330, which Buick will offer the Enclave to compete against it.  I wouldn't consider what's sold in Europe as a basis for what should be sold in NA... and Chrysler needs the Town & Country as it's their bread & butter (much like the pickups & suvs are GM's bread & butter). 

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I feel the same way. If Buick is to be the value alternative to Lexus, then mimick Lexus' product line, damnit.

I do not wish to offend the Buick fans here, as I respect a few of them, but Buick probably does not have much of an upscale image anymore among the general public.  A GMC Sorrano (rumored name) Denali minivan may sell at a higher price and in higher quantities than a Buick minivan would.

Buick first needs to rebuild its image with a good powerful RWD sedan, but that's not coming until at least 2011.

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Well, I'm a huge Buick fan, and I'm not offended. Also, I respect and agree with most of your posts. However, I don't think Buick needs a minivan. You're right; Buick doesn't have an upscale image anymore, but it certainly won't start to rebuild one by introducing a new minivan. And though the RWD sedan won't come until after 2010, giving Buick a minivan, even as a stopgap vehicle (G5, anyone?) is a huge mistake, IMHO. The only reason I continue to rant about them being grouped in the B-P-G channel is because they could have easily had a nice, standalone showroom. The EPII Lacrosse (surely to be an ES killer), a Commodore based Lucerne, and a Caprice based Roadmaster (or whatever flagship name you choose), along with the Enclave, Theta Buick, and Velite would have made a complete lineup that would have done well. Unfortunately, GM let the brand flounder presumably beyond salvation (which is why it's part of the sales channel now), and that's a DAMN SHAME. I think GMC (should only be trucks/SUVS), and Pontiac (should only be RWD perforamce cars) would have made a great compliment for each other. I think Saturn's new Olds position will work well for it, and that it's makes sense for them to get a Town & Country compeitor.

Saturn will get a minivan, but not a Lambda, something shared with Opel and more in tune with the new brand character. And no, I don't mean the compact Zafira.

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I take it you mean a Vectra-based (i.e. Ford Galaxy rival) version, correct? I think Saturn should get Meriva and Zafira federalized and send them here as the Saturn MON and Transponder. Wait-isn't the Lucerne Zeta based on the Statesman/Caprice full-size version or the mid-size Commodore version?

Wait-isn't the Lucerne Zeta based on the Statesman/Caprice full-size version or the mid-size Commodore version?

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I'm under the impression it's under the Commodore. I know that there were talks a while back of the Caprice coming over to underpin a large RWD Buick, but from what I understand, those plans have been scrapped. Buick should get both, IMHO.

The Lucerne Zeta probably will look nothing like the Holdens and will be a RWD sedan about the same size as the current Lucerne.

Well, here's a thought why not build the GMC PAD Concept? I loved it. The Lambda minivan could be made similar to the PAD.

Well, here's a thought why not build the GMC PAD Concept? I loved it. The Lambda minivan could be made similar to the PAD.

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Strange and futuristic, but you know what i like best, no slide rails visible for the sliding doors. That I like. I also like the remote ones that open on both sides. As for what brands.....eh the more varieties they make the more chances i have to find one(not that i want one) the way i like.

Since GM is basially contracting Pontiac, Buick & GMC into one big division, one of them needs a version of the Lambda minivan. A minivan always seemed counter to the sporty image Pontiac so it is good to retire the Montana. Buick is not about minivans (Which is why only a handfull of Terrazas have been sold. Whoever convinced management on a Buick minivan is likely selling shoes now). So GMC makes the most since by default although I don't see ever selling much more than 50,000 units.

I'll throw my hat into the ring for GMC. GMC buyers on average are the most wealthy of any GM division, or so I've read. That seems pretty upscale to me. A GMC minivan with interior appointments similar to the Acadia would be hard to beat.

Astro and Safari were a good, strong team for 2 decades. If the Lambda van can be made into a successful smaller commercial alternative to Express and Savana, it will do well. An AWD option is a must though, for commercial applications.

z28luvr has presented the most complete and compelling argument in this thread, imo.

Edited September 16, 200619 yr by ocnblu