The New Cars GM Doesn't Want You To Know About

The Columbus International Auto Show, well, it ain't what it used to be. Now, that's not to say that the show isn't enjoyable, but the show has lost much of the grandeur and showmanship that used to wow Cowtowners for its 9 day run (it's now down to a 4 day event).


We made the trip last weekend downtown the "uniquely" designed Greater Columbus Convention Center to check out the latest and greatest in the domestic automotive marketplace. The show was nice, the crowd was interested, and the cars were shiny. As somebody who follows the industry closer than flies follow stink, it takes quite a bit to catch me off guard. Imagine my surprise, then, when I saw the way GM had shown to display (or rather, not display) two very important upcoming products.


The small car segment is on fire right now. Gas is up, the economy is down, and buyers are finally warming up to smaller vehicles. The segment's contenders are newer than they've been perhaps ever, with all major players being updated or redesigned for either the 2011 or 2012 model year. Fresh on the heels of the so-far, so-good launch of the Chevrolet Cruze, GM is poised to launch 2 more all new small cars over the next 12 months. While GM decided to ship one example of each down to the Columbus show, they apparently didn't want us Buckeyes to know anything else about them.

2012 Chevrolet Sonic

Tucked towards the back of the Chevrolet area, behind a fleet of Cruze compacts and partially hidden by giant Silverados and Tahoes, sat a little blue hatchback. It wasn't the forgettable Chevy Aveo though, rather the all new 2012 Chevrolet Sonic. 


The subcompact competition has certainly heated up since Chevrolet launched the Aveo in 2002. The Korean-designed Aveo only competed against the Hyundai Accent, Suzuki Aerio, and Toyota Echo when it hit the scene, and all catered mostly to the thriftiest of shoppers looking for a sticker below $10k. In the meantime, Nissan's Versa, Honda's Fit, and Ford's Fiesta have entered the game, proving that a subcompact doesn't have to be a punishment, and that these cars can sell on merit instead of price.

2012 Chevrolet Sonic

That poor, lonely Sonic sitting at the back of the display wasn't getting any attention. Want to know why? Because nobody at GM thought about creating a sign, banner, display, or kiosk to inform potential buyers about this exciting new entry. They wouldn't even spring for a platform on which to park the car. Instead, the Sonic was blocked off with black stanchon barricades straight out of your local BMV. 


Corporations are run by people, and people make mistakes, right? Surely a trip over one of GM's luxury brands would reaffirm my faith. A trip to the Buick area unveiled another marketing atrocity, much in the same vein as the Sonic's shunning. At one side of the display, parked alongside new Regals and Lacrosses, sat another new small car GM was preparing to launch: The 2012 Buick Verano. Sure, on paper the Verano isn't much to get excited about. The compact car is essentially a trimmed up version of the Chevrolet Cruze, wearing a Buick suit that doesn't seem to fit quite right. 

2012 Buick Verano

The poor Verano, like the Sonic, sat without any signage, any literature, or any presenter. Most show attendees walked right by it, never giving it the time of day. 

2012 Buick Verano

At a smaller, regional show like Columbus, sometimes things slip through the cracks. What worries me about this situation is that GM still hasn't figured out what separates the good automakers from the great automakers: Attention to details. Think about your auto show audience: These people paid $10 ($8 with a Coke can or somesuch promotion) to come and look at your products. The least you could do is tell them the name of the car.