Bringing A Doomed Product To Market: The Pontaic Aztek Debacle

[Damage Inc.]

I was browsing through November's R&T magazine and re-read the article about Bob Lutz's views on the failure of the Pontiac Aztec. I thought some of you might find it interesting, specifically the mindset that it seems the project leaders were in. Here's a link to the article on Road and Track's website.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-cul...he-inside-story-of-the-pontiac-aztek-debacle/

 

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[JPHerrmann]

This thread is going to be awesome! Another great example of a product that will fail and carry no value over time is the nissan Leaf electric. 83miles to a charge MAX. embarrassing. Compare to the technology we have on the market (Used in tesla cars) nissan really shot themselves in the foot.. oh well.

 

[Ninjakid]

Who remembers this heinous F*ckery?

 

[Damage Inc.]

It wouldn't surprise me if the SSR was a result of that same initiative at GM to make 40% of the new products innovative. The SSR was introduced only a couple of years after the Aztek and while it was still in production. Interesting.

 

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[PopEmersen]

This thread is going to be awesome! Another great example of a product that will fail and carry no value over time is the nissan Leaf electric. 83miles to a charge MAX. embarrassing. Compare to the technology we have on the market (Used in tesla cars) nissan really shot themselves in the foot.. oh well.

The Nissan Leaf seems to be doing very well actually. I see more and more on the road in my city.

http://cleantechnica.com/2014/10/30/nissan-leaf-sets-new-annual-us-ev-sales-record-yet/

 

[MJ DeMarco]

Ha I remember when I first saw an AZTEC, definitely eluded a WTF?!

Just shows to go, the market doesn't give a shit about internal goals, and that includes "I'm gonna own a Ferrari!" and "I'm gonna be a billionaire next month!"

So Wagoner and the automotive strategy board decreed that henceforth, 40 percent of all new GM products would be "innovative." That started a trend toward setting internal goals that meant nothing to the customer.