Most Valuable Performance Arm

"Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind) 04/21/2016 at 09:34 • Filed to: Brands

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What’s one brand that is completely reliant on its performance group? As in, if the parent brand split up from its performance group, everything we associate with that parent would be gone?

As usual, I’ll try for the example that is the least considered option, which I think is Corvette.

Though it is still a model, anything GM sales with a V8 (no matter what brand) references that it’s the motor out of some form of ‘Vette. Now we all know that the best product GM makes are its V8. Any vehicle they have ever made, the V8 version always gets a pass. The fact that Cadillac is avoiding V8s is like working at a Bakery and trying to push the frosting as you claim to fame. Do able, but when you have great cake, you better use it!

For the most part, we know the GM V8 engine codes as well as we know our BMW chassis codes. Yet, if the Corvette left Chevrolet or GM entirely, I’m not sure the merits of the Camaro or Cadillac’s “ V” performance series would be able to hold up. Non-enthusiasts won’t come running when you put LT1 or LS9 on the back of the all new Chevy Cruze “miSSile.” However, if I just say “Corvette-tuned,” I don’t even have to qualify what that actually means and you already assume it will be as badass as that model could get.

So, I don’t think it’s crazy for Chevrolet to make Corvette it’s own subbrand since it already is just that. Plus, the new emblem would be more compelling than any “SS” badge.

Last Picture is just an automotive reminder that Cadillac’s “V” emblem is a mix of the old Cadillac emblem and the new Crest. Always thought that was super clever!

crowmolly > Wobbles the Mind 04/21/2016 at 09:40

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And to think, the ‘Vette had a Camaro engine for most of it’s run.

Vicente Esteve > Wobbles the Mind 04/21/2016 at 09:41

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AMG became so important for Mercedes, pretty much every new Mercedes is an AMG.

TheHondaBro > Wobbles the Mind 04/21/2016 at 09:42

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AMG and M.

Moves-Like-Senna > Wobbles the Mind 04/21/2016 at 09:45

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Jeep - Performance in another sense. Every vehicle in Jeeps fleet is capable offroad and defines offroad performance for the entire industry. The brand has some of the best sales growth figures in the industry right now and is the only reason FCA and all it’s other brands are still alive.

LongbowMkII > Wobbles the Mind 04/21/2016 at 09:48

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Audi. If it wasn't for their Motorsport success it'd be much easier to just call them mildly tarted up VWs.

LongbowMkII > TheHondaBro 04/21/2016 at 09:54

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BMW has good non-M cars. I don't think they'd lose out much if they just replaced the M name with some other name that let the world know that they spent more on their 4 series than you.

StingrayJake > Wobbles the Mind 04/21/2016 at 09:56

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Silverados have carried V8s forever and I don’t recall Chevrolet ever directly marketing them as Corvette-powered, even with the SS trim in 2003.

And I think you’re really underestimating how strong Chevrolet is in the truck market. Yeah, the Corvette and Camaro are the brand’s show horses, but trucks are their bread and butter. In 2015, Chevrolet sold more Silverados in EACH MONTH than Corvettes were built in the entire year.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Wobbles the Mind 04/21/2016 at 10:05

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Ferrari or Lamborghini.

StingrayJake > Moves-Like-Senna 04/21/2016 at 10:07

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I think this is the winner. In fact if you just narrowed it down to removing the Wrangler, I think Jeep as a brand would effectively die. And like you said, at the macro level, Jeep has kept FCA going. It’s the college football of the auto industry — paying for all the in-the-red sports at the university.

Wobbles the Mind > StingrayJake 04/21/2016 at 10:27

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The only trucks I can think of off the top of my head that used any V8 that was found in the Corvette as well are the SSR and Trailblazer SS (I think! I’m not sure). I’m not a GM guy, but I do remember the SSR being billed to have a Corvette engine available. I want to say the Trailblazer SS because I could have sworn they always mentioned the Corvette in the magazine ads.

I understand your point, I just don’t we have had any performance Silverados that shared a ‘Vette V8. I know the Dodge RAM SRT-10 was all about the Viper engine. I also think there was an F150 SVT Lightning that got the engine from the GT500 and marketed as such. I could be completely confused right now. Somebody will correct how wrong I am though!

misfitmascots > Wobbles the Mind 04/21/2016 at 10:33

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I think you misunderstood what stingray Jake is saying. He’s basically saying even without the Corvette, chevrolet would thrive because they sell a ridiculous amount of trucks. Not to mention Cadillac knows the king of their castle is Escalade.

DoYouEvenShift > Wobbles the Mind 04/21/2016 at 10:43

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I think when trucks and SUVs started using 6.2s was when they became similar. There was a few differences between Vette and truck motors, but for the most part it was mostly the same. However, Ive never heard them advertise them as Vette motors.

The lightning was a 5.4 sohc engine with an eaton supercharger. At the time the Cobras had 4.6 dohc NA engines, I think Terminators were available at the end of the production run of the trucks.

SRT10 Rams were definetly advertised as Viper engines. It even says Viper on it.

Wobbles the Mind > misfitmascots 04/21/2016 at 10:45

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Ah! My fault, completely true!

StingrayJake > Wobbles the Mind 04/21/2016 at 10:53

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Like misfitmascots said, my point was more that GM, and more specifically Chevrolet, would be just fine without their performance line.

Shoot, they stopped production on the Camaro for eight years and the sales figures have been OK but overall pretty stagnant since the first year back.

The bean counters have also tried cutting the Corvette several times in the past. In fact, the C5 and C6 generation were great cars but they also shared parts with some of Chevrolet’s more mundane vehicles to limit costs.

Yeah, the Chevrolet’s small performance stable is generally seen as GM’s halo cars in car-guy circles, but their money is most definitely in Silverados, Sierras, Yukons, Denalis, Tahoes and Escalades.

Let me put it this way: the price for a top-trim vehicle from those I just listed rivals the base MSRP for the current Corvette. And they still dominate GM’s sales figures.

Carbon Fiber Sasquatch > LongbowMkII 04/21/2016 at 15:19

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Yeah, they used to have the little “s” at the end for that.