brand v model?

[Pottree@domain.elided]

In a message dated 10/22/2002 9:01:47 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:


> From: C M Smith <cmsmith@domain.elided>
> Subject: US market overcrowded with brands???
> 
> Ya just gotta be kidding. The US market has very little variety for decent 
> passenger cars.
> 
I think you may be confusing brand with model.  While the various cars on the 
market may all seem to be within a very narrow range of types, with not all 
that much choice for the consumer re: format, the number of brands, which can 
be seen as either makes (Honda, Mercedes, Ford) or particular line names 
(Saturn, Volvo, Chevrolet) is teetering on all the market can bear.  

Let's say I am in the market for a two-seater convertible sports car.  All 
those brands aren't much help because the choices are pitifully few.  Some 
would say the actual differences between brands are marginal.  But say I just 
need to get around and don't much care about the kind of car, as long as it 
works (a la most buyers).  Then, there is an overwhelming amount of "choice" 
but, similarly very little actual difference.

One reason, perhaps, is that big makers, especially in the USA, design to 
focus group tests and other consumer research, yielding a bland, generally 
inoffensive product that really pleases no one except those who make money by 
guess the residual value at the expiration of the lease.  No all 
manufacturers do this.  The ones that don't, to me, wind up in one of two 
categories: those who are struggling to stay alive or already DOA, and those 
who build something with a lot of personality, individuality, passion, and 
distinctiveness (often this is expressed by high performance, but it is also 
design, etc.) and then succeed by selling to those who are willing and able 
to step out from the crowd, those who can pay for the privilege.

Pretty sad, but I think it's true.  Aside form trucks, our best-selling cars 
in the USA are Accords and Camrys, as bland as possible, and just about 
indistinguishable from each other on any objective level, and so they are 
sold on "deals" such as financing terms, etc. that have nothing to do with 
the basic product, but only with the mechanics of purchase.

Charlie
LA, CA, USA
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