 The four brands that were part of the companion make program | |
| Date | 1926–2010 |
|---|---|
| Location | U.S. |
| Type | Automobile branding |
| Motive | Launching new brands to supplement GM's current marques |
| Organised by | General Motors |
| Participants | |
In the late 1920s, American automotive company General Motors (GM) launched four companion makes to supplement its existing lineup of five-passenger car[a] brands, or makes.[b] The companion makes were LaSalle, introduced for the 1927 model year to supplement Cadillac; Marquette, introduced in 1929 for 1930[c] to supplement Buick; Pontiac, introduced for 1926 to supplement Oakland; and Viking, introduced for 1929 to supplement Oldsmobile. GM's fifth existing brand, Chevrolet, did not receive a companion make. With the exception of Viking, each of the companion makes were slotted below their "parent make" in GM's pricing hierarchy.
GM had pioneered the idea of having a ladder of brands, arranged in order by price, to appeal to consumers with different incomes. This contributed to GM's rise to automotive dominance in the 1920s at the expense of Ford. By the late 1920s, GM felt that there were excessive gaps in this ladder. President Alfred P. Sloan devised the companion makes in order to fill those gaps. The companion makes were also intended to increase the sales of their respective divisions by selling cars that cost less to produce.
The program is generally considered a failure. Sales of Vikings and Marquettes were low during the Great Depression and the brands were discontinued by 1931. LaSalle lasted longer, weathering the Depression until it too ceased production after 1940. Pontiac had a different fate; its popularity led to the discontinuation of Oakland after 1931. Pontiac was the only GM marque produced for a significant amount of time that was not an outside acquisition; it was discontinued in 2010 in the aftermath of the Great Recession.
- ^ Golden, Conner (April 13, 2020). "The GMC Chevette is the GMC Sedan You Never Knew Existed". Automobile Magazine. Archived from the original on May 6, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
- ^ Hearst Autos Research (April 13, 2020). "What Is the Difference Between Make and Model?". Car and Driver. Archived from the original on May 6, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
- ^ Antich, Mike (June 15, 2010). "Model-Year versus Calendar-Year". Automotive Fleet. Archived from the original on May 6, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
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