Report: GMC considering dropping the Acadia, Envoy or Canyon

Posted Tue Aug 26 2008 6:01 PM by Viknesh Vijayenthiran

General Motors' truck-focused brand, GMC, has been hit hard by changing consumer preferences, which has led to several reports that certain scheduled GMC products could be scrapped altogether. While GM continues to deny the rumors, the most likely candidates on the chopping block include the Acadia, the Envoy mid-sized SUV, and the Canyon.

The Acadia, if not eliminated from the lineup in favor of the Buick Enclave, will get a refresh in 2010 with an optional V8 engine. If the Acadia succeeds then one of the Yukon variants may be dropped in an attempt to consolidate the lineup, although there has also been talk of a new Yukon to be built on GM's front-wheel-drive Lambda platform - shared by the Acadia.

While the Savana will remain unchanged, a new Sierra hybrid is expected to go on sale early next year and GM is banking on the Two Mode hybrid to stimulate poor sales in the large pickup category, reports Automotive News. Meanwhile, the Sierra's smaller sibling, the GMC Canyon is expected to be redesigned in 2011 or 2012, although the Canyon's poor sales could spell the end for the small-pickup.

The Envoy mid-sized SUV is expected to end production soon, with its production plant scheduled to stop production by 2010 or sooner.

Reader Comments

Tue Aug 26 2008 5:54 PM
NoNameDenton says

Drop the Envoy and the Canyon. Make a V8 Acadia with the V8 from the DTS since it is used to powering fwd vehicles.
Tue Aug 26 2008 6:56 PM
HECTOR says

Psst! Drop all three... Nobody's gonna notice....
Tue Aug 26 2008 7:12 PM
NoNameDenton says

Hector, that is a stupid comment. I see GMC's every where in Texas and many other states, so yes, people would notice.
Tue Aug 26 2008 11:19 PM
Michael D. says

The Envoy is at the end of it's lifecycle as it is, that's the one that should likely be dropped. The Acadia will fill it's void nicely, and I didn't know a V8 was being considered or added to it, if so, that's a great thing and it will easily negotiate the Acadia's heft and allow it to be suitable for greater demands and loads. I really hope the Acadia stays and if it was dropped, to me that's GMC shooting itself in the foot.

The Canyon, on the other hand, if dropped, would probably not likely be so missed; it may have too much overlap with Chevy Colorado and Pontiac will soon have the G8 ST El Camino-like pickup, even though the GMC Canyon has a crew-cab option over the G8 ST.

Another thing: if the decision goes through that GM's full-sized SUV's become based upon enlarged Lambda's instead of GMT900's, then these would have to contain V8's (even if the upcoming 4.5L Diesel as a choice) to handle the extra mass, even thought they would still be lighter than the truck-based models. Also, being front-drive bias, even of all-wheel-drive, wouldn't towing attributes be sacrificed here? The towing capabilities is a major sticking and selling point of the Yukon and other GMT900s.
Tue Aug 26 2008 11:26 PM
NoNameDenton says

GMC needs something like their GMC Denali XT hybrid concept from this year, it was great.
Wed Aug 27 2008 5:22 AM
HECTOR says

If Ford dropped the Mustang it would be noticed. If Honda no longer made the Accord it would be news. These things? 1 out of 500 people noticing is pretty much *nobody*.
Wed Aug 27 2008 11:02 AM
Laz says

I don't believe the above products carry a model specific core audience. If discontinued they will buy what GM puts out...
Wed Aug 27 2008 4:15 PM
NoNameDenton says

Hector, have you seen the sales for GMC, obviously not
Sat Aug 30 2008 10:40 PM
Tokugawa says

I vote hector off the site, for sheer incompetence

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