While the domestic auto industry is suffering through a prolonged slump, Pontiac sales have risen 9.5 percent this year, in large part because the General Motors Corp. division took on imports in advertisements, a top Pontiac official said here Wednesday.
Pontiac has focused advertising for its compact Grand Am against the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord and for its full-size Bonneville against BMW and Toyota`s Lexus. Sales of both Pontiacs are up 50 percent this calendar year from 1991, said Lynn Myers, Pontiac`s general marketing manager.
Compared with import rivals, Grand Am costs about $4,000 less and Bonneville $10,000 to $15,000 less, Myers said at a luncheon meeting of the Midwest Automotive Media Association.
The models` ”conquest rates,” the percentage of purchases by those who said they otherwise would have bought imports, also increased, she said. Bonneville`s conquest rate has risen to 15 percent of sales in 1992 from 5 percent in 1991, while Grand Am`s rate rose to 24 from 19 percent.
”For thousands less, they (consumers) say they`ll give us a chance,”
Myers said. ”Imports have been taking a bite out of everyone`s hide. But when you can credibly position a domestic versus an import with the same performance but the domestic at greater value-the price-people will sit up and take notice of the domestic.”
