In a move to continue and distance itself from its corporate heritage, General Motors is dropping the 36-year-old Goodwrench car mechanic brand in the United States. Somewhere, we're certain, Stephen Colbert is crying.
The Mr. Goodwrench brand — first launched in 1974 — is used by GM dealers to promote vehicle repair and maintenance services will instead be replaced by "Chevrolet Certified Service," "Cadillac Certified Service," "Buick Certified Service," and "GMC Certified Service."
The name, which GM changed from Mr. Goodwrench to Goodwrench Service Plus in the '90s, also was a major sponsor of NASCAR racing — including Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s car — for several years until it dropped its involvement in 2007. The brand's advertising even included Stephen Colbert on an elusive search for "the real Mr. Goodwrench."
General Motors marketing chief Joel Ewanick wants the vehicle brands, not corporate, to be the stars of GM, and that includes service and repairs, said one source familiar with the new campaign to Automotive News.
"This is another part of the effort to clear out brand clutter," the source said.
Yes, next out the door should probably be the GM Heritage Center car collection, because nobody wants to see or think about vehicles from their past when they're building the next generation of appliances.