After issuing a profit warning last week, General Motors has suggested that it may phase out one of its weaker brands if sales fail to meet projections, company vice chairman Bob Lutz said on Wednesday. A Detroit News report described GM’s Buick and Pontiac as “damaged brands” due to lack of investment over the years, something that GM is working to correct with an array of new vehicles coming to market, Mr Lutz told a Morgan Stanley automotive conference in New York.

But if some of its brands fail to meet sales projections, “then we would have to take a look at a phase-out. I hope we don’t have to do that. What we’ve got to do is keep the brands we’ve got.” According to the report sales for both Pontiac and Buick have lagged in recent years.