General Motors is dropping the Mr. Goodwrench name from its dealerships and service stations. It isn’t that GM is canceling service stations at dealerships — far from it. From now on, service stations will be brand name specific. Mr. Goodwrench, or Goodwrench Service Plus, as it is labeled today, is changing names as part of a resurgent GM marketing strategy.

Mr. Goodwrench loosened from GM

General Motors has decided to delete any and all Mr. Goodwrench or Goodwrench branding from the registry. The company has decided instead, according to CNN, to shift its marketing focus concerning GM qualified service stations. In the 1970s, official GM service stations became Mr. Goodwrench, as a family friendly marketing gimmick. In the 1990s, the name changed to Goodwrench Service Plus stations. Effective Feb. 1, service stations bearing that name will get rebranded. General Motors is changing the name to a certified service station specific to the brand offered at the dealerships where former Goodwrench stations were located. The signs will instead be for Chevrolet Certified Service, or GMC Certified Service. General Motors is shifting marketing focus to all four brands as independent entities, rather than under a larger General Motors umbrella.

Record profits

General Motors, according to the New York Times, has posted its highest profits in 11 years. After emerging from bankruptcy, GM profits have been posted for the third consecutive quarter. For the third quarter of 2010, GM posted a profit of $2.1 billion, larger than profits of the previous two quarters combined. The GM IPO is about to commence, and posting such a large increase in profits bodes well for the company.

Lean mean car making machine

General Motors had become the symbol for largesse in car companies. However, after a quick bankruptcy and seeming change in attitude, the car giant appears to be turning around. The Treasury still holds a significant number of shares in the company, but the initial public offering of GM stock will pay off large portions of that.