D.O.A Chevrolet Caprice
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Now Bob Lutz is saying that we’re not getting a Chevy version of the G8 after all.
Pretty much what his boss Fritz was saying all along…
That’s just too bad…
But really. Is the new GM that out of controlled. Disorganized?
All these conflicting reports about new products coming out?
I guess good old Bob is stirring things up again…
Aside from feeling bad for workers employed by GM, I wouldn't give a hoot if GM failed because of their sheer stupidity.
Now THAT Chevy faced Commodore works.
Although the Chevy Caprice is a neat product…it is not a high volume car that GM needs right now.
So it makes perfect sense from a business point of view to avoid niche products,
Bob needs to retire.
Too bad about this car. There's not much I want more (automotively speaking of course) than a new rear wheel drive sports sedan that is relatively AFFORDABLE. Unfortunately it does'nt fit the new business model. It never sold well in the first place because of high fuel prices. Had this car came out in the USA 5 to 10 years ago, they would have sold millions of them. Timing is everything. And I don't think now is the time with fuel prices going back up and expected to go higher.
I like what I'm seeing from GM's most recent product offerings. I'm willing to give them some breathing room – for a bit. Dont despair…If they produce this for a police application, that means they have to meet the same import criteria the G8 did. Then its only a quickstep to commercial availability. Keep your fingers crossed.
The "New" GM needs more good cars that sell in high volume as does the Chevy Malibu. The upcoming Chevy Cruze should be a worthy competitor to the Corolla, Civic, etc. Smaller, useful crossovers make sense in the current environment, too.
GM already has enough specialty perfromance cars: its Corvette and Camaro are enough to please that market and compete with Mustang and Challenger.
GM needs to preserve the Pontiac G8 by making it a Chevy like it needs a third nostril. The G8 is a silly thing that gets the dreamers all worked up and pleases the six guys who actually buy one of these overpriced and overpowered things.
Cars that sell are more important than cars teenagers dream of owning some day, but almost surely won't.
Say goodbye to by far the best vehicle in the ENTIRE GM lineup.
Looks like "new" GM hasn't really learned anything.
If it was a car that was easily built stateside, perhaps alongside the CTS, then I think it'd be a great car for Chevy. But if it must be produced in Australia, I don't see how it would make good business sense. As the Pontiac G8, I think it was just a halo car and never really was intended to make any money for GM.
This car is a niche product. it's GOOD they they are not bringing it over here. RWD=worse fuel economy and horrible performance in snow and slippery roads. I love the handling of RWD but only car enthusiasts care (tiny percentage of market). The G8 is a big has hog.. not needed right now. This care is a nice sports car, but not a volume seller.. we don't need it.
I worry about the "new" GM with the "old" Bob Lutz still around to shoot his mouth off as usual.
I couldnt have said it better iquack. Low volume is not what a company emerging from bankruptcy and billions in debt needs right now.
"RWD=worse fuel economy"
Some people say stuff that they really don't understand. Fuel economy has nothing to do with which wheels pull or push the car.
Also, no properly engineered luxury car is going to be FWD, for lots of reasons. It's either RWD or AWD.
YOU SAID "All these conflicting reports about new products coming out" I SAY; It's almost as if the thing is being run by politicans & unions: Oh yeah, it is! And I'll bet you thought the quality couldn't get any worse– watch!
There are more losses in a RWD than FWD. All else being equal, you will lose about 2 MPG with the RWD.
FWD Torque steer and off throttle understeer sucks! I will never do FWD.
Not to mention excess front tire and brake wear on fwd over rwd. And I don't want to hear about the more traction with fwd either. Perhaps there's more traction on the initial second of acceleration but after all the weight shifts rearward (inertia) the front wheels spin in the wet, snow and ice just like rwd. If you want good traction, get AWD, but you'll pay more, get more weight(about 200lbs), get frictional drivetrain losses and burn a bit more gas. It's always a tradeoff. Get a good set of tires for the rwd and I'll be happy. If FWD is so great, how come the best cars in the world don't have it? FWD is cheaper to build and does save gas because of lighter weight. To me those are the ONLY advantages of fwd. All that being said with the way the market will be in the future, car companies will need to build fuel efficient cars with low build costs in order to save make money to survive. So there you go…FWD wins.
Also, pick your poison…do you want understeer or oversteer? I have more fun with oversteer. All my cars are FWD so I get stuck with understeer…oh well:(
"There are more losses in a RWD than FWD. All else being equal, you will lose about 2 MPG with the RWD."
How? I've never hears of that and can't think of any reason that would be true. Anyway, even if that's true, 2 mpg is negligible and hardly earns a RWD the automatic title of "gas guzzler." One less blip of the throttle can make up for that.
What do you mean "heared of that"…From who?…Just do the math/physics…Friction loss.
Car companies are now sell MPG numbers so RWD are being phased out…They can't compete.