2011 Production Volt
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Finally. The car without the suits in front of it.
And the interior too.(Which almost looks like Apple was at the design meetings).
It looks really nice so far. Even in that not so cool color.
For most people, this will look more like a real car than the Prius. But the big question is the price.
And also being the 1st ones to buy all that new technology. The Volt can drive 40 miles on the electric charge alone.
But you know this will only get better and better with years.
But I guess it’s like getting a computer or digital camera. The technology is still improving…
i thinks its awesome except for the plastic passed of as glass behind the rear window! cool shifter too
It looks real slick in and out. Congratulations to GM to have the balls and the gall to invent, design and build the Volt. GM and the Volt are going to leapfrog Toyota and others with having the best hybrid and best green cars.
Looks like a Dodge Stratus. Lack of a 5th seat/extra hatchback space will hurt with the Prius/young family crowd.
“See the USA in your Chevrolet” is back!
That interior will date. It’s going to get the blue-screen blues fast, but that marvelous powertrain will keep Volts rolling for ages. This car will be the new “flagship” in the short term once it gets its celebrity endorsements, and become the must-have accessory for any greenwashed eco-poseur. There’s now room for the Prius to move upmarket, what with the Insight and Volt coming up.
Price? I bet you’re going to see these selling for $50,000 after the dealers have charged whatever they want to charge. The first people to drive this are going to be either patient, or paying in cash. Eventually, though, the technology will become more affordable.
Looks great, looks so much better than that egg-shaped Prius.
If they can get the price down, it would be something.
It looks like GM is really in panic to make such a fuss about a car that is not going to be introduced the next 2 years!!!
Toyota will have their 3rd Hybrid on the market by then.
It looks better than in previous pictures and other colors will look even better. However, who is going to pay $40K for this car. If it was $25K it would sell out.
“Toyota will have their 3rd Hybrid on the market by then.”
And GM will have their 8th or 9th hybrid by then.
GM is showing the Volt now because it’s begging the government for a $50 billion loan and needs to prove that the money would be wisely spent.
It would probably be better to let GM go bankrupt so it could restructure and dump its union obligations like that stupid “jobs bank” paying salaries to slackers. GM can’t compete until it’s released from the choke-hold the UAW has on it.
Certainly, the Volt is a beautiful car, and even if the hybrid mechanicals aren’t great, a car that looks like the Volt with a good 4 cylinder engine in it and a price tag competitive with Toyotas and Hondas should sell strongly.
One thing I notice is that the Volt’s “A” pillar is very thick, so forward visibility is compromised.
I will buy my first electric car from Nissan in 2 years. They are partnered with world leaders NEC. Something like this from GM ???, I am sorry to report will not sell and it will sit on lots. GM is, after a long long time in the business, faaaar from perfecting the regular car. Actually GM cars are historically rife with recalls and quality issues. Will anyone trust them with all this technology???? I will not for sure. Some high profile government people and movie stars will buy them for pure marketing/ image reasons. Real people will stay away.
Mr. Burlapp, this is Mr. Cook from General Motors. What are you doing with images of our car?
Mr. Cook
General Motors
Public Relations Manger
917. 344. 4457
Good luck GM, with the worst bank bankruptcy in history and the ridiculus price of this thing. Whos gonna bother with this??
Toyota and Honda are still going to beat this.
I can imagine a few of these broken down on the back of a salvage truck.
On the upside nice design though.
The reason many good car’s sales did not take off is because of the marketing and the PRICE. If GM really want to compete with Toyota and Honda, GM need to price it below them. Otherwaise, it’s just another tipical GM product going down to the toilet.
The only reason Toyota is able to offer highbrids technology so soon is because the Japanese government funded the project.
“Actually GM cars are historically rife with recalls and quality issues. “
And you say you’re going to buy what… a Nissan? NISSAN for christsake? If you’re going to suggest that GM quality is so poor, it’s not exactly a compelling argument when the brand of car you want to buy is universally regarded as being much worse.
“Mr. Burlapp, this is Mr. Cook from General Motors. What are you doing with images of our car?
Mr. Cook
General Motors
Public Relations Manger
917. 344. 4457″
He’s doing the same thing that Autoweek, Left lane news, Autoblog gree, and everyone else are doing with them. Nice try faker.
If this does end up a failure.
Put a 4 cylinder engine in it.
It would be a whole lot cheaper and would be a great contender in the 4 cylinder market and maybe more of a savior for GM.
“The only reason Toyota is able to offer highbrids technology so soon is because the Japanese government funded the project.”
Good on the japanese government for contributing to a successful project. Maybe a few more governments should help out in this way. Its a good start.
the only problem i have with the interior is that white plastic stuff. it’s going to be hard to decipher the gray text and it will probably glare in the sunlight.
i still dont know anything about the car. someone says it will only seat four, is that true? and how did gm come up with the 40 mile figure? is it only in the city? does the car have a gasoline engine? isn’t saturn producing a car like the volt, too?
for me, my commute is just about 45 miles and mostly on the highway, so i dont think this would work for me.
but i have to admit, this production car looks like something toyota would badge a concept
I am a bit of a japanese car fan myself but ill give GM credit for this.
It is not an easy task to produce this.
Not sure what you mean by ‘this car looks real to people than the prius’? do you refer to the prius plug-in hybrid or just the current prius itself? as to the latter, both the prius and the volt have the same silhouette. it can seat 5 and a hatchback. the advantage goes to toyota is that prius has a track record while gm volt does not. so i think the prius is more real to consumers.
with my money, i would get the prius and then wait 5 years to see how the volt fairs in real world test, then i would get the 2016 volt or maybe by then there will be an electric prius too 🙂
there IS gonna be a 4 cylinder version of this……………. called the “Cruze.”
THIS IS THE WORST LOOKING CONCEPT TO PRODUCTION DEVELOPMENT. WHOEVER DESIGNED THIS CAR IS AN IDIOT AN SHOULD NOT BE IN CHARGE OF SUCH A CRUCIAL PRODUCT FOR GM. EVERYONE COMPARE THIS WITH THE CONCEPT. EVERYTHING IS DIFFERENT IN A BAD WAY. THIS CAR LOOKS CHUNKY AND VERY UNSOPHISTICATED. THE CONCEPT HAD A THEME AND AN ATTITUDE. PLEASE REDO THIS DESIGN SO IT LOOKS MUCH MORE LIKE THE CONCEPT. WHAT AN EMBARRASSMENT FOR GM DESIGN. THIS REALLY IS THE WORST DESIGN EXECUTION. GM CAN DO MUCH BETTER THAN THIS GARBAGE. THIS IS LITERALLY EMBARRASSING. DON’T YOU DETROIT PEOPLE EVEN CARE ABOUT PEOPLE LOOKING AT YOUR CARS THAT YOU DID LONG TIME AGO? ALL THOSE CLASSIC INFLUENTIAL DESIGNS AND NOW JUST A BUNCH OF TRASH. WHAT HAPPENED? YOU DON’T CARE? TOO LAZY? WELL THAT’S WHY YOU’RE LOSING MONEY. PLEASE USE YOUR BRAINS BECAUSE IF YOU ARE GETTING PAID TO DO A JOB YOU MUST ALSO HAVE A BRAIN TO DO IT WELL. PLEASE LOOK AT THE CAR AND ANSWER THIS QUESTION: WHY IS THE CAR SO FAT!? IF YOU ANSWER BECAUSE OF ENGINEERING THAT MEANS YOU MUST HAVE SOME LAZY ASS ENGINEERS WHO ARE GETTING PAID TO DO NOTHING BUT MAKE FAT UGLY LOOKING CARS. OR…DON’T MAKE STUPID PROMISES AND WASTE MONEY CREATING ALL THIS HYPE AND GET EVERYONE’S HOPES UP FOR SUCH GARBAGE.
Whoever posted that all-caps rant, listen up. How many people read this blog?
A ton.
How many people read our comments?
Let’s all count our fingernails and toenails, then add those numbers up.
The Volt looks like a Civic that’s been to the gym. The interior reminds me of the bastard child of an Acura MDX and a Sidekick phone.
Sure it’s not a bad design. It’s no Audi TT (or Honda CRZ for that matter), but kids, it’s what we’re going to be sold at the turn of the decade. If you don’t like it, please, please, please, do the work and make something better.
I post here to blow off steam because I work as a designer…this site is a great resource and welcome distraction from my job.
8:55PM your keyboard is broken.It is stuck on upper case!
Ironically hybrid technology was invented by an American, he recently died, with the help of the USA EPA. This happened shortly after the 72 oil embargo, it languished and was shelved.
To ALL CAPS:
Market your own vehicles better since you know the perfect formula for making a good-looking and successful car. By your logic, you should be swimming in billions soon.