GM Fastlane: Creating a "line of small, agile, RWD" cars?

[nadepalma]

From a post by Jack Keebler on GM Fastlane Blog - he mentions it toward the end of the post.

Source: http://fastlane.gmblogs.com/archives....html#comments

And Furthermore ...
By Jack Keebler
GM Director--Advanced Concepts Group

First, I'm very grateful for all of the perspectives offered on front-, rear-, and all-wheel-drive. GM has been traditionally (and perhaps rightly) accused of ignoring customer input. Too often without that perspective, we've offered buyers well-reasoned -- but perfectly passionless products.

Second, as I suspected, the widely divergent thoughts posted indicate that there's a healthy market for various driveline layouts. Given the company's eight North American divisions, some identified with specific driveline types, there would appear to be a need for great-driving front-, rear-, and all-wheel-drive cars and trucks.

Specifically though, I promise to work on the creation of a line of small, agile, rear-wheel-drive cars. And quite frankly, I can't imagine a front-drive version of Camaro.

[nadepalma]

Originally Posted by nadepalma

Specifically though, I promise to work on the creation of a line of small, agile, rear-wheel-drive cars.

God knows what this could mean -- does that mean the Camaro, or is the Camaro a "mid-sized" or "large-sized" RWD platform? Does this mean further development of Kappa to include a proper coupe and sedan (like Lutz originally wanted)? Or does this mean that a new small, rwd platform based on the "Beta"-based Holden Torana TT showcar? I don't know what the he11 it means, but I hope this means we'll see some kind of RWD Pontiac G4 to fill the lineup over at the Poncho Division as well as some sort of RWD 3-Series competitor for Caddy (assuming the next AWD BLS based on Epsilon II doesn't pan out).

Has anyone heard of anything? Is this mere fantasy and this guys is jerkin' our chain or what?

[DuSpinnst]

Well RWD is good, so whatever the size, I am happy.

[grandam_man]

Originally Posted by DuSpinnst

Well RWD is good, so whatever the size, I am happy.

I second that

[knightfan26917]

Originally Posted by nadepalma

From a post by Jack Keebler on GM Fastlane Blog - he mentions it toward the end of the post.

And quite frankly, I can't imagine a front-drive version of Camaro.

Heh...that's odd. I couldn't have imagined a FWD monte carlo ... yet, that, along with the impala and malibu happened as well....

*shrugs*

On the bright side, it's good that GM/Chevrolet is finally taking notice.... Er, I think that's a good thing....



Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 32swm/pig valve/pacemaker
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What's it like to buy your favorite car brand new? Wish I knew...
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[GM_Fanatic]

my 2 cents...I think GM was planning to boost RWD vehicles in their lineup all along, they know thats what enthusiast want, so they used GM Fastlane Blog as an plug to get customer opinions and then give them exactly what they want.

[yassir(snowman)]

u know what gm needs somthin to compete with audi a4 or subaru wrx. do u know how popular a 2 dr cupe awd with a 4 or 6 cylender engines will be especially if it is built in north america and priced right. i do think gm is ignorin customer input.

[drew770]

Nice ideas but GM should focus on it's core weakness!!
A real credible CamCord fighter!
I don't care if it is RWD or FWD it just needs to beat the Toyota and Honda in every aspect.
This is where the GM turn around will come from. Not SUV's or Trucks but regular high volume mid sized cars.

[saturnsteve]

Originally Posted by drew770

Nice ideas but GM should focus on it's core weakness!!
A real credible CamCord fighter!
I don't care if it is RWD or FWD it just needs to beat the Toyota and Honda in every aspect.
This is where the GM turn around will come from. Not SUV's or Trucks but regular high volume mid sized cars.

If you are going to go after the Camry and Accord, the only way to go is front wheel drive. And the name that you put on that car is simple........Bel Air!

[Ramair-WS6]

Ok, does this mean that the (dis)information about a stretched version of Kappa was false.

It just seems weird that when the Kappa first debuted that Lori Queen stated that they could make a longer wheelbase version of it, and then when people started talking about that being the basis for the 5th gen Camaro all of a sudden they "overestimated" the chassis potential. Someone like Queen does not make mistakes like that.

Pontiac, Opel, Holden, and Saab could benefit from a chassis like this. It could incorporate engines from an inline four all the way to a LS-x series of V-8's. The Zeta chassis is most definately a mid-size chassis, the Camaro concept rides on a 110in wheelbase, and GM needs a RWD line below it. I believe that it would have to be larger than Delta currently is now, but how much larger could it be without it stepping on the Epsilon II chassis? Or would it compliment Epsilon?

[63cat]

Buick Velite! Bring it on!

[cfch3399]

That's great news and the second in recent times where GM is showing some leadership instead of just following trends.
I'm all for RWD large, mid and small size cars. A RWD Astra would be awesome.

[69Firebird400]

I worry about interior packaging of RWD in a small car like the Astra, and finding room for the driveshaft lump, etc. When the car is larger - like an STS - then an 8" high, 12" wide (just guessing at the size) driveshaft tunnel imposing into the interior isn't as much of an issue as it would be in a compact or subcompact.

Still, I love RWD too, and I think a small, inexpensive RWD car would be a great entry-level model for Pontiac to replace the Sunfire in the lineup.

[fuhrwb]

Originally Posted by drew770

Nice ideas but GM should focus on it's core weakness!!
A real credible CamCord fighter!
I don't care if it is RWD or FWD it just needs to beat the Toyota and Honda in every aspect.
This is where the GM turn around will come from. Not SUV's or Trucks but regular high volume mid sized cars.

Amen!!

GM needs to rob back market share where Toyotoa/Honda is stealing it from us.

What ever that ingredient is, they need to move quick and react otherwise it won't ever get any better.

[69Firebird400]

Originally Posted by saturnsteve

If you are going to go after the Camry and Accord, the only way to go is front wheel drive. And the name that you put on that car is simple........Bel Air!

Thinking back, that's one of the few old names that they haven't dragged up yet. Some models haven't exactly done their forbears proud (1995 Monte Carlo comes to mind). I love the Bel Air name, but they had better be **************** sure that they stick it onto a great car.

What other heritage names are left? Biscayne? Vega, Monza, Citation, Celebrity, Corsica, Beretta, Cavalier, Scottsdale...