Spring Hill Slated For New Product

[nsap]

Spring Hill Slated For New Product
Orion may get small cars, but Spring Hill is getting a variety of new product.
www.gminsidenews.com
June 26, 2009
By: Nsap

For the last few weeks rumors have been flying about which General Motors assembly plant would be selected to build small cars in the United States. Such clause came about from the recent agreement made between General Motors and the United Auto Workers. Well, today GM announced officially that they have selected the Orion, Michigan assembly plant to build the new small cars, leaving some to question the future of the newer, flexible Spring Hill, Tennessee plant.

GM has not formally announced which small cars Orion will be building, however GMI has been told that it will likely be the Chevrolet Viva and Buick small car. The Viva is going to be the replacement for the Aveo, due out next summer. Buick, as GMI broke news on several months ago, is slated to obtain a version of the Opel Astra compact hatchback. It is expected that the Astra is the Buick small car now slated for Orion. Starting in 2012 it is expected that Orion will build an all-new Buick sedan based on the Delta II small car platform as well.

GM's Spring Hill, TN plant is one of the newest assembly plants in the GM network. It is also a highly flexible plant and very large. Currently the plant is massively underutilized, building only the Chevrolet Traverse. However, today GMI learned that Spring Hill still has a future beyond being a standby plant. GM is planning to build the next Chevrolet Traverse at Spring Hill, as well as production for the next-generation Cadillac Escalade, which will be built on a variant of the Lambda platform. Also slated for Spring Hill is production of a Chevrolet SUT (Avalanche-like vehicle) based on the Lambda platform.

Possibly the biggest news out of the Spring Hill is that GM is now considering it as the assembly site for the next-generation Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon small trucks. Currently the small trucks are assembled at GM's Shreveport, Louisiana plant, which has been rumored to be closing or sold. The new trucks are known internally as the GMT-700's.

UPDATE: GMI sources have clarified that Lansing-Delta will be building the next-generation Chevrolet Traverse, however, Spring Hill will be as well as extra capacity. GM does not feel that Lansing-Delta has enough capacity to build all of the Lambda's on it's own.

NOTICE: I was told today by a couple of our members that this article has been cited in some newspapers in Tennessee, which is bringing in many Spring Hill employees. First off, welcome to GMInsidenews! I want to clarify that I do NOT recommend making career decisions on this. General Motors is notorious for changing their minds. If anyone at Spring Hill has information that may be helpful to further news regarding the plant's future, please contact us by sending me a PM or E-Mailing us at: nsapofgmi@gmail.com

[civilzues]

Great news that they are going to keep production there and add it but that opens up the question about Lansing-Delta. With the outlook going away (and sometimes the Acadia), whats going to happen there?

[nsap]

Originally Posted by civilzues

Great news that they are going to keep production there and add it but that opens up the question about Lansing-Delta. With the outlook going away (and sometimes the Acadia), whats going to happen there?

LDT will still have the Enclave (including a growing number of Enclave exports to China), Acadia, and possibly some other new Lambda products.

[Perian]

What wonderful news.

The Spring Hill plant and its employees really deserve this.

Let's hope GM follows through.

[scout62]

New trucks!

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

So, GM is going to move production of the current Traverse, and then move it BACK to Spring Hill with the next redesign? Or did I miss something and GM has decided to leave production of the Traverse at Spring Hill?

I'm still not so sure that I like the idea of an Escalade off of Lambda. Most people who buy Escalades buy them because they're 'old school' in construction and substantial vehicles. Then again, I guess if GMC continues to offer a BOF Denali, then maybe they can cover that ground. I just think that any execution off of Lambda will be too 'minivan' for Escalade fans. However, I do understand the need to better target competitors such as Mercedes Benz.

It seems that Lambda will become the new GMT900/GMT360/70. I had always heard rumors about an SUT style product that would either come to market as a Chevy or a Saturn. Then there were the rumors that the Denali XT could/would actually spawn from Lambda.

My question is; why isn't GMC getting this product? Chevrolet already has the Avalanche (Then again, I assume this might replace the Avalanche instead of supplementing it) What I'm getting at is; I hope GM is not just going to let GMC wilt and die like they have so many other brands with SUCH potential. I mean, the Canyon news is good, but can a new Canyon and Terrain and a slightly aged Acadia pull the whole franchise as were forced into smaller trucks?

GMT-700 is no surprise... I'm willing to bet that the LA plant will be bundled with the Hummer sale, if it is approved.

[SigEpCutlass]

If Spring Hill truly is one of GM's better (flexible) plants, I hope they get a new product.

[steve333]

Cruze
Viva

Is GM trying to sell as few cars as possible by staining them with absolutely stupid and ridiculous names?

Good lord.
What's next, the Buick Bounty?

[Coloradokid]

I am kind of skeptical about Spring Hill building the next Traverse. I would not be suprised to see the Colorado/Canyon merged unto the Lambda platform instead of being body-on-frame.

[boz2730]

What about Janesville? What products will they get? GM does have plans for Janesville [whether it be current Janesville Assembly or new plant(s)] as they are not on GM's master sale list of "excluding real properties".

[nsap]

Originally Posted by boz2730

What about Janesville? What products will they get? GM does have plans for Janesville [whether it be current Janesville Assembly or new plant(s)] as they are not on GM's master sale list of "excluding real properties".

Unless demand for GM products increase enough that "New GM" will not have enough capacity in NA, Janesville will not be getting anymore product. They are keeping it for the slim chance that they over-divest their capacity in NA.

[SierraGS]

Originally Posted by nsap

LDT will still have the Enclave (including a growing number of Enclave exports to China), Acadia, and possibly some other new Lambda products.

Perhaps a new Astro/Safari minivan?

[SierraGS]

Originally Posted by nsap

Unless demand for GM products increase enough that "New GM" will not have enough capacity in NA, Janesville will not be getting anymore product. They are keeping it for the slim chance that they over-divest their capacity in NA.

Has the plant for the Orlando been selected/annouced?

[nsap]

Originally Posted by SierraGS

Has the plant for the Orlando been selected/annouced?

As far as I know, D-Ham is going to have the Orlando.

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by nsap

As far as I know, D-Ham is going to have the Orlando.

Are they still thinking about doing a Voltec-based Orlando?