RUMOR: G8 may be revived as a Chevy Caprice?(Lutz retracts statement. G8=dead)

[johnnyl321]

Originally Posted by jbernie

My take on this... if the Commodore becomes a Chevy in the US market then there is a very high probability that Pontiac is done and gone if not for good, but a very very long time.

i'm hoping gm brings it out again as the type of division it was meant to be, when they're again profitable

[gagt02]

Originally Posted by bigdaddy

Sell it as a Caprice. That way, you can command a higher price point and limited availability. Keep the current Impala and market it as the mainstream family car with a lower price point. No product overlap. Caprice is a premium RWD and Impala mainstream FWD. Seems like a no-brainer to me.

agreed 100% this makes the most sense to me.

[betron02]

Originally Posted by T'Cal

Why not both Caprice and Impala SS as GM did in the mid-90s?

Because that is the old GM, a company that used the exact same car with only a name change. Unless they use they same frame and do a different look.

[G8tor]

Originally Posted by Buick61

Maybe call it the Chevelle? Caprice is an eh name.

Fritz said today on twitter that the Impala is remaining FWD. The volumes the Impala does is way, way above what this vehicle would achieve, so there's no way it could replace the Impala.

My thoughts exactly....the Chevelle name carries a much more sporting name...my grandmother had a Caprice.

[jbernie]

Originally Posted by johnnyl321

i'm hoping gm brings it out again as the type of division it was meant to be, when they're again profitable

Would like to see that too, though there is probably a generation or two of platform work to be done if they really want to make Pontiac a RWD only performance orientated brand. Though if they are open to AWD/RWD then they potential to pull in stuff from Australia & Europe to make it happen sooner. But it wont be top priority, they really need the current 4 brands to be working well and making profits before they take on new Pontiac.

[CadiEldo67]

Originally Posted by Uzzy

But, then does this open the door to an ElCamino? It was a poor fit for Pontiac, but a good fit for Chevy!

I really don't see why the "G8 ST" had to go to Pontiac. The only reason I can see is that Pontiac was trying to make the G8 into what the CTS is for Cadillac. The real focus is on the CTS, rather than any other vehicle within the brand so they were trying to expand the G8 umbrella and make it more successful.

I think that they could bring in the ST for Chevrolet only, and the sedan should definitely go to Buick. There's nothing wrong with a Buick that has a few performance traits. And they could probably sell it for a higher price than the G8 could command, let alone a Chevy (according to price structure circa 1943).

That way Buick could once and for all rid itself of the G-Body (not that there's anything wrong with it ) and they could reintroduce the Park Avenue nameplate to further complete the new Buick lineup.

[tbirderic]

This makes sense. A limited volume flagship for Chevrolet that is distinctly different from other GM cars that would overlap it in price (LaCrosse, upcoming Regal, budget CTS...). It would do Chevrolet a world of good.

Some have said that this car should outright replace the Impala, but I don't agree with that. For one thing, even if sold in volume it would still be far more expensive than the current Impala. Secondly, the current Impala sells well; predominantly because it sells to fleets. GM can afford to do this, as the current W-body is cheap to build; I would imagine the costs are amortized. Finally, there's the whole "I gotta have FWD issue." Unless GM puts some additional money into Zeta to make it AWD, a lot of folks will shun it because it's RWD.

Just my .02.

[Kchoz]

Originally Posted by CUtiger08

This needs to happen. As for the "FWD is needed for sales" issue:

1) Let the Malibu take its rightful role as the volume seller. I bet it's sales would jump up 30-40% simply by not having another FWD family car in the same showroom for similar money.

2) Other than the Impala, which is really positioned primarily as a upper-midsized model given it's low starting price and barely fullsized size, RWD actually outsells FWD in the mainstream fullsized market as a whole, with the Charger (29,461 YTD) as the bestselling model and the 300 in second place. So if the next Impala gets at all bigger or more expensive, it might as well go RWD anyway.

3) It would be easy, and smart, to keep the current/slightly updated FWD model as the "Chevy Classic" and sell it to fleets and maybe as a "secret" (ie not actively advertised) cheap retail model for current customers who just don't want the Malibu or Zeta-Impala. Similar to the Crown Vic for Ford, only FWD.

If the current Impala sales were to be divided equally among the Malibu, Zeta-Impala, and Classic, then IMO GM would be at least as well off as they are now... but with the Malibu would be in the top-10 in sales and would match/beat the Altima, while the Zeta-Impala would match the Charger (and beat the current Taurus and Avalon) in sales, and the Classic selling about half again as well as the Crown Vic.

And if any of these cars does better than that, then they get a net win in sales.

1) Again, GM can't take such risks, getting rid of a successful vehicle while hoping that a different vehicle take up the sales.

2) Well duh, full size cars have become a bit of a rarity, but add the number of FWD full sizers of the mainstream brands that are sold now and compare that with the number of RWD full sizers sold and the FWD cars outsell the RWD by 3 to 1. The Charger's numbers may seem good, but how much is it because it's the only full-size RWD car at its price point? Know what a niche is? When you've got a niche, a new product added to cater to that niche doesn't copy the success of its predecessors, it steals their sales, but both end up selling less because the number of people seeking cars of that type are more fixed than variable.

[OutBurst]

Originally Posted by Chris322

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't call it a Caprice!!!! Anything but Caprice! I could not see myself saying "I just bought a new Chevy Caprice!" Just bring it over as the Lumina. It sounds better than Caprice! Actually, Chevelle would make a good name for it!

I don't really care what it is called, as long as it comes back and has the 3.6 DI V6 standard as well as the 6.0 and/or 6.2 V8's. If it comes back, I will buy one and take the name badge off it. I'd probably put something like a Grand Prix tag on the back: the name it should have originally been called.

[jaywestfall]

We'll see over the course of the next few years what is to come of Pontiac, but hey if the G8 package can soldier on as a Chevy that's OK by me. I am sure out of no where you'll be able to order the car from at the dealer, get a manual transmission and a full selection of interior choices all to unavailable when it was a Pontiac. There will be an ST, a coupe and a wagon, too.

Sigh.......

[zete]

Originally Posted by jAustin

Aw man, the moment I heard Slutz was coming back I had this thought at the back of my mind, "maybe... just maybe... he will be the push GM needs to keep the G8. If anyone would, it would be him..." If he can pull through on this, that would be great. Screw Hinderson with his "I'm against rebadging" remark! It's not rebadging if the Pontiac version is gone. What a bunch of political BS...

Henderson remains correct. There is no rebadging. It's already sold as a Chevrolet in the Middle East, thus selling the G8 as a Chevrolet is not a rebadge.

[Uzzy]

Originally Posted by tbirderic

Some have said that this car should outright replace the Impala, but I don't agree with that. For one thing, even if sold in volume it would still be far more expensive than the current Impala.

That's the thing...the Chevy G8 (Caprice, I hope) can't sell in volume! It's built in one factory in Australia and they're supplying all of the variations of the car, which are plenty! It can't touch the volumes of the current Impala unless they start building it here as well, which will take time and won't happen to this generation of it.

[zete]

Originally Posted by Uzzy

That's the thing...the Chevy G8 (Caprice, I hope) can't sell in volume! It's built in one factory in Australia and they're supplying all of the variations of the car, which are plenty! It can't touch the volumes of the current Impala unless they start building it here as well, which will take time and won't happen to this generation of it.

They can move production to Oshawa, there's capacity there. Even if demand doesn't come up to Camaro levels it doesn't matter, it's just gravy atop the Camaro line which is ultimately good for GM.

[mkwelbornjr]

And bring back the G8 ST as the El Camino.

[oklapike]

Originally Posted by betron02

Because that is the old GM, a company that used the exact same car with only a name change. Unless they use they same frame and do a different look.

Just out of curiosity, would this be enough of a different look to suit you?

Holden Calais V (U.S. Caprice):



Holden Commodore SS V (U.S. Impala SS):