Fuel Economy Issues Make New Holden Monaro Program "Highly Unlikely", Says Lutz

[atomicshark]

I don't think this means the Monaro is not going to happen. I think it means we are looking at 2011-12 instead of 2010.

It might even skip a generation if it does not happen within the next 2 years.

[eaton53]

Originally Posted by FierySolstice

Why can't they build the coupe and not that stupid ST truck thing? That's just a waste of gas. I'd rather have the coupe. Sometimes GM just doesn't think!

The ST is just a front clip that already exists and costs almost nothing while the coupe means a major tooling expenditure.

Figuring out which low volume vehicle can be justified and which one can't ain't rocket science.

So why should a 20mpg hwy rated pickup be a 'given' but a 25mpg rated Monaro be a non starter because of CAFE?

Because they sell craploads of profitable trucks. To be able to sell the profitable trucks they need little cars to offset them. Lutz said they need the money to do those little cars.... or the Volt.

As far as diesel goes, that's a good way to sell nothing. Drove by one of the diesel stations yesterday and it was $4.10 a gallon... $0.90 more than gasoline. Diesel doesn't evaporate but it's high cost makes any savings go poof...

[jkennedy293]

Originally Posted by JoeT

Not in Australia we won't! The Camaro's nice, but the Monaro is the hero car down this way.

Also, the Coupe 60 is based on the VE sedan, not the shortened wheelbase Camaro. See below.

I didn't realize the platform was so different. Either way, I don't know why U.S. CAFE would affect selling the Monaro in Australia, and other markets. I bet the Middle East would love to have this car.

Oh well. It's a shame it won't be built, and if it does get built it will probably watered down.

[member12]

Originally Posted by KingElvis

Here is what absolutley KILLS me about Lutz's demagoguery on the CAFE issue.

The new CAFE law lumps 'passenger cars' and 'light trucks' together - there's only one standard now.

So why should a 20mpg hwy rated pickup be a 'given' but a 25mpg rated Monaro be a non starter because of CAFE?

It's like he hasn't even bothered reading the new law.

It's not a given.

Diesels are utilized to make mid sized trucks more fuel efficient, while half tons will probably gain enough weight to be exempt.

[vcs2600]

Lutz is so full of poop whenever he blames CAFE for something. If fuel economy was the problem, why are they building the high volume Camaro instead of the low volume GTO/Monaro?

Bah. This car is overlap city with the Chevy and the GTO program was canceled years ago due to poor sales of the last model. Nothing to do with CAFE.

[jomo]

Originally Posted by KingElvis

Here is what absolutley KILLS me about Lutz's demagoguery on the CAFE issue.

The new CAFE law lumps 'passenger cars' and 'light trucks' together - there's only one standard now.

So why should a 20mpg hwy rated pickup be a 'given' but a 25mpg rated Monaro be a non starter because of CAFE?

It's like he hasn't even bothered reading the new law.

Because you can get rid of some of the light trucks and replace them with G8 STs that get better gas mileage and do most of what the light truck did. If they do it right and build it in a low-cost place (Mexico, maybe), they can sell it to the mom-and-pops, who buy crew-cab pickups to haul their kids around in and for the occasional Home-Despot run. They can then sell the real trucks to tradespeople at a profit, while still coming somewhere close to meeting CAFE. Tradespeople tend to buy stripper light-vehicles with small engines. They pay for the payload and durability. Soccer-Dads buy the loaded vehicle with the big engine for the image and only rarely use all its capabilities. These vehicles tend to be the gas-hogs.

[ohmywrd8]

Originally Posted by 377Z

J CARS FOR EVERYBODY!!! (at a $6,000-7,000 premium to meet CAFE, of course)

yay!

Do you mean the K cars?

[ctaylorzl1]

HAHA, now you Aussies are feeling the pain of our retarded CAFE laws! (just joking)

Originally Posted by ohmywrd8

Do you mean the K cars?

J cars are Cavalier Sunfire, I think he meant it as a generalization for small cheap cars!

[351E]

somehow BMW can make a business out of only RWD cars and special coupes like this ... but GM can't leverage the Monaro off the same platform as Commodore? bunk.

[paul8488]

Ford's comments on the upcoming CAFE regulations: "..."
Toyota's comments on the upcoming CAFE regulations: "..."
Honda's comments on the upcoming CAFE regulations: "..."
BMW's comments on the upcoming CAFE regulations: "..."
Chrysler's comments on the upcoming CAFE regulations: "..."
Mercedes' comments on the upcoming CAFE regulations: "..."

Some days GM's seems like a big crybaby of a company. Shut your trap Lutz and get back to building cars! Why do you feel the need to verbalize every single thought that runs through your head! Can't make a business case out of a large coupe? Build a smaller one! If there's a market for a large platform like Zeta with multiple variations worldwide, how is there not one for a smaller platform, also with multiple variations worldwide? There will be Holdens and Cadillacs and Pontiacs spun off of Alpha, as well as possibly Opels and Vauxhalls and Buicks and even Chevrolets. Get'er done man!

[ohmywrd8]

Originally Posted by ctaylorzl1

HAHA, now you Aussies are feeling the pain of our retarded CAFE laws! (just joking)




J cars are Cavalier Sunfire, I think he meant it as a generalization for small cheap cars!

Gotcha! Thanks.

[stevecmh]

thats a shame.. its such a great looking car

[Tony's BlkGTP]

Originally Posted by jkennedy293

Everyone will probably forget about the Monaro once the Camaro comes out. If GM decides to do it, it won't take much time to slap the sheetmetal on the Camaro, and sell it as a Pontiac.

I'm sorry, but you are dead wrong!! I would way more rather have the Monaro based coupe than I ever would the Camaro!! The Coupe 60 is a personal luxury performance coupe which definitely fits the bill for me and I don't care for the cramped looks the Camaro will give it's owners. If that's the case, I would rather spend a little more and buy a Corvette which will be even better than the Camaro.

I really hate the fact that they showed a concept like the Coupe 60 only for Lutz to say that they are now focused on economy cars. Why not still build it in limited numbers for the customers that are willing to pay for it as well as all the costs that will be associated with it. I know that I can't afford it right at this moment, but I will not always be at this stage in life and plan to purchase a performance oriented luxury coupe in the future.

[regfootball]

GM ought to have the resources to do this car in spite of FE regs. It's big enough.

[VibenPontiac]

I don't get it. GM have stated they want Pontiac to be more of a niche brand with a less than full line up and this car would sell what 30K units a year. The CAFE standards can be offset by a few more turbo 4's being utilized across all brands where V6's are currently being used. Hell they could even put a Turbo 2.0 and a V6 in this car and leave the V8 off - obviously just the U.S. market. But then I guess they would have to come with a new name - and we know Pontiac can't do that right - they'd call it the G8C-NV8 or something

Seriously though, there is clearly a market in Australia and the Middle East for the car so why not bring a few over here too even if it doesn't come with a V8 option. Clearly GM need to think about turbo charging their V6s ala Ford, b/c right now any car that needs or, the market historically wants, a V8 seems to be getting the axe.