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

Kchoz · Jul 11, 2009

Re: RUMOR: G8 may be revived as a Chevy Caprice?

ChevyRules said:
A) Why not under the Impala nameplate? Makes more sense. Easier to market it as a redesign then trying to hype up the Caprice name plate again....

So they're just going to take their best-selling FWD car and switch it to a RWD design for more sporty handling, lowering fuel economy and turning off maintream buyers who are used to FWD? Think about it. As well as some may look down on the Impala, it's a great success for GM, it's cheap to make, it doesn't cost much in R&D and it sells a lot. Switching to a RWD car would probably require a lot of money to re-tool plants and the continued success of the car wouldn't be guaranteed. GM is not in a position to take the risk of killing one of its more popular cars (even if it is mainly for fleets) for a return to RWD, which, despite acclaim from enthusiasts, is now not so popular for a public now used to FWD or AWD.

Adding the Holden Commodore to the Chevy lineup as a sporty large sedan makes more sense, they'll sell fewer of them, but they will be able to charge more for it, and they'll keep their success of the Impala.

CUtiger08 · Jul 11, 2009

Re: RUMOR: G8 may be revived as a Chevy Caprice?

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.

jAustin · Jul 11, 2009

Re: RUMOR: G8 may be revived as a Chevy Caprice?

bigdaddy said:
Keep the current Impala and market it as the mainstream family car with a lower price point. No product overlap.

No product overlap, except with Chevy's other lower-price-point mainstream FWD car... the Malibu. If there were both the current Epsilon Malibu and the proposed G8-based Lumina/Impala/Caprice on the lineup, is there really any need to still have an old W-body toolin' around?

johnnyl321 · Jul 11, 2009

Re: RUMOR: G8 may be revived as a Chevy Caprice?

Why does GM constantly feel the need to use old names over and over? Why not just call it the Chevy Holden, or Commodore. ...maybe GM should just move the Holden line up here as well as Australia. They seem to have a similar car culture as America. And their website really has some nice vehicles. www.holden.com.au

After selling the Pontiac G8 for the last year or so, this is a great car!! From the base model up to the GXP.

Uzzy · Jul 11, 2009

Re: RUMOR: G8 may be revived as a Chevy Caprice?

ChevyRules said:
A) Why not under the Impala nameplate? Makes more sense. Easier to market it as a redesign then trying to hype up the Caprice name plate again....

B) Why would it need to be redesigned for crash safety? It wouldn't be a bad idea to have two Chevy theme designs to easily distinguish between Chevy's RWD lineup and their mainstream FWD models. Just bring over the Lumina as is and call it Impala and be built in Oshawa.

Well there's already an Impala. GM didn't do much to promote the G8 and sales started slow but picked up after some time. It doesn't matter much what they call it, but why start confusing people now with another Impala, or Impala SS as some have suggested?

And you can't just say "hey, let's build it in Oshawa next month" it'll take quite a while to re-tool it even though it builds a platform mate. I would think the next gen could and should be done in Oshawa, but why would they re-tool for a car that's nearing the end of it's run. If there's a next generation, since Zeta is supposed to be dead.

Hitman1970 said:
Duh. Is Lutz the only person with a brain at GM?

Sometimes I think he is. Of course, I and others here (probably yourself included) have been screaming for this since before it was announced that Pontiac would be put to pasture. Then they said "absolutely not" now they're saying "well maybe we will." But, then does this open the door to an ElCamino? It was a poor fit for Pontiac, but a good fit for Chevy! :yup:

ChevyRules · Jul 11, 2009

Re: RUMOR: G8 may be revived as a Chevy Caprice?

Uzzy said:
Well there's already an Impala. GM didn't do much to promote the G8 and sales started slow but picked up after some time. It doesn't matter much what they call it, but why start confusing people now with another Impala, or Impala SS as some have suggested?

And you can't just say "hey, let's build it in Oshawa next month" it'll take quite a while to re-tool it even though it builds a platform mate. I would think the next gen could and should be done in Oshawa, but why would they re-tool for a car that's nearing the end of it's run. If there's a next generation, since Zeta is supposed to be dead.

A) Easy. It would be the new Impala and the old W-Body can be the Impala Classic to be the fleet queen( and be fleet only).

B) VF(which is going to be on the Camaro's variant of Zeta) based which will bring us into the Alpha based Impala if plans are still the same......

Rocket 88 · Jul 11, 2009

Re: RUMOR: G8 may be revived as a Chevy Caprice?

Buick has few products and reputation as an old man weenie mobile. The G8 would make a great Wildcat in a lineup that could really use it. Chevy needs another sedan like a sucide bomber needs more virgins waiting in heaven.

That said, the G8 is too good a car to let go, so sell it wherever. Just give it a better name then Caprice or hand out some barf bags.

jbernie · Jul 11, 2009

Re: RUMOR: G8 may be revived as a Chevy Caprice?

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.

cyclone · Jul 11, 2009

Re: RUMOR: G8 may be revived as a Chevy Caprice?

I'd love to see the Caprice nameplate again.

Titanic · Jul 11, 2009

Re: RUMOR: G8 may be revived as a Chevy Caprice?

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.

johnnyl321 · Jul 11, 2009

Re: RUMOR: G8 may be revived as a Chevy Caprice?

jbernie said:
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 · Jul 11, 2009

Re: RUMOR: G8 may be revived as a Chevy Caprice?

bigdaddy said:
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 · Jul 11, 2009

Re: RUMOR: G8 may be revived as a Chevy Caprice?

T'Cal said:
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 · Jul 11, 2009

Re: RUMOR: G8 may be revived as a Chevy Caprice?

Buick61 said:
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 · Jul 11, 2009

Re: RUMOR: G8 may be revived as a Chevy Caprice?

johnnyl321 said:
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 · Jul 11, 2009

Re: RUMOR: G8 may be revived as a Chevy Caprice?

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

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 · Jul 11, 2009

Re: RUMOR: G8 may be revived as a Chevy Caprice?

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 · Jul 11, 2009

Re: RUMOR: G8 may be revived as a Chevy Caprice?

CUtiger08 said:
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 · Jul 11, 2009

Re: RUMOR: G8 may be revived as a Chevy Caprice?

Chris322 said:
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 · Jul 11, 2009

Re: RUMOR: G8 may be revived as a Chevy Caprice?

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.......

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

Kchoz

CUtiger08

jAustin

johnnyl321

Uzzy

ChevyRules

Rocket 88

jbernie

cyclone

Titanic

johnnyl321

gagt02

betron02

G8tor

jbernie

CadiEldo67

tbirderic

Kchoz

OutBurst

jaywestfall

Top Contributors this Month

Recommended Communities