4 - 6 years late to the party... as usual with GM
Opel's next-gen Adam could also be a Buick
Opel's next-gen Adam could also be a Buick
Automotive News
Mike Colias
January 26, 2015
Buick's top U.S. executive wants to bolster the brand's U.S. lineup with a rebadged Opel Adam, a sporty three-door minicar that competes with the Fiat 500 and BMW's Mini brand in Europe.
"I've looked at the possibility of fast-tracking that into the Buick range sooner than later," Duncan Aldred, U.S. vice president of Buick and GMC, said in a recent interview. "I think it would make a great Buick."
The problem, Aldred said, is that General Motors didn't plan for the U.S. when it engineered the car. It would be "cost prohibitive" to revamp the current-generation Adam for the U.S., though Aldred hinted that any future redesign would be tailored for the states.
*Full Article at Link
Automotive News
Mike Colias
January 26, 2015
Buick's top U.S. executive wants to bolster the brand's U.S. lineup with a rebadged Opel Adam, a sporty three-door minicar that competes with the Fiat 500 and BMW's Mini brand in Europe.
"I've looked at the possibility of fast-tracking that into the Buick range sooner than later," Duncan Aldred, U.S. vice president of Buick and GMC, said in a recent interview. "I think it would make a great Buick."
The problem, Aldred said, is that General Motors didn't plan for the U.S. when it engineered the car. It would be "cost prohibitive" to revamp the current-generation Adam for the U.S., though Aldred hinted that any future redesign would be tailored for the states.
*Full Article at Link
1 - 20 of 39 Posts
Why isn't every car designed by GM design as a global car? Every car would then have the potential to be used anywhere by any brand that needed it.
One possible reason is that to equip European cars with all the regulated USA safety / emission requirements would put them in an even more uncompetitive cost/price position than they are now.Why isn't every car designed by GM design as a global car? Every car would then have the potential to be used anywhere by any brand that needed it.
How is it possible that after the death of Saturn, and the Buick Marriage, Opel plans products without North America in mind and get them into production without someone calling them and asking if they are nuts?
Why isn't every car designed by GM design as a global car? Every car would then have the potential to be used anywhere by any brand that needed it.
With the design linking up between most Buick and Opel models, I suspect that GM is now trying to figure out that aspect with future models/platforms.One possible reason is that to equip European cars with all the regulated USA safety / emission requirements would put them in an even more uncompetitive cost/price position than they are now.
There pressure/lobbying on NHTSA for the US and Europe to align their standards and help alleviate these problems.
Automakers Seek Common Ground in Europe, U.S. on Safety Regulations
How do Volkswagen, Hyundai/Kia, Toyota do it? Those are true world brands, that sell, what seem to be, the same cars everywhere on earth. While new GM, as old GM still tries to function with a provincial mindset.
One possible reason is that to equip European cars with all the regulated USA safety / emission requirements would put them in an even more uncompetitive cost/price position than they are now.
Not sure what you base that bad data on? Camry and Corolla are US/Canada specific. Passat has US/Canada model and separate rest of world model. Hyundai/Kia don't sell the same model except what is the Elantra GT in the US and a few Sonata's as i40 in some markets.How do Volkswagen, Hyundai/Kia, Toyota do it? Those are true world brands, that sell, what seem to be, the same cars everywhere on earth. While new GM, as old GM still tries to function with a provincial mindset.
Ford is the only brand with large model similaries (Fiesta, Focus, Fusion/Mondeo) across the major markets.
Because global markets want different things - Opels are, or should be, designed specifically for the European market - if Buick, Chevrolet or Holden want to use them that's fine and it's also fine if a big company builds a different version for Buick or Chevrolet (Holden may not generate enough volume to justify it's own sheet metal). How it's badged is a matter for marketing and where it's built a matter of economics.Why isn't every car designed by GM design as a global car? Every car would then have the potential to be used anywhere by any brand that needed it.
What won't work well is imposing North American, Chinese and European styling on each other.
What GM have done badly is not to notice Opel models that could have been sold in North America from launch, instead of half-way through the production in the case of Cascada.
Ford are perservering with "One Ford" but the jury's out whether it's going to work - new Mondeo has too much North America influence from Fusion for European tastes, for example.
Smaller manufacturers like Hyundai/Kia have global platforms and gasoline powertrains but use different styling for different markets, eg Sonata/i40.
Different sheet metal - the old model VW Passat was different for North America (actually based on Skoda Superb), Hyundai/Kia use different styling and Toyota select from their model ranges what sells where so achieve the same effect.How do Volkswagen, Hyundai/Kia, Toyota do it? Those are true world brands, that sell, what seem to be, the same cars everywhere on earth. While new GM, as old GM still tries to function with a provincial mindset.
How is this news?
its inside news..How is this news?
*stomps foot and slaps right knee*its inside news..
I hope you are here all week...
I know Toyota and Nissan do a LOT of there car development to ALL standards and implement as needed but all standards are "locked" in
for example the early 2000's Toyota Echo H/B never sold in the USA was designed to meet US NHTSA standards and WAS sold in Canada conforming to Canadian standards which where actually stronger then US standards but the "same" testing
(Canada has since unified there low speed bumper tests to the LOWER US standard)
for example the early 2000's Toyota Echo H/B never sold in the USA was designed to meet US NHTSA standards and WAS sold in Canada conforming to Canadian standards which where actually stronger then US standards but the "same" testing
(Canada has since unified there low speed bumper tests to the LOWER US standard)
That's exactly the question that I have had for some time. I would include ability to to be right or left hand drive on any given platform as well.Why isn't every car designed by GM design as a global car? Every car would then have the potential to be used anywhere by any brand that needed it.
Why isn't every car designed by GM design as a global car? Every car would then have the potential to be used anywhere by any brand that needed it.
GM is damned if they do damned if they don't. They either develop it for global use and potentially lose their ass in Europe or they develop it for a specific market and fall short when they can't sell it elsewhere.One possible reason is that to equip European cars with all the regulated USA safety / emission requirements would put them in an even more uncompetitive cost/price position than they are now.
I think GM just needs to do a better job of predicting the market or at least make better educated guesses. They should've seen that the Adam would be a nice addition to Buick's lineup and that people would be more receptive to small cars in 2015 when this project got the green light.
This "Being Global" for Buick means what? The Adam can't pass US regs? Really? How is that? Or what he means to say is that it's not a Buick that Chinese tastes would like?
So many questions.
So many questions.
Who say it isn't? Every korean Chevrolet, Holden or Opel is designed to be sold on every continent, LHD or RHD, afaik.Why isn't every car designed by GM design as a global car? Every car would then have the potential to be used anywhere by any brand that needed it.
Didn't GM say at least 3-4 years ago that all Opel models would be engineered to be able to be sold in the U.S. as well? What the F is wrong with this company!?
Rip Van GM
Rip Van GM
1 - 20 of 39 Posts
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