We're getting a bit tired of trying to keep up with what models GM plans to underpin with a rear-wheel-drive platform. Aside from the upcoming Camaro and the Pontiac G8, no other vehicles have received the divine anointment from the General's higher-ups due to impending CAFE regulations that will supposedly quell any developments on the RWD front.
However, The Car Connection has pretty much confirmed what we've already known: GM's plans for RWD vehicles will include both a rear-driven Buick and Cadillac. The new models will share the same Aussie-derived Zeta platform from the aforementioned Camaro and G8, with the rear-driven Caddy expected to replace the aging STS and DTS, and a Buick model taking over where the front-drive Lucerne left off.
Until we actually see one of these new models in the flesh (production or concept) we're not planning to hold our breath, but the idea of a RWD Buick seems at least plausible, particularly considering the impending demise of Ford's Crown Victoria, Grand Marquis and Lincoln Town Car line.
[Source: The Car Connection]
GM shrinks Volt's gas tank, range drops from 600 to 360 miles
MINI dealers to sell Alfa Romeos in the U.S.
Honda to reveal OSM open-top concept in London
With crisis looming, GM may unveil Volt for 100th anniversary
Next BMW M5 will nix V10 in favor of twin-turbo V8
In the Autoblog Garage: 2009 Lincoln MKS
Track Test: 2008 Roush 427R Trak Pak Mustang
In the Autoblog Garage: 2008 Porsche Cayman S
First Drive: 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
In the Autoblog Garage: 2008 Mazda MX-5 Miata Retractable Hard Top
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Ammocaby @ Feb 19th 2008 5:06PM
Hopefully, this'll mean a new RWD Impala SS in the future.
geo.stewart @ Feb 19th 2008 5:06PM
so, do you think we start to see some G8 Police fleets competing with the Charger or is the interior too nice?
do gov't fleet cars count against CAFE or not?
and as my mind wanders
Will Florida have the R series G8, the G8R?
Wagonphile @ Feb 19th 2008 5:27PM
Buick and Caddy? How about RWD for the masses? I'd love to see a sub-$20K sedan (or even better, a wagon) with a 4-banger and manual transmission. Tune it for handling and I'll buy a GM product for the first time ever. Must I search the want ads for an E30 Bimmer that needs costly maintenance in order to satisfy my craving for affordable and fun RWD?
jg @ Feb 19th 2008 5:49PM
I had one. I now wish I never sold it. The maintenance isn't that bad, don't believe the hype. If you find one snap it up.
Dan @ Feb 19th 2008 7:04PM
That's exactly it, RWD (or anything large, or 4WD, or fast) for the masses is exactly what the new CAFE law is intended to destroy and this is the beginning of that process.
Obviously consumers still want those vehicles, but they will need to be priced out of the reach of the general public to keep numbers down and CAFE up.
These markups will make the large vehicle segment automaker's major source of profit in 10 years - and most of that profit will go to subsidizing the selling price of 40-60 mpg hybrid crap boxes which nobody really wants. And those Aveos in the fleet (for you and me) will balance out the big cars which only white collar urban types will still be able to afford.
scott 3 @ Feb 19th 2008 5:27PM
This is not news as it was expected. To many panic when GM says hold not canceled.
No fleet sales planned for the G8 or Camaro. Few departments want or need the large RWD cars anymore and can not afford to buy them or pay for the $4 a gallon gas.
The present Impala is doing very well with most deparment.
With the speed limiter removed, a radio, spike strips and law suits few department are willing to do more than the Impala can provide for pursuit.
If they do move ahead with the RWD Impala there may be a police package there. But for the new Impala to move ahead we need the full govement regs written for the new CAFE as the law makers only passed the law not the ground rules.
TriShield @ Feb 19th 2008 5:31PM
Holden can only build 30,000 G8s per year. That's not enough production capacity for any fleet sales in the US.
TriShield @ Feb 19th 2008 5:33PM
For all intents and purposes the next Impala is RWD, the car is already far along in development and I can't see GM throwing away all that engineering work and capacity at Brampton to keep it FWD.
Stéphane Dumas @ Feb 19th 2008 7:50PM
you mean Oshawa, Brampton is where the Chrysler 300/Dodge Charger are made ;-)
psarhjinian @ Feb 19th 2008 11:02PM
It's Oshawa, not Brampton. And they're not decommissioning the W-Body (Impala/Lacrosse/Allure) lines, just tooling up an additional (small) line for the Camaro. They might eventually shift the G8 to Oshawa there's enough demand, or they might just keep cranking out W-Bodies.
The W is cheap to build and _by far_ GM's most reliable car. With the production costs fully amortized and the supply chain well established, I can't see them _not_ cranking out W-Bodies for a long time coming.
RealityCheck @ Feb 20th 2008 1:13PM
Where do you get all your information? The minimum that Pontiac will get of the G8 is 48k per year and that is only untill the North American plant is up and running. As to the RWD Impala you have no more information then anyone else.... Just because you show a picture of a driver dosn't make you an expert at anything.
Gardiner Westbound @ Feb 19th 2008 5:35PM
If GM doesn't do something soon the minority of people who care won't.
Jay @ Feb 19th 2008 5:40PM
now this doesn't make any sense. The CTS and STS share the same chassis along with the SRX. The interior refresh did wonders for the SRX but it doesn't seem to be making the X5 breathe heavy when it comes to sales, so if they replace the the STS with a Zeta chasis, how much money are they losing on that expensive Sigma chasis? Can they really afford to be selling that structure with just the CTS and SRX?
M @ Feb 19th 2008 5:43PM
Geez, I feel like we have been waiting for these cars since 1999! So, when will these cars actually come out? 2015?
dean @ Feb 19th 2008 5:44PM
And here's to hoping these RWD sedans also receive the Two-Mode hybrid option.
Wagonphile @ Feb 20th 2008 9:10AM
Oh, I had one and miss it dearly. Mine was a 325e 4-door, which had great handling, excellent steering, acceptable acceleration, and decent fuel mileage. I drove it like I stole it and it still returned 28 mpg on average. But as for repairs, yes, they were costly relative to purchase price of the car.
Mike @ Feb 19th 2008 5:53PM
"...due to impending CAFE regulations that will supposedly quell any developments on the RWD front."
Why is it that higher fuel regulations are always assumed to necessitate the death of rear-drive cars? I understand that FWD has certain packaging, and therefore weight, advantages, but a look at what's in the marketplace doesn't show the huge disparity in mileage between front- and rear-drive cars that these comments would suggest.
Look at some examples: The BMW 328i (RWD) gets 21 mpg combined in the EPA's new cycle, and the Saab 9-3 (FWD) gets 19 mpg. The Mustang V6 (RWD) gets 20 mpg, while the Mitsubishi Eclipse V6 (FWD) gets 19 mpg. The Chrysler 300 (RWD) gets 20 mpg, while the Buick Lucerne V6 (FWD) gets 19 mpg.
So maybe instead of looking to the easy shift from RWD to FWD in order to meet the new CAFE requirements, automakers should focus on delivering lighter weight cars which can deliver adequate performance whether they're front or rear drive.
Dan @ Feb 19th 2008 7:31PM
You're right the mileage difference between FWD and RWD isn't huge. Comparing specific vehicles is difficult because there are so many other variables in play, but 10-15% is a reasonable estimate.
The problem is the new CAFE requirements are so far from the vehicles mainstream consumers want to buy that they can't afford to leave anything at all on the table. It isn't a matter of just making up the 2 or 3 mpg somewhere else, it's a matter of how many hybrid Aveos do we have to give away at a loss to balance these '21 Malibus.
Mercury Mountaineer 06 @ Feb 19th 2008 6:59PM
It would be nice to see the Buick Roadmaster make a comeback.
Esprit bird @ Feb 19th 2008 8:24PM
Buick, Caddy and Chevy getting RWD? pretty cool...next comes Saturn and Saab....man whatever happened to performance brand?