Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Chevrolet
GM tweaks Chevy Volt interior for the better
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The Chevy Volt isn't quite ready to be unleashed on the public, mostly because its powertrain is entirely different than anything General Motors -- or any other automaker -- has ever produced. An extreme amount of testing is required, especially for the batteries, before GM is ready to put its Volt into dealerships. Having this extra time before pushing the car out has its advantages for the design team, which is free to make small, incremental changes to bits of the Volt that may have needed a little tweak here and there. For instance, Bob Boniface and his crew have revised the production car's center stack with an altered LCD screen perched up top with a hood that matches the one over the gauge cluster. The new screen has smoother edges and looks more integrated into the dash. Boniface says that many people thought the old screen design was movable, which it wasn't.
There are also new vents positioned vertically on either side of the iPod-like central cluster that hold all of the Volt's controls. Those buttons now offer a more tactile sensation in the form of "pill-shaped targets" on each control. Also included in the revision are new audible that sound when buttons are activated. While all of these alterations seems rather minor, we appreciate each of them and think this equals a big improvement over an interior that we already liked.
[Source: GM-Volt.com]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Rick Gee 9:06AM (11/18/2008)
Definitely my wife's next car.
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Librapaj 9:09AM (11/18/2008)
Sir,
With all due respect, I think you should be lining up a second choice considering the route that GM is going.
Flashpoint 9:22AM (11/18/2008)
GM is making better cars than ever before, but, their old ways have caught up to them and that's why their stock is in the toilet and circling the bowl.
The way I see it GM, FORD and Chrysler WILL BE BAILED OUT.
Look what the automakers entitle...
13% of America's payroll
20% of America's retail sales
3 Million jobs
over 5 million related jobs outside this country
I've been paying close attention to CSPAN and CNN and I KNOW their bailout is coming.
As for GM, I can agree somewhat with arguments that they should be allowed to be bankrupted in order to force them to restructure.
They have way too many marques right now.
If I was the head of GM, every single car rolling off the lot would have to get at least 40mpg (possibly 50) and interiors would all be the level of the current GM car/truck line (which was designed by Drexel Meyer - who designed the interior of the Maybach)
But I'd definitely cut some marques. Chevy is fantastic right now. Buick is China desireable but slow in sales here. Cadillac is a staple. Saab can be cut lose. Holden can go. Daewoo can be cut lose.
The key for GM's future is to get more aggressive in China, India and Europe as well as Australia. They need to focus on fuel efficiency and reliability.
JZeke 10:51AM (11/18/2008)
Oh, GM will be just fine, probably due to the problems they have now which they will face and grow from.
Come 2010, there's going to be a queue around the world to get one of these.
Gary 11:05AM (11/18/2008)
"Their ways have caught up to them and that's why their stock is in the toilet and circling the bowl"?
More like: "Everybody's stock is in the toilet and circling the bowl"
SimbaDogg 2:47PM (11/18/2008)
i'd def love to have this as a next car too...but jesus autoblog, how lazy of you. dont you think it woulda been nice to also include a pic of the OLD design as well so we didn't have to look it up to compare
Domestic 6.0 3:43PM (11/18/2008)
Looks Great !!
Mobius_1 9:23AM (11/18/2008)
I don't really like the cream white plastic all over the place (although Apple fanboys might). I also hope they can cut down a little on the button clutter, but other than that, it looks quite stylish and cohesive.
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Shipey 9:31AM (11/18/2008)
I believe they said the white would not be the only option for the interior console. They listed a few colors, but don't remember what they were, except that black was one of them.
Torrent 10:48AM (11/18/2008)
I hope glossy piano black is available.
happy_penguin 10:59AM (11/18/2008)
Glossy piano black would be beautiful.
Until you touch it...
Liquid 9:27AM (11/18/2008)
no side-by-side of new and old? seems like it would be a good idea. think about it, autoblog.
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CityWok 10:02AM (11/18/2008)
If you hit the link they have both pictures
Liquid 10:20AM (11/18/2008)
Citywok, the pictures in the gallery on this post are of the same interior. The old interior is here http://www.autoblog.com/photos/production-chevy-volt-interior/1039950/
FAIL
Mori 9:34AM (11/18/2008)
I'm Japanese and live in Japan. This is the first American car that I would love to see available in Japan.
And for the GM hating person. I would like to inform you that in Japan Toyota is having a very rough time and has been laying off people and also using furlough? tactics to reduce the impression that there is a problem. And also in Japan, Toyota is heavily subsidized by the Japanese government and tax payers to handle everything from health care to virtually FREE already built structures and real estate that Toyota simply rents below market value.
So, personally, I am amazed GM has lasted this long and am hopeful they will overcome this problem. The Volt btw, is probably the only GM car that is whispered about in the Japanese press the most in terms of being a major breakthrough for GM and a potential problem for Toyota to overcome.
With so much at stake, I doubt GM will be going anywhere.
I remember when Apple Computers was on the verge of bankruptcy right before the iPod. Look at them today. In Japan they are the leading lifestyle electronics product and mp3 player. They sell more OS than Microsoft.
The Volt, is GMs iPod. So ignore the Canadian (I always hear this sort of negative comment from mean spirited Canadians and Europeans though they should look to build there own GMs rather than leach from America) and lets wish GM well.
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ebm14 9:59AM (11/18/2008)
Mori,
Genki desuka?
However, I would wish that the VOLT did something about the directional and wiper stalks, they looks so outdate for such a modern era car.
Librapaj 9:57AM (11/18/2008)
I am all for GM succeeding and I do wish them well. I wouldn't want them to fail. But the bottom line is they have put themselves in this position to fail because of their horrendous business decision and failure to think outside of the box. They should have seen this coming if they had a proper leadership team in place and the bottom line is that ever since the current regime took place, they have seen their sales, I.e. stock price, deteriorate slowly but surely. That is the perfect example of horrible leadership. The company is bleeding money all the while the leadership is cashing the fat checks. Failure should not be rewarded and if a bailout is given, it should not come without very strict guidelines and conditions they should forced to meet.
Foose1397 10:36AM (11/18/2008)
Mori...great comment. The united states has a real problem with not reporting facts. Actually the largest problem is journalists/others allowed to talk who know nothing about the topic they are talking about and they are essentially put in charge to lead this country. Switch between fox and cnn and you get two completely differen't worlds hear in the states (don't know which side has even factual information anymore) and frankly its disgusting.
If GM can make it through this (which i know it will, a lot of good design stuff in the pipeline (i've seen it)) it could become the dominate power once again.
The one largest thing that needs to happen tho is people need to believe that buying American products are not only good for themselves but great for the country they live in and that GM products have changed. Have changed for the better
Judy Zik 10:50AM (11/18/2008)
I love the improvements they are making to the interior.
Mean spirited Canadians need to build their own GM's? Maybe you didn't realize that we do. That GM, Ford and Chrysler's operations in North America are a partnership between Canada and the U.S. with design, R&D and plants on both side of the border. Some of the biggest parts suppliers are also Canadian companies. For instance it was Magna International that developed Stow and Go and Swivel and Go for Chrysler's Minivans.
Canadians (especially in Ontario) have a lot riding on the existence of the Big 3. As such many of us are just as critical as our friends to the south of the bad management that has put them in this position. Our government has already given the Big 3 various loans and incentives and is also involved in the bailout talks with the big three and our tax dollars are expected to be part of any bailout. So we feel we have a right to voice our opinions.
That said despite the fact that we build the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic here in Ontario Canadians also vote with their dollars for the big three more than the American public these days. GM is still by far number one in Canada and this year will be the first time that Toyota might actually be on track to make it past Ford for #2 and Chrylser at #3. Either way in Canada GM still outsells Toyota by about 2 to 1. If the same were still true in the US market GM wouldn't have these problems.
http://www.canadiandriver.com/thenews/2008/11/04/canadian-auto-sales-up-15-per-cent-in-october.htm
So it might be a good idea to get to know about more about Canadians and the Canadian auto market before making such a comment.
joe23521 9:51AM (11/18/2008)
When you say "iPod-like," don't you just mean white and plastic?
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