GM: Volt to be sportier alternative to Prius and Insight
2011 Chevy Volt - Click above for a high res image gallery
Now that the Chevrolet Volt has progressed to the point where vehicles with near-production bodywork are running around, the time has come for the crew to begin ironing out details like the ride height and spring rates that will directly influence the plug-in hybrid's handling.
Regarding these points, chief engineer Andrew Farah has some interesting things to say about the Volt and the way GM will position it against its competitors. For instance, Farah notes (in reference to the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight), "Our chassis is much more sporty than either of the other vehicles."
Farah also comments on a couple of changes to the car's exterior design that eagle-eyed parties had noticed, such as the relocation of the plug from the front fender to under a flap in the traditional location for a gas cap. Other changes, such as the headlamps and taillights, may merely be present because the Volt is still early in its development cycle and there are some pre-production bits that aren't yet necessary for testing purposes.
Spy photographers take note: Farah also says the car is set to undergo some hot-weather endurance testing out west this summer.
Gallery: 2011 Chevy Volt
[Source: Inside Line]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
KC 10:05AM (6/30/2009)
But GM should also mention that comparing Volt prices to Prius and Insight is like comparing Hyundai Genesis Coupe to Porsche Cayman S. Probably better in every aspec, except for the price.
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zamafir 10:44AM (6/30/2009)
Customers don't care. Customers will compare prices in this economy or any other, that's the reality of the market. No amount of marketing will promote someone with 22k to spend 40k on the volt. They better be praying that there's a whole host of very wealthy people itching to grab this car.
alex 11:04AM (6/30/2009)
everyone needs to get over the price.
GM and everyone person with half a brain knows that the car is really expensive, and as such won't be a big seller. But the idea here is that this is new technology and as production ramps up and the technology gets more established, the price will come down. When that happens it will really be able to give the Prius a run for its money.
But until then, it's a really cool, expensive, high-tech gadget and GM knows it. That's why they are only planning for 30,000 sales in the first year. But they have much lower price and higher sales expectations for future generations.
David 11:12AM (6/30/2009)
Alex:
A company as precarious as GM doesn't have the luxury (pardon the pun) of waiting until then.
Once again, GM doesn't get it, and it seems, never will. Arrogance and Pride!
They should have shelved the Volt until such time as they got back on their feet. They are still laying down IMHO, and have IV's stuck all over them.
Gary 11:30AM (6/30/2009)
I'm sick of the "it's too expensive" argument. There will always be people willing a pay a premium for a product. Otherwise, nobody would buy Minis over Yarises.
Once the cost of the components come down, so will the Volt.
alex 11:44AM (6/30/2009)
David it's a double edged sword. You can develop new, cutting edge products, but it will cost you lots of money. Or you can put off developing those new technologies, save some money now, but be left in the dust by your competitors and lose more marketshare.
Honestly I don't think you or anyone else on this site has the knowledge of GM's current and future cashflows, development costs/needs, etc to know whether this was the right decision or not.
The Other Bob 11:54AM (6/30/2009)
People are paying $32,000 for a damn loaded Prius, which no longer qualifies for tax credits. The Volt will be around $40,000, and will have $7500 in credits, but will not need gas in many cases. If the Volt comes well appointed, these cars aren't that far apart.
GM will sell every one they build.
d4rez 12:18PM (6/30/2009)
@ The Other Bob
Yeah, because no-one will add options to their Volt. Dim-wit.
cdwrx 12:20PM (6/30/2009)
You're correct. The Volt is a different car with different technology. It does not need to compete with the Prius and Insight on price. Everyone should know that when you compete on price and terms you lose. It is better to have a more desirable product and higher margins while preventing price from becoming a barrier to entry. Barring any major engineering flaws the Volt should sell as well as the first gen Prius in my estimation as they are pursuing the same early adopters but the Volt has the added advantage of being a decent looking car.
Tomac 1:00PM (6/30/2009)
Those paying $32K for a loaded Prius are likely doing so because:
1) the Prius is the "green bandwagon" thing to do, or
2) it's a Toyota and therefore a safe bet, especially considering the Prius' stellar track record.
Paying the same money (considering credits) for a BASE Volt lends you neither the same green-factor nor the sensibility of going with a trusted brand. It simply implies that:
1) You're a dyed-in-the-wool GM fan and could give a damn about the price or reliability so long as it has a bowtie in the grille, or
2) You have more money than you know what to do with and simply want to own the latest buzz in the auto world, regardless of the untested reliability of the model.
True greenies are probably concerned about environmental impact, quality, and economics, in which they would be buying a Honda Fit.
The price issue IS significant-- especially for Chevrolet. They have neither stellar reliability nor solid quality to rest their laurels on. The Volt is potentially a sweet piece, but it isn't worth it. Not at that price, and not from GM. Hopefully a few years from now the history of the Volt will substantiate the price of admission, but not now.
naggs 1:44PM (6/30/2009)
i think its a safe bet to make that a carbon free car will sell to the wealthy
cdwrx 3:49PM (6/30/2009)
@ Tomac,
That's the kind of thinking that has plagued GM for decades. They cut costs to compete on price so the product gets worse and thus a worse reputation so they cut costs, so the product gets worse and the reputation gets worse and it never stops. It's a fool's game.
Your assertion that it won't have the green cred of the Prius will prove false. The Volt is more advanced than the Prius and everyone will know it. The Volt's relatively higher price will even further contribute to many environmentalists' wet dream of appearing socially conscious while displaying their affluence.
RK 4:44PM (6/30/2009)
The price has not been announced yet, the assumed $40K price-tag might be way off.
Randy915 5:19PM (6/30/2009)
Gary, because of the price I don't think it's fair to compare the Volt to the Prius / Insight. The comparo is best saved againsted that new Lexus hybrid they're planning to roll out.
Tomac 8:33PM (6/30/2009)
@ cdwrx:
It doesn't matter how advanced or expensive the Volt is. If it spends most of the time in the shop due to quality/reliability issues, the greenies will run back to their Priuses (or Insights) and GM will pound yet another nail into its lamentable coffin of a reputation.
My point is GM needed a hybrid that hit a sweeter price point. Toyota didn't have a negative reputation to overcome, but GM is going to have to lure (and retain) more than just the bowtie faithful if the Volt is to succeed. I certainly hope it does, but nothing GM has done in the past 30 years has impressed me much, and I'm one of the open-minded. Sellinging a GM (green or not) to the generation raised on Japanese cars is not a particularly simple feat.
cdwrx 11:10PM (6/30/2009)
@ Tomac,
If the car is unreliable, it doesn't matter what the price is, making this whole discussion irrelevant.
I just don't think you overcome a negative reputation by building cheap cars. Ford bit the bullet several years ago and we've been seeing it pay off over the last couple years. Now they're starting to build more desirable product at those higher quality levels. You gotta start somewhere at sometime. What better place than here? What better time than now? Wait, did I just quote Basement Jaxx?
John P. 10:07AM (6/30/2009)
Well to me it definitely looks better than the others mentioned, but isn't it going to be significantly more expensive? I'm not sure driving dynamics are high on the list of people who buy these.
I really do like the look of the volt though. Nice job GM!
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zamafir 10:45AM (6/30/2009)
Yes, at the least 2x as expensive WITH incentives from the fed.
KeatMP 6:14PM (6/30/2009)
@ zamafir
Last time I checked the base Prius starts at $22,000. That means, by your calculations, a Volt is going to cost "at least" $44,000 after the $7,500 tax credit the gov has already announced.
Thant means you are estimating the sticker price of the Volt is going to be $51,000.
Either you are misinformed or just don't know what you're talking about.
Art 10:10AM (6/30/2009)
a sporty 40k ev....sure....
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