Recent Comments:
Sharan/Touran - could it mark the end of the current VW grille? {Autoblog}
May 5th 2007 1:39PM Yes, the grille sharing between VW and Audi the past few years smacks of blatant badge engineering.
This grille really seems to hearken back to the previous VW design language, but it's terribly boring.
With everyone paying so much attention to the new Scirocco, why don't they take some design cues from it? The heavily chromed hexagon shape is distinctive, and a lot can be done with it, especially if they make the bumper bar running through the middle a lot less obvious.
Sad day: ASC files for Chapter 11 {Autoblog}
May 4th 2007 5:51PM I like the SSR's design, but it was never really clear where it sat in the market.
It tried to be an interim solution while the Camaro was absent, but was too narrow of a niche to accomplish this. High performance, retro styled, droptop truck with a bed converted to a large trunk is a mouthful.
It was too unique. The SSR would have sold much better without the folding hardtop, and it could have been priced closer to $30k rather than $45k. Reduced complexity would have allowed the production volume to possibly triple, with the reduced price allowing supply to keep up with demand. Could have let the aftermarket do the droptop conversion, but no, they had to have everything. GM designed and priced the SSR not to sell.
The SSR debacle is why I don't understand the "me too" styling exercise (PT Cruiser) that is the HHR.
GM releases pic of production Camaro and a bit more {Autoblog}
Apr 29th 2007 1:22PM Did anyone stop to consider that the tiny, fuzzy poster in the background has nothing to so with RWD anything?
Sure, it has a version of the new Malibu's face, but overall the car seems smaller. I bet it's a 2009-10 Cobalt... that's about the right time for a mid-cycle refresh.
Fortune writer calls for death of Buick, Pontiac, HUMMER, GMC and Saab {Autoblog}
Apr 26th 2007 5:05PM The author seems to have a decent idea. Here's what I think should happen:
Chevy: always been the everyman brand, leave it that way.
Pontiac: Needs to stay in order to complement Chevy with performance-oriented products.
Saab: I never understood this purchase, it can go back to its motherland.
Opel/Vauxhall: These euro bands offer nearly identical lines, they belong under one brand.
Saturn: Keep it as the American Opel/Vauxhall, that's what it is now anyway.
Buick: Should have died instead of Olds, but now they both can go, at least in north America.
GMC: Take it commercial. Let Chevy sell its own upmarket trim levels of trucks.
Cadillac: On the rebound. I don't care how popular the Escalade is, Cadillac doesn't need to sell anything on a truck platform.
HUMMER: It's doomed unless it can find a place in the commercial GMC brand.
Holden: The Aussie incarnation of Chevy has almost singlehandedly provided all of the GM's most anticipated products the last few years. Leave it be, and bring the Ute to the US.
The SUV market has collapsed after almost every brand on the planet jumped on the bandwagon. Porshe? BMW? Rumors of Lamborghini? It's gotten insane. Cut the SUV's from the non-truck brands and make sure GM never participates in a glut like that ever again: resist the urge to put a crossover in every dealer.
El Camino on the horizon again? {Autoblog}
Apr 9th 2007 10:44PM Dear Mr. Lutz,
Please greenlight this, then fast track it. Make sure the bed is at least 4.5 feet long. Give us lots of engine choices. Don't dismiss the idea of putting an SS badge on it.
There is a market out there for performance, utility, and low center of gravity in a single vehicle. Most of these people (myself included) are not fooled by the term "crossover". How many Magnum RT's and SRT8's has Dodge sold?
Bringing back the El Camino on the Zeta platform is an easy win.
GM officially forms "Power Partnership" with Transformers {Autoblog}
Feb 21st 2007 1:11PM @ #7: We're also old enough to remember which cars were used in the cartoon. VW Bug to Camaro? How does that happen? Optimus Prime is supposed to be a cab-over semi, and he doesn't have flames painted on him.
I for one won't be seeing the movie until I can manage to suffer through it on cable. It may be a 2 hour GM commercial, but with Michael Bay directing, it's sure to be a 2 hour GM commercial with a weak plot, shallow characters, flat dialog, and LOTS OF EXPLOSIONS. Not only is it guaranteed to suck cinematically, they're taking too many liberties with the franchise.
The robot's faces look creepy, too.
Wha? Buick dealers don't want a RWD vehicle {Autoblog}
Feb 19th 2007 4:16PM If Buick doesn't want it, and Rick really wants to bring the Stateman to the US, he should bring it here as a new Chevy Caprice (or Impala). No other brand has a place for it.
This would rectify one of GM's blunder's of the 90's (killing the Caprice). Then they can stop rebadging Malibu's as Impala's and do someting respectable with the Impala SS badge.
But if the Buick dealers can be convinced, it should be called Roadmaster.
Caption of the Day: Electrify us with your ideas {Autoblog}
Feb 18th 2007 12:49PM Small car owner casts "Protection from SUV's, 10 foot radius".
(for all the RPG geeks out there)
GM to give Chrysler some GMT900 love? {Autoblog}
Feb 16th 2007 4:54AM Didn't anyone tell Chrysler about the backlash against huge SUV's? Why do they want one now? Why didn't they design the current Ram platform with the intent of spinning off an SUV variant?
This is a dumb move for Chrysler. Probably not a great thing for GM either, unless there's something in the deal that no one knows about yet.
POLL: Should Pontiac change its logo? {Autoblog}
Feb 14th 2007 12:53AM Pontiac expects to double their ad budget just for the switch from Grand Prix to G8, and they also want to spend even more to disrupt and rebuild the branding of the marque? While GM is still financially shaky?
Bad idea.
Pontiac doesn't need a new logo. Pontiac doesn't need to walk away from 40+ years of brand recognition based on the red logo everyone knows.
Pontiac just needs more kick-ass products like the G8 and Solstice.
