Autoblog

Less than 2 months ago the headline here was GM ramps up Cobalt production to meet demand. It's amazing how quickly things change in this crazy environment. Just months after adding a third shift at the Lordstown, OH assembly plant where the Chevy Cobalt and Pontiac G5 are built, on Friday GM gave 1,100 employees at the facility layoff notices. The company isn't getting rid of the third shift but, it is slowing the build rate in line with current sales demand. Earlier this summer, GM was selling Cobalts as fast as they could build them and now all of a sudden, those sales have dried up. The spike was triggered by $4 gasoline, and even though gas prices have dropped to half that level, you might not expect sales to fall so fast. The real problem is the lack of available credit for financing. Most of the inherent customer base for cars like the Cobalt simply can't afford to pay cash for a new car. With credit increasingly hard to get, car sales have crashed almost across the board in October. Even the Honda Civic that sold 53,000 copies in May got just under 19,800 in October. Expect to hear more about slowdowns at other carmakers, including mighty Toyota and Honda, very soon.

[Source: Vindy.com]

Many people choose their car because it is an extension of themselves, their personality, their style and their passion. These folks tend to forge a deep attachment with their automobile, an inanimate object void of emotion. Despite that fact, a vehicle has wants and needs of its own, and some can be more demanding than a small child. As with any parent, there are curious automobile owners who often wonder, where did my baby come from? Recently 134 Chevrolet Cobalt fans got the chance to find out.

Back on September 27th, GM opened up the Lordstown, OH plant for 85 lucky owners and their guests. It was a rare chance for many to view the inner workings of an automotive assembly line, without a need to join the UAW. Event attendees received a full facility tour, on site lunch meet and greet, and of course freebee swag. Not surprisingly, the majority of the Cobalt fan base stemmed from the website CobaltSS.net.

The SS is about the only Chevy compact that can muster up an emotional following, as evident in the video of John Heinricy tossing the 2008 model around the Nurburgring. The turbocharged ECOtech powered econo car is just one of the models currently produced at the Lordstown plant. The massive facility is also slated to make the Cobalt replacement, the Cruze. Check out the gallery below to view photos from the event.

click above for high-res gallery of next-gen Chevy Cobalt spy shots

Workers at GM's Lordstown, OH plant just got another shot of good news from the General: the next-gen compact car from Chevrolet will be built there. The Chevy Cruze will replace the Cobalt, which recently had a third shift added to its production, and will make its initial debut at the Paris Motor Show in October. Europeans will get the first shot at the new car with sales beginning in April of 2009. The U.S. won't get the car until the following year, as the Lordstown plant begins phasing out the Cobalt and ramping up production of the Cruze in June of 2010. Both cars will be built simultaneously for a short time, according to UAW Local 1714 President Dave Green, who represents the workers at the Lordstown assembly plant.

A look at recent spy shots has our interest piqued over the new small sedan. Styling looks to be worlds better than the just decent Cobalt and the promised forty miles per gallon sounds like just what the doctor ordered in the face of ever-increasing gas prices. Thanks for the tip, Tony!


[Source: WKBN News]

Back in the late seventies and into early eighties, Chrysler had gotten itself into such horrid financial shape that the U.S. government decided to step in and fix the situation itself. Considering the sorry state of affairs that all three of the Detroit automakers find themselves in today, some may wonder if a government-funded bailout is in the cards. Not so much... at least according to John McCain. "Frankly I just don't see a scenario where the federal government would come in and bail out any industry in America today," says the Republican.

So, what plan does McCain have in store for the Detroit 3? More Chevrolet Cobalts and Pontiac G5s for one, as the Arizona Senator said the above words after touring the plant in Lordstown, Ohio where the GM compact cars are made and a where third shift has just been added. "I am convinced that what is being done at the Lordstown assembly plant is the future of the American auto industry," added McCain.

In more related good news for the U.S. automakers, McCain says he supports nationwide CO₂ standards and would oppose any state's individual plans -- California, we're looking at you. The Presidential hopeful also wants to see more fair-trade standards implemented with the other various auto-building nations and quicker violations for unfair practices. We await a response from the Democratic side.

[Sources: The Detroit News, Automotive News - sub. req'd]

The industry-wide shrinking of US automobiles is in its infant stages, but new products are coming in a big fat hurry. GM is preparing a new compact model based on the Delta platform, and it will feature the General's new 1.4-liter turbo powerplant. GM isn't spilling the beans on the identity of the new vehicle, which will not be named Cobalt. We don't know if it will replace the Cobalt, either, but we do know that the direct injected, force-fed 1.4-liter four-pot could achieve a remarkable 40 mpg or more. The new engine isn't only efficient, but it's got plenty of pep, too. The turbocharged four-banger will produce between 120 and 140 ponies, and it'll likely have an attractive torque curve to boot.

The as-of-yet unnamed vehicle will be built in GM's Lordstown plant, which currently produces the Pontiac G5 and Chevy Cobalt. The new Chevy may also necessitate an additional shift at Lordstown, which would be welcomed news to the UAW's rank and file. The mystery Chevrolet compact will be unveiled this fall, with a production date of early next year. We haven't heard much regarding an all-new Chevrolet compact, so if this vehicle arrives in addition to a new Cobalt, that will be very big news.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

The Holden Torana concept might provide a hint of the Alpha platform

After the UAW leadership sat down with regional and local leaders in Detroit on Friday to review the tentative agreement with GM, a list of future plant assignments was leaked. Part of the contract included commitments from GM to assign new work to sixteen assembly plants over the next few years. Several platforms that have been up in the air showed up on the list. One of the most important that has been the subject of some speculation recently is the Chevy Volt.

It had been thought that the Volt would be built in Lordstown, OH alongside the next-generation Cobalt, since it's derived from the same Delta platform. The plant list shows the Volt and a Delta-based vehicle called MPV7 (seven-seat MPV?) being built in Detroit at the Hamtramck plant after the Cadillac DTS is discontinued. It also lists 2010 as Volt's start date. Lordstown, meanwhile, is slated to get a Gamma plaform car in 2010 and an Alpha in 2011. Gamma is a small car platform that should be the basis for the next generation Opel Corsa, which is widely-expected to be offered in the US. Alpha is a compact RWD platform expected to spawn a smaller Cadillac below the CTS and possibly a replacement for the Pontiac G6. It looks 2009-2012 is going to be an extremely busy time for GM engineers with a ton of new product.

Thanks for the tip, Nadir!

[Source: Detroit Free Press, Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

UPDATE: We've learned that the UAW contract disputes aren't likely to affect the introduction of the 2008 Malibu, since it will be built on the Epsilon I platform, which is still on track. The negotiations, however, may affect the debut of the next-generation Malibu and Aura, both of which will move to the Epsilon II platform.
Eps

The turnaround at General Motors is in full swing thanks to a bevy of new models on the horizon. One of those promising products is the new Chevy Malibu, which we're looking forward to reviewing as soon as possible. It turns out we may have to wait longer than expected to get behind the wheel of the new Epsilon 2-based Malibu. Apparently contract negotiations with the local UAW at GM's Lordstown, Ohio and Fairfax, Kansas plants have hit a snag. The Lordstown plant builds many of GM's Delta-based models, including the Chevy Cobalt and Pontiac G5, and is earmarked to build the next generation of Delta-based models, as well. The Fairfax plant, meanwhile, builds the current Malibu and Pontiac G6, but is being renovated to handle the new Malibu and Saturn Aura.

GM had asked for some big concessions from the local unions at both plants that included 10-hour shifts with no overtime and the ability to hire some non-union workers to do janitorial work, unload trucks and even do assembly in some cases. The local unions were very close to closing the deal with GM until the national UAW stepped in and stopped the talks.

The unions are reportedly seeking a guarantee that the next generation Delta and Epsilon 2 models will be built at these plants, which has come under question since GM has halted development of new assembly-line tooling for these vehicles. GM, on the other hand, claims to have halted the development of new tooling in response to these talks breaking down. Clearly there's some tit-for-tat going on here, and both sides hope things can be ironed out after UAW international reps meet with GM next week in Detroit.

[Source: Automotive News]