News on quite a few future GM products

[jetsetter]

A document detailing GM's new contract with the UAW provides us with a detailed product roadmap for the next five years. It would appear the information was inadvertently made public, but in any case we've compiled a complete summary.


It's not known if the list represents a complete roadmap or only a partial one. Vehicles like the forthcoming Chevrolet Camaro and other Zeta platform cars don't appear on the list because they will be built by the CAW in Canada.

Product commitments:

Cadillac CTS Coupe (CTC) and Wagon to arrive in 2009
Two Zeta platform Cadillacs set for 2011.
Chevrolet Lambda crossover beginning in 2011
Next-generation Corvette and Cadillac XLR coming in 2012.
Next-generation GMC Acadia, Saturn Outlook, Buick Enclave, and Chevrolet version in 2012
Chevrolet Volt beginning in 2010
Global Alpha RWD (2 variants) beginning in 2011
Next-generation "C3XX" full-sized trucks to replace GMT 900 truck beginning in 2013
Hummer H3 successor in 2011
Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky continue until 2012
Pontiac G6 continues through 2013
Cadillac DTS discontinued in 2010; Current Buick Lucerne either discontinued or moved to other plant.
Global Delta MPV7 launch in 2009
Global Epsilon Chevrolet beginning in 2012
Global Epsilon Buick and Saturn beginning in 2009

http://www.leftlanenews.com/gm-produ...html#more-5824

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.

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/29/u...and-alpha-pro/

We'd already heard the speculation GM's been looking to take little pieces of the Kappa and Zeta platforms to create a new small-to-medium size rear-wheel-drive platform called Alpha. Now we've got confirmation by way of the product plan leakiness that is the UAW contract "highlights" book. The "product commitments" list is a veritable cornucopia of product info, and it appears to show a commitment by the General to build this new Alpha small-to-medium size rear-wheel-drive platform vehicle at the Lordstown, Ohio plant. We've heard it could be a small Cadillac vehicle and a small Pontiac, perhaps even to replace the Pontiac G5 -- especially given the desire by Bob Lutz to turn the entire Pontiac lineup into a RWD-only selection of vehicles. Given that, there's even the possibility this platform will end up being two different Pontiac vehicles, both with RWD. We guess we'll just have to wait and see.

http://jalopnik.com/cars/industry-ne...med-305168.php

In addition to the news on the discontinuation of discounted AOL service and a small rear-wheel-drive platform named Alpha, there's also news from GM's wide world of pickup trucks. Those pretty brand-spankin' new GMT-900 pickup trucks and SUV's from Chevy and GMC? They've already got a replacement platform, and the General's calling it "C3XX." And really, that's all we know -- in 2012 (2013 for the Arlington, Texas plant), C3XX will be the new GMT-900. That is all.

http://jalopnik.com/cars/industry-ne...012-305171.php

While the concept car and the original Camaro were both hardtop coupes, the production version of the 2010 Camaro will gain a B-pillar. It may seem like a betrayal to some, and Rick Wagoner did pledge to make the production car virtually identical to the concept, but in the end, it's no big deal. Actually, a B-pillar is a plus. The chassis will gain rigidity with the pillar there, and it'll be easy enough to disguise. Paint it black, it'll blend right in. Class rival Challenger has met the same fate - there will be no pillarless ponycar revival.

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/29/d...et-a-b-pillar/

One of us spent the past two days on the 'merican West Coast, in a little hamlet by the Pacific Ocean the locals call Los Angeles. There, we snuck into an exclusive "lifestyle" blogger sit-down held by the General of Motors. While normally not our cup of tea, the affair was a must-attend; we'd get to break bread and kibitz with none other than GM's man with the product plan -- the vice chairman of vocalization -- "Maximum" Bob Lutz. Seriously. We asked the man Swiss-born from jets a whole bunchload of questions on product, fuel economy, why GM must sacrifice some old Malibus and why he's excited not for a new Chevy El Camino, but rather a GMC Caballero. It was a dream come true. Now you know why they call the place La-La-Land.

Since we were out on America's left coast, the subject du jour was alternative energy. And Lutz was all for talking up GM's Volt concept car and new modular hybrid-drive platform, dubbed E-Flex. He went so far as to tell us we'll be seeing test mules of the Volt, disguised as a particular workaday sedan.

"The beginning of the next year, we'll take some cut up old Malibus, slap the battery packs in...we'll invite you people [auto journalists / bloggers / random people on the street] out there, so you'll know when we're testing them [the Volt], because we want the entire development process to be transparent."

Who knew the 'bu would be the body of choice for E-Flex?
Such "transparency" likely reflects a lesson learned from GM's putative enemies, Toyota, whose Prius has cast an environmentally conscious halo over the entire brand.

"Unfortunately when it comes to fuel economy, the Prius has shed its image on the entire product line of Toyota. So when someone buys a Sequoia, they're feeling good about the purchase because they feel like they're doing it for the environment."

The question of fuel economy is a toughie even for GM, especially given the role rear-wheel drive vehicles will play in the General's nascent lineup. So we asked Bob, What about all those rear-drive plans? He wouldn't tell us which if any vehicles have been scrapped, but he did hint at a depth of self-examination taking place at GM in the face of higher fleet-mileage standards.

"The Senate proposition of 35 mpg is impossible based on what the market's looking for. It's causing us to reassess all of the rear-wheel-drive programs and vehicles...we're even asking the question of whether they'd be able to stand the cost of a GM two-mode hybrid system."

A hybrid Camaro? What would Mark Donohue say?

Nonetheless, Maximum Bob did hold out hope one particular arrow-headed brand will be getting a wee bit more focus.

"Yes, of course there's some overlap with the Chevy SS performance group, but Pontiac...Pontiac's going to be very tightly focused, all rear-wheel drive vehicles."

What? No more "We Build Excrement!" jokes? What ever will we do? Alas, Bob was coy about other replacements to the very front-wheel drive product lineup. That got us to wondering about a product that's near and dear to every Jalopnik reader -- our beloved pickup-car utes!

So we asked Bob, What about a ute? When's it coming, when's it coming, when's it coming!?! Bob didn't oblige. He did volunteer where in the product lineup he thinks a pickup-car could fit -- and it's not where you'd think.

"A ute is a distinct possibility, if we do the ute...it could be the most enthusiast-positive decision to bring back the El Camino. But you look at their lineup and Chevy has too many vehicles. Now GMC, we could see that. You look at Pontiac, in the form of a power open bed wagon, sure...as a performance centered, sports-ute. And Ray, with GMC, you'd get...the Caballero!"

I want to make it very clear that Bob had a certain twinkle in his eye and sparkle in the voice at the mere mention of the erstwhile GMC. He mentioned the name two more times that evening, sounding more and more like a bona fide Zapatista as the night wore on.

http://jalopnik.com/cars/bob-lutz/ja...sly-301261.php

[thedguy]

I don't care what badge it goes under, as long as they bring us the Ute and it looks even remotely as good as the Holden.

"So when someone buys a Sequoia, they're feeling good about the purchase because they feel like they're doing it for the environment."

A hybrid Camaro? What would Mark Donohue say?

The Camaro no matter WHAT GM does to make it get good fuel economy will never have that "I'm doing it for the environment." The vette already gets 30mpg, no one thinks it's environmentally friendly.

I think they are smart to keep the RWD cars (at least in Chevy and Buick) to a minimum, it just creates to much overlap with Cadillac and Pontiac. If they take Chevy and make it a QUALITY well designed car (like Toyota and Honda have a rep for) I think is a great idea, even if it means the only RWD cars are the Camaro and 'vette.

It appears at least some of the Buick lineup will stay FWD since they are building on the epsilon platform. Wishfully thinking "AWD Buick?" as epsilon II is a FWD and AWD platform.

[Hidden_Hunter]

Looks like Holden maybe in for a bit of design work there

[jayhawk]

Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky continue until 2012

That's alll I care about!

[C53A_4G63T]

There is a UAW headquarters in my town. I did'nt realize what the place was until I drove past it yesterday.

[SoxXpupPeT]

wow thats quite afew changes for GM. but im wondering what the new vette will look like. and 2 zeta platformed Cadillacs ? thatll be very interesting

[tigger]

Originally Posted by SoxXpupPeT

wow thats quite afew changes for GM. but im wondering what the new vette will look like.

Well the way things are going we know it will have a drivetrain powered by pure evil and Jack Daniels . I like the changes they made when they went from the C5 to the C6, making the car smaller and more aggressive, I don't know why they wouldn't continue the trend.

As for all this news, I suppose some of it was speculation already, but I bet someone at GM is pretty upset about all of this getting out. They're definitely going to be awfully busy for the next few years. I am really looking forward to Pontiac's proposed RWD lineup, especially the G6.