Chevrolet to get a new compact car for sale early next year

[Oracle of Delphi]

Jamie LaReau

Automotive News

June 2, 2008 - 1:52 pm ET

DETROIT -- General Motors will unveil a Chevrolet compact car at an auto show this fall, with production slated to begin early next year, say sources familiar with GM's product program.

The vehicle will be built on the Delta compact car architecture at GM's plant in Lordstown, Ohio.

The car will use a new 1.4-liter global engine that GM developed and recently announced in Europe. The turbocharged four-cylinder engine will be used in several GM vehicles worldwide.

The Chevrolet compact will not be called the Cobalt, says one source familiar with the plans. GM will produce the current-generation Cobalt through June 2010 as a 2009 model. It was unclear from sources whether GM will continue to build the Cobalt after that.

Shared among five nameplates

The car's engine will be capable of developing between 120 and 140 hp. Sources say mileage could easily exceed 40 mpg.

"It's a pretty incredible engine; it's direct-injected with great power," the source says. "The small-displacement turbos make it possible to get great power so that GM might put it in the mid-sized products, too. It's an extremely important engine and a very capable powertrain."

The new engine will be shared among five nameplates: Chevrolet, Pontiac, Saturn, Opel and Daewoo, sources say. That means the Lordstown plant could build cars for export.

The engine continues the trend that GM started with such cars as the Pontiac Solstice GXP and Saturn Sky Red Line. Those cars use smaller engines and high-technology devices such as direct fuel injection and turbochargers to boost fuel economy and performance.

Lordstown plant retooling

GM is retooling its plant in Lordstown for a new vehicle, sources say. Lordstown union officials have heard that GM plans to add a shift.

GM now is building between 1,400 and 1,500 cars a day at Lordstown; adding a shift would increase that output to 2,100 cars a day. GM builds the Chevrolet Cobalt as well as the Pontiac G5 and its Canadian counterpart, the Pontiac Pursuit, at the Lordstown plant. All these vehicles also are built on the Delta architecture.

Meanwhile, GM is reconsidering bringing the Chevrolet minicar, the Beat, to the United States.

"The Beat for the U.S. is getting a pretty thorough examination now that you see what's going on with fuel prices," says a source close to GM's product development. "It isn't definitively on there as a go product, but there is a lot of inside chatter and it's on the consideration list."

Link: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti...p;rssfeed=RSS34

[AAS]

Relative size to the Cobalt? Body styles (sedan, coupe, hatch)? How "early next year" will it be sold?

Being that the 1.4L is turbocharged, is it safe to assume it will require premium fuel?

Edited June 2, 2008 by AAS

[Oracle of Delphi]

Thank You GME for the New 1.4-liter Global Engine!

Edit, another source - http://www.motorauthority.com/cars/chevrol...for-gm-in-2009/

Edited June 2, 2008 by Pontiac Custom-S

[VenSeattle]

[sarcasm]Sorry, but I didn't see a concept for this car 3 years ago and Chevrolet is being completely ingored with the dealers suffering for new product. GM management didn't foresee the gas crisis so nothing fuel efficient is coming out until 2015 at the earliest... There's just no way this car exists. [/sarcasm]

Anyway, Congrats for GM and Chevrolet. This explains why the Cobalt didn't receive the normal MCE. GM must have moved up the Cobalt replacement as some here hoped for and suggested.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

The Chevrolet compact will not be called the Cobalt, says one source familiar with the plans. GM will produce the current-generation Cobalt through June 2010 as a 2009 model. It was unclear from sources whether GM will continue to build the Cobalt after that.

If it's replacing the Cobalt; GM is ignorant. Customers are just now becoming acclimated with the Cobalt name now that gas is so high. Why go and have to build identity for a brand new name? (With the no money that GM has)

The car's engine will be capable of developing between 120 and 140 hp. Sources say mileage could easily exceed 40 mpg.

"It's a pretty incredible engine; it's direct-injected with great power," the source says. "The small-displacement turbos make it possible to get great power so that GM might put it in the mid-sized products, too. It's an extremely important engine and a very capable powertrain."

Great power my ass... And why couldn't this technology be applied to a slightly bigger 'buzz box' and slid into Zeta?

The new engine will be shared among five nameplates: Chevrolet, Pontiac, Saturn, Opel and Daewoo, sources say. That means the Lordstown plant could build cars for export.

Astra replacement and G5 replacement? My curiosity is up now about the Pontiac model. (Although it's probably just a clone of the Chevrolet)

Meanwhile, GM is reconsidering bringing the Chevrolet minicar, the Beat, to the United States.

I thought it was a done deal? How stupid is GM? the damn car should be on the schedule NOW!

"The Beat for the U.S. is getting a pretty thorough examination now that you see what's going on with fuel prices," says a source close to GM's product development. "It isn't definitively on there as a go product, but there is a lot of inside chatter and it's on the consideration list."

So they'll "think about it" for 3 damn years and allow everyone else to get a head start. Then they'll give us a Beat that has been introduced across the globe for 3 years already and fail miserably. (You know, like the genius that is the Astra program)

Edited June 2, 2008 by FUTURE_OF_GM

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

Thank You GME for the New 1.4-liter Global Engine!

Yes,

I'm sure Briggs and Straton is shaking in it's boots.

[VenSeattle]

FOG... I'm guessing the name change is so that the car will be sold globally as a single Chevrolet model. I don't think the "Cobalt" name would travel well internationally.

[Satty]

[sarcasm]Sorry, but I didn't see a concept for this car 3 years ago and Chevrolet is being completely ingored with the dealers suffering for new product. GM management didn't foresee the gas crisis so nothing fuel efficient is coming out until 2015 at the earliest... There's just no way this car exists. [/sarcasm]

Anyway, Congrats for GM and Chevrolet. This explains why the Cobalt didn't receive the normal MCE. GM must have moved up the Cobalt replacement as some here hoped for and suggested.

GOOD GOD! GM took away my one usual complaint. I'm hoping for the best.

[AAS]

Thank You GME for the New 1.4-liter Global Engine!

Edit, another source - http://www.motorauthority.com/cars/chevrol...for-gm-in-2009/

OK... so smaller then a Cobalt, but bigger then an Aveo?

When are Q3 and Q4, and in this case will the reveal be a concept or production version (if production, when will it be in dealerships)?

Any more information (regarding questions in this post and my past post) would be appreciated.

[PurdueGuy]

Please, don't let it be the only engine option. Give Chevy an SS, Saturn a Red Line, and Pontiac a GXP. (And make sure they all deserve the name!) 140 can be a reasonable amount of power, especially if they've smartened up & are putting these next gen products on a diet, but even if the powerband is good, 140hp isn't going to get people really, really excited. (see Astra)

[CARBIZ]

This is great news. FOG, choice is good, no? We are north of $5 a gallon here, and let me tell you - a well built, well designed car that gets 40 mpg or better will be welcomed with open arms here. A turbo sounds interesting, too. Why would it have to run on premium? This vehicle shouldn't be tuned to be a rocket.

Enzl, over to you....

[daves87rs]

This should be interesting....

I get the feeling that this is the start of something....

[enzl]

This is great news...perhaps the rumored pull-ahead of Delta...or a running change of plan to put export product together here while the $ is in the toilet?

No complaints, this is exactly what GM has to do to survive.

[Northstar]

Good news. And a car smaller than the Cobalt is fine. Cobalt is bigger than Civic, Corolla, Sentra, Focus, and the list goes on and on... and some of them it's significantly bigger than... the Focus is 5 1/2 inches shorter.

[Camino LS6]

My only complaint is that there should not be a Pontiac version.

[gm4life]

Hmm so will this be a car inbetween the Cobalt and Aveo eh? So in effect is the Cobalt replacement? Or will they redo that one along with the G5 later?

[Northstar]

My only complaint is that there should not be a Pontiac version.

Who knows if it's coming here, though? Hopefully it's just for Canada.

The Chevy was originally an Aug 2009 intro, so it's been moved up ~6 months... if everything else has been moved up 6 months on Global Delta, the Astra will be here late 2009/early 2010 in sedan form, and around the same time as the Chevy if we're getting the 5-door this go around as well. The 3-door comes at basically the same time as the sedan.

[hyperv6]

It is amazing how fast this news hit once the UAW signed it deal. Too bad they did not sign it sooner.

These are the cars that will pay the bills if gas remains high. At least they are giving us something to drive that is 90 Hp like the old Iron Duke Citations of the past.

Not a car I would want but one GM needs.

I expect the fuel will be premium but will run ok on regular with a loss of about 20 HP. This is how the other tubo and 3800 series III supercharged engines are running.

Edited June 3, 2008 by hyperv6

[BigPontiac]

It is amazing how fast this news hit once the UAW signed it deal. Too bad they did not sign it sooner.

These are the cars that will pay the bills if gas remains high. At least they are giving us something to drive that is 90 Hp like the old Iron Duke Citations of the past.

Not a car I would want but one GM needs.

I expect the fuel will be premium but will run ok on regular with a loss of about 20 HP. This is how the other tubo and 3800 series III supercharged engines are running.

The 2.0L DI Turbo used in the HHR SS runs on regular gas, not premium. So odds are this new engine won't require premium.

[CSpec]

This is good news, but I can't understand why they're keeping the Cobalt around for an extra year. Its styling is already very dated, and it's not very competitive.

[Oracle of Delphi]

Who knows if it's coming here, though? Hopefully it's just for Canada.

The Chevy was originally an Aug 2009 intro, so it's been moved up ~6 months... if everything else has been moved up 6 months on Global Delta, the Astra will be here late 2009/early 2010 in sedan form, and around the same time as the Chevy if we're getting the 5-door this go around as well. The 3-door comes at basically the same time as the sedan.

It will be a North American Pontiac, all of North America.

[Northstar]

This is good news, but I can't understand why they're keeping the Cobalt around for an extra year. Its styling is already very dated, and it's not very competitive.

Fleets, probably.

It will be a North American Pontiac, all of North America.

Want to give a hint as to how soon? It could be the Vibe replacement, which is really just an MCE, anyways (same basic interior). You could answer "soon" (less than 2 years) or "not soon" (more than 2 years) :AH-HA_wink:

If done right a small FWD Pontiac is OK as long as we still get an Alpha one (perhaps bigger than the Delta car), but it is unneeded. R&T or C&D (can't remember which) just tested the Cobalt SS turbo and said it's the best handling sport-compact ever, so it's not as if GM couldn't do a very sport FWD compact Pontiac.

[Oracle of Delphi]

Fleets, probably.

Want to give a hint as to how soon? It could be the Vibe replacement, which is really just an MCE, anyways (same basic interior). You could answer "soon" (less than 2 years) or "not soon" (more than 2 years) :AH-HA_wink:

If done right a small FWD Pontiac is OK as long as we still get an Alpha one (perhaps bigger than the Delta car), but it is unneeded. R&T or C&D (can't remember which) just tested the Cobalt SS turbo and said it's the best handling sport-compact ever, so it's not as if GM couldn't do a very sport FWD compact Pontiac.

It will be revealed either in Frankfurt or the Paris Auto shows in the fall. If I had to bet it will be Frankfurt. You should have production version by 1st or early 2nd quarter 2009. I don't see an Alpha in Pontiac's future, I see one for Cadillac, Buick and Chevrolet. But hey, I could be wrong, I was once! :AH-HA_wink:

[Blake Noble]

Let the record show that I feel as if there is a glaring error in giving Buick a car on Alpha.

Here is your captain obvious moment for tonight:

Chevrolet Alpha = Camaro

Cadillac Alpha = BLS-replacement

[ZL-1]

Let the record show that I feel as if there is a glaring error in giving Buick a car on Alpha.

Here is your captain obvious moment for tonight:

Chevrolet Alpha = Camaro

Cadillac Alpha = BLS-replacement

Well, since Pontiac seems to be heading towards an Aveo-clone strategy, couldn't Buick have it's own Riviera or Velite sitting on Alpha? Or maybe a slightly restlyed Holden Torana sedan? Or even something that is China-only?

[ocnblu]

I really, really hope a Pontiac version of this will not be a styling clone of the Chevrolet.

[Derek77]

I guess this answers the question of if this is a new Aveo or a new model:

GM Announces New Products, Capacity Adjustments; Continues Transformation of North American Business

• New car, powertrain programs to meet the changing needs of U.S. customers
• Chevy Volt production gets the green light from the GM board
• GM builds on car momentum with additional capacity; adjusts truck capacity
• Hummer brand set for strategic review

WILMINGTON, Del. - GM today announced a range of strategic initiatives to aggressively respond to growing demand for fuel-efficient vehicles and to economic and market challenges in North America. Rick Wagoner, GM chairman and CEO, made the announcements here as part of the GM annual meeting of stockholders.

Major initiatives announced by Wagoner include:

• A new global compact car program for Chevrolet, a next generation for the popular Chevy Aveo, and a high efficiency engine module for the U.S. market.
• Funding for production of the Chevy Volt extended-range electric vehicle.
• Addition of third shifts to Lordstown and Orion, which build hot-selling Chevy and Pontiac cars.
• Cessation of production at four plants that build pickups, SUVs and medium-duty trucks.
• A strategic review of the Hummer brand.

"From the start of our North American turnaround plan in 2005, I've said that our goal is not just to return GM to profitability, but to structure GM globally for sustained profitability and growth," said Wagoner.

"Since the first of this year, however, U.S. economic and market conditions have become significantly more difficult," he said. "Higher gasoline prices are changing consumer behavior, and they are significantly affecting the U.S. auto industry sales mix."

In North America, GM has been moving rapidly and successfully to revitalize its car lineup and grow its crossover business. New GM cars and crossovers, including the Cadillac CTS, Chevy Malibu, Pontiac Vibe and Buick Enclave, have been selling strongly, and GM intends to build on this success. In fact, 18 of the next 19 new GM products for the U.S. will be cars or crossovers.

Additional operational and strategic actions will be required to position GM for sustainable profitability and growth. These initiatives fall into three broad areas: product and technology, manufacturing facilities and capacity, and the Hummer brand.

New Chevrolet models and a high-efficiency engine module approved

To further strengthen GM's lineup of fuel-efficient cars, the GM board has approved a next-generation compact Chevy for the U.S. and global markets, a next generation of the popular Chevy Aveo, and a U.S. production module of GM's 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine.

The new Chevy compact will be better equipped than today's compact cars, and will be designed to set quality and safety benchmarks for the compact class. Production will begin in mid-2010 at GM's Lordstown, Ohio, plant, subject to final negotiations with state and local authorities.

"This car will represent the first U.S. application of our global architecture strategy," said Wagoner. "This strategy will pay major dividends as we leverage our extensive car product development capability in Europe, Korea, and other locations to accelerate the shift in our U.S. product portfolio."

The next-generation compact will be pure Chevrolet in design, and will feature the 1.4-liter turbocharged version of GM's global four-cylinder engine. With this engine and a manual transmission, the new Chevy is expected to achieve a 9 mpg improvement over Chevy's current entry in this segment. The engine will be produced in Flint, Michigan, again subject to final negotiations with state and local authorities.

Also recently approved was a next generation of the popular Chevy Aveo. Based on a global architecture, the Aveo is also expected to have segment-leading fuel economy when it goes on sale in the U.S. market in the second half of 2010.

These new Chevy models will help build on GM's leadership in fuel efficient vehicles. For example, GM continues to offer more vehicles with a 30-mpg or better highway fuel economy rating than any competitor.

Chevy Volt is a go

The Chevy Volt took a major step toward the showroom with formal approval by the GM board of funding for production of the extended-range electric vehicle. This approval, which includes funding for production development and tooling, indicates that GM leadership believes that the technology for the Volt, including its lithium-ion batteries, will be ready for volume production on schedule.

"The Chevy Volt is a go," said Wagoner. "We believe this is the biggest step yet in our industry's move away from our historic, virtually complete reliance on petroleum to power vehicles."

"We intend to show a production version of the Chevy Volt publicly in the very near future, and we remain focused on our target of getting the Volt into Chevrolet showrooms by the end of 2010," Wagoner said.

Preliminary plans are to produce the Volt at GM's Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Center, subject to successful discussions with state and local governments.

Capacity adjustments address market shifts

GM will react to the shift in the U.S. market by increasing production of small and midsize cars and reducing production of pickups and truck-based SUVs.

GM will add a third shift in September to the Orion Assembly Center in Michigan, which builds the hot-selling Chevy Malibu and Pontiac G6. Also in September, the company plans to add a third shift at Lordstown Car Assembly in Ohio, which builds the Chevy Cobalt and Pontiac G5.

On the other side of the mix equation, market-related declines in truck sales mean that, over time, GM will cease production at four truck plants.

Oshawa Truck Assembly in Canada, which builds the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra, will likely cease production in 2009, while Moraine, Ohio, which builds the Chevy TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy and Saab 9-7x, will end production at the end of the 2010 model run, or sooner, if demand dictates. Janesville, Wisconsin, will cease production of medium-duty trucks by the end of 2009, and of the Tahoe, Suburban and Yukon in 2010, or sooner, if market demand dictates. Chevrolet Kodiak medium-duty truck production will also end in Toluca, Mexico, by the end of this year.

GM expects that these actions, along with the recent announcement to remove shifts at two other U.S. truck plants (Pontiac and Flint, Michigan), will result in an additional GM North America structural cost savings of more than $1 billion, on a running rate basis, by 2010. This is on top of the approximately $5 billion running rate reduction by 2011 that we announced earlier this year, and also in addition to the $9 billion reduction accomplished over the 2006-07 period in North America.

GM will work closely with its union partners to mitigate the impact of these difficult actions, which are made necessary by long-term changes in consumer demand for trucks and SUVs.

Strategic assessment for Hummer brand

Finally, GM is undertaking a strategic review of the Hummer brand to determine its fit within the GM portfolio. At this point, the company is considering all options, from a complete revamp of the product lineup to a partial or complete sale of the brand.

Moving forward

"We are making a number of important announcements today, covering everything from product and technology investments to capacity adjustments to a strategic review of our Hummer brand," said Wagoner. "These moves are all in response to the rapid rise in oil prices and the resulting changes in the U.S., changes that we believe are more structural than cyclical.

"While some of the actions, especially the capacity reductions, are very difficult, they are necessary to adjust to changing market and economic conditions and to keep GM's U.S. turnaround on track and moving forward."

###

Edited June 3, 2008 by Derek77

[Drew Dowdell]

Pontiac is just dead. Buy your G8s and G8 STs while you can. They will be the last Pontiacs.

[hector]

does anyone know if it's gonna be built on delta 1 or delta 2?

[Camino LS6]

Pontiac is just dead. Buy your G8s and G8 STs while you can. They will be the last Pontiacs.

Cause of death: Neglect and a distinct lack of testicular fortitude.

[Drew Dowdell]

Cause of death: Neglect and a distinct lack of testicular fortitude.

Hardly. To neglect means to ignore. When a body takes steps against another, it is abuse, malice, or revenge.

[enzl]

Hardly. To neglect means to ignore. When a body takes steps against another, it is abuse, malice, or revenge.

Like Cancer, maybe?

I won't pile on....the news is self-explanatory.

The news of the G3 was the harbinger of doom yesterday.

[Drew Dowdell]

Like Cancer, maybe?

I won't pile on....the news is self-explanatory.

The news of the G3 was the harbinger of doom yesterday.

Cancer just targets whatever is closest and consumes it.

No, this is more like long range biological warfare launched by leaders of much smaller countries attempting to spread their way of doing things inside the US.

[CARBIZ]

If a new, small car can be on the market by mid-year next year, then GM can 'whore' out the Cobalt to keep the plant running. I'd love to have a $9,999 base car sell, like we did the Cavalier in it's last year.

Why can't Pontiac have a true 'performance' version of the new small car? Chevy can occupy the lower rung of the ladder, and Pontiac can have a sportier version that is priced several hundred higher and slightly less gas mileage - that way, at least, they won't be directly competing.

[regfootball]

If a new, small car can be on the market by mid-year next year, then GM can 'whore' out the Cobalt to keep the plant running. I'd love to have a $9,999 base car sell, like we did the Cavalier in it's last year.

Why can't Pontiac have a true 'performance' version of the new small car? Chevy can occupy the lower rung of the ladder, and Pontiac can have a sportier version that is priced several hundred higher and slightly less gas mileage - that way, at least, they won't be directly competing.

why cant i get a G5 turbo sedan ? i dont want a chevy.

[hyperv6]

The folks in Lordstown are celebrating today. They are a very happy group and are glad to be deep into GM's plans. The UAW in that area has learnd by watching what has happened to the steel industry and may end up being theone of the better UAW's to deal with.

I hope they have finally learned they need to work together as the slogan goes.

If I hear any leaks about what is going on I will pass it along. I have a few pwoplw that work there that will say what is going on from time to time.

[AAS]

...

If I hear any leaks about what is going on I will pass it along. I have a few pwoplw that work there that will say what is going on from time to time.

Any information would be appreciated. Maybe one of the insiders would like to spill the beans?

Anyway, I'm most curious as to when it will be in dealerships, and if I can wait that long.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

Why can't Pontiac have a true 'performance' version of the new small car? Chevy can occupy the lower rung of the ladder, and Pontiac can have a sportier version that is priced several hundred higher and slightly less gas mileage - that way, at least, they won't be directly competing.

I am hopeful of this... As long as I can still buy a G8 in the same showroom. (For more than 2 years.)

[daves87rs]

This is good news, but I can't understand why they're keeping the Cobalt around for an extra year. Its styling is already very dated, and it's not very competitive.

Extra small car sales..better deal, maybe?

[daves87rs]

If a new, small car can be on the market by mid-year next year, then GM can 'whore' out the Cobalt to keep the plant running. I'd love to have a $9,999 base car sell, like we did the Cavalier in it's last year.

Why can't Pontiac have a true 'performance' version of the new small car? Chevy can occupy the lower rung of the ladder, and Pontiac can have a sportier version that is priced several hundred higher and slightly less gas mileage - that way, at least, they won't be directly competing.

Agreed.

[daves87rs]

I am hopeful of this... As long as I can still buy a G8 in the same showroom. (For more than 2 years.)

[gm4life]

I really don't think GM is doing anything with Pontiac and are prolly working on a next gen G6, and G5 already. Along with the next gen Holden/Pontiac G8.

[thegriffon]

Extra small car sales..better deal, maybe?

A brand spanking new SS.

[thegriffon]

Not also "a 9 mpg imporvement over Chevrolet's current entry ion this segment". Let's see, Chevy Cobalt, 36 mpg manual, + 9 mpg is a 45 mpg Cobalt. Booyah.