GM Confirms New Products

[HarleyEarl]

http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti.../705485855/1065

GM confirms new products

By GREG MIGLIORE

General Motors is launching seven key new vehicles in the next two years, including three Cadillacs and a production version of the Buick Invicta concept, as part of a car and crossover product blitz to help turn around its troubled North American operations.

The new vehicles were confirmed by GM CEO Rick Wagoner on Tuesday after he laid out a series of cuts designed to improve the troubled automaker's liquidity by $15 billion through 2009.

The Cadillac CTS coupe, which turned heads in January at the Detroit show, headlines the list of new vehicles confirmed Tuesday and is expected to launch in summer 2009. A CTS sport wagon, featuring prominent taillights reminiscent of late-1950s Cadillacs, will arrive next spring. A new Cadillac SRX crossover that closely mimics the Provoq concept shown at the Consumer Electronics Show last January is due in the second quarter of 2009.

GM also showed a picture of the production version of the Buick Invicta, the new flagship sedan that was shown as a concept at the Beijing show in March. It will launch next spring in the United States. A new 9-4X crossover for Saab is also due in fall 2009.

Chevrolet gets a redesigned Equinox in May 2009, with a new 2.3-liter, direct-injection four-cylinder powerplant, which product czar Bob Lutz promises will offer dramatically improved fuel economy.

GM also said that the Chevrolet Cruze, its new global small car to be built in Ohio, is expected to improve fuel efficiency by 9 mpg over the Cobalt.

The automaker did not offer more details on the fate of Hummer, though GM is eyeing asset sales.

The cuts also include plans to reduce GM's truck capacity by 300,000 units by the end of 2009 by accelerating the shuttering of its plants. Additionally, the automaker is freezing development of its next generation of trucks and sport/utility vehicles, as well as V8 engines.

This article was last updated on: 07/15/08, 14:03 et

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

The cuts also include plans to reduce GM's truck capacity by 300,000 units by the end of 2009 by accelerating the shuttering of its plants. Additionally, the automaker is freezing development of its next generation of trucks and sport/utility vehicles, as well as V8 engines.

Umm... What?

Do these idiots honestly think that there isn't/won't be a market for V8s????

I mean, sports and luxury cars aside, what about TRUCK buyers that need real trucks that tow REAL things?

I certainly hope this is an error of some sort.

Edited July 17, 2008 by FUTURE_OF_GM

[SingleStylish]

FOG, while I usually agree with you, they are not "canceled" but suspended. GM must prioritize needs, smaller displacements are of higher priority.

[loki]

Do these idiots honestly think that there isn't/won't be a market for V8s????

maybe they're just planning the 4.9L DI for production already and maybe one other....more than that might be frozen? hopefully they already have an updated N* in plans going forward.

[hyperv6]

One must watch the wording with GM carefully.

They like to say freezing, delayed, review, hold, etc and none mean canceled. As we all know by now that most times mean work has just stopped and money and man power is applied to more important things.

We saw this in the Camaro and G8 many times.

GM will have a V8 but they will be fewer and used much less. Right now GM needs to get the small engine effort up to standards and that is just what they are doing.

GM has V8 engines to the point they will suit their needs for long into the future. There will be little need to make more power. All they need to do is look to make them more efficent.

I think the HP race is over now it is who can make decent power and still get 40 MPG.

The other race will be who can remove the most weight and still meet crash standards? The companies in Japan are already at work on that one.

[Camino LS6]

Hyper, we have disagreed often lately but that last post is spot on.

Besides, GM V8s are excellent as they are and no one has more experience in building them.

[Oracle of Delphi]

Oh and we are going to see the production Camaro on Monday at 4 PM, but some of us already have. :AH-HA_wink:

[Paolino]

I'm concerned about the Buick Invicta production version being "the next Buick flagship". I want a bigger, more-luxurious flagship.

[CSpec]

I'm concerned about the Buick Invicta production version being "the next Buick flagship". I want a bigger, more-luxurious flagship.

I think we might be very impressed with the Invicta's level of luxury. Also, the packaging should be much much better than the Lucerne or Lacrosse, so I don't think size will be a big issue.

[bowtie_dude]

Oh and we are going to see the production Camaro on Monday at 4 PM, but some of us already have. :AH-HA_wink:

I'm anxious to see pricing. I'm hoping the V8 comes in at around $25k.

[Intrepidation]

FOG, while I usually agree with you, they are not "canceled" but suspended. GM must prioritize needs, smaller displacements are of higher priority.

Exactly.

[longtooth]

I'm anxious to see pricing. I'm hoping the V8 comes in at around $25k.

I saw the concept Camaro when I was working in Doraville, GA in April '06. 25k or thereabouts was discussed as one price-point for the model as envisioned on the show circuit. If they could bring the SS in at around where the G8-V8 is presently I think they'd sell very well. I was so taken with the concept that at the time I thought it out-classed the Corvette for style and visceral appeal. I've seen the pilots and I still think they're gorgeous. This size of vehicle provides such a fluid medium for the stylist to work in. We already have a conception of what Corvettes should look like and they pretty much conform to expectations. Camaro is different. It's venerated for different reasons.

Edited July 18, 2008 by longtooth

[hyperv6]

Oh and we are going to see the production Camaro on Monday at 4 PM, but some of us already have. :AH-HA_wink:

A lot of us have already seen it a while ago. :AH-HA_wink: :AH-HA_wink:

I already can hear how the trunk is not user freindly and other nit picks. Some people just don't relize how lucky they are to have what their getting.

And Camaino we agree a lot more than disagree. What scares me is I am agreeing with PCS more since the gas prices went up and the stock went down.

PCS that was not a swipe it is just we were polar oppisites for quite a wile and the gap has closed on both our parts.

[AAS]

Oh and we are going to see the production Camaro on Monday at 4 PM, but some of us already have. :AH-HA_wink:

Where, in Los Angeles, is it going to be?

[longtooth]

Where, in Los Angeles, is it going to be?

Semper Mum.

[CaddyXLR-V]

I think the HP race is over now it is who can make decent power and still get 40 MPG.

I don't think that's true. I think GM is just dropping out of the race. BMW, Mercedes, Lexus, Audi, they are all introducing higher horsepower models of their cars, and they don't seem to be cancelling or slowing their plans for them at all.

[smk4565]

I bet the V8 Camaro is closer to 30k like the G8 GT. Maybe $28,995 or something.