Fairfax in lead to make new car

[Ghost Dog]

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/n...al/13418638.htm

Brown said the production of the new vehicle, which would be built on the same assembly line as the Malibu and Aura, could create as many as 100 more jobs. The Fairfax plant currently employs about 3,000 people.

The Malibu and Malibu Maxx are built on a shared set of components, known as the Epsilon platform, for GM midsize cars. The Fairfax plant last year succeeded in getting tax abatements for a new Saturn car that will be built on the same Epsilon platform. GM has invested $203 million in the plant to roll out the mid-size Saturn Aura in the fall of 2006.

GM also announced that it would begin building a gas-electric version of the Malibu in 2007.

The proposed new vehicle, which has not yet been identified by GM, also will be a midsize car on the Epsilon platform, Brown said.

If GM chooses Fairfax, it would expand the plant by 50,000 square feet and possibly begin production in the fall of 2007.

[turbo200]

Buick Epsilon. maybe

[91z4me]

Buick Epsilon. maybe

[post="59540"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

That is the only mainstream brand without an Epsilon besides Caddy, which has the BTS but we have been told it won't make it to the states this go round.

[RBB]

BTS? -RBB Edited December 16, 2005 by RBB

[sciguy_0504]

Buick Epsilon? I guess GM's plan to keep off the fat of extra, unneeded vehicles has been trashed. Sigh...

[BigPontiac]

What about moving NA production for the Saab 9-3 to that plant? That would bring in another Epsilon without creating anymore overlap.

[91z4me]

BTS?

-RBB

[post="59570"][/post]

BLS, my bad on that.

To make up for it here is a photo

[thegriffon]

Remember the "new" Malibu would be an additional line to the current Malibu.

[cmattson]

That doesn't make much sense to me unless the Malibu name is being retired (or put into an exclusive fleet service role). Would this "new Malibu" feature a new/different nameplate?

[evok]

Let the past be your guide. First GM has not publically stated that the 386 Malibu will be built in Fairfax. Like AH-HA said, GM will negotiate with the local UAW and state to get tax credits and work rule changes/consessions before publically stating where the 386 will be built. As for the name or rename - how about Classic? Edited December 16, 2005 by evok

[Cremazie]

Hopefully they do build a great Buick. There is no IS competitor out of Buick

[Brandon Lutz]

Hopefully they do build a great Buick. There is no IS competitor out of Buick

[post="59616"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

I agree. Buick has a couple of new cars with some good substance by no style. I'm ready for Buick to perform a new styling revolution similar to A&S and get away from the Granny styling they've had for a while now. Its time for a fresh breath of air. Something sharp, edgy, beautiful. Velite-Like would be awesome.

[dirtyvega]

I agree. Buick has a couple of new cars with some good substance by no style. I'm ready for Buick to perform a new styling revolution similar to A&S and get away from the Granny styling they've had for a while now. Its time for a fresh breath of air. Something sharp, edgy, beautiful. Velite-Like would be awesome.

[post="59629"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

I have been thinking this for months. Buick needs a car below the LaCrosse. & a new design lanquage that isn't so "grand daddy". If GM does decided to build a Buick epsilon II based car I hope they make it distinctive from the other cars on the platform. Maybe offer a transverse version of the CTS 2.8 v6 standard with the 3.6 optional. 6 speed auto trans, avail AWD.

[thegriffon]

The IS is Cadillac territory. Perhaps you mean the something like the TSX, a great car to emulate, selling what? 3000 in a good month, less than half that in a bad (for some reason sales drop 60% every November). There's always the Chinese-market Buick Excelle and while I have suggested that an Epsilon model similar to the Vectra might be a nice addition as a Skylark, there may not be enough demand. If the Excelle is even replaced (and not dumped in favor of the Chevrolet Optra), then a D-segment sedan of Global Compact Car is more likely than Epsilon.

[thegriffon]

And don't foregt that the W-body MS2000 platform is going away.

[Chazman]

And don't foregt that the W-body MS2000 platform is going away.

[post="59649"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Exactly.

[Ghost Dog]

You can figure why gm would be upset over the demise of gmx386 talk. "umm yeah give us these concessions and and abatements and we'll build the gmx386 here. " I did'nt know Kansas was so much like Canada.

[evok]

You can figure why gm would be upset over the demise of gmx386 talk.

"umm  yeah give us these  concessions  and and abatements and we'll build the gmx386 here. "

I did'nt know Kansas was so much like Canada.

[post="59785"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Don't forget all the new transplants in the south. They got Hyundai, Benx, BMW, Nissan, Toyota for a reason.

[Northstar]

The next-gen LaCrosse will be Epsilon II, so I see no reason to build a Buick on Epsilon I until then, the LaCrosse will suffice.

[turbo200]

And don't foregt that the W-body MS2000 platform is going away.

[post="59649"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

bigger GMX386 Malibu to take it's place? So the current Malibu will be Classic for fleet only, that is a great decision, the Malibu is pretty solid transportation, but it lacks flair to stand out amongst tough competition. It won't have to as a rental. Will Cobalt also grow in size? Impala RWD here we come!

[Mule Bakersdozen LS]

Epsolon II needs to be large enough to replace the W-Bodies effectively-they are oversized at 198-200" overall length, so that's not what I mean. I mean, they need more passenger and cargo room not just more than current models, but also more than the competition. And although I'm not the biggest fan of the 2004 Velite concept, its a better direction than on say, Lucerne (or Centieme for that matter). Personally, I think all new Buicks should follow the 1998 Signia, 1999 Cielo, and 2000 LaCrosse concepts in styling, and even the 2001 Bengal, though I thought that one looked a bit bloated. Those Daewoo platforms have got to go-they date back to the J-Bodies and even older T-Body, and a 1994-vintage Opel/Vauxhall Vectra. That's pretty ancient. And what's with these G6 short and long-wheelbase rumors? 112" is too long for the current cars (given how little passenger or cargo room they have), and 106" is too short. I'd say a 109" compromise is in order-on par with the competition, and actually a little larger. These cars should not be any larger than 194" overall, and no shorter 189" I think (roughly matching Mazda 6, Toyota Camry, you know, class benchmarks). And the Vectra needs to grow massively-okay, a few inches, and I'd assume it needs more passenger and cargo room too-it needs to match Ford Mondeo, and that's something the bland (even with the facelift, and cheap-looking in base model pictures-when it looks cheap in pictures, its usually much worse in person) current model can't do.

[thegriffon]

bigger GMX386 Malibu to take it's place? So the current Malibu will be Classic for fleet only, that is a great decision, the Malibu is pretty solid transportation, but it lacks flair to stand out amongst tough competition. It won't have to as a rental. Will Cobalt also grow in size? Impala RWD here we come!

[post="59825"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Possibly. If Delta dies the signs are the sedans would have a lwb like the Brazilian Vectra version of the new Astra, matching the Megane and Civic (standard wheelbase C-segment hatches, lwb D-segment sedan and wagon). Nissan will follow by offering a version of the new D-segment Bluebird as a Sentra replacement. Toyota could easily dump the Corolla sedan and wagon for the more attractive D-segment Allion/Premio sedan and Caldina wagon, but will probably just get side-swiped by the emerging trend.

[Ghost Dog]

"If wishes were Horses" I'd Like to see the "New Car" go to Orion.

I'd really Like to see Fairfax Build a swb Saturn. A price Bridge from the Ion to the Aura. If it could start at the 17k range of the Fusion.

Renaissance




Of Course I'd like to see Fairfax Build an Aura maxx as a bridge From Vue to Outlook.

Signal

Edited December 18, 2005 by Ghost Dog

[Mule Bakersdozen LS]

Sounds nice Ghost Dog, but what would the point be of another car to bridge the price gap between Evoke and Aura? And wouldn't this overlap into Chevrolet's Cobalt and Malibu? And what's with the compact class? They're all getting larger on the outside, smaller on the inside, and just inefficient altogether? I'd like to see GM just do the Cobalt (and other similar derivatives) right and make them 175-178" overall length, 104-105" wheelbase, and a 94 cubic feet of passenger volume, 13-14 in the trunk (make it 90 in the coupes; 64 minmum on seats-folded wagons and 67 min. in compact crossover tall wagons/SUV's).

[Ghost Dog]

Sounds nice Ghost Dog, but what would the point be of another car to bridge the price gap between Evoke and Aura? And wouldn't this overlap into Chevrolet's Cobalt and Malibu? And what's with the compact class? They're all getting larger on the outside, smaller on the inside, and just inefficient altogether? I'd like to see GM just do the Cobalt (and other similar derivatives) right and make them 175-178" overall length, 104-105" wheelbase, and a 94 cubic feet of passenger volume, 13-14 in the trunk (make it 90 in the coupes; 64 minmum on seats-folded wagons and 67 min. in compact crossover tall wagons/SUV's).

[post="60504"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

As far a overlap with the Malibu and Cobalt. The new design on The Vectra is just head and shoulders above them. There is an opportunity with Saturn.Its the only brand outside of Cadillac that could offer a range of vehicles,with a Coherent,attractive design theme by the end of 07.

That Vectra VXR is just damned pretty. :)

I wonder was GMX383 the Vectra? if so I wonder was it a Finished program when killed? How great a cost to revive it with the new skin?



Edit: Hummer also has a very coherent, and attractive design theme. Edited December 20, 2005 by Ghost Dog