The upcoming auto show season

[Camino LS6]

I'm really hoping for some "wow" this go-round, the last few years have been achingly dull.

[z28luvr01]

Production ATS should be there.

The Ciel should be making its rounds.

Wouldn't mind it if GM used this year to introduce some variants of the cars they currently have (Cruze, Regal, Sonic, Malibu, Verano coupes and/or hatches)

All's quiet on the Zeta front, though I wouldn't rule out a surprise.

[Camino LS6]

How about some worthy concepts for a change?

[z28luvr01]

Well there will be the Ciel, and I'd almost expect a design preview of the next-gen fullsizers, kind of like how the Cheyenne concept previewed the GMT-900s.

Oh and I forgot about the Colorado.

[ocnblu]

I'd love to see all three American automakers really bring out the pizazz this season... I agree it's been dullsville the last few yerrs.

And I'm going to harp in this thread about more bodystyle variations off existing sedans, too, I agree with z... Regal and Malibu coupes... Cruze and Verano coupes... Delta and Gamma CUVs in addition to other variants...

XTS in production form. ATS in near-production "concept". GM compact truck for the USA...

[Camino LS6]

Well, I sure hope they have something up their sleeves - can't stand another round of generic sedans and CUVs.

[Robert Hall]

Well, I sure hope they have something up their sleeves - can't stand another round of generic sedans and CUVs.

Sedans and CUVs are the volume models, the money makers, so I expect lots of those..

[z28luvr01]

But they already have so freaking many!!!

C7 is a couple of years away, so maybe we'll see a Corvette-themed concept. Or at least something previewing the next-gen small block (preferrably a supercar).

[Robert Hall]

I wonder if we will see a Camaro Z-28 in the next year or so, something to target the Mustang Boss 302. That would be cool. The US-spec Spark will probably show up at one of the shows.

[Chris_Doane]

All's quiet on the Zeta front, though I wouldn't rule out a surprise.

I would, that chassis is pretty much done.

[Camino LS6]

All's quiet on the Zeta front, though I wouldn't rule out a surprise.

I would, that chassis is pretty much done.

And that's a damned shame.

What a waste.

[Satty]

I'm sure they can make parts of Alpha out of concrete and lead to recreate Zeta.

[Camino LS6]

Rediculous comment,Satty.

[Chris_Doane]

LoL...actually, it was pretty funny.

I'm guessing Alpha will be pretty exceptional. They are throwing quite a lot of resources at it.

[Camino LS6]

Zeta is pretty exceptional itself, and Alpha is too small.

[Drew Dowdell]

Zeta is pretty exceptional itself, and Alpha is too small.

easier to grow a small platform than to shrink a large one.

[z28luvr01]

FWIW, the concrete-and-lead-based Caprice now gets the same combined MPG as the featherweight Impala

Whatever - Zeta was a wasted opportunity, but if Alpha and Omega can cover what Zeta could have done, I can be OK with that.

[Chris_Doane]

Zeta is pretty exceptional itself, and Alpha is too small.

There will be more than one wheelbase length for Alpha.

easier to grow a small platform than to shrink a large one.

Ding, ding, ding!

[Camino LS6]

FWIW, the concrete-and-lead-based Caprice now gets the same combined MPG as the featherweight Impala

Whatever - Zeta was a wasted opportunity, but if Alpha and Omega can cover what Zeta could have done, I can be OK with that.

Speaks volumes, doesn't it?

As for Alpha, I hope it is equally flexible in width.

Details on both Alpha and Omega would be helpful.

Whatever platform it rides on, I want a non-Caddy, RWD, V8, manual,2-door something that isn't a Camaro. The G8 was just the right size, if not the right bodystyle.

[Robert Hall]

Zeta is pretty exceptional itself, and Alpha is too small.

There will be more than one wheelbase length for Alpha.

Wheelbase is one dimension, but they will need more width and wider track for larger models...

[Robert Hall]

Whatever platform it rides on, I want a non-Caddy, RWD, V8, manual,2-door something that isn't a Camaro. The G8 was just the right size, if not the right bodystyle.

notgoingtohappen.com. I hate being realistic, though a Monte Carlo or Chevelle revival would be great, I just don't see this happening...

[Camino LS6]

I sure hope you're wrong about that.

No chance that I'll be buying any of the boring stuff they are pushing now.

[Justin Bimmer]

Whatever platform it rides on, I want a non-Caddy, RWD, V8, manual,2-door something that isn't a Camaro. The G8 was just the right size, if not the right bodystyle.

notgoingtohappen.com. I hate being realistic, though a Monte Carlo or Chevelle revival would be great, I just don't see this happening...

This. With a added dash of thank Lutz that the Camaro even came back.

[Camino LS6]

Nothing less will do.

[SAmadei]

Zeta is pretty exceptional itself, and Alpha is too small.

There will be more than one wheelbase length for Alpha.

I can't wait to see the XTS, trying to be a widened EpsII... adding length is much easier than widening the platform. In the end, I'm sure the XTS will have weird effects from the process or the cost of engineering will be way overboard. "Yeah! We made a wide Caddy out of a sow's ear... it only cost us $70K per car sold".

easier to grow a small platform than to shrink a large one.

Ding, ding, ding!

Ah, yes, GM has had a great track record of building large cars out of small platforms. EVERY platform I can think of that GM has created since 1979 has grown to fit the buyer's wants... and each one has suffered from uneven growth problems, since certain small parts engineered on the edge cannot be used on a car 10% bigger. This is why GM cars suffered from weak handling or braking or space utilization... because the bigger cars had to suffer with the underengineered smaller car parts.

I feel GM's best platforms started big and were cut down... for example the post '78 A/G bodies and post '77 B-bodies... which shared frames and major components with their earlier overweight siblings. I'll take a cut down Zeta that suffers from some weight (just like everything else on the market, it seems) than an Alpha that requires Frankensteinian efforts to enlarge it two a sufficient size. I do not believe its easier to grow a platform... just as its not easy to "grow" a 2x4 once cut.

What do I want to see in the upcoming auto show?

RWD Camaro with a Voltec drivetrain. Come on, GM, impress me.