hyperv6

I beat you to it at the Detroit show. THe UAW reps were there and wanted to know what I thought. I told them the inside was crap. The smaller trucks appeal to me in more ways than the large. If you have a need for a larger truck that is fine but I only need light hauling and light towing. The two smaller GM trucks I had I loved. Hated everything about the present truck accept the engine. It is so much better than my Votech 4.3. THe one area the small trucks fail has been value. My father inlaw has a new Silverodo that was stickered at almost $33K 2wd with the towing package. He paid less for it than I could have gotten a 4x4 Colorado. When you see ful size trucks discounted in the GM fall sales and rebated on top of that you almost feel cheated not to buy the larger truck. GM needs to price this right and make it a good value. They could own this segment if they want too. The Ranger sold well because it was smaller and cheap. I hope the noticed this.

I have not heard dates but I had heard they may be doing the Malibu Classic deal where they will overlap a little till the new car gets up to speed. I suspect the present car will build out in fleet sales.

I wonder if it will be based on the truck already seen in spy photos? If it is the nose looked like a Equinox on the Chevy. I would expect the GMC to have different sheet metal than the Chevy if they are thinking like the full size trucks. I hope they do make it a little smaller and priced enough under the full size to make it a real choice. Right not even if you wanted a small truck the large one is a better value for what you pay.

You missed the point. The Impala is profitable as the cars tooling is well paid for. To invest anymore than you have to would only cut into profits. You really think many would flock to the Impala because it has a new dash? The only reason they are giving it a new engine and tranny is because they have to. There is a new car coming and GM would be best off investing all new money into the new car vs this one. The Impala is in Hospice and lets just make her final couple years comfortable and as profitable as possible.

The deals with Rick and Fritz were not good but kept GM out of court and paying more to get out of the deals. As for the $200 Per unit. $200 does not get you much in the real world. Besides was a new shift knob really the biggest problem here with the Imapala?

I have always said I would really hate to be a product planner today. Gov Reg's, market trends and trying to guess what is going to be a hot product in 5 years in advance is more difficult today than ever. In todays market a product planner can go from Hero to Zero with one mistake on a product line.

This is the truth. Like it or not the BK effected GM in various ways. Some programs were effected by weeks, some days other by years. Just look at the ZL1. It was termed cancled by some and on the shelf by insiders till money was flowing again. Well as we now know it was just shelved as Scott Settlmire said it was with no time line. The Malibu is the work horse volume car of Chevy now. No longer is the Impala the highest volume sedan as it once was. Their sales will help and it will do fine but it is not going to be like the Impala or Caprice of old. The market has changed.

For the most the CTSV is like a parts bin car. They also make enough money on the V to make a large profit to pay for it and even some on the base car. THe engine is shared with the Vette, trucks and soon the Camaro. The rest of the car is shared with the resent CTS wit some reworked suspension parts and trim. It is not like they had to do a ground up car. The price of the CTSV program is small compared to a new Impala program.

Sorry I was thinking Regal. The Detla II was always going to be the new Lacrosse. THe Impala had other plans and was not going to change in the same model year. These models were all moving in different ways and different time schedules. The money for the Impala went to the last Malibu as it needed replace sooner and it is in the size class that sells more cars today. The Camary and Accord were larger target markets. The same remains today the Malibu is expected to well out sell the Impala. That is not to say a new Imapala will not sell by anymeans. The fact remains the Malibu will still sell in greater numbers and will get a little more MPG over the fleet.

The W lacross was easy to replace since it was just a rebaged Opel. Besides Chevy had lot of other other product in the show room but Buick was looking like a used car lot as they had more used cars vs new cars to offer. The Impala was delayed due to lack of money nothing more. It was holding its own and just kept getting delayed. The Cruze and Malibu are even later than they would really like. It was going to take 4-5 years from last spring to really see the major changes to come once they started on the new programs with the new money. Even they will be staggered out as they can not fund them all at once.

People think GM has enough money are staff to rebuild everything in on year. If that were only true. There is a lot going on we have not even seen a hint of yet that will suprise many. What we have seen so far is the stuff they were planning and working on before the chapter 11.

I am sure if you wrote GM a check to upgrade this program they would have upgraded this program. GM has has a lot of inconsistent and dated product that need upgraded or replaced. But even a company as large as GM in post Chapter 11 can not fix everything at once. GM has had to pick and choose what comes first. The Cobalt and Malibu are in two classes that will move more cars and needed more attention due to the lack of small car profits so they got the first work done. On the to do list the Imapla is just not at the top of the list. Like stated above the new car is not due till 2014 so it is pointless to grumble.

The Impala is a slot filler and nothing more. It is buying time. The only thing keeping it going is the fleet sales and the large discounts that make it appealing to people who want practical and can do with class leading or up to date. Retired people love em because they can afford them and most gave up on image. Besides most will never have to deal with resale value as it will be their last car and it will be willed to grandson in high school. The Impy is what it is and we are going to just have to live with it for the next couple years. The new engine and tranny will help but GM really need not to invest much more. If it were not the end of the engine and tranny they would have not changed them.

Most used Impalas reak of Enterprise. The egress of many cars will be more difficult for larger shaped people. THey are just getting smaller and with the side impact standards more cluttered. Not much way around it unless you go to a truck or SUV. That is part of their appeal and the part the short skinny vegan tree huggers don't understand. Unless you can afford one of the larger more expensive cars you are going to have to learn to adapt to what you can afford.

Remove the fleet sales and take another look. Even with the tooling paid off long ago on the main structures I would say profits are not as good as they could be with a new car. Volume is nice but profits rule. The old car is doing it's job buying time and filling out plant production and that is good enough for now. The sooner they can move on the better.

It is not that GM figures they can do the same as much as they have had to do this. Lets just hope now on the other side we will not have to see them do this again. The W Impala did it's job and then some but it is time for the old girl to retire as soon as GM can get the new car ready.

I am praying for Impala Classic as that means the new one is near. Yes Reg I have to agree beyond the limit.

It is cheap and only profitable because the tooling was paid off long ago. You can push a car like for a long time but gm is near the limit.

Sorry I reread the GM post I saw. I thought there were two Zetas planned but there was only one and that is the ZL1. Will have to wait a little longer for the Sport Sedan.

The Challenger RT looks good in Black and Red. The Charger RT could use a bigger grille. The minivan for a RT just does not have a really sporty look. The Journey RT is a big improvment over the Caliber. Fixed! Feel better. I working real hard right now on the FU section just for you. The minivan that had spy shots from a while back in that parking lot I thought was much nicer.

Still ugly.

It was just a couple weeks ago I PM you that I hoped they would go with ZL1. Scott again leaves a lot of clues in what he does not say. LOL! I am glad they did a special hood on this. They needed to change the Camaro up a little. THe rear tires are monsters. Combine these with the better suspension it should own the Shelby on the track. Also I am glad they trashed the old steering wheel. Note the interior is as much of a upgrade we are going to see for 2012. Scott said people should not expect a major change in the 5th gen. Since they are already working on the new car we may only see minor changes. Note the Z/28 is still in play somewhere. From what I was told some are thinking they could use it in a Boss competitor. One new Zeta down and one more to come to Chicago. Hmmm a Chevelle sports sedan? One thing to remember this car is still old GM stuff. Just think what they may be working on now! This engine in a smaller Alpha with few buget limitations?

That is all you are going to get unless they upgrade that engine to DI. I would also not expect much in trim upgrades. They will be minor if any. Why invest in a car that is on it's death bed. Money would be better spent else where or to speed up the new Impala.

People will drive because they have too. They will dump large SUV's like they did Cadillac Devilles in 1973. Might not be a bad Idea for GM to offer a Motorcycle. LOL!

GM is not waiting for CAFE roll backs that are not going to happen. The best they can hope for is they do not get moved up to 65 MPG. The reason the Malibu and Impala are not out yet is the bankruptcy and I think we all know that here. While GM is in much better shape today they can not address all the needs at once and had to pick the profitable class vehicles that need help first. This is why the new trucks are up early and the mid size and smaller cars. They are the ones that are selling the best right now. A new Impala should do well but it more than not will surpass the Malibu sales unless the Malibu tanks. The maket has shifted and cars in the Impala class are no longer the sales leaders. they sell well but not like they used too. If the reports out of Saudi Arbia are true on their inability to keep up oil supplies the price will spike soon. It is no matter a point on if but when we have $5-$7 gas. In the near future the Volt even at the high price may be very appealing to many. In fact any fuel savings technology even like what Buick is moving to may really help sell cars very soon.