hyperv6

More Luxurious versions of Chevy? Is this not what killed Pontiac. It was nothing more than a fancy Chevy? Buick needs to be based on models not sold at Chevy or Cadillac. One of the main issues was you had 5-6 division trying to hide the same car under different trim. Now with the global deal we have a better chance to hide these cars with not only different skin but different levels of appointments and different performance packages. With three main car divison ther is no excuse for overlap anymore. With using cars from Opel and Holden we can retain a fresh look for all three divisions with no burden to have to sell a zillion to make the car profitable in just one market. GM needs to cover the compition on their level and not try to match each make model to model. There will be some overlap with other makes but as long as GM does not over lap itself that is all that matters. In the past GM competed with itself more than the other brands and often hurt itself more than Honda, Toyota or any other make. Buick is not going to take over the maket in a year or just with the Regal. It will retake the market it is targed at with each and every new model. It is not going to just be aimed just at Audi or just VW or even Acura. It will be aimed a little at all of them in the middle priced market. If you want a Cheap car go to Chevy if you want a higher class lower volume world class car go to Cadillac. Buick will win over people but it will just take some time. So far they are doing what is needed. THey just like Chevy need to get butts into the seats and see this is not your grandfathers Buick anymore.

I was thinking at least a Alpha Coupe with AWD and make it a TT V6. I know Alpha and V8 have not been used together but a V series ATS with power in the middle of a CTSV and the Buick would work. As for Acura that is a joke. Acura has never really been more than a fancy Honda. Kind of like the last Pontiac's were to Chevy. Excluding the NSX, Solstice and G8.

AWD would solve the whole issue and RWD would not have to be part of the package. I just wonder how much hood space there is with the Regal to have a 3.6 TT Tubo? Is the OPC Opel I thik is only a single turbo. Do they have enough room for a second? In the hands of the GMPD they would make this a real Euro killer. Imagine what they would do with a better chassis vs what they did with the Delta 1. We also need to understand GMPD tuning is not like the GM tuning of old where they slap on stiff springs, big tires and then send the car out. They use the Euro approach where they leave a litte max limit on the table to make the handle in the real world. The make it so you don't have to be on a smooth race track to get the car to perform well. All the other GMPD cars will burn up the back roads of America since they were designed for real roads. The testing at the Greeen Hell has sone a lot of good I think in how they send out the finished product. It is not what the car does on paper but what it does with the wheel in you hands on the back country road. This could really be the poor mans Audi. I am sure if it is Regal based we will see it in a Opel or if it is Zeta based we sill see in down under. We need to watch all division world wide for clues.

Up front I have nothing solid here and this is only a small hint that something may be happening. This post is more to advise all to keep their eyes open nothing more. Sorry I do not have the full details. But I have herd from to unrelated people that something may be going on with the Regal or some other Buick beyond the GS. I could not get either to give of a hint other than that kind of smerk on the face and a quote of "it is going to be very interesting" from one person. The other is from a person who is a engineer in a GM programs and he claims a twin Turbo V6 Regal or other Buick is being looked at. The claim of 400 HP was made. Sorry but I do not want to read too much into this yet. I just stated what I was told and heard. There are no real solid details here but I do get the feeling somthing is going on. So at this point we all need to watch and keep our eyes and ears open. I have had indicators like this before and they have turned into something big. The Camaro and ZR1 engine both came to me in the same form when many here told me neither would happen. I will keep poking around with the people I know and see if anyone will give any real clues to what is up. I wonder too if a 400 Twin Turbo could be an Alpha based Buick? Could this be a GN some have wished for? The one person is connected indirectly to the Alpha and it's future. Right now but please keep an eye open for clues. I figure with the people we have here we may be able to piece this together with a few more clues?

Well we hae two prices the sticker and what you really pay. Also you don't get much car for 16K anymore. If this pricing does not work GM will just offer a Decontented model the like others and lower the price. I would have rather seen them low ball the price the first year, create demand and then raise it up once they hook them. Price is a factor in this class. But again if this is too much the Aveo sedan is coming and it will be more car than it was and the price will be less than the Cruze. At least the 2012 Honfa looks similar to the present car and has Honda's great generic styling again.

Olds the best way to state the Nox is it is a real car for real people. It gets MPG that is very good for it's class. It also offers what most buyers today want in this kind of car. And it sells like it is going out of style at near or at sticker price. What more could a car company want.

VVT is the key with the DI that make for the flat curve. FYI just to pass this along I just got off the line with someone who got seat time in the new Cruze at the Warren proving ground. This non GM employee had this to say about the Cruze. Very quiet and stable car. It drove and felt like a better more expensive car. Size of the interior felt on par with the Malibu or Impala. As for qulity interior it was good but not earth shattering that they recalled. But it was much better than the Cobalt. I asked what engine did you drive. Answer the 1.4 Turbo. I asked how did it drive. Answer Very good. It was very peppy. It was not sluggish or felt in the lack of power anywhere. They said for this class of car power was very good. They also drove the Camaro Convertible , Was very stable with no cowl shake and any other normal convertible issues. It has less nose dive vs the new Mustang convertible under handling and hard stops. The CTS V coupe and sedan and the feedback was one word amazing they loved the coupe. They also drove some other future model, most of the models impressed. But I did not hear much excitment over the Escallade Hybrid. They also got to see some future things but could not and would say anything other than the future will be very interesting in a good way.

The 6 speed just opens the door to getting much more out of the modern engines. With better Torque curves and better gearing it can give the perfromance we want and save gas. GM has been lacking this in many of their cars. The 4 speed served well but it's time has passed as new combinations will be needed to meet expectations of customers and goverment. The only thing I worry about is the price of the Cruze. Hyundai has sold more cars based on price than any other point. Will the standard features and higher level of refind ride and quiet of the Cruze make people willing to pay more? This remains to be seen. From all the reviews I have read the refinment of this car is class leading. How will GM get the people into the car to find out for themselves? And is it enough to win buyers?

Olds some will not understand what we mean since they have spent little to no time with some of the 6 speed cars and understand GM has the driveline figured out. I was a unbeliever in the Nox with the 2.4 till I drove it and I now see the light as you do. Also some here are going to expect the 1.4 to be 0-60 in 6 sec too. It's hard to convince the uninformed or ones with unreasonable expectations.

I have seen the same out of many W bodies. If the rockers did not rust our 200,000-500,000 miles out of these cars on the original tranny and engine. It usally the small electrical things in side the car like power windows and AC that usally fail. But the car will keep running and running.

Many of Chevys cars may never had the highest praise but they are the ones in the northern states that go on and run forever. THe Cavalier and Beretta were cars that may have had cheap interiors and the paint flaked off but they are still running and are cheap to fix. It has been years since the last Beretta and there are many still on the road here in Ohio when it is rare to find a Honda of the same vintage. Often the Honda is rusted out or just got to the point it cost more to fix than it was worth.

The keys here for Chevy is to get peoples attention. Most that buy this car are not car people and are not Honda, Ford or Chevy loyal. They are loyal to the brand they are happy with at the moment. Chevy right now has a better package per the review and if they can show that they may be able to move some these people from brand to brand. It will not happen over night and it will take continued tweeks to the car to keep it at the front of the pack. This is one class they just can't put the car out there and let it sit for 5-6 years unchanged. If Chevy could just get buts in the seats they could make some head way of changing minds in this class. This is not the same as trying to get a Mustang guy into a Camaro. This is more like getting a guy away from his Samsung and into a Sony. The Staggered model released will help keep the line fresh too. It will be interesting to see what models they have planned. Like em or not CR review of this car needs to be at the top of the list in their recomendations. GM needs to find who Toyota has been paying off to get to the top of the list. These buyers take their word in large chuncks and it helps sell a lot of cars. The time is right to pull this off. Toyota is in trouble, Honda is not really standing out anymore. Nissan never really grows or shrinks much and Hyundai tends to be winning on style and price but not on quality. The one issue GM has no control over is the Economy but then who does? IF fuel jumps up it will make this car an over night secess but if it fails to go up in the near future GM will have to win the buyers the hard way and earn them. Marketing will have to be right on on the mark for this one.

I am already bracing for this when they do get the SS out. It is not a matter of if but when. You also left out that those who piss and moan would never even consider ths car anyway. They only look at GM with only their own needs or wants and not what the majority of the market is buying or wants. Time moves on and some people don't.

No there is about 7 people here that bring up the HP numbers all the time as if buyers in this class are worried about HP numbers. Now if it had an SS on it they may have a point. But I am sure when it arrives it will be taken care of in abundance.

Autoweek has a report on the new Cruze and has said the following. "We were pleasantly suprised at how well the Cruze performed." "The Cruze proves GM is putting some real development dollars the small cars." "Now all the Gneneral needs is gas to spke up to more than $4.50." "The Cruze drives like a small car for grown ups. GM spent a lot of effort on cutting NHV and it shows." Traits were low road noise, smooth engine, stiff chassis, Felt compsed, Driven back to back to the Civic the interior was more roomy , felt and looked more upscales and refinded. Rode better than the Civic and was quieter and more refined. THe cruze offers more than we expect for a car of $17K and $18k for the Turbo. They went on to say now they only have to get people to come in and drive this car. That will be the greatest challange. They said other will have new cars soon but Chevy has a very good car here and they were very pleased with it. I really saw no complaints in the story on the car including any mention of a lack of power as some feel is a major issue. Note they said 9 sec 0-60 times with out a complaint. They did not say if it was the turbo or 1.8. Let just hope the public accepts the car like they did with Equinox. That one suprised everyone how well it was accepted so they may have a chance with this one too.

I would expect that GM will never sell 50,000 if either SS model. But to be fair the Cobalt and HHR SS were both very old cars when they got the package and they were never marketed. I still get people who think I built my own SS and other I know get the same. One was just at Woodward and he was challanged for putting on the SS badge. Then he freaked the Chevy fan out when he proved it was a GM built car and showed him the near 300 HP turbo 2.0. I just ook someone for a ride my self and they were shocked at how it drove and handled. I think this time we will see a better response if they market them like I think they will. Lets face it they are finally marketing the Vette again after how long? The big key too is price keep them affordable.

Then they have laws like in Japan that as the car gets older the higher the tax is. This way they force the older cars off the road with out making it illegal to own them. There is a growing group who wants to kill the car. They are not strong yet but many of the people they support are getting elected anymore. There may be a day they may take that freedom away. It will first start with a large national debt then they will greater tax the car you buy or own but higher taxes on fuel and even the roads you drive. Anyone read about the technology they are look to that will tax the mile driven. They can take your car and never directly make a law about your car but by taxing the support system for your car. Most people are so uninformed anymore they will never see it coming. Daily we loose more and more freedoms with laws like these. Once they are gone you will never get them back. As for the Nitrous you are correct. I deal with this every day as my firm sells more NOS products than about any company around. I work with several of the companies and SEMA on this so I see what they are trying to do. They are doing the same on in some areas by making laws that prevent aftermaket cat back exhaust. It often is an effort to prevent street racing where in places like California hundreds can gather. I was in California near Kerny Mesa when they bust one of the largest groups ever. It was a big event out there and many cars were taken away.

The RWD will help GM and will not hamper them. The public as a whole are brainwashed or ingrained in the FWD mode so the lack of a RWD is more a good thing than a must have thing. One Jump of the gas prices that could happen at any time the RWD car sales drop as it did at Chrysler evertime they spiked. Good MPG small FWD cars will sell no matter what. But every time gas spikes Trucks and large cars sales slide. It is best to rely on the small car and enjoy the extra that a lager RWD car brings but not depend on it. With the middle east as it is I would not bet the farm on large cars. I in no way say they should not have larger RWD cars but I am firm in the fact they are not the first line of reliance in this market anymore. I note just on this page 4 different reasons for trouble listed. They are only 4 of many. Too many here try to put all of GM's past and present issues and challanges into a 8 line post. It it were only that simple. The bottom line is the days of the full size RWD car as the company leader at Chevy are over. There is a market for one but it will not be the top selling car of the line. GM sold their soul to the truck line and look where that got them when gas went up and they needed money. I hate Honda with a passion and I feel they are too consevitive on product. But there are many times they look like the Tortois and GM is the Hair. GM needs better balance and the core needs to be with the smaller cars the market wants. Then you compliment it with the Trucks and larger RWD cars. The smaller cheaper cars no matter what but the larger more expensive cars only sell when times are good. A good product line up will take full advantage of all conditions it must face as this is a long race and as I recall the Rabbit lost.

That is why GM had considered it for a short while for the Monte SS. It avoided all the goverment reqs imposed by the EPA on the auto industry. What really killed was not so much warranty issues as it was GM legal on the issues of a high pressure bottle and the liabilites with the car in a crash or fire that would be acclerated with the gas. Imagine what the lawyers would have done with this one. But again it is legal in most areas to use where you like. Only some areas have passed laws and most were due to the fact street racers were using it not emissions. There had been alot of import cars that had fatal crashes and often Nitrous was a target of these law makers to remove power from these cars. It is cheap and easy for most to install. When these laws are passed it is not illegal to have a system in the car. In many cases it is illegal to have the full bottle hooked up in the car and if stopped they can ticket or tow the car depending on the local laws. This has been a on going battle for a while. Ohio tried to pass a law but like many it was kicked out. As of today here and many other areas you can use Nitrous as you please. Most companies will state check your local laws before installing.

They had no money. None! Lutz was abble to make something out of nothing with the GTO. It still took him till the second year to get the funds to do the hood and exhaust. As Settlemire the next time you see him on how much the GTO cost to get here. It was amazing how little they had to spend. People wanted a new body on the car and in 04 they could not give them a hood. I really thing few really understand how broke GM was.

Like it or not cars like the Cruze will pay for the cars you want. A RWD coupe with a 6.0 V8 is not going to turn GM around. THe sad fact is the market wants cars like the Cruze and Aveo and GM has failed to make one like this that made a profit. We can all see where that has led. You should be looking to make these cars the best they can be as they will lead you to the promised land. GM makes profit here they will be free to make the limited volume cars you crave. If GM had been making a profit on a Cobalt and other small cars they may have been able to spend more money on Pontiac to do it right. The fact is it will take all types of cars to make it in this world. You are not going to just get what you want and nothing more. Few comapnies can get away with that anymore and the ones that do charge throught the butt for the cars they do sell in limited volumes. I have no intentions to buy a Cruze or Aveo. But I want them to be the best damn FWD cars on the market and I want them to make a profit. They both will be built in the USA and the money made on them will fund many other projects. If these cars fail then GM fails and no RWD cars will let alone any FWD's. In the not to far future GM is going to have to fund things with other than money on large Pick Ups if some get their ways. FYI I would have picked 1965 for you not 1985. LOL! Like it or not while cars like the Regal and other FWD's are not your first choice they are still good cars and there is still things about them that need to be enjoyed and appreciated. GMPD has made me learn that even a FWD car can be made fun. Let put it this way. I have a SS and the wife drives a GTP Comp G. I would not trade her for the GTP for anything. The GMPD work is that much better. If you have not driven a FWD GMPD SS then you can't understand. IS RWD better yes but the GMPD SS still has a wow factor and makes you wonder if it really is a GM car.

Who is not going to show a profit in 2010? Part of Chryslers big problem is they have no smaller good FWD cars that that make up most of the market. Fiat will address this but it will take time and a lot of risk. RWD cars are great but they will not save Chrysler. The fact GM is trying to get to a point they will make money on the small cars that they failed to do so in the past is a good sign. A great selling FWD car is a the past to making it so GM can make the RWD cars and fun cars. Compaies with money can make some really great stuff. I want GM to have the best small cars around and this would free up money and room for lower volume cars they could not risk otherwise.

I know the HP game GM was playing as it is old news that was reported a few months back. I have yet to see a 2011 yet so I just use the lower number yet. FYI Nitrous is NOS not NOX. Thanks to the others who explained and understood! Also NOS is still legal in most areas but illegal in some for road use. There is a lot of legal wrangling on this now with SEMA and some cities/states. Just a trivia note GM did think and came close to making it a dealer installed option for the Monte SS in the 80's. Finally someone in legal woke them up to all the warranty and other issues involved.

I suspect even the Alpha will not be enough for you anymore. You used to be able to post positive things on cars you would not buy. It would be nice to see that again. Not trying to dog you but I would like to see the old Camaino again. Relax no one said it was going to happen. Someone confused a X with an S and made a mistake, nothing more.

You want a RWD and GM is testing them already under a CTS body. What more do you want. Take it or leave it but stop complaining, save it for if they do stop the program. Or better yet wait as you will find something to complain about once it gets here anyway.