thegriffon

Don't go to Australia will you, if the local media get wind of who you are and what your opinions are, they will crucify you. Seriously. They are extremely parochial and elitist. They think Ford Australia is the company expert in suspension and handling, even if the engineers were all on temporary loan from Ford Europe. The criticize the Americans for handling of the last Mustangs sold in Australia as far inferior to the local Falcon, even though it was re-engineered that way by Ford Australia. They helped kill the Taurus down under because it might have jeopardized their beloved Falcon. They claim the local Camry was engineered in Australia, even though the model sold here is identical to the Japanese and American models, which of course , especially the latter, they think are crap (what did they do, spend a few weeks tweaking the suspension settings and a few months retooling the local plant and qualifying local suppliers?). They didn't want Cadillac because they claimed the CTS would cost the same as a Caprice, when if it is priced against even the 3-series it would be tens of thousands of dollars more than even the most expensive HSV (outrageous local pricing for luxury vehicles). Although Holden killed off the Ford competition few people buy the big Holdens locally—almost all go to the middle east and local buyers opt for far more expensive BMWs and Mercedes ($US100K plus for a 6-cylinder 3-series). They thought the previous HSV Commodore was better than the 5-series (no thanks to the American engine).

The RX and Highlander are based on the Camry as well. Oh and this 2.7 L would be the truck engine from the Tacoma/HiLux. Expect to see it in the NG RX as well. So, will GM kill the Chinese 3.4 L in favor of the 2.9 L Atlas I4 in the next gen Theta crossovers? Someone please suggest it to whoever is engineering them and GM Powertrain. If it can get 18/24 in the Colorado with a 4-speed auto, imagine what it can do with a 6-speed auto in the GMC and Chevy crossovers.

That does not surprise me, especially since GM now owns half of VM, which appears to have better light truck engines. However, other than killing the Isuzu-GM LCV JV and giving Brazil complete control of the midsize truck development. what has changed? I would still expect a NA-based Hummer team to Hummerize the Brazilian truck design, and GM India to take it and design a new Tavera (they had to re-engineer the old one anyway). I only hope that Brazil does engineer it to accommodate the VM truck engines and the Atlas I4 (most economical pickup in the US market) for the US and international markets, and not just an updated MWM diesel and the old Family II truck engine, or Toyota will wipe the floor with them.

There is already a single company distributing all the vehicles—it's called GM Holden. Hummer, Saab Australia are and soon Cadillac Australia will be Holden divisions, just as Chevrolet, Pontiac-GMC, Cadillac etc. are in the US. Australia supports many brands in low volume. Adding Chevrolet for economy models, keeping Holden for the trucks and European and local performance models, Saab for entry luxury, Hummer for the off-road crowd, and Cadillac for the rich bastards who will pay $150K for a $40K BMW. Given the prices people pay for luxury vehicles in Australia there's probably even room in the market for another brand between Holden and Cadillac, and there's really only Buick. The Aussie media would be derisive, but well-equipped Enclave and LaCrosse, and even a locally-built PA would have the required snob appeal a Holden can't muster, especially with the 2.9 L diesel V6 or a hybrid to stroke their elitism.

No. GM do Brasil is just in charge of the GMT 7xx program developing the architecture for the medium pickups and SUVs built around the world, including the H3 and H4, but not the next gen H2. Actual development of the Hummer versions will probably stay in NA, but the platform is being developed in Brazil (presumably in co-operation with Isuzu), as the S10 is far more important to the Latin American market than the Colorado is in the US, and GM Thailand (the other big pickup market) is a manufacturing, and not a development center for GM. This is not news, it was announced many months ago.

No. GM do Brasil is just in charge of the GMT 7xx program developing the architecture for the medium pickups and SUVs built around the world, including the H3 and H4, but not the next gen H2. Actual development of the Hummer versions will probably stay in NA, but the platform is being developed in Brazil (presumably in co-operation with Isuzu), as the S10 is far more important to the Latin American market than the Colorado is in the US, and GM Thailand (the other big pickup market) is a manufacturing, and not a development center for GM.

No, it would as stupid as killing Opel and replacing it with Saturn. Killing Pontiac, in comparison, is brilliant.

Such animosity is unprofessional and will end up killing GM. Holden exists for the same reason Opel does, irrespective of vehicle development or manufacturing plants. That is to sell GM vehicles in the Australian market. For volume players that means having an Australian manufacturing presence, however limited. Nissan was once a big seller in the Australian market with one of the first local plants after GM and Ford. When they closed down the local plant sales crashed and haven't really recovered, despite steadily improving product. Do you want that to happen to GM? Can you imagine what would happen to GM's European sales if they decied to rebadge all Opels and Vauxhalls as Saturns? Why not after all, when they sell the same products. Why, do we really need Opel. After all it's increasing just a marketing unit for vehicles engineered by GM Europe and built by GM Manufacturing and GM Powertrain. Now, I can see that there may be many people at Holden who need to get the boot, relics from the old guard who don't think Cadillac would sell in Australia, who though it would be OK to keep importing the Astra from Europe instead of South Africa despite the cost (because they were close to the guys in GM Europe), who listen too much to the parochial Aussie press (who would take PCS out into the desert and leave him there to die of heatstroke and dehydration if they knew his attitude—especially since without Holden neither Toyota, Ford, nor Mitsubishi could keep building cars in Australia as all the suppliers would collapse), etc. etc.. But those guys are mostly gone now anyway. Gene Stefanshyn from GMNA is effectively running vehicle development, Mark Reuss will be in charge soon, succeeding Dennis Mooney from GMNA, and locals with talent have been sent to GM Daewoo and GMNA. Hummer is already here and doing well, Cadillac will be arriving soon, and after that possibly Chevrolet, at least for the Camaro (which has an Australian motor racing heritage the locals will appreciate at least).

Ethanol is a clean-burning fuel. Unlike gasoline it is a pure substance, not a mixture of different hydrocarbons. It does not contain sulfur and other contaminants or other impurities, nor does it produce particulates (soot).

Well, they'll be even more like Holden, but I don't think that's better. Pontiac needs to be affordable sports sedans, even if that has to be small, affordable sport sedans. Another rebadged Chevrolet provides volume, but hardly adds to brand value.

The 2.9 L is a high-speed car engine. At a stretch it could be used in larger crossover SUVs, but real trucks that use a low-range transfer case will use a 4-cylinder of similar capacity instead (either an updated version of the Isuzu-built 3.0 L, the VM-built 2.8 L or the Brazilian 2.8 L from International). The GMT-355s will be replaced. As poorly as they have done in the US small pickups remain a core product with a high volume potential globally. GM Thailand, Latin America, Africa, Australia all depend on the small pickup, with limited demand for large pickups. Isuzu and GM are working on a new LCV platform to underpin a wide range of vehicles, while GM Brazil is handling development of the GM vehicles (GMT 7xx as has been mentioned already) to succeed both the S10 and Colorado/Rodeo, the H3/H4 and the Blazer still built in Brazil. A new Asian Utility Vehicle (a light truck-based MPV) to replace the Tavera is probably on the cards as well.

Errr, I gather from the description given, it won't be a new Crewman, but more like the Rampage, Ridgeline and Avalanche. On the one hand you'd think a Lambda-based SUT would be more likely, on the other hand there is the possibility of a Zeta-based SRX replacement, spare capacity at Oshawa, the desire for a larger SUV (like the Territory) at Holden, and the act that the Lambdas are no lightweights either. So maybe Zeta evolves into rwd midsize SUVs and away from large cars.

Hummer will continue because, well, outside the US it sells better than Cadillac, thanks to the H3 (although unlike the Captiva, which is everywhere, I have yet to see an H3). A diesel engine will only increase impact. Brazil will develop the new H3/H4 platform, shared with the NG small pickups (still several hundred thousand units worldwide) and a new Blazer. If I'm reading things correctly GM will introduce a new Zeta-based rwd/awd SUT/SUV to replace the Envoy and possibly Trailblazer (ala Discovery, Ford Territory and next Explorer).

They don't meet CAFE standards, they just pay fines every year. That isn't going to change because they start offering a 4-cylinder S-Class. BMW is the only manufacturer to offer a dedicated passenger-car V8 engine. MB's and Audi's are based on a common V-engine design shared with the V6 and even V10 engines (and with a lot of commonality with inline 4-cylinder engines). Toyota's are based on the new 5.7 L truck engine. 50-60% of European sales are diesels, so almost no V8s, while even in the US only the large sedans are predominantly V8s, and the grand total for all high-end manufacturers is under 60K a year. In China practically no V8, models are offered, let alone sold, and that is one of the fastest-growing markets. A new volume V8 is unnecessary. Be happy that GM will follow the Toyota strategy of using the truck block for a performance V8 family.

GM actually built an advanced fwd Camaro for a planned program, just before the last gen, but it never got beyond prototype stage.

AFIK the G6 being built umtil 2013 will be a version of the EP2 Chevrolet, not an updated version of the current car.

No. The maximum accredited increase in fuel economy for bi-fuel vehicles is 1 mpg, in the new legislation, and that decreases to ZERO in 2020.

Such a dumb article. They start out talking about a micro-premium car (ala smart), and soon move on to speculation on things which are bigger, and bigger, and bigger as if a 1-series is the same size as a fortwo.

Ford Reveals Small-Car Vision for North America * New Ford Verve small car concept showcases the style, technology, premium materials and more substantial content that will set it apart from other offerings when Ford's new small cars go on sale in North America in 2010. * Four-door Verve is designed to appeal to “Millennials,” the fastest-growing segment of the population, as well as their parents — with sophisticated technology and expressive design demanded by globally savvy customers. * A European three-door Verve concept also is being displayed at the North American International Auto Show to test North American reaction to an alternative bodystyle. * In the U.S., small-car sales are predicted to increase by more than 25 percent through 2012. Small cars and crossovers are the only vehicles with projected near-term growth in the U.S. Ford Motor Detroit — Ford Motor Company is revealing the Verve, a concept vehicle that makes clear the vision for the new small cars Ford soon will introduce in North America. The Verve is bold and sophisticated — to help it clearly stand out from other small cars on the road. Ford is building on decades of small car leadership in Europe as it develops new small cars for North America to appeal to increasingly savvy customers who value technology, design and fuel efficiency. Both four- and three-door Verve body styles are being unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, as curtain-raisers to a new global family of small cars set to debut in Europe and Asia beginning later this year and in North America in 2010. … Full release and photos at AutoReport

The Blackhawk is not a concept, it's a custom show car, a chop-job based on actual pre-existing Buick models and a few other GM components; built as a tribute to the penchant of classic Buick owners to do similar things to their own cars (in many cases sacrilege in my opinion, but hey …).

To avoid exchange rate issues they are building the hatchbacks in Poland (zloty instead of Euro) next time around. Although Poland will start building the next sedan sooner they aren't exporting it to the US. Either it's made in Mexico or not coming.

There is a perception problem about the results too. It sounds like this is a measure of who is most associated with certain criteria, not who is rated better. Acura may very well be rated very highly in key criteria, but very few people actually think of them at all. One is about fame and popularity, the other about prestige.

The first two are valid comparisons reg, despite what Toyota likes to call it. They have two other very similar models which are marketed as D-segment MPVs (Honda's JDM and export Odyssey is now much lower and a little longer though). The US model may be larger than this Japanese version, unlike Chris Doane, I haven't seen it yet. This is thing is a desecration of the rwd sport sedan Mark X name, but wagons are largely perceived as low-rent commercial vehicles in Japan, so this is intended as a more aspirational replacement for the late Mark II Blit rwd sport wagon. Think of it as part minivan, part Malibu Maxx—something for people who like the space and higher seating but don't want an SUV and wouldn't be caught dead in a wagon or minivan.

It is similar, yes. BMW is introducing a GKN/ZF system which does the same thing as well. SH-AWD seems to go further though in actively proportioning torque to one side in order to actually steer the car through corners. Of course much the same effect could be achieved with the open-differential+traction-control system used by Cadillac, but with higher brake wear. Acura's response is stupid. You don't bury your head in the sand and claim you are famous, really you are, when you get a result like this. A survey like this is only worthwhile as an internal reality check. They should be saying "this is terrible—how do we fix this before Honda-san starts sending out ceremonial swords?"

errr, weren't the last two guys "real GMers"? This sounds more like European parochialism (upset that Holden dumped the Corsa and Vectra for the Aveo and Epica—but this is just part of replacing Opel with Chevrolet in the Asia-Pacific region) than GM homogenization. They already sell mostly rebadged Opels and international Chevrolets (and if you count export markets for the Commodore and Caprice, only rebadged Opels and Chevrolets), unlike other parts of GM which had to have their own unique products. How much more "assimilated" can they get? Even the Torana concept was oh-so-much a rwd interpretation of the original Epsilon-Vectra. Admittedly they've made some blunders (dropping the Corsa instead of sourcing it from South Africa; selling the former Daewoos as Holdens instead of Chevrolets, bringing in the Suburban instead of the Tahoe), but dumping the Holden name in favor of Opel is the dumbest idea since (I can't think of a dumber idea—it's on a par with rebadging Opels as Saturns in Europe). Holden is a national icon, Opel is a total unknown. You'd get more sales by badging the European-designed models as Pontiacs than as Opels, and even then the local media would turn on them like a rabid dog. Aussies know Chevrolet, and Cadillac, and to a lesser extent Pontiac, Buick and even GMC (and they pay exorbitant prices to import and convert them themselves). Opel? Don't we dig them out of the ground?