Quote:
Originally Posted by 1bad65
If you look at some other Motor Trend COTY winners, it might make sense.
1960: Chevrolet Corvair
1974: Ford Mustang II 
1980: Chevrolet Citation
1984: Chevrolet Corvette (1984 is considered by many to be the worst Corvette ever) |
Don't forget the Omni, Vega, Renault Alliance, and PT Cruiser...and also a few good cars that where marketplaces failures (2002 T-bird and Lincoln LS).
I'd actually put the Volt into the same category as the 1960 Corvair. Both represent steps forward in technology for their day. Both are unique and have a lot of potential. As with the Corvair, whether the Volt goes down in history as a great car or a highly publicized failure will be based on how well GM executes over the next several years.
The Volt is definitely a step forward technology wise, but at the end of the day, it is just a natural evolution of current hybrids...nothing particularly earth shattering. It also has three major weaknesses.
1. I looked at the first batch of Chevy Cruzes that my local dealer got in, and compared to that, I just can't find there the extra $25,000 is. MT themselves admitted last month that the Volt is significantly overpriced.
2. The "golf cart" stereotype is not going to be helped when drivers who forget to engage "mountain mode" 20 miles before the pass are forced to turn on their 4-way flashers and move over into the truck lane halfway up (I'd be curious to know if it could keep up with traffic on higher speed (75-85 mph) interstates if there is a head wind).
3. The average car on the road today lasts 15 or more years. The Volt's (very expensive) batteries won't.
I'd admit that the Volt probably does deserve COTY just because of how different it is to everything else on the road, and the potential it represents. But for now, that potential is just that, potential. The ultimate question will be what GM will be able to do with that potential. If they can iron out the shortcomings of the car and make it more mainstream, it will be one of the greatest success stories in the industry. If not, the Volt will remain a niche car with appeal limited to upper-middle class environmentalists.