Chevy, not Pontiac to Get Small RWD sedan?

stovt001 · 12-03-2007, 03:11 PM

This makes absolutely no sense, since Pontiac is supposed to be getting more RWD vehicles and Chevy already has a really, really large lineup as it is, but now leftlane news is reporting that Chevy will get an Alpha based sedan, not Pontiac. It also reports that the Sky and Solstice will be moved to a shortened Alpha platform on their next redesign.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/chevrole...ive-sedan.html

z28camaro2471 · 12-03-2007, 05:36 PM

I'm all for it. They should move most of their products in all of their divisions to RWD. FWD is WAY overrated.

For Chevy, keep the Malibu and Cobalt FWD. Those two work fine in that configuation.

Hell, I'd probably have an 06-07 Impala SS or 06-07 Monte SS in my driveway now if they were RWD. But I won't touch one 'cause they are WWD (wrong wheel drive).

stovt001 · 12-03-2007, 06:03 PM

RWD is more expensive, less fuel efficient, and more difficult to drive in bad weather, so FWD will still remain prevalent. As it is most of GM's RWD projects have been put on hold due to the new CAFE standards. Also, the article seemed to suggest that Pontiac would not get an Alpha model, furthering my worries that the Pontiac lineup will be limited to 3 Land-yachts and a small roadster.

stovt001 · 12-03-2007, 06:52 PM

If it were my call, I'd give give Pontiac and Cadillac an Alpha based car that is about the size of a BMW 3 series. Trim the Pontiac at the same level of quality seen in the G8, and the Cadillac the same level we see in the new CTS. That gives Pontiac plenty of room to go upscale without stepping on Cadillacs toes. Move the Solstice coupe/targa/convertible and Sky convertible (haven't heard of any other variants yet) and you have plenty of volume right there.

Chevy already has 1 subcompact, 2 compacts, 1 mid-size sedan, 1 full-size sedan, 2 vans, 4 SUVs, 3 trucks, a sports car, and the upcoming Camaro and Volt. It needs to trim its lineup, not expand it. They also plan on giving both Chevy and Saturn the Zafira microvan from Opel, and Chevy yet another Lambda crossover. How insane is that? Doubling your lineup at the same time your market share is dropping?

As I see it, here is what they need to do:

Cadillac: Add in Alpha-based 3 series fighter. Same powertrain lineup at the CTS. Move the CTS up to compete against the 5 series, and move the STS up to compete against the 7 series. Refresh the SRX and XLR, maybe add in a Z4 competitor, stay the course with the V series, kill the DTS, and they're good.

Buick: Make it FWD/AWD, for people who want an elegant car and don't care as much about cutting edge performance. Give it a mid-size and full-size sedan, a hardtop 4 seat convertible (like the VW EOS), the Enclave, and a small CUV.

Saturn: Perfect as is. Basically it is for people who want a different dealership experience, so it has a good range of cars, everything from compacts to roadsters to sedans to a large CUV, so it is good. Keep expanding the Red Line trim and hybrid offerings and they are set. Maybe even add a wagon body style to the Aura

Saab: sell it. It is quirky and just really doesn't fit in with GM's direction. The cash would be good for GM, and new ownership can set Saab back on its traditional course.

Hummer: Add a Wrangler fighter and alternative fuel options (dual modes hybrids, bio-fuels, etc), keep everything off-road rated (don't pull a Jeep Compass for the love of God!) and they're set.

Pontiac. Add a targa body style to the Solstice, and move it over to a shortened Alpha platform. A small sport sedan and coupe on the alpha platform. Give the base and GT models the usual small high performance powertrains (Solstice GXP's 2.0 w/ 260hp and the 300 hp DI V6 sound about right) then have a special trim for the coupe only, drop a V8 under the hood and call it GTO. Duh. Give the G8 a name and wagon bodystyle, kill the G6, G5, Vibe, and Torrent, and call it a day.

GMC: Uplevel trucks all the way. Silverado, Yukon, Acadia, Canyon replacement, and the Ute. Simple and makes perfect sense.

Chevy:
Aveo, or Beat, Trax, or Groove replacement
Cobalt and HHR refreshed on the Delta platform. Should be good
Malibu on Epsilon II. Its off to a great start, so the next version should be even better. Give it a Wagon body style. Call it the Maxx.
Impala: Leave it FWD/AWD. Some people just want a big car, don't want an SUV, and don't care about performance. The G8 covers the people wanting a RWD full-size car, and FWD will make it easier to meet cafe. Just redesign it soon, make it bigger and just slightly higher quality than the Malibu, and you're good.
Camaro
Corvette
Silverado
Colorado replacement
Equinox
Zafira
Volt

See, minimal overlap, maximum platform sharing, and all your target markets are covered. Families, driving enthusiasts, young/budget oriented drivers, people who want an A to B comfortable commuter car, environmentalists, workers, and outdoor enthusiasts all have something they'd be interested in.

Also, the Canyon and Colorado will probably be axed in the next few years. This is probably due to low sales, but that is just because they don't stack up against the likes of the Tacoma. If they were redesigned to be really, really good, they could get a lot of people who need a truck but want more fuel efficiency.

*Mr. Wyndham* · 12-03-2007, 08:34 PM

I don't think this article says much at all. Okay. Chevy to get a new small RWD sedan.
No mention of what might be axed to make room. Because GM has said multiple times that Chevy (with the Camaro) is too big.
And no mention of what this vehicle "might" be called.

I'm just filing this into the back-of-my-mind section.

stevenm357 · 12-04-2007, 09:38 AM

I think someone needed to type something to get paid.

stovt001 · 12-06-2007, 12:05 PM

Update: Now they're saying Pontiac will get the Alpha RWD sedan, and Chevy might get one too, though I still have no idea how they'll fit it into the lineup.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/chevrole...ive-sedan.html

stovt001 · 12-07-2007, 04:47 PM

So on that note, what engines do you think we might be able to expect in the Alpha cars. I've heard they won't be able to accomodate V8s. Has anyone heard differently, or can anyone confirm this? If the Camaro is out of my price range, the Pontiac Alpha sedan, whatever it is, would be a good alternative.

12-03-2007, 03:11 PM	#1
stovt001 Drives: 2006 Cobalt, 2004 Taurus wagon Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: California Posts: 3,810	Chevy, not Pontiac to Get Small RWD sedan? This makes absolutely no sense, since Pontiac is supposed to be getting more RWD vehicles and Chevy already has a really, really large lineup as it is, but now leftlane news is reporting that Chevy will get an Alpha based sedan, not Pontiac. It also reports that the Sky and Solstice will be moved to a shortened Alpha platform on their next redesign. http://www.leftlanenews.com/chevrole...ive-sedan.html

12-03-2007, 06:52 PM	#4
stovt001 Drives: 2006 Cobalt, 2004 Taurus wagon Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: California Posts: 3,810	If it were my call, I'd give give Pontiac and Cadillac an Alpha based car that is about the size of a BMW 3 series. Trim the Pontiac at the same level of quality seen in the G8, and the Cadillac the same level we see in the new CTS. That gives Pontiac plenty of room to go upscale without stepping on Cadillacs toes. Move the Solstice coupe/targa/convertible and Sky convertible (haven't heard of any other variants yet) and you have plenty of volume right there. Chevy already has 1 subcompact, 2 compacts, 1 mid-size sedan, 1 full-size sedan, 2 vans, 4 SUVs, 3 trucks, a sports car, and the upcoming Camaro and Volt. It needs to trim its lineup, not expand it. They also plan on giving both Chevy and Saturn the Zafira microvan from Opel, and Chevy yet another Lambda crossover. How insane is that? Doubling your lineup at the same time your market share is dropping? As I see it, here is what they need to do: Cadillac: Add in Alpha-based 3 series fighter. Same powertrain lineup at the CTS. Move the CTS up to compete against the 5 series, and move the STS up to compete against the 7 series. Refresh the SRX and XLR, maybe add in a Z4 competitor, stay the course with the V series, kill the DTS, and they're good. Buick: Make it FWD/AWD, for people who want an elegant car and don't care as much about cutting edge performance. Give it a mid-size and full-size sedan, a hardtop 4 seat convertible (like the VW EOS), the Enclave, and a small CUV. Saturn: Perfect as is. Basically it is for people who want a different dealership experience, so it has a good range of cars, everything from compacts to roadsters to sedans to a large CUV, so it is good. Keep expanding the Red Line trim and hybrid offerings and they are set. Maybe even add a wagon body style to the Aura Saab: sell it. It is quirky and just really doesn't fit in with GM's direction. The cash would be good for GM, and new ownership can set Saab back on its traditional course. Hummer: Add a Wrangler fighter and alternative fuel options (dual modes hybrids, bio-fuels, etc), keep everything off-road rated (don't pull a Jeep Compass for the love of God!) and they're set. Pontiac. Add a targa body style to the Solstice, and move it over to a shortened Alpha platform. A small sport sedan and coupe on the alpha platform. Give the base and GT models the usual small high performance powertrains (Solstice GXP's 2.0 w/ 260hp and the 300 hp DI V6 sound about right) then have a special trim for the coupe only, drop a V8 under the hood and call it GTO. Duh. Give the G8 a name and wagon bodystyle, kill the G6, G5, Vibe, and Torrent, and call it a day. GMC: Uplevel trucks all the way. Silverado, Yukon, Acadia, Canyon replacement, and the Ute. Simple and makes perfect sense. Chevy: Aveo, or Beat, Trax, or Groove replacement Cobalt and HHR refreshed on the Delta platform. Should be good Malibu on Epsilon II. Its off to a great start, so the next version should be even better. Give it a Wagon body style. Call it the Maxx. Impala: Leave it FWD/AWD. Some people just want a big car, don't want an SUV, and don't care about performance. The G8 covers the people wanting a RWD full-size car, and FWD will make it easier to meet cafe. Just redesign it soon, make it bigger and just slightly higher quality than the Malibu, and you're good. Camaro Corvette Silverado Colorado replacement Equinox Zafira Volt See, minimal overlap, maximum platform sharing, and all your target markets are covered. Families, driving enthusiasts, young/budget oriented drivers, people who want an A to B comfortable commuter car, environmentalists, workers, and outdoor enthusiasts all have something they'd be interested in. Also, the Canyon and Colorado will probably be axed in the next few years. This is probably due to low sales, but that is just because they don't stack up against the likes of the Tacoma. If they were redesigned to be really, really good, they could get a lot of people who need a truck but want more fuel efficiency. Last edited by stovt001; 12-03-2007 at 07:15 PM.

12-03-2007, 08:34 PM	#5
Mr. Wyndham I used to be Dragoneye... Drives: 2018 ZL1 1LE Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 31,873 View My Garage	I don't think this article says much at all. Okay. Chevy to get a new small RWD sedan. No mention of what might be axed to make room. Because GM has said multiple times that Chevy (with the Camaro) is too big. And no mention of what this vehicle "might" be called. I'm just filing this into the back-of-my-mind section. __________________ *"Keep the faith."* - Fbodfather

12-04-2007, 09:38 AM	#6
stevenm357 Drives: 98 Trans am 00 Trans am 01 corvette Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: West Virginia Posts: 381	I think someone needed to type something to get paid. __________________ 2001 Corvette Heads,Big cam, 4:11, Custom Exhaust, MGW Shifter Baer Eradispeed +2 2 pieces rotors, Hotchkiss swaybars. and a few other little things. 1998 Trans Am A4 ( was STS turbo until the turbo and oil pump died) 2000 WS6 Trans AM under the knife ( sadly turned into long term project.

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12-03-2007, 05:36 PM	#2
z28camaro2471 C5 Member #227 Drives: Camaros Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: NY Posts: 808	I'm all for it. They should move most of their products in all of their divisions to RWD. FWD is WAY overrated. For Chevy, keep the Malibu and Cobalt FWD. Those two work fine in that configuation. Hell, I'd probably have an 06-07 Impala SS or 06-07 Monte SS in my driveway now if they were RWD. But I won't touch one 'cause they are WWD (wrong wheel drive).

12-03-2007, 06:03 PM	#3
stovt001 Drives: 2006 Cobalt, 2004 Taurus wagon Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: California Posts: 3,810	RWD is more expensive, less fuel efficient, and more difficult to drive in bad weather, so FWD will still remain prevalent. As it is most of GM's RWD projects have been put on hold due to the new CAFE standards. Also, the article seemed to suggest that Pontiac would not get an Alpha model, furthering my worries that the Pontiac lineup will be limited to 3 Land-yachts and a small roadster.

12-06-2007, 12:05 PM	#7
stovt001 Drives: 2006 Cobalt, 2004 Taurus wagon Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: California Posts: 3,810	Update: Now they're saying Pontiac will get the Alpha RWD sedan, and Chevy might get one too, though I still have no idea how they'll fit it into the lineup. http://www.leftlanenews.com/chevrole...ive-sedan.html

12-07-2007, 04:47 PM	#8
stovt001 Drives: 2006 Cobalt, 2004 Taurus wagon Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: California Posts: 3,810	So on that note, what engines do you think we might be able to expect in the Alpha cars. I've heard they won't be able to accomodate V8s. Has anyone heard differently, or can anyone confirm this? If the Camaro is out of my price range, the Pontiac Alpha sedan, whatever it is, would be a good alternative.