FenwickHockey65's Great Thread of GM Knowledge

[ChevyRules]

Detroit-Hamtramck could be saved if GM decides to make a CUV based off Voltec( why they haven't done so is a mystery). Unless they decide to make it in a plant that produces the platform a Voltec CUV is based off of.

[90503]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

https://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/...v/1126-gm.html


GM Oshawa, Detroit-Hamtramck, and Lordstown all "unallocated" for future product.

So unallocated for 2019 means what? The production of 2019 models get cut short? 2019 models will be made all year?....Future years of the same model will get made after 2019, just no "new" allocations?....


They mention for assembly plant allocations there will be no new allocations for 2019....When do we hear definitely when and what models and years will be no longer produced exactly?


It seems we routinely hear of this or that model will end, be done...yet mysteriously everything just seems to keep rolling along and never really stops...


I'm hoping this is a lot of bluster that gets stretched out, revised, forgotten, or never really comes to pass....Classic business-speak....job cuts and lower production and offerings is the way to make money....Why ever grow?....I don't get it...lol...

[snizzle]

Originally Posted by ChevyRules

Detroit-Hamtramck could be saved if GM decides to make a CUV based off Voltec( why they haven't done so is a mystery). Unless they decide to make it in a plant that produces the platform a Voltec CUV is based off of.

I've often wondered the same. They should have a sub-family of vehicles on Voltec.

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by 90503

So unallocated for 2019 means what? The production of 2019 models get cut short? 2019 models will be made all year?....Future years of the same model will get made after 2019, just no "new" allocations?....


They mention for assembly plant allocations there will be no new allocations for 2019....When do we hear definitely when and what models and years will be no longer produced exactly?


It seems we routinely hear of this or that model will end, be done...yet mysteriously everything just seems to keep rolling along and never really stops...


I'm hoping this is a lot of bluster that gets stretched out, revised, forgotten, or never really comes to pass....Classic business-speak....job cuts and lower production and offerings is the way to make money....Why ever grow?....I don't get it...lol...

From what I can gather, Cruze production ends at Lordstown, more than likely all Cruze sedans and hatchbacks will come out of Mexico, all D-Ham and Oshawa products will be discontinued. There are two powertrain/component plants that will be affected as well.



But as of right now, "unallocated" just means these plants have no future product planned for them. That could change, but it's doubtful. I believe reports are already out that Oshawa and Lordstown are for sure on the chopping block.

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by ChevyRules

Detroit-Hamtramck could be saved if GM decides to make a CUV based off Voltec( why they haven't done so is a mystery). Unless they decide to make it in a plant that produces the platform a Voltec CUV is based off of.

That probably wouldn't be enough. That plant has about a half million unit annual capacity. Ditto with Oshawa & Lordstown. It'd be a stretch for any 1 product line (especially a niche product like a plug in hybrid crossover) to hit half that figure these days. Thats why most plants build 2 or 3 or 4 different products along side each other.


So what would you add to the Chevy 'Watt' plug-in crossover? A conventionally powered Chevy, akin to the Cruze vs Volt. They already have that in the Equinox. A Cadillac? XT4. And the GMC terrain rounds out the family. Buick could maybe replace the Envision with something produced domestically. But add that to the 'Watt' and you'd still be using only about 1 shift at the plant. How do you use the other half of its capacity? Because a plant just running a single shift is usually on life support. To be healthy (ie, profitable) you want to be running 2 full shifts.

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by 90503

I'm hoping this is a lot of bluster that gets stretched out, revised, forgotten, or never really comes to pass....Classic business-speak....job cuts and lower production and offerings is the way to make money....Why ever grow?....I don't get it...lol...

Well, how do you profitably boost sales in a market that has plateaued (and is ripe for a downturn)? If you have a good answer to that, I'm sure GM (or Ford or Honda or umpteen other companies not in the auto industry) would pay you handsomely for that information.

[90503]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

Well, how do you profitably boost sales in a market that has plateaued (and is ripe for a downturn)? If you have a good answer to that, I'm sure GM (or Ford or Honda or umpteen other companies not in the auto industry) would pay you handsomely for that information.

Much of this is happening because customer preference currently favors trucks and suvs…..Eliminating models makes certain there will be no profit whatsoever if and when customer preferences again change. Keeping low volume models in lower production numbers has got to be cheaper than starting from scratch. Marching to a glut of endless supply of the flavor of the month as your primary source of revenue could be a recipe for disaster. Plateaued sales are better than no sales at all once customer preferences change again. If they are so sure of what will only sell now and in the future by closing these plants, the stakes and potential loss is much greater than what they have happening now.....Here's my suggestion for an answer to your question and it's what they appear to be doing now...lol...

[DGthe3]

Reminder:


Politics are on off-limits on the site. See rule #6

[Martinjlm]

Originally Posted by ChevyRules

Detroit-Hamtramck could be saved if GM decides to make a CUV based off Voltec( why they haven't done so is a mystery). Unless they decide to make it in a plant that produces the platform a Voltec CUV is based off of.

If there is a CUV using the Voltec propulsion system it does not have to be built in the same facility that built Volt. It is a matter of fitting a propulsion system into a chassis. Every vehicle plant does that. The propulsion system is usually delivered in a power cube that is lifted up into the chassis. Would make more sense from a production volume POV to simply do that in a mainstream CUV plant.

Originally Posted by 90503

So unallocated for 2019 means what? The production of 2019 models get cut short? 2019 models will be made all year?....Future years of the same model will get made after 2019, just no "new" allocations?....


They mention for assembly plant allocations there will be no new allocations for 2019....When do we hear definitely when and what models and years will be no longer produced exactly?


It seems we routinely hear of this or that model will end, be done...yet mysteriously everything just seems to keep rolling along and never really stops...


I'm hoping this is a lot of bluster that gets stretched out, revised, forgotten, or never really comes to pass....Classic business-speak....job cuts and lower production and offerings is the way to make money....Why ever grow?....I don't get it...lol...

Unallocated means when you look at the approved product plan, none of the vehicles in the plan are scheduled to go into a particular plant following the end of the 2019 production run. If the plant has not product, you turn the lights out. Very rarely is a decision made to suddenly drop a new product into a plant. There have been rare occasions where a plant is idled for a complete year to get retooled for another product. That does not seem likely at this point. Why take a PR shotgun blast to the face only to say “Oh...forgot to mention....we’re just retooling the plant for a new product that starts next year”

Originally Posted by DGthe3

That probably wouldn't be enough. That plant has about a half million unit annual capacity. Ditto with Oshawa & Lordstown. It'd be a stretch for any 1 product line (especially a niche product like a plug in hybrid crossover) to hit half that figure these days. Thats why most plants build 2 or 3 or 4 different products along side each other.


So what would you add to the Chevy 'Watt' plug-in crossover? A conventionally powered Chevy, akin to the Cruze vs Volt. They already have that in the Equinox. A Cadillac? XT4. And the GMC terrain rounds out the family. Buick could maybe replace the Envision with something produced domestically. But add that to the 'Watt' and you'd still be using only about 1 shift at the plant. How do you use the other half of its capacity? Because a plant just running a single shift is usually on life support. To be healthy (ie, profitable) you want to be running 2 full shifts.

But if the “Watt” is basically an electrified Equinox with a different tophat you could make that play.

[FenwickHockey65]

Lordstown and D-Ham production will stop March 1, 2019.


Oshawa production will continue until Q4 2019.

[SecondZ28]

Looks like Cruze, Volt, Impala, XTS and LaCrosse are all dead

[shaffe]

Originally Posted by 90503

Much of this is happening because customer preference currently favors trucks and suvs…..Eliminating models makes certain there will be no profit whatsoever if and when customer preferences again change. Keeping low volume models in lower production numbers has got to be cheaper than starting from scratch. Marching to a glut of endless supply of the flavor of the month as your primary source of revenue could be a recipe for disaster. Plateaued sales are better than no sales at all once customer preferences change again. If they are so sure of what will only sell now and in the future by closing these plants, the stakes and potential loss is much greater than what they have happening now.....Here's my suggestion for an answer to your question and it's what they appear to be doing now...lol...

Attachment 965734

I agree. At least it seems for now that GM is keeping the Malibu at least and not going full no cars like ford

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by Martinjlm

But if the “Watt” is basically an electrified Equinox with a different tophat you could make that play.

Best place to build that is probably the CAMI plant in Ingersol.

[FenwickHockey65]

I expected Impala/XTS/LaCrosse.


Didn't think GM would can Cruze/Volt.