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General Motors may be disbanding its High Performance Vehicle Operations but tells Inside Line that such gems as the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS, Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and Corvette Z06 are "not threatened at all."

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JasonD

GREAT article putting our fears to rest.

detroitboy

Thanks much....I will sleep much better tonight now. Wow...I've never been through so many ups and downs during the process of buying a vehicle.

guionM

The auto industry operates in the future from us mere mortals.

While for all of us, today at work is February 19th, 2009, in the auto development world, depending on where you are, it's February 19th 2010, or even February 19 2013. At GM's High Performance Vehicle, it's probably somewhere in 2011, maybe even 2012 right now.

With the group being disbanded right now, it's going to take a year or 2 before we catch up to any effects of this.

Everything that's been planned for at least the next year is still in place, and the next couple of years is all but done.

This includes the Camaro SS that's due at production start, the Z28 that's a done deal waiting for the go-ahead, end even the Cruize SS.

What it probably affects is the next Impala SS, and to a lesser extent, any Malibu SS that may have been on the books.

The next Lacrosse Super is even done.

Don't fear.

We're good for a couple of years... as long as GM recovers.

If not, losing the performance division will seem like nothing compared to what happens next.

Fbodfather

Yes -- it's true that Dr. Heinricy retired........(and there were many of us that are upset he's gone......)

........however -- most of these people are still working at GM -- and still have the passion -- and still have the expertese.........

Remember -- the world changed in the fall when Ford/Chrysler/GM went before our elected "Leaders" (...I use the word 'leaders' very loosely...) and asked for assistance.

......there will be changes in this business as there always has been......but I think (once again) everyone needs to breathe deeply - -and calm down.

SSPORT10

Good to hear! I am also glad that the CTS-V is fine for now, great car.

mdenz3

Wait, what? I thought that was just a pipe dream?

5thgen69camaro

That burns me up. I know you said calm down but I cant help it. The more Govt involvement the more they dictate. Im hoping GM will outlast this loan and drop whatever rediculous requirements are attached to the loans. I guess Ill leave it at that.

2010_5thgen

its good to hear the camaro is safe. but i never really thought that they would cancel it 1 month before production.

christianjax

It infuriates this freedom and liberty loving American that GM had to bow down and grovel before people like Nancy Peloci and Harry Reed and the other Al Gore zombies. To know that GM will have to answer in any way to them pisses me off beyond belief. That the once mighty GM has to worry about looking "Not Green Enough" to quench the tree huggers that own their soul, is frankly one of the saddest days in the history of American Industry. (and freedom, liberty, and capitalism.)

SSPORT10

I feel the exact same way as you! This is why if you are on the fence about buying a Camaro or a Vette, do it now if you can, because sadly they may not be around for a while or if they do survive, they might not be what they are right now!

guionM

The "government" is defacto owner of GM right now.

So what is it exactly you feel the "government" is dictating?

Again, exactly what has the government demanded?

sludaddy

I'm not a Ford guy, but it's a good thing they are staying as far away as possible from asking for any of Uncle Sam's money. However doubtful, they may be able to preserve a slice of Americana.

I heard someone say one time that 'a camel is a horse put together by committee.'

Well, I'm sorry to say, that would be an optimistic way to look at things right now for GM and Chrysler considering how bad running by government committee will be.

AdioSS

oh boy, they used the word "hiatus" in that article... I don't like that word...

I posted this to another thread on another forum where this info was posted...

And don't you guys believe for a minute that there won't be performance models coming down the pipe in the future. It isn't like the people who were working in the HPVO were fired. The last line says that they were moved around to other projects. That means to me that the best in the business have been spread out to make everything else better. It is kinda like, you can eat bacon by itself and it is awesome, but if you mix it into other things, you make everything better.

The C5 Corvette and the Camaro both began their lives as unofficial projects. That is probably how future performance vehicles will begin.

King Moose SS

I have a copy of the email GM sent to the salaried employee's with projects in the HPVO.

It basically states that HPVO is on hold "indefinitaly" and will be reserected when the demand comes back for it.

GM decided to hault it for now, because most of the main projects that HPVO had are now finished. But...... the new projects (mostly) were in the early levels of Reaseach and Development, so there was no "need" to put money into it as the demand is pretty low.

So, yea basically all those current concepts of Z28 are still a posibilty as that project is basically finished, its not in early development.