for the US:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122175512284552785.html

 

Hmm - GM rolls this concept out, and then kills its chance at production two weeks later. Is this what Lutz means by "shortening the development process"?

 

Woah, that was fast.....

 

Hmmm. People were speculating this was going to replace the HHR. What now?

 

Maybe we'll get a stretched G3/Aveo that seats 7.

 

Lets see....

GM "began scouring its global product portfolio for small vehicles it could bring to the U.S." earlier this year due to the changing market.

OK.... Understood.

GM needs to get small vehicles here ASAP. The market's changing, and we need to get the types of vehicles here that traditionally was reserved only for Europe.

Also....

"The Chevy Orlando could have complemented those (upcoming fuel efficient) models, adding another fuel-efficient option for potential buyers who may have otherwise avoided a GM dealership."

But...

"there aren't many small vehicles with seven seats available in the U.S., and the Orlando may be better suited to the European market where such vehicles are common.

Say WHAT!?


Am I the only one sensing a boneheaded decision or at least a shot-yourself-in-the-foot missed opportunity here???

A small, 7 seat, fuel friendly, crossover SUV that no one else here in the US makes?

Not only does this remind me of the fact that GM turned down the opportunity to be the 1st to produce minivans in the late 70s (the idea was later sold to Chrysler management and the rest is history), this also reminds me of the 2007 NYIAS when GM showed the Chevy Beat, Trax, & Groove, had us vote on our favorite, then said there were going to "study" the "possibility" of selling it here "in the future"...

With gas prices likely to drift to $5 per gallon (CAFE is irrelevent since people are buying fuel efficient vehicles on their own) makes me wonder who's the hell is really making these decisions at GM??? Is Ford the only US carmaker that actually "Gets it"???!!!!

"Hello.... McFly??!!"

 

I don't see where GM can say there are no competitors, the Mazda5 seems to be selling well enough to continue.

 

So GM built the Lambda crossovers so people had a better fuel efficient option to the SUVs. Then, GM unveils the Orlando concept which is a smaller looking Lambda which will get better gas mileage than the Lambdas will still retaining seating capacity.....but we don't want to off that here in the US. That doesn't make sense.

 

The Orland is Delta based (HHR/Cobalt) not Lambda based. It is MUCH smaller!

 

GM should realize that they shouldn't play catch-up. They should be the leader/innovator with products like this. Just because nobody else is producing a vehicle similar to the Orlando doesn't mean they shouldn't do it.

And, speaking from personal experience, the Mazda5 is a gigantic POS.

 

Bummer, I would have considered a production Chevy Orlando over any other GM product on the horizon. (Aside from Camaro of course.)

Dumb move GM. Dumb move indeed.

 

Dumb , dumbdumbdumb dumbmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

Count me in on the "bad move" crowd too.

I think it would have been well-received as a good people-mover.

What bothers me more than the lost opportunity is the irratic back-tracking and crazy lane-changes that GM's management seems to be displaying recently. I think it was a huge mistake to unveil the production Volt almost 2 years before they can sell one. I guess I'm reading this as a public display in attempt to shore-up confidence in their ability to do something with it, i.e. "they are actually working on it".

Is this all posturing for the bailout money, or are they really have this much lack of direction and a good plan?
IMO, the knee-jerk decisions need to stop soon if they are going to come out with a recovery.

 

"So GM built the Lambda crossovers so people had a better fuel efficient option to the SUVs. Then, GM unveils the Orlando concept which is a smaller looking Lambda which will get better gas mileage than the Lambdas will still retaining seating capacity.....but we don't want to off that here in the US. That doesn't make sense. "

Why the frack would you want a smaller displacement engine when you can get equal mileage with more power?

Oh, I mean, smaller car when you can get more power and storage space.

 

I know and the point i was making is that people still want the SUVs/Lambdas for their capacity but would like better mileage. GM either needs to put a stop/start or hybrid system on the Lambdas or offer people the seating capacity in a smaller vehicle that, even though being smaller, would still move 7 people comfortably and get better mileage. I guess you could say it would be a stretched HHR, but given the right engine, move 7 people while still getting better mileage.