I talked to a GM Engineer at Lordstown at a get-together over the weekend... confirmed a facelift for Cobalt for 2008 (not sure if model year or calandar year)

This person also stated that Cobalt/G5 will not meet the new crash standards beyond (I believe) 2010, and the car is scheduled to end at that point.

This goes back to and ties in with my thread a few months ago about the local union scrambling to lock in future product for Lordstown.

Can anyone add anything additional concerning this? Not sure how this affects HHR... the engineer was not sure if the crash standards issue affected just Cobalt/G5 or the entire Delta platform.

 

Well, certainly GM would have a new Delta platform to replace the Cobalt, right??? The car sells well, seems to make a good impression, and Chevy certainly needs more for an entry level car than a friggen Aveo...

 

I would agree totally.

I would expect a "next-gen" Cobalt... the question is where it will be built, and what platform will it be on?

Is the Delta platform itself the issue with the new crash standards? Is the a "Delta-II" in the works? Something different?

For that matter, is the future crash-standards comment even accurate?

 

Probably...Chrysler's LX cars NEED to be replaced by LY by MY'10 because they won't even pass the standards!!!!

 

OK, well, I think that helps cement the accuracy of the comments a bit... now I just wonder where this path leads.......

 

Honestly, the Cobalt will need a re-do by then anyway. One of the big reasons that GM lost so much ground to the imports was that the Cavalier went FAR too long without getting a fresh design. They absolutely cannot make that mistake again.

 

I agree totally.

It just seems a bit odd that we haven't heard anything about this yet.

 

It's because of all the other higher profile vehicles in the pipeline.

FWIW: the Euro and US Ford Focus is supposed to converge to basically the same platform & sheetmetal by this time as well.

 

I'm sure there will be something to replace it and 2010 is still a ways away. They'll need a refresh by then anyhow.

 

So by 2010 we're all going to be driving tanks?

 

So, there IS info out there? Anything you can share?

The major concern locally is, of course, keeping it or gaining another product for Lordstown. If Lordstown closes, this entire area will rot & decay within a year. It's basically the only thing left around here... and it basically single handedly keeps the area from going from grim to basically death on a map.

 

Isn't Kappa being redesigned around the same time for allow for a back seat. sounds like a great replacement. Compact sedan and coupe, heck maybe even a fastback in there too for chevy. Sounds good to me.

 

Not too much that already hasn't been posted. Cobalt's getting a touch up this year, and might get one more before it has a major remake by 2010.

But with the new Malibu, Camaro, & Impala all coming in successive years at Chevy, Pontiac getting the Commodore, the new CTS, and all the other things that are grabbing headlines, a upgreded Cobalt isn't going to be big news.


As for Lordstown, last I've heard, it's up in the air. I don't believe the plant is in any danger till at least the 2010 when the current series Cobalt is done.

As for Cobalt beyond 2009, I'm going to predict (as in OPINION... no basis in anything I've heard) that it will be made overseas. The reason I say this is because cars in that class (very low priced) is running very thin in profit margins.

 

Sad... but you have point.

 

Isn't the Civic still being made in oh aych eye oh?