The future of Cobalt
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From: Ohio
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From: South Bend , IN
I have heard when the Astra and Cobalt go to Delta 2 chassis in 2010/11 timeframe , Mexico is a possiblity too . Pretty sure a smaller portion of the Astra is already made there .
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From: Kansas City, MO
The Civic sedans are made at the Ohio plant. The coupes are imported from Canada and the Hybrids from Japan.
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From: cinci
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.
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.
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From: Shelbyville, IN
Civic is being moved to a new plant in Central Indiana (Greensburg) in a couple years. Plant is due to be operational sometime in 2008...
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From: North of Cincy
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From: The Golden State
Yep. Either way, unless something changes, my senses tell me Cobalts moving out of the US.
In the case of Germany and Japan, it's cheaper to make a medium price car here than in those countries.
Small cars in Europe & Japan command such prices and sell in such massive volumes that it's worthwhile to make them in their own countries (or places nearby).
Here, where small cars aren't typically the breadwinner for the big 3, and Cobalt is sort of the odd man out because GM actually makes a thin profit on it (small cars are typically sold at a loss for the CAFE mileage credits). If these cars can be made cheaper overseas (or across the boarder), and they count towards CAFE, that's the trend.
That's the big reason why we've been staring at the same Focus since the turn of the decade. It's made in the US (Ford recently brought it back from Mexico!), sells for a song & dance, doesn't make Ford money, and therefore, Ford hasn't dropped any real money into it and hasn't based our Focus on the more expensive to make "Euro" Focus....... though that seems poised to change.
Not sure if anyone realizes it...... in fact, I'm sure noone does... but the Cobalt has now been around for just about.... 3 years.... already! 
Cobalt's due for a refresh by the fall, and will be around another 2-3 years before it's redesign in 2009-2010.
Small cars in Europe & Japan command such prices and sell in such massive volumes that it's worthwhile to make them in their own countries (or places nearby).
Here, where small cars aren't typically the breadwinner for the big 3, and Cobalt is sort of the odd man out because GM actually makes a thin profit on it (small cars are typically sold at a loss for the CAFE mileage credits). If these cars can be made cheaper overseas (or across the boarder), and they count towards CAFE, that's the trend.
That's the big reason why we've been staring at the same Focus since the turn of the decade. It's made in the US (Ford recently brought it back from Mexico!), sells for a song & dance, doesn't make Ford money, and therefore, Ford hasn't dropped any real money into it and hasn't based our Focus on the more expensive to make "Euro" Focus....... though that seems poised to change.
Cobalt's due for a refresh by the fall, and will be around another 2-3 years before it's redesign in 2009-2010.
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Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Melbourne, Australia
As already posted... GM will have a new Astra out by then... and it should be available in the US. GM are missing out on great Euro small cars atm and I can never understand why? 
If cost is the main reason, what is wrong with GM-DAT building some Euro small cars like Corsa, Astra etc... for non-Euro consumption?
If cost is the main reason, what is wrong with GM-DAT building some Euro small cars like Corsa, Astra etc... for non-Euro consumption?
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From: Kansas City, MO
We already know that the Astra is coming as the replacement for the Saturn Ion (I would assume with little more than a rebadge). I think that's great. I think the question is whether Chevy will get a version of the Astra or something else. I just hope whatever it is they call it "Cobalt." I get so tired of the Americans changing nameplates all the time. The Cobalt has a decent reputation so far. They should expand on that, not walk away from it. I was really hoping for an update this fall. I don't see why they'd update in 2009 for a replacement in 2010 - why have a 1 year facelift? If they refresh for 2008 MY, at least they get 2 years out of it.
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From: South Bend , IN
An extensive refresh comes out later this year as a MY 08 . From what I can tell , the ground up new car on Delta 2 is 2010/11 timeframe . It looks as if UK will get it first , if Opel/Vaux/Holden gets it in 2009 . The Euro Astra's refresh was this year MY 07.
