Gary Cowger interview... some good stuff!
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From: Ohio
Gary Cowger interview... some good stuff!
Talk about Solstice... Bengal and Sky... and "Chevrolet".
http://www.autoweek.com/cat_content...._code=03382112
http://www.autoweek.com/cat_content...._code=03382112
A simple product question: the Pontiac Solstice concept. When is that going to be announced whether it's going to be a car or not?
Well, not this morning, that's for sure. I think what we have said, and it's true, is that we are very interested in making a concept like Solstice work. We have our teams working very diligently and think we now understand the construction of the platform. We have kicked off initiation of the project, but we are not at the concept approval step yet. But I'm very positive about it.
Is there still an Opel version as part of the plan?
One of the reasons that we've spent more time on it is we wanted this platform to have the possibility to drive lots of different looks and vehicles off of it. It just took a little more time to make sure that the platform had that kind of flexibility.
Will the car be on a variation of the Delta architecture, as the concept car was?
No, I think that with the unique and innovative work that they've done, it really is a blend of a lot of things. The guys are really doing a terrific job of reuse of existing platforms and innovation where it's appropriate.
Will the Buick Bengal and Saturn Sky be part of this? We've been hearing that.
That's because everybody wants their oar back in that water: The Sky and the Bengal; obviously Opel is in there; and Chevrolet is going to raise its hand. So I think the point is that the architecture is flexible enough. Clearly you have to focus on the first execution of it. But the architecture will allow us to drive other variants.
Will the architecture allow only two-seaters, or could it handle a four-seater, too?
That's part of what would make the architecture flexible. You'd like to see an expansion of that. I don't want to announce anything like that this morning, but I think it will be a very flexible architecture.
Well, not this morning, that's for sure. I think what we have said, and it's true, is that we are very interested in making a concept like Solstice work. We have our teams working very diligently and think we now understand the construction of the platform. We have kicked off initiation of the project, but we are not at the concept approval step yet. But I'm very positive about it.
Is there still an Opel version as part of the plan?
One of the reasons that we've spent more time on it is we wanted this platform to have the possibility to drive lots of different looks and vehicles off of it. It just took a little more time to make sure that the platform had that kind of flexibility.
Will the car be on a variation of the Delta architecture, as the concept car was?
No, I think that with the unique and innovative work that they've done, it really is a blend of a lot of things. The guys are really doing a terrific job of reuse of existing platforms and innovation where it's appropriate.
Will the Buick Bengal and Saturn Sky be part of this? We've been hearing that.
That's because everybody wants their oar back in that water: The Sky and the Bengal; obviously Opel is in there; and Chevrolet is going to raise its hand. So I think the point is that the architecture is flexible enough. Clearly you have to focus on the first execution of it. But the architecture will allow us to drive other variants.
Will the architecture allow only two-seaters, or could it handle a four-seater, too?
That's part of what would make the architecture flexible. You'd like to see an expansion of that. I don't want to announce anything like that this morning, but I think it will be a very flexible architecture.
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From: Toronto, ON Canada
Interesting, coming from GM. It goes along with the debates we had over Solstice-based Camaro.
From what I can tell, the platform is flexible enough to be used for a Camaro.
Long live the Solstice!
From what I can tell, the platform is flexible enough to be used for a Camaro.
Long live the Solstice!
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 13,713
From: The Golden State
Regarding a Solstice based Camaro, I think it's finally safe to say which people were closer to being right and which people were closer to being wrong, especially about the whole purpose of the Solstice chassis, and what the construction of this chassis wasn't!. 
Now, does anyone here want to take just a little wild guess as to why Chevrolet is "raising it's hand", and what car it's thinking of?? 
Will the Buick Bengal and Saturn Sky be part of this? We've been hearing that.
That's because everybody wants their oar back in that water: The Sky and the Bengal; obviously Opel is in there; and Chevrolet is going to raise its hand. So I think the point is that the architecture is flexible enough. Clearly you have to focus on the first execution of it. But the architecture will allow us to drive other variants.
That's because everybody wants their oar back in that water: The Sky and the Bengal; obviously Opel is in there; and Chevrolet is going to raise its hand. So I think the point is that the architecture is flexible enough. Clearly you have to focus on the first execution of it. But the architecture will allow us to drive other variants.
Last edited by guionM; May 7, 2003 at 09:53 AM.
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From: OR
don't forget this tidbit that also shows that GM is looking for many varients off one platform.. I guess this platform is going to be our best hope for "niche" cars (hopefully they will be V8 and RWD)
So if you do that properly, the economics are such that you can profitably make a 30,000-unit vehicle?
You can drive your breakeven way down. You're looking at breakeven for one product, but what you really want to do is look at the breakeven for the three products or the four products that you're driving off of this common architecture.
You can drive your breakeven way down. You're looking at breakeven for one product, but what you really want to do is look at the breakeven for the three products or the four products that you're driving off of this common architecture.
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Joined: Jul 2002
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From: South Bend, Indiana
Originally posted by guionM
Regarding a Solstice based Camaro, I think it's finally safe to say which people were closer to being right and which people were closer to being wrong, especially about the whole purpose of the Solstice chassis, and what the construction of this chassis wasn't!.
Now, does anyone here want to take just a little wild guess as to why Chevrolet is "raising it's hand", and what car it's thinking of??
Regarding a Solstice based Camaro, I think it's finally safe to say which people were closer to being right and which people were closer to being wrong, especially about the whole purpose of the Solstice chassis, and what the construction of this chassis wasn't!.
Now, does anyone here want to take just a little wild guess as to why Chevrolet is "raising it's hand", and what car it's thinking of??
I had to get my smart-*ss answer in there too...
So the Solstice is probably going to be approved
, but their talking about expanding the platform so it can hold 4 seats? I think I would rather have a 2 seater Solstice than a 4 seater. Thats just me though...
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From: SoCal
Good info but nothing new. I think many of you stumbled in the right direction with the Solstice based Camaro idea. Hopefully when Chevy raises its hand they will go for what WE want them to go for. There are other ideas and even so their may be another choice for a Camaro but will Chevy want this many RWD coupes??
Though I must say the difference in platform design from bulding a 2 seat roadster with a 4-6cyl motor RWD to a V8 2+2 Coupe/convert RWD won't be easy but not very hard, certainly for the right amount of green...... it wouldn't be!
Though I must say the difference in platform design from bulding a 2 seat roadster with a 4-6cyl motor RWD to a V8 2+2 Coupe/convert RWD won't be easy but not very hard, certainly for the right amount of green...... it wouldn't be!
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From: Southern California (SoCal)
Heres the million dollar question:
Can they get everything completed in time to get a Camaro out in the 2007 model year?
That only a little over 3 years from now if they plan on launching it in the late summer or fall of 2006 or 4 years from now if they launch it as a 07 1/2 to sneak it in for the 40th anniv.
Can they get everything completed in time to get a Camaro out in the 2007 model year?
That only a little over 3 years from now if they plan on launching it in the late summer or fall of 2006 or 4 years from now if they launch it as a 07 1/2 to sneak it in for the 40th anniv.
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From: Racine, WI
"we are very interested in making a concept LIKE solstice work."
Make it mid-engine, clean up the front end and they will buy it.
"The guys are really doing a terrific job of REUSE OF EXISTING PLATFORMS and innovation where it's appropriate."
vvverrry interesting
Make it mid-engine, clean up the front end and they will buy it.
"The guys are really doing a terrific job of REUSE OF EXISTING PLATFORMS and innovation where it's appropriate."
vvverrry interesting
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From: Ohio
Originally posted by gtjeff
"we are very interested in making a concept LIKE solstice work."
Make it mid-engine, clean up the front end and they will buy it.
"The guys are really doing a terrific job of REUSE OF EXISTING PLATFORMS and innovation where it's appropriate."
vvverrry interesting
"we are very interested in making a concept LIKE solstice work."
Make it mid-engine, clean up the front end and they will buy it.
"The guys are really doing a terrific job of REUSE OF EXISTING PLATFORMS and innovation where it's appropriate."
vvverrry interesting
I'll give you credit... You pull for that Fiero anywhere you can find something to tug on!!
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