GM: RWD on hold?
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4,600
From: Pewee Valley, KY
Please tell me you have a clip of him saying that. I would LOVE to see it!
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Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 10,285
From: Albany, NY
Camry and Accord are #1 & #2 so we know it isn't styling the public wants.
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4,600
From: Pewee Valley, KY
No Alpha will continue. Nothing is on hold but Lutz is talking about contingency plans that are always around when something big is done. Of any RWD program GM is developing that could be helped by an increase in gas prices Alpha would be that program.
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 13,713
From: The Golden State
But can they do that...really? Oshawa, as you have stated, has the legal right to make Impala at only that plant. Since Oshawa was turning in a RWD only plant, this would mean that the Impala could not be built on the streached Epsilon 2 platform. Unless of course because of this recent hold on RWD that there was a new Impala line in the plant.
But even if a FWD Impala was brought back, how would this effect sales of the larger, "more upscale" Malibu, and to add to that the RWD full size sedan, can Chevy really sell 3 full size sedans. Unless GM pulls a Ford 500 and call the next Malibu the Impala, but then we are back to the whole legal rights with Oshawa again.
But even if a FWD Impala was brought back, how would this effect sales of the larger, "more upscale" Malibu, and to add to that the RWD full size sedan, can Chevy really sell 3 full size sedans. Unless GM pulls a Ford 500 and call the next Malibu the Impala, but then we are back to the whole legal rights with Oshawa again.
2. Espilon 2 will be replacing the "W" body in at least 1 application, so that means it can be streched.
3. The RWD sedan that might not be called Impala can be profitable in relatively small (for Chevrolet anyway) numbers because Holden financed the architecture and is recouping the costs through their division. We're essentially rebodying the thing and taking out weight where we (they at Holden, actually) can.
4. With Oshawa being a flex-plant, it's limited by capacity & not dependent on the sales of one drivetrain layout. If large numbers of FWD W-body replacements are made there, it'll be enough to offset any possibility of selling fewer Zeta RWD sedans.
Bottom line to all of this:
Based on the thread's title (RWD On Hold), the answer is a resounding: NO!
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 13,713
From: The Golden State
You can't drive some motor scooters on the road, you can't import just anything and drive it, you can't take a NASCAR racer on the streets. A 3 wheeled ATV is illegal on the streets. So any idea that you can drive any old thing your hearts desire is an idealistic illusion.
Truth is any state can regulate anything you drive on THEIR roads. That includes fees, taxes, or simply banning it altogether.
Now... you can BUY anything you want to drive on your own property or private land. Go to public land, and you're regulated again.
If you want to buy something and can afford it, you still have that ability. If you really want it, the states going to get a bigger cut (nothing new, state taxes go up with price anyway and we've had a National Gas Guzzler Tax since the 70s).
No one is taking away any freedom. If they I had to pay an extra grand as a fee for a Corvette, I'd pay it if that's what I really wanted. Or I'd get a Camaro and avoid it.
If I'm going to pay $40,000 for a Chevrolet Tahoe and I really want it, I'd dish out the other 1-2 grand and buy it just as I'd do for an SRT8 300C.
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Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 2,887
From: northeast Miss.
"Where exactly can I find that freedom in writing?? "
Start with the law I posted
It isnt about something written and it isnt about driving a Nascar stock car (hence the reason stock cars havent surfaced in the subject context of this conversation
), but it IS about a consumer driven market!
Start with the law I posted
It isnt about something written and it isnt about driving a Nascar stock car (hence the reason stock cars havent surfaced in the subject context of this conversation
), but it IS about a consumer driven market!
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,597
From: Mack and Bewick
My class was shocked, since the likelihood of this happening would be slim to none. But when you think about it.....who would stop us? We can pretty much ignore anything the U.N. might try to say about it, and there really isn't a country on this planet (except maybe China, since they have a huge military) that could stand up to us militarily. It would be like taking candy from a baby.
Im thinking that proposal was a learning exercise that you apparently missed... Good luck with that. We all love our "rights" but when it gets times to get off our *** and secure them... Well thats another story isn't it...
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 10,285
From: Albany, NY
"Where exactly can I find that freedom in writing?? "
Start with the law I posted
It isnt about something written and it isnt about driving a Nascar stock car (hence the reason stock cars havent surfaced in the subject context of this conversation), but it IS about a consumer driven market!
Start with the law I posted
It isnt about something written and it isnt about driving a Nascar stock car (hence the reason stock cars havent surfaced in the subject context of this conversation
), but it IS about a consumer driven market!I think you have a better chance of seeing prohibition on Marijuana repealed then looser emissions and safety standards on cars.
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 185
"Where exactly can I find that freedom in writing?? "
Start with the law I posted
It isnt about something written and it isnt about driving a Nascar stock car (hence the reason stock cars havent surfaced in the subject context of this conversation), but it IS about a consumer driven market!
Start with the law I posted
It isnt about something written and it isnt about driving a Nascar stock car (hence the reason stock cars havent surfaced in the subject context of this conversation
), but it IS about a consumer driven market!Just because a freedom is not in writing doesn't imply that it doesn't exist. But, since we are talking about using taxes to alter peoples' purchasing decisions, why not tax the hell out of all these "high-fuel economy Japanese and Korean cars" if they are such hot sellers. Then we can give the money to American companies to develop alternative fuels or electric vehicles.
Since we are talking about choices, why is it you can ride a motorcycle on public roads when it clearly doesn't meet the same safety standards of automobiles and there are clearly more cars on the road than bikes?
Last edited by hotrodtodd74; Apr 11, 2007 at 11:21 AM. Reason: addition
Registered User
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,011
From: Exton, Pennsylvania
DITTO!
Just because a freedom is not in writing doesn't imply that it doesn't exist. But, since we are talking about using taxes to alter peoples' purchasing decisions, why not tax the hell out of all these "high-fuel economy Japanese and Korean cars" if they are such hot sellers. Then we can give the money to American companies to develop alternative fuels or electric vehicles.
Just because a freedom is not in writing doesn't imply that it doesn't exist. But, since we are talking about using taxes to alter peoples' purchasing decisions, why not tax the hell out of all these "high-fuel economy Japanese and Korean cars" if they are such hot sellers. Then we can give the money to American companies to develop alternative fuels or electric vehicles.
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