The following article was taken from the August 2005 issue on Motor Trend:


General motors's plans for a rear drive Buick Velite sedan, convertible, or anything else are officially dead. The murder also effects ANY rear drive Chevy coupe, Camaro, Chevelle, or otherwise. while development of a new Zeta platform was scaled back months ago, the decission to pull the plug on these new cars is much more recent. The only sub-Cadillac/Corvette rear drive program going forth (besides the Pontiac Solstice and the Saturn Sky) is the next gen GTO, expected for the 2008 model year. GM sources say the Holdens Zeta rear drive platforms arent considered refined enough for rear drive Buicks and Chevys to compete with Mercedes-based Chrysler and Dodge LX models or any other modern competitor. Cadlillac's sigma platform, meanwhile, is too expensive for GM's mainstream brands. Meanwhile, GM is yet again reconizing its divisions. Cadillac, Hummer, and Saab continue as the companys premium troika (it considers Saab near-luxury). Even though the Hummer H2 sales plunged after its first year, with the new H3 and more product on the way, the division is designed to thrive with relatively low volume. Saturn continues as a warm-and-fuzzy Toyota, Honda/Acura competitor as it moves upmarket. GM plans to MORPH as many as possible of its individual Pontiac, Buick, and GMC dealers into three-brand combos. A Pontiac-Buick-GMC dealer doesnt have to be full-line, like Chevrolet, says Marketing Chief Mark LaNeve. The plan is to shape GM into eight "tightly" focused "brands". If those brands are not focused, you dont need them LaNeve adds. But the reality looks set to fall short of the rhetoric. GMC, for example, is relying on its Denali line, which is really just a trim line level, to distinguish itself from Chevy trucks. And while Pontiac builds a largely front wheel drive performance lineup and Buick builds a front wheel drive (except for the Rainier) "quiet luxury" lineup, theres still loads of overlap. Yes, a 3.5-liter high-feature Buick Lacrosse is much different from a small block V-8 Pontiac Grand prix GXP. But the high volume sub-$25,000 LaCrosse and grand Prixs are distinguished by little more than sheetmetal and interior design. All of which leads to the question: If Chrysler Group can mange to build affordable, gotta have rear-drive Chrysler 300's, Dodge Magnums, and Chargers with optional V-8's.. why cant the worlds largest automaker compete???

 

they've already said that they are looking at other platforms to use with RWD performance cars. news of the Zeta being given to Holden is olllldddd

 

The monthly mags are always a couple months behind. That article was prolly written back in May/June.

Autoweek is the only car mag you need.