It's been a while.....another G8 resurrection thread
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Lutz says G8 to survive as Chevy Caprice in US
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/11/l...u-s-z28-likel/
http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/...710_847893.htm
Lutz says Pontiac G8 to survive as Chevy Caprice in U.S.; Camaro Z28 reportedly dead
Bob Lutz is back, and after what seems like five minutes into his job as GM's new marketing kingpin, he's doing what he does best: making headlines. Rest assured that this is a good thing, as El Generalissimo Roberto Maximo told Automobile Magazine that yes, the Pontiac G8 will live on in the United States as the Chevy Caprice. So much for Fritz "I'm not a fan of rebadging" Henderson's statement to the contrary a couple of weeks ago.
"The last time we looked at [the G8], we decided that we would continue to import it as a Chevrolet. It is kind of too good to waste," Lutz told the mag. As for the G8 being "too good to waste": Amen to that, Bob. This also makes us wonder if law enforcement-grade models will be part of the deal with Holden to continue production. Chevy Caprice police cars? That's got a very familiar ring to it. The next question is whether a U.S. Caprice would mimic the Middle East-market Caprice, which is based on the long-wheelbase Holden Caprice/Statesman, or whether it will simply be a Chevy-badged version of the standard-wheelbase Holden Commodore/Pontiac G8/Chevrolet Lumina. Frankly, as long as there's ultimately a Caprice SS that is identical to the Pontiac G8 GXP in every critical way, we don't care.
In his conversation with Automobile, Lutz also essentially confirms that next year's Cadillac CTS coupe will be joined by a V-series variant, saying that the CTS-V coupe was the car that had most of the Presidential Task Force members' tongues wagging during the product-pipeline tour they were given by GM. Lutz even hints that a CTS-V wagon is not completely out of the question. (We'll take the wagon in brown, with the stick, Bob.)
On the bad news side, in a separate blog post, Automobile reports that Lutz kind of throws dirt on the idea of an LSA-powered Camaro Z28 (though he doesn't specifically state that the program's toast). He says that for "mainstream" sports models like the Camaro, powerful sixes (like the one in the Camaro LS and LT) and turbo fours (like the one used in the now-dead Cobalt SS, HHR SS and Solstice GXP) are more indicitive of the automaker's future direction in that regard. Hmmm. Well then, how about bolting a blower to the direct-injected V6?
Welcome back, Bob. This sounds like it could get pretty fun.
Bob Lutz is back, and after what seems like five minutes into his job as GM's new marketing kingpin, he's doing what he does best: making headlines. Rest assured that this is a good thing, as El Generalissimo Roberto Maximo told Automobile Magazine that yes, the Pontiac G8 will live on in the United States as the Chevy Caprice. So much for Fritz "I'm not a fan of rebadging" Henderson's statement to the contrary a couple of weeks ago.
"The last time we looked at [the G8], we decided that we would continue to import it as a Chevrolet. It is kind of too good to waste," Lutz told the mag. As for the G8 being "too good to waste": Amen to that, Bob. This also makes us wonder if law enforcement-grade models will be part of the deal with Holden to continue production. Chevy Caprice police cars? That's got a very familiar ring to it. The next question is whether a U.S. Caprice would mimic the Middle East-market Caprice, which is based on the long-wheelbase Holden Caprice/Statesman, or whether it will simply be a Chevy-badged version of the standard-wheelbase Holden Commodore/Pontiac G8/Chevrolet Lumina. Frankly, as long as there's ultimately a Caprice SS that is identical to the Pontiac G8 GXP in every critical way, we don't care.
In his conversation with Automobile, Lutz also essentially confirms that next year's Cadillac CTS coupe will be joined by a V-series variant, saying that the CTS-V coupe was the car that had most of the Presidential Task Force members' tongues wagging during the product-pipeline tour they were given by GM. Lutz even hints that a CTS-V wagon is not completely out of the question. (We'll take the wagon in brown, with the stick, Bob.)
On the bad news side, in a separate blog post, Automobile reports that Lutz kind of throws dirt on the idea of an LSA-powered Camaro Z28 (though he doesn't specifically state that the program's toast). He says that for "mainstream" sports models like the Camaro, powerful sixes (like the one in the Camaro LS and LT) and turbo fours (like the one used in the now-dead Cobalt SS, HHR SS and Solstice GXP) are more indicitive of the automaker's future direction in that regard. Hmmm. Well then, how about bolting a blower to the direct-injected V6?
Welcome back, Bob. This sounds like it could get pretty fun.
http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/...710_847893.htm
GM May Revive Its Popular Pontiac G8
General Motors may have a plan to resurrect the well-liked Pontiac G8 sports sedan, which goes away this month as the automaker emerges from bankruptcy as a smaller company. GM stopped production of the car in June, but there is talk of bringing it back as the Chevrolet Caprice.
Initially, GM decided against the idea. The G8 is built in Australia, so currency fluctuations and expensive shipping make the business case a tough one. But recently reinstated GM Vice-Chairman Robert A. "Bob" Lutz is keen to revive the G8 as a Chevy.
It wouldn't be much of a stretch. GM's Australian Holden subsidiary already builds a Chevrolet Caprice and a Lumina for the Middle East using the same hardware that hosts the G8. GM uses the Chevy names in the Middle East, and in Australia it calls the car the Holden Commodore, with a longer version of the sedan dubbed the Statesman.
GM insiders and analysts alike are at odds over the wisdom of bringing the G8 back to the U.S. as a Chevy. On one hand, Pontiac this year sold more of the G8, which starts at $28,000 for a base model up to $40,000 for the super-sporty GXP version, than Acura sold of its high-volume TL luxury sedan and Infiniti sold of its sporty G37. The cars all sell in the same general price range. "They would sell even more of them under the Chevy name," says John Wolkonowicz, an analyst at IHS Global Insight in Boston. "And they would do well in the police-car market, too."
Gearheads like the G8's roomy cabin, rear-wheel drive, and panoply of tire-burning engine choices. Sports car fans love that it's a roomy sedan that can be had with a 256-horsepower, 3.6-liter V6 or 361-hp, 6.0-liter or 415-hp, 6.2-liter V8 engines.
Is it worth the added investment required?
On the other hand, some argue, a G8 morphed into a Caprice wouldn't bring in enough new buyers. The car could end up just competing with the Impala, a like-sized front-drive Chevy sedan. It also could compete with the all-new Camaro, another rear-drive sporty car with an American heritage, says James N. Hall, a principal at 2953 Analytics, a Detroit-area consulting firm.
Plus, it wouldn't be as simple as bringing a Caprice that is styled for the Middle East to the U.S., Hall says. GM would need to restyle a front end that would both make the G8 a Chevy and pass U.S. crash tests. That could require a year's worth of work and more investment from a company that is still short on cash.
So will GM do it? If Lutz wants it bad enough, it could happen. He has been working as an adviser to the company since April and had planned to retire in December. But GM's new board and CEO Frederick A. "Fritz" Henderson wanted him back. With GM's debt burden reduced, Lutz figured he could get the funding to really develop and market new models.
GM Chief Financial Officer Ray Young says the company isn't planning to bring back the G8, but adds: "Lutz will take over. If he concludes that there is a role [for the G8] to play, we'll listen."
General Motors may have a plan to resurrect the well-liked Pontiac G8 sports sedan, which goes away this month as the automaker emerges from bankruptcy as a smaller company. GM stopped production of the car in June, but there is talk of bringing it back as the Chevrolet Caprice.
Initially, GM decided against the idea. The G8 is built in Australia, so currency fluctuations and expensive shipping make the business case a tough one. But recently reinstated GM Vice-Chairman Robert A. "Bob" Lutz is keen to revive the G8 as a Chevy.
It wouldn't be much of a stretch. GM's Australian Holden subsidiary already builds a Chevrolet Caprice and a Lumina for the Middle East using the same hardware that hosts the G8. GM uses the Chevy names in the Middle East, and in Australia it calls the car the Holden Commodore, with a longer version of the sedan dubbed the Statesman.
GM insiders and analysts alike are at odds over the wisdom of bringing the G8 back to the U.S. as a Chevy. On one hand, Pontiac this year sold more of the G8, which starts at $28,000 for a base model up to $40,000 for the super-sporty GXP version, than Acura sold of its high-volume TL luxury sedan and Infiniti sold of its sporty G37. The cars all sell in the same general price range. "They would sell even more of them under the Chevy name," says John Wolkonowicz, an analyst at IHS Global Insight in Boston. "And they would do well in the police-car market, too."
Gearheads like the G8's roomy cabin, rear-wheel drive, and panoply of tire-burning engine choices. Sports car fans love that it's a roomy sedan that can be had with a 256-horsepower, 3.6-liter V6 or 361-hp, 6.0-liter or 415-hp, 6.2-liter V8 engines.
Is it worth the added investment required?
On the other hand, some argue, a G8 morphed into a Caprice wouldn't bring in enough new buyers. The car could end up just competing with the Impala, a like-sized front-drive Chevy sedan. It also could compete with the all-new Camaro, another rear-drive sporty car with an American heritage, says James N. Hall, a principal at 2953 Analytics, a Detroit-area consulting firm.
Plus, it wouldn't be as simple as bringing a Caprice that is styled for the Middle East to the U.S., Hall says. GM would need to restyle a front end that would both make the G8 a Chevy and pass U.S. crash tests. That could require a year's worth of work and more investment from a company that is still short on cash.
So will GM do it? If Lutz wants it bad enough, it could happen. He has been working as an adviser to the company since April and had planned to retire in December. But GM's new board and CEO Frederick A. "Fritz" Henderson wanted him back. With GM's debt burden reduced, Lutz figured he could get the funding to really develop and market new models.
GM Chief Financial Officer Ray Young says the company isn't planning to bring back the G8, but adds: "Lutz will take over. If he concludes that there is a role [for the G8] to play, we'll listen."
Last edited by 95redLT1; Jul 11, 2009 at 04:33 PM.
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I thought this was interesting from earlier today...
http://fastlane.gmblogs.com/
on a side note someone asked about the 4.5 diesel as well...
http://fastlane.gmblogs.com/
16:22 [Comment From Lev Blekher ]
Also, what can we expect from large sedans, specifically regarding the demise of the G8 and the future of that segment.
16:23 Fritz Henderson: do think there is a market for longer wheel base sedans ala impala or g8 going forward, but we will continue to see these populated with 6 and 4 cylinder high technology powertrain options to ensure that we can deliver the necessary fuel economy.
Also, what can we expect from large sedans, specifically regarding the demise of the G8 and the future of that segment.
16:23 Fritz Henderson: do think there is a market for longer wheel base sedans ala impala or g8 going forward, but we will continue to see these populated with 6 and 4 cylinder high technology powertrain options to ensure that we can deliver the necessary fuel economy.
on a side note someone asked about the 4.5 diesel as well...
16:14 [Comment From John Dinkel ]
GM has some seriously innovative technology in your new diesel engine that is currently on the back burner. GM needs it. The consumer needs it. When will it reach production?
16:15 Fritz Henderson: if you are referring to the 4.5l ld diesel, we have the technology available, but it has been difficult to foresee meaningful volumes to justify tooling, at least up to now.
GM has some seriously innovative technology in your new diesel engine that is currently on the back burner. GM needs it. The consumer needs it. When will it reach production?
16:15 Fritz Henderson: if you are referring to the 4.5l ld diesel, we have the technology available, but it has been difficult to foresee meaningful volumes to justify tooling, at least up to now.
Last edited by 95redLT1; Jul 11, 2009 at 03:26 AM.
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From: Melbourne, Australia
The puzzling comment in the article is the bit in bold print. That's not correct, I'm sure. Why would a grille change necessitate a year's worth of crash testing development? How could the author be so silly as to write that?
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Approx. April next year, new interior, minor refreshed exterior with aluminium panels to bring down weight. Sept. is the traditional time for updates tho Holden has moved to making updates every 6 months.
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From: oshawa,ontario,canada
i think they should wait till the interior update to start importing them here as a chevy so it doesn't look like such a blatant rebadge.
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What happens with fuel prices, particularly in light of whatever comes of "cap and trade", will have an effect on what folks will buy in the future.
Let's see what the UAW and CAW think about further import of vehicles not built by them... Might be they are fine with it.
Let's see what the UAW and CAW think about further import of vehicles not built by them... Might be they are fine with it.
Last edited by 1fastdog; Jul 11, 2009 at 11:21 AM.
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From: oshawa,ontario,canada
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Fine with me, but wouldn't they have the same situation they had with the GTO?
Maybe something like Lumina with a neutral name would be better & is already the name in the middle east. When I hear Caprice I think of the station wagons from the 90's.
Anything is better than not bringing it back tho....
Maybe something like Lumina with a neutral name would be better & is already the name in the middle east. When I hear Caprice I think of the station wagons from the 90's.
Anything is better than not bringing it back tho....
