really? you must have a better eye, because I can't tell how it looks at all with all that chamo on the car.

don't be a bonehead and knock the car before it's even revealed.

 

It is basically the first of GMs new RWD V8 Zeta cars. 2008 GTO will be built on this cars chassis.

 

Yeah, no kidding.

 

The assumption there will be a 2008 GTO is a big one.

 

I thought GM already anounced the 2008 GTO is a go

http://www.cnn.com/2005/AUTOS/07/29/new_gto/

 

Yeah, that's the strange part.

 

Their recent introduction to motorsports via the GTO is certainly pretty telling they plan to support the program for quite sometime.

 

Fair enough Josh.

But what would this new GTO be built off of? The current VZ can't be built for NA after next August. With all the VE variants coming online, I can't see Holden having the resources to do a coupe anytime soon.

The only chance that I can see for an '08 GTO is if GM spends the bucks to certify the current car for future front impact standards. And really, as far as I know.....no one is even talking about that.

 

Holden recently announced the elimination of their third shift that currently builds the GTO and Monaro. If I remember right, Holden does not sell too many units in Australia, and most units produced are then exported to the Middle East and North America.

With the lower production numbers for the GTO, adding the third shift in 3 or 4 model years should not be too hard to do.

Add to the fact that there is still far and away too much capacity in North America and maybe the GTO will instead be Sigma Lite based as it's "sister car" the Camaro. You really only need a business case for 200k units per year on Sigma Lite to make a solid business case for it.

Two coupes, two sedans.

1 coupe = GTO
2 coupe = Camaro
3 sedan = Chevelle? Bel Air? Caprice?
4 sedan = Pontiac G8/Buick Velite/El Camino?

I'm just speculating but 200k units per year is very feasible especially given the over capacity we have here in NA.

 

Yeah, fine. But none of that stuff is going to happen before '08.

 

Hold on, I thought GTO and Camaro were to share almost nothing as far as structure goes? Or was that back when it was thought we'd get a bigger Camaro because of GTO, but now instead may get a smaller GTO because of Camaro...my head hurts.

 

That's if Holden continues to supply Pontiac with GTO's.

BTW, it appears to me that the Camaro's size is unchanged from the previous Zeta. The new "Zeta" will have more Sigma incorporated into it, but size seems unchanged.

 

How do you think the guys making the decisions feel?!?

Zeta was shelved from what I recall because of the beancounters not happy with the progress of cost being taken out of the platform, and in return said "We have to have profits now now now" putting the focus on the GMT900's, which even their success is in doubt. The ever rising price of gas will be the cause of their short lived success.

I think '08 is very feasible. With General Motors new "concept to production" structure it shouldnt be too hard. I'm willing to bet a months salary that IF (big if) there is a rolling Chevy concept on this years show scene it will be a production ready underbody with concept sheet metal and not many things left to tweak.

If a vehicle debuts in Detroit that essentially leaves two full years for the enthusiasts at GM to convince the bean counters at GM a profit can be made off a mass produced Sigma Lite architecture.

Cheapened version of Sigma. So why can't the build process mimic that of the #2 rated Lansing Assembly? You've got your engineering down, you've got your costs down due to it sharing many parts with Sigma.

I like how it's beginning to shake up, if only the cards fall right.

 

Don't make that bet, Josh.

 

I'm looking forward to NAIAS this year. Definitely a year to make the trip - I hope...