Part 1 dealt with the issue GM was having over consumer clinics on the car. However, since GM's upper brass seemed to be unified in their support of the car, I didn't believe it was going to be much of an issue. If it got down to brass tacks, I'd expected Gary Cowger or Bob Lutz to simply push it to production anyway. But there seems to be another, more serious wall now blocking it.

Cheers and Gears has many GM and industry insiders who post there. The site tends to be a very credible source of information, and typically aren't moved by nastygrams from GM, though sensitive material that threatens other posters tend to be deleted.

With that as a background, according to info over there, the Chevrolet Nomad, though very much well into development, has had the brakes slammed on by the guys who pay for these type of things. Evidently, this is in spite of the fact that GM upper management is in favor of the car! This includes Rick Wagoners, Bob Lutz, Gary Cowger, Chevrolet, and of course Ed Welburn. At Ford, that type of support would be enough. At GM, it isn't.

GM is run like the government (in theory) in that there is a series of checks and balences, and that no one person or area can dictate what sees production or doesn't.

The final authority is beancounters. GM being a business, is in the business to make money. Also, the larger the business, the more sluggish and clumsy it is. GM right now actually has the ability to do the engineering to bring a car to market faster than it's approval process can manage. While a car can be engineered in less than 2 years from scratch, it still has to clear countless hurdles, be subjected to countless studies, and at any level, the car can be halted, and kicked back for more study, analysis, or additional cost cutting. Aparently, this is what happened to Nomad.

Ford's engineering isn't quite up to the speed of GMs, but Ford's approval process is much much quicker, and less subject to being derailed once a project is started. Ford is capable of bringing a car to market between 2 to 3 years (the GT was an exception at 18 months), but because of Ford's more streamlined approval process, a car can actually hit the streets within 3 years if upper management approves. Chrysler (once the quickest company to bring out new cars) now has to route approval through Daimler in Germany. Till last summer it seemed a loosing proposition, but now it seems that there was a blanket approval, so Chrysler has a mind bending amout of new vehicles scheduled over the next few years.

To be sure, the Chevrolet Nomad isn't going to sell at 100,000 vehicles per year. But considering the potential price, the number of Chevrolet dealers, the early success of the Dodge Magnum, and that there's a bigger market for 4 passenger harttops than there is for 2 passenger convertibles all but makes the Nomad certain to be the biggest selling Kappa car, and the most likely to sustain it's sales once the newness wears off because it's very practical (PT Cruisers are still selling at 100,000 per year).

GM should absolutely, positively make the Chevrolet Nomad. It's small, useful, sporty, and unique. If these reports of Nomad being blocked is true, this is one instance IMO where the beancounters got it wrong.

http://www.cheersandgears.com/forums...showtopic=3554

 

Nomad seems to be a smash hit with everyone......except the public.

I went to the Chicago Auto Show three times this year. Whenever I'd go over to check out the Nomad (again)....I always noticed that I was the only one looking at it.

It's such a neat idea....but somehow it's missing something. Something I can't quite put my finger on.
It has a bold face...yet somehow get's lost in the crowd. It's a reasonably cool car...yet doesn't have the impact of the '99 Nomad Concept, or even the production Magnum.

 

For me it was the front end styling. I jsut didn't like the 'modern interpretation of a '53 'Vette' theme.

It's really a great idea hindered by bad styling.

 

Yeah, styling was part of it. It's a good attempt.....but not a bullseye.

The other thing, and maybe more importantly, is it's utility. Ok it's a wagon....which is cool....but if you want to carry anything in it......groceries, luggage, golf clubs...the rear seat needs to be folded. It is really small back there. I think wagons are cool....but there's not much point to them, if they don't have lots of utility.

 

What the hell is GM's problem? I used to think good things at GM were coming, but it all seems to fizzle when it actually comes to producing something new and affordable.

The F-Body is gone.... then replaced with the GTO and now GM has only really come out with one new car - the SSR. Correct me if I'm wrong but where is the new, exciting, affordable car for the working man?

The Cobalt is cool and all and probably priced right for what you get, but myself, being 22 and feeling 30ish, I want something a little more "mature" while still having a sporty feel to it as well... I don't want to drive around a Civic-esque car for too much longer.

 

The back does not have to be that big to be useful. Look at the vibes, you would not think there was any room behind the rear seats. Turns out you can fit tons of stuff back there.

 

I for one much prefer the newer attempt at the Nomad to the '99 concept. The '99 was just, well....ugly. But you're right, if Nomad is going to go in production in some form it probably should be based on something larger than Kappa. Why not "Large" Zeta? There's your perfect wagon platform.....

 

That's my point, you cannot fit tons of stuff back there on the Nomad.

Forget about tons of stuff....if you want to get any "stuff" at all in there, the back seat needs to be folded.

 

BTW, according to GM press releases, the Nomad wasn't intended to be a Magnum competitor....it was intended as a Mini Cooper competitor.

 

hyrbird....do it GM, make it a hyrbid.

 

I didn't a chance to see the interior. I saw this as a Golf competitor for the younger crowd.

Myself, I'd like a diesel version for hauling the mountain bike around.

 

Yes, the Nomad is certainly a Mini Cooper competitor. It'd be nice with a redone front clip and an aggressive (well south of Mini) price. How about following the same formula as the original and borrowing cues from today's Corvette?! I think GM will find HHR and SSR are more than enough retro for one brand's lineup.

 

heavy cars are the new suv's but GM would have to fix the styling. The dodge is wayyy better looking.

 

You know something... I might actually consider a ECOTEC powered subcompact if it is a) sporty, b) puts out 200+ ponies, c) is priced under $15k.

 

Under $15k.... better pass the stuff...