I guess I really have an issue with the 4-banger FWD car being called Chevelle...

Even if you throw the whole 'treading on sacred land' stuff out the window... Why name a car that is meant to appeal to the young 'tuner' crowd after a car that was a totally different beast way back before these kids were even a glimmer in their mama's eye??

A modern, fresh, no-strings-attached name is the way to go with this car.

Chevelle just doesn't fit here.... and even if, for some reason, Chevy was stuck on reviving an old name, Nova fits much much better than Chevelle... but I wouldn't use that either. Give it something new.

 

Just speculating here, to start off, I'd say Cavalier will be renamed when it's replaced. Someone brought up that possibility here before, and I'm also pretty sure it will happen. It will also likely be a sedan only. I think Chevy will in fact create a different name for the coupe. If they get a version of "tubular" and only has a 4 cylinder, then that's likely to replace the Cavalier coupe, assuming it's a 4 passenger car (Chevrolet already has a 2 passenger sports car).

There are 2 comments made by Bob Lutz that I think indicate a few things when you take a 2nd look. One was:

"Lutz says that if the Solstice is produced, he would like to see it sell for about $18,900. He compared the car with the original 1964½ Ford Mustang, a reasonably priced car that had the style and grace of a more expensive model. "

Of all the things to compare it to, why compare it to a pony car? There are plenty of small sports car (Miata, the old Opel Buick imported in the 70s come quickly to mind). I think the indication is an obvious hint.

The other:
"It could be used for a coupe, a convertible, a small sedan equal to the BMW 1 series. It was something that we felt was missing in our portfolio - a small, light, four-cylinder-only rwd architecture."

What divisions are most likely to get a smal 4 cylinder RWD sedan? Pontiac and even more likely, Chevrolet! Sort of throws a wild card in all this doesn't it?

So, as confusing and as far fetched as it seems (meaning I don't have enough to tie it all together, so I'm including everything that's either known or talked about) it seems by late this decade:

There will be 2 full sized sedans, FWD Impala and a RWD car (Caprice?).

There will be a 5 passenger full sized RWD Monte Carlo and a smaller 4 passenger RWD Camaro (built off the same chassis if Camaro doesn't use the tubular chassis).

There will be 2 small carlines, the FWD Cavalier replacement, and the small RWD sedan and coupe & convertible.

And of course, Corvette.

Though Lutz and company are aiming to make small volume cars profitable, this is pretty extreme. But then again, if these are being sold in multiple divisions, then maybe not.

 

Definitely! I agree, 110%!

 

How about "Vega GT"?

I don't think we'll ever see "Nova" brought back, especially on anything that could be exported to a spanish speaking nation. (The whole "It doesn't go" fiasco.)

 

If there were a live rear axle...I think it would be most appropriate on the SS. But hey, let's get at least into the '90s....ALL Camaros should have IRS.

 

I don't have a problem with Vega GT either. Or Monza.

 

Wait, wheres the SSR???

 

Isn't the SSR considered a truck for all pruposes...?

I always thought it was part of the truck side being a sort of newer El Camino(dare i say these two names in the same sentence) and also because it is built off a truck (trailblazer/Env/Brav/Asce) platform... and the fact that they would stop prodcution after a year or two

 

Exactly. A hurting car manafactuer trying to dig itself out of a hole goes and makes a $40k El Camino look-a-like that they only plan on producing for a few years. Hence the

 

Agreed! A new and fresh name would be much more beneficial IMO.

 

Since Cavalier actually replaced the Chevy Monza, that's probally more than just a little fitting.

But, if Chevy is going to make a 4 passenger, SC Ecotec version of the RWD Solstice coupe, I love to see the Monza name return on that.

 

Can anyone share some light on the Monza, my dad said he owned one a long time ago in the Middle East and I never figured out what it was...

PS GuionM : FYI your PM inbox is full...

 

I really think it would be smart for GM to reduce the amount of nameplates and just offer more variations of the same car to prevent confusion and make marketing easier. Honda has had huge success in offering fewer nameplates (Accord and Civic) but offering more variations of each car and I think Chevy should also follow that philosophy. Chevy has had way to many names that do nothing more then confuse the consumer and dilute advertising into lots of forgettable advertisements instead of focusing on fewer names but larger budgets per name.

6 nameplates for cars only:

1. Aveo
2. Chevelle
3. Malibu
4. Impala
5. Camaro
6. Corvette


In a worse case scenerio if a new Camaro doesnt appear until 2009 or later because the Solstice gets canned or until a smaller version of the new Impala platform becomes cost effective enough to make a new Camaro somewhat affordable then I think the new Impala Coupe could fill its shoes temporarily. The new Impala coupe would be a lower priced version of the next-gen US made GTO but have less HP and less standard equipment.

 

Here ya go....

http://www.geocities.com/marcos_monza_world/main.html

 

thanks for the info. It looks like a cross between a Camaro and another car... very interesting..thanks for the link z284ever..