A little more info from our old debate about how long (or short) it can take to get a all-new car from one's brain to production:

Full Story:

http://www.autoweek.com/cat_content...._code=07121647

I'll stand steady in my position that a Camaro (or any car, really) can be done quicker than most believe in today's environment.

 

I think the days of "from scratch" volume cars are numbered. Cars are becoming more and more modular, and 2 years will be too long, as companies will be able to spit out new platform variants in near on 12 months ...

 

I agree!

With new platforms that are supposedly easily 'reconfiguarable" such as GM's Sigma/Delta/Epsilon et al, that would be a logical assumption.

 

GM has been trying to get to a 24month product development time but just can't seem to cut enough steps out to do so. They know how and they know they can but corp red tape and GM's constant changing ideas puts too many cars on hold.

On an interesting side note, when I was at GM design some of our projects were deemed "PD 24's" (Product development 24 month) but had a few 3-4 month hold whare nothing was done. However this down time was not counted against the PD 24. So the Vehicle (Grand Prix) came out in over 34 months after approval, but only registered 26 months of actual development time.

Looking at the article I think its great the Ford GT will be done in 24 months. In reality it should be done fast. Its almost a kit car and with the very limited numbers being planned SVT/Roush/Saleen could almost hand assemble them.
To compare this to say GM's Epsilon platoform that will be mass produced by the millions there needs to be quite a bit more development time.
On the bright side the SSR went from concept to production very quickly and quietly.

 

24 months? Yea, whatever. It is humanly possible, but it'd take rock-solid program definition up front, with a commitment to holding course that you just won't find in most OEMs.

 

Not only is it humanly possible... It happened.

Ford GT. (see article)

 

On the contrary, I feel the SSR's development went very slowly and quietly. The concept was first shown in January of 2000, and it's now debuting as a 2004 model....that's 4 years by my count....Many people even said to me "whatever happened to that cool concept truck from Chevy way-back-when, are they gonna build it?"

 

Also, we're talking two different things here. The time from when the final design is approved to the car at the dealership OR the time from when the designers and engineers just begin to the car at the dealership. Two very different animals.
I think alot of people think that the time count begins as soon as the designer or engineer lays the pencil to the paper.
I don't think the manufacturers measure it that way. I think they look at it from when the final design is approved.
I mean, look at the F-body. If it comes back, do we count all this time when nothing is going on (or supposedly nothing going on)? We are hearing that they are looking for a suitable chassis. Do we count this time? If they are doing any kind of work, then technically we should include this time.
I think the companies trumpet the fact that they can bring a vehicle to market 24 months after final design approval. It's too bad that it takes 2-5 years to get to that point.

 

That is a good point...

The way I read the article... it was 2 years from the time the GT(40) sparkled in the designers head... but... sure, the starting point can be a variety of dates, really...

At the very least, once official 'approval' is given to a project, it would seem that 2 years is now do-able...

 

Yep - it had sharply-focused concept that had solid support from management, there was a small and well-focused team working on it, and minimal interference from purchasing types.

Lemme see this done on a typical midsize sedan. It won't happen with the current attitudes.

 

Agreed.... Obviously for a product to go from Pen and Paper to Reality at such a relatively feverish pace, it's got to have a lot of support....

Regardless, it is possible.... if the manufacturer is willing otodo it.

 

Toyota and Honda are willing and have done this on the last few model redesigns.

The sad part is that GM or Ford can bring out a slick concept that really gets to a niche market and before they can get the production car out Honda or Toyota could have copied it then designed and built a model before the domestics get their act together.