Wanna see somthing interesting about GM's Oshawa plant??
#1
Wanna see somthing interesting about GM's Oshawa plant??
This was in the Globe & Mail, a canadian business paper:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...Story/Business
There was plenty in my PHR article I couldn't say because of a host of reasons, and the fact I had to stick with published news articles to keep my sources private & keep the magazine from having to deal with unhappy GM people. But if you want to get a good perspective of things you'll be reading in the not too distant future coming out of Canada and GM, read my PHR article (yep, a shameless plug).
Hamtramck seems likely to build RWD SEDANS.
But Oshawa......
...General Motors of Canada Ltd. is involved in serious discussions with Ontario and Ottawa seeking financial help for an investment of up to $2-billion to revamp two assembly plants and significantly increase research and development activities,...
..."We are putting together a proposal," said Joe Fontana, parliamentary secretary to Prime Minister Paul Martin. "At the end of the day, it's going to be a three-way partnership."
GM spokesman Stew Low would not confirm or deny that there are discussions on specific projects...
...The GM discussions centre on a major retooling of the auto maker's two Oshawa, Ont., car assembly plants.
These plants now assemble Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo models and Buick Regal and Century sedans.
Among the possibilities for Oshawa are turning the car plants into flexible assembly plants with multiple models coming off one or more platforms (a platform is the basic chassis and underpinning of a vehicle) or rebuilding assembly lines to switch to rear-wheel-drive cars from the current front-wheel-drive vehicles made there.
Three industry sources said the auto maker is considering Oshawa for a rear-wheel-drive platform called Zeta that will provide the base for the next generation of the Pontiac GTO sedan, and a return of the Chevrolet Camaro sports car in 2008.
But a senior industry source who is familiar with GM's product programs said it's too early to identify Oshawa as the source of Zeta vehicles.
Another option is a new front-wheel-drive platform code-named Chi in the series of new GM platforms named after the letters in the Greek alphabet...
...The two levels of government are expected to be asked to contribute collectively as much as $400-million to the GM projects, although one federal official said GM hasn't revealed exactly what it wants to do, or how much it wants from governments. "We're still dancing around the table a bit."
The official said that the company is good at reading "government tea leaves" and realizes Ontario and Ottawa would love to make an announcement about a major investment soon...
..."We are putting together a proposal," said Joe Fontana, parliamentary secretary to Prime Minister Paul Martin. "At the end of the day, it's going to be a three-way partnership."
GM spokesman Stew Low would not confirm or deny that there are discussions on specific projects...
...The GM discussions centre on a major retooling of the auto maker's two Oshawa, Ont., car assembly plants.
These plants now assemble Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo models and Buick Regal and Century sedans.
Among the possibilities for Oshawa are turning the car plants into flexible assembly plants with multiple models coming off one or more platforms (a platform is the basic chassis and underpinning of a vehicle) or rebuilding assembly lines to switch to rear-wheel-drive cars from the current front-wheel-drive vehicles made there.
Three industry sources said the auto maker is considering Oshawa for a rear-wheel-drive platform called Zeta that will provide the base for the next generation of the Pontiac GTO sedan, and a return of the Chevrolet Camaro sports car in 2008.
But a senior industry source who is familiar with GM's product programs said it's too early to identify Oshawa as the source of Zeta vehicles.
Another option is a new front-wheel-drive platform code-named Chi in the series of new GM platforms named after the letters in the Greek alphabet...
...The two levels of government are expected to be asked to contribute collectively as much as $400-million to the GM projects, although one federal official said GM hasn't revealed exactly what it wants to do, or how much it wants from governments. "We're still dancing around the table a bit."
The official said that the company is good at reading "government tea leaves" and realizes Ontario and Ottawa would love to make an announcement about a major investment soon...
There was plenty in my PHR article I couldn't say because of a host of reasons, and the fact I had to stick with published news articles to keep my sources private & keep the magazine from having to deal with unhappy GM people. But if you want to get a good perspective of things you'll be reading in the not too distant future coming out of Canada and GM, read my PHR article (yep, a shameless plug).
Hamtramck seems likely to build RWD SEDANS.
But Oshawa......
Last edited by guionM; 08-17-2004 at 07:46 PM.
#3
Re: Wanna see somthing interesting about GM's Oshawa plant??
I couldn't believe that I just read that in an offical published source. Seems like around now the floodgates are going to open with information?
#4
Re: Wanna see somthing interesting about GM's Oshawa plant??
poSSum posted this info on May 6th of this year....thought it sounded familiar.
http://web.camaross.com/forums/showt...ghlight=oshawa
http://web.camaross.com/forums/showt...ghlight=oshawa
#6
Re: Wanna see somthing interesting about GM's Oshawa plant??
Originally Posted by Doug Harden
poSSum posted this info on May 6th of this year....thought it sounded familiar.
http://web.camaross.com/forums/showt...ghlight=oshawa
http://web.camaross.com/forums/showt...ghlight=oshawa
#7
Re: Wanna see somthing interesting about GM's Oshawa plant??
Originally Posted by Doug Harden
poSSum posted this info on May 6th of this year....thought it sounded familiar.
http://web.camaross.com/forums/showt...ghlight=oshawa
http://web.camaross.com/forums/showt...ghlight=oshawa
Originally Posted by Z284ever
Maybe......maybe not.
Last edited by guionM; 08-18-2004 at 10:23 AM.
#8
Re: Wanna see somthing interesting about GM's Oshawa plant??
Why Canada. I know the St. Therese plant had an exlusive contract or whatever and GM may build it in Canada to satisfy the CAW, but I would really like for the Camaro to be an American Car again(that and I would like to visit the plant ).
They did do a great job on the fourth gen though.
I guess if its Canada or no Camaro I say yeah Canada eh.
They did do a great job on the fourth gen though.
I guess if its Canada or no Camaro I say yeah Canada eh.
#10
Re: Wanna see somthing interesting about GM's Oshawa plant??
originally posted by detltu
Why Canada.
Why Canada.
For that matter the much beloved LS-x series engines are assembled in either St. Catherines, Ontario or in Mexico. Yet, we don't hear too much complaining about the point of origin of the engiines. They're just GM engines. Well, guess what they're just GM cars. Last time I checked the Oshawa assembly plants were pretty highly regarded as highly productive, efficient plants that put out some of GMNA's best quality cars and trucks.
That's what matters, best quality. Period.
Really, it's beyond me how GMNA could ever have let itself "forget" how to put together cars like GTO-Monaro or Commodore or whatever. Cars that are compelling to look at - inside and out, drive the right wheels, are screwed together well, use top shelf materials and are worth aspiring to own on those merits. It's almost unforgiveable that we are forced to choose amongst the ho-hum, watered-down product they sell here when there is (apparently) so much better available elsewhere. It doesn't matter where it's built. The highest quality GM cars should be available to all prospective consumers around the globe but especially here in NA. Who cares where they're "made". Maybe that 's why consumers have abandoned the Big 3 for Japanese makes.
This whole "Made in the USA or else" bent with the Camaro/GTO is so much tripe. Case in point, the GTO, a high class piece of quality work, lambasted (by some) because its not American, it's Australian in origin. So what? It's not really Australian either. The underpinnings were originally German, the powertrain is, you guessed it, GMNA. No, the car may not be perfect for some tastes, but it certainly is better than anything else GM peddles here (OK, not "here", but in the US) outside of the A&S Cadillacs or the Vette.
Sorry for the rant. I'm not targeting individual posters so don't get offended, just the sentiment, and the narrow-mindedness of some of these posts that make their way here and go unchallenged.
The real question is this: Is (will) the car less Camaro (GTO, Impala, insert car name here) than before, or not? Not whether or not it's "American".
Last edited by SharpShooter_SS; 08-18-2004 at 01:01 PM.
#12
Re: Wanna see somthing interesting about GM's Oshawa plant??
Right now I Know Reds not in his office. But I dont think even if he could make a comment he would. He wasnt saying anything this last weekend about it.
#13
Re: Wanna see somthing interesting about GM's Oshawa plant??
Sharpshooter, I think my two Canadian assembled 4th gens are the best built f-bodies I've ever owned. I have no problem with our friends to the North building the next generation.
#14
Re: Wanna see somthing interesting about GM's Oshawa plant??
Originally Posted by TA76
Sharpshooter, I think my two Canadian assembled 4th gens are the best built f-bodies I've ever owned. I have no problem with our friends to the North building the next generation.
...only some items of the engineering done here.
#15
Re: Wanna see somthing interesting about GM's Oshawa plant??
Originally posted by TA76
Sharpshooter, I think my two Canadian assembled 4th gens are the best built f-bodies I've ever owned. I have no problem with our friends to the North building the next generation.
Sharpshooter, I think my two Canadian assembled 4th gens are the best built f-bodies I've ever owned. I have no problem with our friends to the North building the next generation.
I'd buy it regardless, if I wanted one bad enough, could afford it, or thought it would satisfy my particular needs/wants; point of origin is waaaay down on the list of possible objections.
BTW, I'm more than happy with my two Lansing assembled cars. I can't speak for other Canadians (or anyone else), but I'm pretty sure anyone who purchased cars assembled in Ste. Therese, or Oshawa et all, never thought for a moment that they were buying a Canadian car (at least here in Canada). We don't look at cars like that, as fas as I know. A Chev is a Chev, a Ford is a Ford - (read: American), a Toyota is a Toyota (read: Japanese) and so on; even if they are assembled here. In actuality, every car sold here is "foreign" as there are no "Canadian" car companies.
Last edited by SharpShooter_SS; 08-19-2004 at 08:15 AM.