pretty good post over at GMI
http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=37593

discuss

 

"Zeta Lux" makes no sense at all... that's what Sigma's for.

Also, I think Buick might be a better candidate than Pontiac for a Zeta X-Over. Yes, Pontiac is the performance brand, but they should stick to cars, IMO.

 

GM won't name specific new models, but you ask just about anyone and they'll come out and tell you GM intends to create a large number of vehicles off of Zeta. The chassis is the "Lego" building block of GM.

 

I love Lego!!

 

As far as I can tell, Zeta appears no more or less flexible than any other GM architecture, such as Delta or Epsilon.

The Camaro for example requires ALL NEW upper structure and structure forward of the cowl.

 

Did somebody mention Buick? I wouldnt be so sure.

 

Buick's getting at least one Zeta for sure. That's more than anyone else has on the books except for Chevy.

 

I think the only cars for sure right now are Camaro, Camaro convertible and Impala. Probably a Lucerne replacement after that. Beyond that, you really need to crank up your crystal ball.

 

I suspect you're missing the whole thing about this RWD chassis. It IS more versitile than a Espilon or a Delta. The way the entire structure is made is quite a bit different than those are.

A big clue to the car's "Lego-like" structure is how the entire front support structure is manufactured separately, and simply bolted on instead of being engineered and welded as part of the entire car. This means if a longer front is desired, a new bolt-on section is created saving a lot of cash.

As far as Camaro needing a whole new upper structure, that's why getting Camaro approved was a big deal and the GTO wasn't. Camaro HAS to sell numbers approaching 100,000 to be profitable. A large sedan based coupe can get by with less than 20K.

The Camaro is going to consume more engineering resources than a coupe based off a large sedan, and will take 24 months in all to create. A sedan based coupe will take a small fraction of that once the sedan development is done. Whereas a GTO or Monte Carlo/Chevelle is a matter of creating a new relocated "B-pillar" and spot welding it on. Camaro is essentially a different structure that can be built on the same line as other Zeta based cars. Zeta is more a manufacturing process than a particular car.

To even more magnify the differences, take the Holden Monaro coupe and the Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Both were spinoffs of existing sedans, are/were made on the same assembly lines, used almost the entire donor car intact.... and cost little money to make, was done AFTER the donor sedans were done (with the W sedans, the shared basic structure was done first, with the Monaro the Commodore had been on market for a few years), and could be profitably made at ridiculously small numbers.

The Camaro (as well as Mustang) need volume to make up for the investment in their unique chassis. Challenger is going to largely be a reskinned LX (cheaper and quicker to make than creating a new hybrid chassis like the other 2, and profitable at far lower numbers).

There's a few more surprises regarding the differences between Camaro and the rest of the North American Zetas, but I'm leaving that for someone else to talk about when they feel the time is right.

As for more on how the VE differs from other manufacturing processes and how we can expect it to influence the NA cars (and evolution on that), I'm hoping to write an article on that in the very near future. I'll be doing the initial leg later this week.

 

I think we'll just have to agree to disagree on this, because as far as I know this is completely false. "Lego-like" construction as described and 21st century requirements for rigidity and crash protection are not at all compatable.

 

I wouldn't be so sure.

 

Im not an engineer , but I would have to logically agree with that . Unless Im not understanding what your saying Guy . I dont get how an entire front subframe could be bolted on and be strong enuff .

 

I dont think he means literally "bolted" on....but different weld points possibly? Seems as if this is going to be a great "skateboard" architecture for GM. Especially if it's as flexible as Guy is leaning towards.

 

Then you either are implying that 1)Buick is dead, or 2)the Lucerne is dead, or 3)that Buick won't have anything above the LaCrosse.

1) Doesn't seem possible since the Enclave is going to be out for a while and the next LaCrosse is global, so it would make no sense for Buick to be getting the axe.

2) Is the only one that makes sense with Buick not getting a Zeta, but there's already a program code for a Buick Zeta sedan, unless it got cut just recently.

3) Does not seem very possible as the LaCrosse is going to be moving down in size, but it would go along with there not being a Buick Zeta.

However, I still think the Buick Zeta is on, as it was still on after the DTS on Zeta was cut. I don't see why GM would abandon a segment it does 12+k units in per month. Also, there's no FWD platform above Epsilon, so that means the Zeta Buick couldn't have gotten moved to a FWD platform.

 

A Camaro, an Impala and a Lucerne replacement, pretty much fill one plant.