Oh no that is smart. Build your bread and butter compact economy car at only one plant. No that totally seems legit. But hey, as long as we've got every other plant churning out Suburbans and Silverados we're all good.
Build it at the old Saturn Tennessee plant. That will create some sort of mildly humorous irony or deja vu or something.
@leavethegun-takethecannoli: They can make the exterior pretty as they want, put the best most efficient engine they want in it, but unless they make an interior that doesn't just shout 'Dollar Store' when you get behind the wheel, you won't find me at a GM dealership, ever.
@Danimal: I think the Cruze is impressive looking. What I'm saying is give people an AWD option, possibly a convertible in the future, a performance version, etc.
Can't they do a Junkyard Wars style contest between all-star members of the three plants? The first team to fully assemble a new Cruze from parts strewn randomly around the plant wins!
@d3c509b aka Steve: Ooh, how about: the plant that successfully follows OSHA regs down to the last letter for a whole week wins. Wait, I bet that's impossible. And very boring.
Does anyone else think this Cruze is taking way too long? It's a really nice car right now but by the time they make deals and get tooled up, it's going to be the car-world equivalent of the Grumman Bearcat (too late to the game to see meaningful action).
The sad part is that this is the car that GM really needs, not the Volt. A (hopefully) good, small, fuel-efficient car in this zeitgeist. This is the car that they need to be doing all the marketing hype on, because it is the car that will be more affordable, and thusly more accessible to the general populace.
This is the car that is most likely to save GM.
Despite all the shit that has gone down in the past few years, I'm still a fan, GM, but you really need to quit dicking around and build this car, and build it well.
@sos10: I thought they already did sell it in Europe?
I forget if it was MT, C&D, R&T, or Automobile, but one of them did a review of the Cruze in Europe. Maybe the car they reviewed was a prototype or pre-production car.
@pauljones: The look of the Cruze is growing on me, and certainly style-wise it runs rings around anything Japanese (save the Lancer, IMO), but I fear it looks too "mean" to have wide mainstream appeal in the segment.
The Cruze will be like the Camaro. Too little, too late. According to a Rasmussen poll only 6% of people see themselves as very likely to buy a GM car. Only 42% of current GM owners are likely to get another GM car. GM has imploded due to their reliance on government money.
In other muscle car news, Dodge announced that the 2014 Challenger will have a 8500 GVW and be exempt for all emissions standards. Engine options might include a 426 HEMI.
06/10/09
/favoritism.
06/10/09
Build it at the old Saturn Tennessee plant. That will create some sort of mildly humorous irony or deja vu or something.
06/10/09
You haven't been around much, work getting in the way?
06/11/09
I've been busy with work mainly, yes.. Girls an' cars get in the way too.
06/10/09
06/10/09
They should whore it out like the Audi A4.
Offer a few different engines, drivetrains, and in the future, maybe a convertible.
It could be a winner.
06/10/09
06/10/09
06/10/09
06/10/09
[jalopnik.com]
06/10/09
06/10/09
What I'm saying is give people an AWD option, possibly a convertible in the future, a performance version, etc.
06/10/09
06/10/09
06/10/09
06/10/09
06/10/09
Perhaps some UFC style match pitting plant manager vs plant manager vs plant manager.
Or perhaps a contest of "who can follow work instructions the closest"
06/10/09
06/10/09
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06/10/09
I am both a Grumman fan and a GM fan. We saw what happened with both.
On the other hand, it does help explain why I am also a Red Sox fan.
06/10/09
06/10/09
maybe this?:
06/10/09
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06/10/09
I wouldn't mind if Hilary ensued, however.
06/10/09
06/10/09
06/10/09
06/10/09
06/10/09
The sad part is that this is the car that GM really needs, not the Volt. A (hopefully) good, small, fuel-efficient car in this zeitgeist. This is the car that they need to be doing all the marketing hype on, because it is the car that will be more affordable, and thusly more accessible to the general populace.
This is the car that is most likely to save GM.
Despite all the shit that has gone down in the past few years, I'm still a fan, GM, but you really need to quit dicking around and build this car, and build it well.
06/10/09
06/10/09
I forget if it was MT, C&D, R&T, or Automobile, but one of them did a review of the Cruze in Europe. Maybe the car they reviewed was a prototype or pre-production car.
06/10/09
06/10/09
06/10/09
The Cruze will be like the Camaro. Too little, too late. According to a Rasmussen poll only 6% of people see themselves as very likely to buy a GM car. Only 42% of current GM owners are likely to get another GM car. GM has imploded due to their reliance on government money.
06/10/09
@dalejrfanfreak: You don't know that, and, frankly, neither do I. Time will tell.
06/10/09
06/05/09
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06/05/09
And read my CarDomain Posting "Obscure Muscle Car Parking Lot" while you enjoy the picture.
/shameless plug
06/05/09
How malaisy.
06/05/09
06/05/09
If they were to take a WRX/EVo approach on the Cruze platform and call it oh, say, a Corvair or a Monza, however, I'd approve.
06/05/09
I could see calling force-fed, FWD, 4-banger Chevys 'Monza' rather than 'SS.' From a GM-heritage standpoint, it's pretty logical.
Yeah, yeah, the Corvairs were 6's, but it's more that GM was trying to be all Europey with them.
06/05/09
06/05/09