MY GM PREDICTIONS:

[1HI4x4]

Most Chevrolet dealers are not Pontiac or Buick dealers anymore, so GM is supporting the various dealerships sometimes many in the same town while the cars are essentially the same car. I never understood the Pontiac-Buick-Oldsmobile-Saturn-GMC deal to begin with, why have two dealers selling the same stuff competeing against each other, beating each others profit margins down. GM has 2 brands that can survive, Chevrolet and Cadillac. Corvette's are part of Chevrolet. JMHO

[eventhorizon66]

Corvette is next. Just watch.

There is no shortage of private firms that would gladly pick up the Corvette.  So it's possible GM might sell it, but it will never die out.  But if they did sell it, they would lose half their reason for existing, since the Corvette and Silverado are the only two things that make GM worth saving, LOL.

[Captkaos]

The Corvette is the flagship of GM, I seriously doubt it will be going anywhere anytime soon.  Same goes for their pickups.  I don't think they will do it, but I would ditch the GMC line or the Chevrolet line of pickups and just have one, no reason to compete with yourself.

[Stewart G Griffin]

Oh, it will go.

Also, you may think GMc is safe, but it's not.  i think gmc will be leaving us also.

[Stewart G Griffin]

Monday was not a good day for me;

i got physically sick, then sad, then depressed all over the news.  (not to mention my truck still is not running.)

Two days ago was a day that proves gm managment is gutless, spineless, and brainless.

John DeLorean(though he had his problems) and Bill Mitchell would have NEVER allowed this to happen.

i bid you all goodnight and goodluck.

[1HI4x4]

Two days ago was a day that proves gm managment is gutless, spineless, and brainless.

GM's management is the government, and the current version is gutless, spineless and brainless.

[Laderhosen]

My view is that GM and all major car makers will obviously start to invest in more electric cars, and also hydrogen fuel cell technology (which is the only real alternative as it doesn't require hours of charging and can be fuelled similar to a gasoline vehicle) BUT they will always make gasoline powered engines, and the V8 will never die out. There will always be people (like us on this site) that are passionate enough to create a market.

Also if the demand for gasoline/diesel goes down, then the price should follow. Good news.

I think in the future people will drive 'alternative fuelled' vehicles to commute, but enthusiasts will still have gasoline powered vehicles in the garage.

And I agree with the comments about the ridiculous push for electric vehicles  - where do these 'do gooders' think the MAJORITY of electricity comes from. Here in the UK oil and coal powered power stations are still predominant.

As far as GM is concerned I reckon it'll get through all this, and I hope so. GM is one of the most impressive symbols of American success around the world and it can't be let to die.

I do agree though, that they should streamline. They're not serious about the Saturn Astra - otherwise it'd be badged a Chevy. This way they can get rid of it if it doesn't succeed imo.

[Skunksmash]

Here are my opinions on all your opinions. Dont take mine seriously. You know what they say about opinions...

Since we're coming up on the new year, i figured this would be an appropriate time to discuss our favorite automaker.

Predictions (and in a few months you can see if i was right or not):

Not nessesarily in order and i don't nessesarily agree with the following predictions:

1) Pontiac gone.

Yeah, probly so. I don't care, they won't be missed. The trans am was the only car they had that i liked, and it died long ago. They already stated numerous times that it wasnt coming back. And all those new GTO wannabees are just jazzed up Grand Am's. If they had done like dodge did with their new challenger i would have been sad to see pontiac go but as of now, eh who cares.

2) no more GMC

I hope GMC gets to stay. I like their slightly different styling that they have for some of the front ends. But whatever is best for the company is what they should do i guess.

3) Corvette gone or moved to buick  (even though corvette is profitable)  The corvette is already a completely separate brand in japan.  In this case, a wealthy person(s) will buy corvette name, tooling and factory.  But it just won't be the same.

I certainly hope the vet doesn't become so kinda buick. I will laugh at and shun anyone who i see driving a buick corvett. Better to just let it croak and they bring it back to life in 20 years.

4) Camaro discontinued after one model year.

If they have to do this i hope they just push it back a few more years until they can give it a full run. I love all the american muscle cars such as Camaro, Mustang, the dead TA and the new Challenger.

5) Malibu and impala morphed into one car, possibly to be called impala.

Not real sure about that. I would say more likely one or the other would just be canceled.

6) Volt flops.

Yeah i really do hope the volt flops. GM (and all the rest) have already proven their ability to completely render the gas powered commuter car/family sedan, obsolete. They just choose not to for whatever reason. Likely they are in league with big oil, in this way. In california a few years back, they were forced by law to rent out 300 electric cars for 1 year. The cars got 250 miles per charge. To charge the battery fully, it cost 4 dollars. When they fought the law and won, they collected every last one of the cars once the lease was up. The volt, in comparison, is a laughable piece of dog...poop.

7) Chevy will continue to build trucks, but the styling gets worse and more bizarre.

LOL, yeah, it has been getting more and more bizzare as of late. But you know what, i would still own each one if i could as i am sure they are all good trucks. But yeah the new ones... i wonder if they had to ask Ford's permission to use their front end design lol.

New cruise successful, but they're saying they can't make a profit on small cars.

Havn't heard anything about this car yet.

9) Cadillac stays, but who cares.

Yeah who cares.

10) GM will try to use and/or collaborate with ford with drivetrains---engines and/or transmission.

I dont know why this is, but they if they are considering it then there must be some advantage to get out of it.  Again, whatever keeps them alive. We the little man consumer, NEED the competition to keep prices and quality anywhere close to reasonable.

11) GM will try to use and/or collaborate with toyota with drivetrains and carlines.  They already do it now to a lesser extent with the cobalt which is a rebadged corolla in japan.

Excellent idea. Toyota is by far the most competent automaker in the industry. If they are willing to give away their secrets to success, i would jump on it. GM, Ford, and Crysler all whine and complain that they must outsource and build new factories in lesser countries so that they can get more slave-like labor in order to still make money. Yet Toyota is building new factories INSIDE the US, AND is turning a profit. So yeah they got a few things to learn. I hope they bring a notepad and a pencil for taking notes when they go see toyota.

12) Gm still wants to combine with chrysler.  It's like an alcoholic that knows drinking is bad, but just can't keep away from the bottle.............

My least favorite of the big 3 is Crysler. They have the lowest reliability rate of the big 3. I hope they dont do this.

13) Buick gets lamer than it already is.  (actually, i feel buick is ok, it's just not as good as before which is why i'm using the term "lame.")

Buick is for old blue hair's. So yeah i agree, pretty lame lol. They need to bring back the grand national.

14) no more RWD cars for Gm except XLR, but this won't last either.

Wouldn't bother me any. Front wheel drive is better in bad weather conditions for family sedans/commuters anyway. Course i do hope they get to keep the vette and the camaro, which would obviously need to be RWD lol.


More as i think of them.  Feel free to add.

[Stewart G Griffin]

Well, i guess the bright side is that Pontiac, technically, is not dead yet---that won't happen until christmas next yr.  Alot could happen between now and then.  You just never know with GM these days.

i wonder where are the Chinese during all this?  i suspect they are "waiting in the wings" anyalizing all this.

Detroit has top of the world engineering(except chysler);  There's no problem there.  And there's no question there.  But they have no cash.

The Chinese lack mechanical expertise and engineering;  They want it and need it.  And they have tons of cash.

Do we see a possible marriage here?


2) Yes skunk, i agree with you;   i believe if the last GTO was retro-styled like a 64-67 version, we wouldn't be having this conversion about pontiac right now.  Or not even that---if it was just styled better in general.  It did look very similar to a Grand Prix not there was anything wrong with that.  But it just wasn't a hit with performance car buyers.

3) As far as i'm concerned, the corvette is already getting diluted and losing it's "magic"----it shares chasssises with the XLR.  The Corvette never shares a chassis with anyone(except the 52 fleetmaster sedan, but that's different and ok since it was just starting off back then).  If it does get bought off by a private investor, it won't be the same.
i'm pretty sure the Corvette will be leaving us.

[Captkaos]

The Corvette it diluted only because of the sharing of the chassis?  It is on top of its game right now.  The XLR is nowhere near what a Vette is.  The XLR will get dropped, they aren't selling many of them at all.  An XLR cost the same as a Z06, why would anyone buy one when they can get basically the same car (minus the boxy look) for $30K lesss.  I don't think the Corvette is going anywhere, it is GMs Flagship, they were going to ax it years ago and it didnt get it.

[Laderhosen]

Indeed I agree, the Vette is now the best it's ever been. At last it doesn't have leaf springs at the rear!!!
The ZR1 has 640hp!! That's Lamborghini and Ferrari territory.

[80stepsideguy]

Always loved corvettes. Hoping to personally get a vette once the truck is done. DId anyone see the el camino is comming back for 2010? Its based upon the pontiac G8. It looks weird i personally like the older ones but eh i guess its all about someones personnal taste..

thanks
pat

[choptop]

As much as Id like to see the el camino return ( especially if they build it like the G8) I dont see it. They have similar versions in Mexico that look alot like the Luminas (yuk) but here, the Colorado and Canyon fill that nich in the small truck catergory. The Elcamino was phased out in my opinion because you could do the same thing with an S-10. Tho not as cool. (once again, my opinion only)

[Stewart G Griffin]

1) i repeat:  THE CORVETTE MUST NEVER SHARE A CHASSIS WITH ANY OTHER VEHICLE PERIOD.  Once you do that, you take away the "magic," the mystique, the exclusivity of the corvette.

So, this is one strike against the corvette.

Every other gm vehicle can be, and has been, duplicated among other gm divisions---that's ok.

2) 80stepside, where did you hear that the elcamino is coming back?  i don't think this is a good idea right now.  And also like choptop says the truck really is unnessesary as having the colorado is basically duplication.

[choptop]

A vehicle that we would call an el camino is already in produstion in Australia as a Holden Model. So its not new, its just new here. Stewart, I wish we could sit down face to face and visit. I have to say I am a bit worried about you and your optomism,lol. Worrying about something you cant control takes you away from the things you can control. Hang in there my friend, it will all be ok in the end. Alot of these thing are coming to pass because someone got stupid financially. I feel for those who are loosing their jobs because of this, but hopefully someone will learn from it and not do it again. I dont feel sorry for any of the automakers. They made their bed, they can lay in it. I hate the fact that my tax dollars are paying for their stupidity. IF anybody needs a bailout, its those affected by this (the workers) Let the weak go under and spend the tax dollars to retrain and relocate if necassary the workers who are involved in this mess. That would be money well spent. I dont live in a $100,000 home, but I bet the ones benefiting from this bailout live in homes much more than that. If they havent saved enough to live off of, then thats their fault. I know the same could be said for the workers, but I doubt they live in such extravegant homes. I dont see why a family of 4 (average) needs a 5000 square foot home. If you have managed your finances properly and have one that big, ny hat and respect goes out to you. But, if you have such a home, and now cant pay for it, whose fault is that really.