Chevrolet....WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cable_t]

Hi all. Newbie here...not politically correct and very opinionated Anyway...having experienced the muscle car era first hand and being Chevrolet loyal my whole life I've become increasingly concerned that GM in general and Chevrolet in particular have completely lost it when it comes to style and excitement in their automobiles. To that end I dropped a line to the "powers that be" (the poor slob that answers the e-mails) and complained that not one...NOT ONE...of Chevrolets new models were very exciting at all. Not even the Corvette illicits heart palpatations from me. BORING. With the demise of the two door hardtop (you know, the REAL hardtops) I was left with two door coupes. Which are palpable since I categorically refuse to buy a four door automobile. So I began buying Monte Carlos since they are the biggest two door Chevrolet makes anymore. But it's not a bell ringer either. And Chevrolet's desire to slap the hallowed SS moniker on anything that rolls off the assembly line upset me too. A 4 door SS Impala? Give me a break. Now to those of you that feel I am wrong...tough. Back in the 60's the SS name came to be associated with performance 2 door hardtops (you know...the REAL hardtops). Having so eloquently stated my case in my e-mail I sat back and awaited a response. It came straight out of marketing extolling the virtues of Chevrolet's line-up for 2006. The Cobalt (yawn), the Monte Carlo SS "now with optional V-8" (fwd....boring), and the newly designed Chevy Impala SS "with optional V-8" (yawn)........snxxxxzzzzzzzz....Oh I'm sorry, I fell asleep. Seems like Chevrolet still doesn't get it. With "advanced" thinking like this it's no wonder GM in general and Chevrolet in particular are losing market share and their stock is in junk bond heaven!

[MagicRat]

I agree.
This may seem harsh, but your best way to help GM is to buy another brand of car.

GM has allowed brand loyalty to sell cars instead of winning over customers by building better cars.

I have been looking for a GM built alternative to a new Dodge Charger or Chrysler 300. The Mopars piss me off because they want $10,000 more for a Hemi, which only costs them $700 more to manufacture.

The GTO doesn't work because it's a bit too small and is NOT SOLD here in Canada!! My '69 GTO was sold here, why can't a new one be?

The 303 hp V8 in the Monte, Impala and Grand Prix would fit the bill.......except the chassis they are in are too primitive. They are very similar to, and share much of the engineering compromises seen in GM fwd cars going back to the '80's.

This is why I will not buy a GM car (although a GM suv may work for me. )

[Floyd_ODB]

why dont you brats spend thirty grand on a custom.
My personel opinion -It is not GM's fualt you became so dependant on thier product
I think GM's engineering and R&D departments are still top notch but are force to work with/around primitive budgets. GM forces this because of the thousand of retired employee's living the high life with GM dollars.
thank you unions
go get your self one of these> http://www.lingenfelter.com/GTO427LS2.htm
and try to bee more optomistic

[supervisor1886]

I agree. We still ride in cars that use the technology of the 80s. Its been 21 years since they came out with a TPI set up- and we are using almost the same or based on the same type of engines and trannies. All autos are 4spd (exept for the trucks they have a 5 spd). Even KIA makes 5 spd automatics. WT? Now lets look at the LS1 and LS2. Those are completely new engines- bull shit!! (Still using 80s parts and its a push-rod engine) Styling is bad-boring, no surprises at all. At least I am happy that they are gonna come out
with the new camaro in 2009 based on the vette's platform-looks pretty nice for now-but it doesnt have any mechanical goodies in it. And i am not sure its gonna be that surprising when they launch it in 09. (cosidering it already leaked).

And what happened to Lt4 and Lt5 engines? Screw that Ls1 and 2. (no offence, they are gret engines) But still maybe its time lo creat a series of new radical engines that are open for improvement and ready to accept new hybrid or bio fuels technologies. Comparing to other makers we get less power and less MPGs with GM's cars.

All this looks like the kind of thing that happened to german automotive makers in the late 70s and 80s? Nothing new was produced, the cars were bad on gas, underpowered ,and restricted by emissions.

[Hollowcreek]

GM is stagnating. If it was not for some fresh ideas at Pontiac and Caddie, they would be in even worse shape. In todays global market GM has saddled itself with some of the worst partners out there (Holden, Saab, Opel etc.) while Ford has incorporated Volvo, Jaguar and Land Rover and come through with some nice products and Chrysler / Benz is doing the same. Best thing that could happen right now would be for Toyota to buy GM , get rid of the executive deadwood in Detroit, shut down Buick, Saturn and GMC and sell Saab. That would leave you with Chevy, Pontiac, Hummer and Caddie. That base,along with some new products could save GM.

[biggbabysweetz1]

Doesent GM already own Toyota? the dealer here is Sharps chevy buick pontiac toyota

[jveik]

well, i think they should have kept the old school small and big blocks the way they used to be since the mid fifties. you can bitch about mileage all you want, but compare a carbureted 350 to a carbureted 2 something liter honda engine. i have cars with both. the little honda engine gets about 25 miles a gallon in the city off of i think less than 2 liters, while the 5.7 liter gets 12 miles to the gallon in the city. the 350 is just shy of 3 times more displacement than the 1.something honda, yet it only uses a little more than twice the fuel. also, consider that the 350 is moving a 5500 pound 73 chevy truck and uses a 3 speed automatic without a locking torque converter, horrible for mileage; while the honda engine moves a 2500 pound accord with a locking torque converter, with slightly better gears for mileage, a 4 speed automatic, though they are still pretty close together (made for a 80 horse engine lol).

also, the typical bone-stock 5.7 makes 260 horses, while the 1.something liter or whatever makes 80 horses. so the small block has it beat for power per cube, granted both engines are at the lower end of the performance spectrum. still, it goes to show that maybe those old small blocks arent so rickety like pepul say they are sometimes. besides, nothing beats the sound of a smallblock chevy tearing down a deserted highway. sends chills down your spine lol...

[edgarinmojave]

i definatly agree i am a true to heart chevy fan ... have made tattoo patterns i will get ... but when i speak i amost always make sure to let people know that iam talking about older chevy !!!

[Jaguar D-Type]

Originally Posted by cable_t

Not even the Corvette illicits heart palpatations from me. BORING. Chevrolet in particular are losing market share and their stock is in junk bond heaven!

Have you driven a new aluminum Corvette Z06? It is the fastest, most powerful, and best-engineered Corvettte ever built.

Sales of Tahoes were up by a lot last month.

[DetroitMuscle]

The brits LOVE the ZO6 and with GM investing $545+ million into 5 plants, I really dont think you have to worry much

http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/02/...chigan-plants/


here is the one on GM's pledge to develop more RWD cars, you know they will have atleast a 327 in em as a v8 option.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/01/...more-rwd-cars/

[VortecWes]

I'm a Chevy guy through and through...and I have to agree with you. Stylistically, Mopar is WAY ahead of the game (and I HATE Mopar...even though I married into a Mopar family. Stupid, stupid, stupid!!). Even some of Ford's cars are at least fairly attractive. The Monte Carlo is BUTT UGLY!!! The Cobalt is ok...trucks and SUVS are still fine.

Either way, GM is falling behind quickly. I really wish something would turn around. They are getting so bad, I'm not sure if the new Camaro will help. To be honest, I'd probably buy the new Dodge Challenger before messing with that Camaro...