GM puts Zeta rear wheel drive platform on hold

[Scouzer]

Link

General Motors may be forced to scrap or significantly rethink its rear-wheel-drive Zeta platform vehicles, according to a new report in the Chicago Tribune. "We've pushed the pause button. It's no longer full speed ahead," Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said.

"It's too late to stop Camaro, but anything after that is questionable or on the bubble," he said. This includes the next-generation Imapla ? "if we call it Impala," he cautioned. Until now, GM was widely expected to build its Impala replacement on the RWD Zeta architecture, plus a number of other vehicles, including a new Pontiac GTO, Buick sedan, Chevy Monte Carlo, a Cadillac model, and more. The Pontiac G8 also rides on the platform.

Lutz blamed new government regulations proposed by the Bush administration. The proposal aims to gradually raise corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards to average 34 mpg by 2017.

"We don't know how to get 30 percent better mileage from [rear-wheel-drive cars]," Lutz said. "We'll decide on our rear-drive cars when the government decides on CO(-2) levels and CAFE regulations," he added.

"Carbon dioxide is a natural byproduct of burning gas and directly proportional to the amount of fuel burned. If we legislate CO(-2) from cars, why not legislate we take one less breath per minute since humans release capricious amounts of CO(-2) each time they exhale?" he argued.

Lutz said increasing efficiency is not nearly as easy as environmentalists claim. "Academics assure us that for $200 we can get 30 percent better mileage. If anyone can figure out how to do that for $200 ? or even for $1,000 ? I want them in my office today. Show me how to do it and we'll adopt it," he said. "If I could increase mileage by 30 percent for $200, why wouldn't I? What's my motivation not to when a gas-electric hybrid gets 27 percent better mileage and I hope someday to get the cost down to $9,000?"

"Small-car mileage only counts toward CAFE if you build them here, and you can't build small cars here at a profit," Lutz said.

I think that's a load of crap propaganda to try and prevent fuel economy, but that's just me.

Sad news.

 

[EvilYoda]

Booooooooooooo, gimme my RWD, dammit!

 

[Cattlegod]

This is not propaganda, he speaks the truth.

<-- Ford engineer.

 

[SampSon]

Wow he actually used the Rush Limbaugh argument about humans releasing CO2 when they breathe. :roll:

All I see coming from his mouth is "whine whine whine, cry cry cry".

 

[SmoochyTX]

This sucks.

 

[BD2003]

Originally posted by: Scouzer
Link

General Motors may be forced to scrap or significantly rethink its rear-wheel-drive Zeta platform vehicles, according to a new report in the Chicago Tribune. "We've pushed the pause button. It's no longer full speed ahead," Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said.

"It's too late to stop Camaro, but anything after that is questionable or on the bubble," he said. This includes the next-generation Imapla ? "if we call it Impala," he cautioned. Until now, GM was widely expected to build its Impala replacement on the RWD Zeta architecture, plus a number of other vehicles, including a new Pontiac GTO, Buick sedan, Chevy Monte Carlo, a Cadillac model, and more. The Pontiac G8 also rides on the platform.

Lutz blamed new government regulations proposed by the Bush administration. The proposal aims to gradually raise corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards to average 34 mpg by 2017.

"We don't know how to get 30 percent better mileage from [rear-wheel-drive cars]," Lutz said. "We'll decide on our rear-drive cars when the government decides on CO(-2) levels and CAFE regulations," he added.

"Carbon dioxide is a natural byproduct of burning gas and directly proportional to the amount of fuel burned. If we legislate CO(-2) from cars, why not legislate we take one less breath per minute since humans release capricious amounts of CO(-2) each time they exhale?" he argued.

Lutz said increasing efficiency is not nearly as easy as environmentalists claim. "Academics assure us that for $200 we can get 30 percent better mileage. If anyone can figure out how to do that for $200 ? or even for $1,000 ? I want them in my office today. Show me how to do it and we'll adopt it," he said. "If I could increase mileage by 30 percent for $200, why wouldn't I? What's my motivation not to when a gas-electric hybrid gets 27 percent better mileage and I hope someday to get the cost down to $9,000?"

"Small-car mileage only counts toward CAFE if you build them here, and you can't build small cars here at a profit," Lutz said.

I think that's a load of crap propaganda to try and prevent fuel economy, but that's just me.

Sad news.

CAFE works across the entire line of cars a manufacturer makes (not including trucks, I believe). For them to build a gas hog, they have to likewise build a economy car.

The problem is that economy cars are really owned by the imports. Domestic economy cars don't sell too well compared to imports - the domestic cars that sell are the RWD gas hogs in question...but they arent allowed to build only them, so theyre kind of between a rock and a hard place.

Sucks for the american auto industry, but they're getting left behind more and more every year. Its at the point where I dont even consider domestic cars at all when shopping, because they just don't build anything that I like or can compete.

 

[ultimatebob]

Good move on GM's part... cancel a platform that probably wouldn't have sold all that well anyway, and then blame it on the environmentalists!

Take THAT, Al Gore!

 

[MercenaryForHire]

YOU BASTARDS.

I knew the G8 was too good to be true.

- M4H

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
YOU BASTARDS.

I knew the G8 was too good to be true.

- M4H

Uhh, the G8 and Camaro are still coming. Everything else is up in the air.

 

[BD2003]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
YOU BASTARDS.

I knew the G8 was too good to be true.

- M4H

Uhh, the G8 and Camaro are still coming. Everything else is up in the air.

And lets be honest here, who here is really all too concerned about a Buick sedan, impala, or monte carlo?

 

[EvilYoda]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
YOU BASTARDS.

I knew the G8 was too good to be true.

- M4H

Uhh, the G8 and Camaro are still coming. Everything else is up in the air.

yah...a kickass 4-door and 2-door for everyone. Can't wait!

 

[AdamK47]

Originally posted by: SmoochyTX
This sucks.

I read it today. I suspect Lutz is just playing hardball with CAFE. It would be 1972 all over again with muscle cars if it is true. I don't mind. The resale value of my GTO would improve significantly.

 

[SVT Cobra]

Originally posted by: Cattlegod
This is not propaganda, he speaks the truth.

<-- Ford engineer.

:thumbsup:

 

[Alone]

I'd like to take a ride in Zeta.

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: Alone
I'd like to take a ride in Zeta.

Catherine Zeta Jones that is

 

[Babbles]

What he says appears reasonable - and in a way I think it is nice to hear him take the academics and environmentalist to task if they claim it is so easy to improve gas mileage; they should explain it to the auto manufactures how 'easy' it is if that is indeed what they think.

It seems as if he is saying that it is more difficult to make RWD mileage friendly; why would RWD be more difficult than FWD? I thought RWD was more efficient than the CV joints in a FWD vehicle and as such should have a better gas mileage.

 

[foghorn67]

Originally posted by: SampSon
Wow he actually used the Rush Limbaugh argument about humans releasing CO2 when they breathe. :roll:

All I see coming from his mouth is "whine whine whine, cry cry cry".

The demand for RWD vehicles is strong. So CAFE is squashing what the consumers want most.

 

[GuitarDaddy]

The great american muscle car is going the way of the dinosuar. The vette's, camaro's, mustangs, etc.., will probably become the expensive boutique limited vehicles manufacted by the American Truck makers.

 

[SampSon]

Originally posted by: foghorn67

Originally posted by: SampSon
Wow he actually used the Rush Limbaugh argument about humans releasing CO2 when they breathe. :roll:

All I see coming from his mouth is "whine whine whine, cry cry cry".

The demand for RWD vehicles is strong. So CAFE is squashing what the consumers want most.

True, many consumers will want RWD platforms, but the majority of demand tends not to be RWD vehicles, at least that's what I gather from the lists of top selling autos. Though overall I'm not going to disagree with you.

If consumers want something then they should, and in most cases, will pay for it. Blaming higher costs and the falling demand for low mpg vehicles on CAFE standards is a cop out. GM should consider dumping a lot of it's ridiculous legacy expenses and investing that money into more aggressive R&D. Instead the head of the company uses a completely ridiculous argument that compares necessary human breathing to the (excessive) burning of fossil fuels for American comfort. How can you take someone seriously after they make statements like he did?

I'm no tree hugging liberal by any stretch of the imagination, but we should really be focusing on improving the efficiency current auto technology and "alternative" fuel sourcess. Instead Lutz decides to complain and blame everybody and everything BUT GMs current shortcomings as an auto manufacturer.

Lutz just laid out some agenda loaded crap that is attempting to garner support against updated CAFE standards. He wasn't even being subtle about it.
What he should have done is said, "These standards are going to raise costs, which will raise your price tag as consumers. But we are dedicated to continuing to produce the full size, RWD, powerful autos that you Americans love."

 

[Captante]

I have a very hard time feeling sorry for the American car companies ... the reason they are ultimately so screwed now is decades of poor planning coming home to roost & the continuing fallout is going to have a negative impact on every US citizen.

 

[SVT Cobra]

Originally posted by: Captante
I have a very hard time feeling sorry for the American car companies ... the reason they are ultimately so screwed now is decades of poor planning coming home to roost & the continuing fallout is going to have a negative impact on every US citizen.

:disgust:

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: SampSon

Originally posted by: foghorn67

Originally posted by: SampSon
Wow he actually used the Rush Limbaugh argument about humans releasing CO2 when they breathe. :roll:

All I see coming from his mouth is "whine whine whine, cry cry cry".

The demand for RWD vehicles is strong. So CAFE is squashing what the consumers want most.

True, many consumers will want RWD platforms, but the majority of demand tends not to be RWD vehicles, at least that's what I gather from the lists of top selling autos. Though overall I'm not going to disagree with you.

If consumers want something then they should, and in most cases, will pay for it. Blaming higher costs and the falling demand for low mpg vehicles on CAFE standards is a cop out. GM should consider dumping a lot of it's ridiculous legacy expenses and investing that money into more aggressive R&D. Instead the head of the company uses a completely ridiculous argument that compares necessary human breathing to the (excessive) burning of fossil fuels for American comfort. How can you take someone seriously after they make statements like he did?

I'm no tree hugging liberal by any stretch of the imagination, but we should really be focusing on improving the efficiency current auto technology and "alternative" fuel sourcess. Instead Lutz decides to complain and blame everybody and everything BUT GMs current shortcomings as an auto manufacturer.

Lutz just laid out some agenda loaded crap that is attempting to garner support against updated CAFE standards. He wasn't even being subtle about it.
What he should have done is said, "These standards are going to raise costs, which will raise your price tag as consumers. But we are dedicated to continuing to produce the full size, RWD, powerful autos that you Americans love."

What are these legacy expenses you are talking about? Stop paying on all the pensions?

 

[feralkid]

Originally posted by: Captante
I have a very hard time feeling sorry for the American car companies ... the reason they are ultimately so screwed now is decades of poor planning coming home to roost & the continuing fallout is going to have a negative impact on every US citizen.

:thumbsup:

 

[RU482]

Scale down the hybrid system going into the Tahoe/Escalade for the RWD car platform.

Hell, it's already been scaled down from a bus transmission/electric drive

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: Captante
I have a very hard time feeling sorry for the American car companies ... the reason they are ultimately so screwed now is decades of poor planning coming home to roost & the continuing fallout is going to have a negative impact on every US citizen.

You're right the domestic car companies shouldn't have planned making cars that people wanted they should have planned that the government would come in and with the wave of their hand change the type of cars that they can sell.

Tomorrow the government is going to decide that high powered computers are unnecessary and limit all computers to 1 Ghz and there is no need for people to have energy wasting home theaters. All TVs will be limited to a max of 27"

I'll bet those two industries are ready for that.