gm cancles holdens globel RMD platform

[Escort_RPDriver]

http://www.caradvice.com.au/20794/gm...-rwd-platform/

wow so fords not the only one.

[vztrt]

Well not really new news as it was on the cards. I guess they just made it official.

[ivorya]

So where is all the negative publicity about this then!!!! All i've read and heard over the past week is how the same news is the demise of the Falcon. errrrrrrrrr The Australian media gives me the @@%&^$%$@@@......................

[devilcv8]

Did anyone even read the op's link?

"Bob Lutz announcing a halt to all future rear-wheel-drive large-car development for North America." Not global........

and even then, the G8 is still going to be sold by Pontiac.

[Sprint XR8]

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...25753D0016D9D3
Mr Lutz also acknowledged that there would be a next-generation Commodore produced in Australia using a development of the Zeta architecture that debuted as the VE series in July 2006.

Due out in about 2012 or 2013, it is believed that the next Commodore’s ‘top hat’ (body and interior) will change, as will parts of the drivetrain to accommodate alternative fuel powerplants, but the basic chassis will be carried over.

“It is our intent to continue the Australian rear-wheel-drive cars; we will continue building them and doing a next generation and so forth and so on,” Mr Lutz said.

“And, to be honest, they continue to be my favourite cars. I think they are absolutely wonderful – but the regulatory environment is such that it would be imprudent to base a whole global platform strategy on them ... much to my personal chagrin, by the way.”

Mr Lutz said that, providing GM pulled through the current economic crisis, he expected the auto giant might again be open to the development of a new RWD platform with an expert partner like Holden in Australia – in the long-term.

“What many of us would like to do (one day) is to do an all-new global rear-wheel drive architecture that would be considerably smaller, lighter and be capable of taking four-cylinder powertrains,” he said.

“That, I think, could be globally shared. It’s not even in the plan at this point; it’s just what we tell ourselves in that there is going to have to be a next-generation Camaro, and there is going to have to be a next-generation Cadillac sedan, and so there is going to have to be a smaller and a way more efficient rear-wheel-drive architecture.

“But at this point it is just a gleam in our eye.”

[XR6_190]

That just craps all over Paul Gover's article in today's Carsguide, he was going on about how the next version of the commodore was going to be a Pontiac, a Cadillac etc, his credibilty is just getting worse and worse, I can really see him writing for some no name local rag in the future.

[Nikked]

lol @ Pual Govers holden wub artical, then have this come out. I hope he is crying now.

But...

I await his pro-holden artical saying how positive this is and how the falcon is going to die...

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by devilcv8

Did anyone even read the op's link?

"Bob Lutz announcing a halt to all future rear-wheel-drive large-car development for North America." Not global........

and even then, the G8 is still going to be sold by Pontiac.

Your missing the point. The global RWD platform developed by Holden for the VE was going to spawn a whole range of models for GM, a new Impala, Buick and others, but only the VE and Camaro made it to production, the others were cancelled. So Holden spent a heap of money on a platform that was going to be partially paid for by GM who were going to use it on a whole range of vehicles. Now GM aren't using it anymore, and Holden are left with the bills for it that only one other model is helping pay off. It also means the Commodore goes back to being an orphan.

By cancelling any future RWD platform that means Holden have a lot less money to spend on the next all new Crappadore. With the Zeta platform, the cost of developing it was going to be spread over at least 5 different vehicles, which would have made it very cost effective. The VE will be the first and last billion dollar baby, the next model will have way less cash spent on it. If GM were going to build a range of vehicles off a future all new global RWD platform Holden would have had heaps more money to spend on it.

The Pontiac G8 is one of the vehicles under consideration by GM to be dropped from the Pontiac range. They want to drop the range from 5 vehicles to 2, and the G8 is one they are considering dropping once the model run is over. Its maybe 50/50 which way it goes.

[Gobes32]

And the worst part is that their current chassis is crap, all motoring journos agree that the Falcon is the far superior car to drive. So now Holden can change fenders, hoods, decklids etc, but they are still stuck with their unresponsive chassis and boat anchor V6.
Ford meanwhile, have a great chassis and driveline, but people feel it needs to be more different to BA/BF. I know who has the easier task ahead of them..........