"PERFORMANCE" makes a come-back at GM? | FerrariChat

"PERFORMANCE" makes a come-back at GM?

Discussion in 'General Automotive Discussion' started by of2worlds, Dec 4, 2009.

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  1. of2worlds

    of2worlds F1 World Champ
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    #1 of2worlds, Dec 4, 2009
    Mr Whitacre has appointed Mark Reuss to head GM North American operations. Perhaps Mr Whitacre is not entirely familiar with his latest appointment's background. Mr. Reuss before he went off to Holden in Austraila was once upon a time GM Performance Division Executive Director. The 'Win on Sunday - sell on Monday' hi-performance proponents have gotten rather thin at GM lately. That theme generates little positive interest from the Washington crowd. Bob Lutz (a performance guy if ever there was one) whose mantra is 'build cars that excite the buyer' has become yet another victim in the latest changes. His marketing position has been given to Susan Docherty to combine with here current sales position at GM. Bob Lutz instead will advise on global product development and also personally advise Mr Whitacre on the auto industry. Perhaps then Mr Whitacre will in time gain a greater perspective on what he has been 'given the keys to'. Unfortunately the only 'performance' Washington wants to read about is the bottom line on the financial statements...
    CH
     
  2. anunakki

    anunakki Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    #2 anunakki, Dec 4, 2009
    a comeback ??????

    The corvette is the best performance buy in the world and has been for many years.
     
  3. bcc

    bcc Formula Junior
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    #3 bcc, Dec 4, 2009
    Bob Lutz for President!

    He should be running GM, not governement bureaucrats.
     
  4. of2worlds

    of2worlds F1 World Champ
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    #4 of2worlds, Dec 4, 2009
    Having not seen past the Corvette you may not have noticed all the other Chevy "SS" models were phased out. They took the knife to the Cadillac performance models to. Remember "Pontiac the performance division" now gone...
    Not to mention; much of the racing sponsorship money that GM lavished on race teams of all types in the past. Washington is only interested in what the bean counters have to report.
    CH
     
  5. racerx3317

    racerx3317 F1 Veteran

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    #5 racerx3317, Dec 4, 2009
    I dunno, 550 HP from the Caddy CTS-V seems pretty performance minded. The new Camaro too. Most of the other "SS" models were sleds. Other than the Impala they were only slightly hotted up front drive, POS's anyway. Anyone rememeber the Cavalier SS? How about the Baretta SS? Them being gone is no great loss. Pontiac on the other hand, I agree with you totally.
     
  6. SSNISTR

    SSNISTR F1 Veteran

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    #6 SSNISTR, Dec 4, 2009
    Never was a Cavalier SS or Beretta SS to my knowledge....

    Sucks to loose Pontiac though, some nice cars over the years.
     
  7. REMIX

    REMIX Two Time F1 World Champ

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    #7 REMIX, Dec 4, 2009
    The Trailblazer SS was pretty fast.

    RMX
     
  8. Buzz48317

    Buzz48317 F1 Rookie

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    #8 Buzz48317, Dec 5, 2009
    Not sure about the Cavalier, but I don't remember a Cavalier SS. There was a Z24 edition of that car and with the Beretta there was a Z26 edition and a GTZ edition, but you are right...no Beretta SS.
     
  9. atomicskiracer

    atomicskiracer Formula 3

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    #9 atomicskiracer, Dec 5, 2009
    there was a cobalt ss...which is a cavalier..
     
  10. SSNISTR

    SSNISTR F1 Veteran

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    #10 SSNISTR, Dec 5, 2009
    No it's a Cobalt. And the turbocharged ones were pretty quick, high 13's.
     
  11. Bullfighter

    Bullfighter Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #11 Bullfighter, Dec 5, 2009
    He ran it. That was the reason the government had to winch GM out of the grave.
     
  12. Bullfighter

    Bullfighter Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #12 Bullfighter, Dec 5, 2009
    I agree. GM's problem isn't horsepower. It's gimmicky, cheap-looking design and neanderthal marketing.

    Even the Corvette, possibly GM's best car, looks like a tacky rental car inside.
     
  13. SSNISTR

    SSNISTR F1 Veteran

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    #13 SSNISTR, Dec 5, 2009
    Last edited: Dec 5, 2009
    Have you even seen let alone sat in a 3LT or 4LT Corvette interior? Leather is imported and is as nice if not nicer then any BMW or Porsche. People complain and complain about the C6 interior and 90% haven't even sat in one, let alone one with the optional leather package....

    Then they compare them to a Porsche or Ferrari interior that doesn't cost "just" 50K, for it's price point and such it's interior is just fine.

    As for design, they have some of the best looking cars in their classes and most magazines agree too.

    Corvette, Malibu, LaCrosse, CTS, SRX, G8, and the upcoming Regal are all very nice designs and IMO tops in their classes.
     
  14. technom3

    technom3 F1 World Champ
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    #14 technom3, Dec 5, 2009
    I have a zo6 so I have sat in these interiors... I don't mind it, but the leather is not the same as a BMW or a Porsche. Theres is nicer. Im just being honest. But for the price it is extremely good.


    Also, the STS-V and the CTS-V have great interiors as well
     
  15. SSNISTR

    SSNISTR F1 Veteran

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    #15 SSNISTR, Dec 5, 2009
    Does your Z have the optional leather package 3LT, or 4LT though? It is totally different then the base leather, most don't....I'd say 1 in 10 have the leather covered dash etc.
     
  16. BoulderFCar

    BoulderFCar F1 World Champ
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    #16 BoulderFCar, Dec 5, 2009
    I thought the seats in mine felt like a flopped out fraternity couch. Definately built for wide butts. I rode in a friends CTS-V and it had great seats. I always wondered why they didn't put those seats in the Z06.

    I'm in the minority but I thought the rest of the interior fit and finish was pretty good. Better than my 996GT3. I also thought the Z had great features that worked. For example, the keyless entry was terrific and everything could be configured on the DIC (I think that's what it was called). By comparison, the keyless go in my wife's SL550 dings and dongs so much it makes me nuts.
     
  17. barry 94formula

    barry 94formula Rookie

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    #17 barry 94formula, Dec 5, 2009
    +1 I keep wondering why this man has never been offered the top job at GM. What do they know that we don't?
     
  18. BoulderFCar

    BoulderFCar F1 World Champ
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    #18 BoulderFCar, Dec 5, 2009
    Have you seen Bob Lutz interviewed lately? He's a giant, and I hate to say it but he seemed a little out of it. Definately didn't come across as someone that had the desire or inclination to be CEO.
     

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