33 posts tagged “gm”

The largest car maker in the land was effectively nationalized. It then killed more brands and product lines, even ones that could have survived.
   Chrysler, hanging on to unloved mainstream sedans such as the Avenger, was in a deep crisis and needed a European manufacturer to take over its operations.
   Ford, resisting the urge to go cap in hand to the government, stayed its course and solidified its market share, despite its own union troubles. It managed to shore things up and grow from there.
   USA 2009? No, UK in the 1970s.
   This is not a political post—it’s just pointing out how history repeats itself. I also have a funny feeling the US scenario will play out the same way as the UK one did.
   British Leyland was broken up further and its “volume” operations—despite making fewer cars than London Taxis International—are owned by the Chinese state.
   Chrysler UK no longer exists. Its plants wound up making Peugeots.
   Ford UK might not be as strong today as in the 1980s, but it still has a good market share.

Oh well, I just lost the entire post, because of a Firefox bug. Holden might export its Statesman to the US as a Chevy Caprice. I’ve no patience to retype the whole history, sorry.

Here are a few interesting entries from the 1970s on Autocade, all based around the HC Vauxhall Viva. I was surprised that there was precious little information online about the 1970s’ Chevrolet 1300 and 1900 from South Africa, so I remedied that today.

Vauxhall Viva (HC). 1970–9 (prod. 640,863, incl. Magnum). 2- and 4-door saloon, 3-door estate, 2-door coupé. F/R, 1159, 1256 cm³ (4 cyl. OHV), 1599, 1759, 1975, 2279 cm³ (4 cyl. OHC). Larger, more modern Viva for the ’70s, with carryover engines, and two-litre unit used for export to Canada, where the car was rebadged Pontiac Firenza. Still not the best reputation for reliability, but greater performance from larger engines from 1971, which replaced carryover ones; coupé added the same year, and the two-litre unit returned to the domestic market. Range divided into Vauxhall Viva and Vauxhall Magnum in 1973, with more upmarket trim for the latter, as well as the 1·8- and 2·3-litre engines. Magnum 1300 sold in New Zealand from 1976. Some engine differences with South African Chevrolet Firenza and related to Chevrolet 1300 and 1900 (q.v.).

Vauxhall Firenza. 1970–5 (prod. unknown). 2-door coupé. F/R, 1159, 1256 cm³ (4 cyl. OHV), 1599, 1799, 1975, 2279 cm³ (4 cyl. OHC). Essentially an HC Viva coupé, but best remembered for 2·3-litre High Performance model shown at 1973 Motor Show with startling (for its time) ‘droop snoot’ front in fibreglass, conceived by designer Wayne Cherry. HP model did have mechanical improvements to aid higher performance, thus more than a cosmetic exercise.

Vauxhall Magnum (HC). 1973–8 (prod. 640,863 incl. Viva [HC]). 2- and 4-door saloon, 2-door coupé, 3-door estate. F/R, 1256 cm³ (4 cyl. OHV), 1759, 2279 cm³ (4 cyl. OHC). Big-engined HC Viva (1800 and 2300) with nicer interior, twin headlights and sportier trim—hence better looking than mid-Atlantic Viva. Coupés offered till 1975, after which the Firenza droop-snoot model appeared. One rarity: Magnum Sportshatch, which featured the droop-snoot front and a Viva estate rear, of which 197 were made in 1976. Confusingly, New Zealand had 1256 cm³ Magnums with twin headlights for a brief period. Other than the 1·3, a thirsty car. Values always projected to rise but other than the coupé and Sportshatch, yet to become a collectors’ hit.

Chevrolet Firenza (HC). 1971–5 (prod. unknown; 100 Can Am). 4-door sedan, 2-door coupé. F/R, 1158, 1256, 2507 cm³ (4 cyl. OHV), 5047 cm³ (V8 OHV). South African development of Vauxhall Viva (HC), with differences in badging and engine range. Range featured a 2·5-litre four, but collectors cherish the Can Am V8, a homologation special with a Chevrolet Camaro engine, built to compete in South African racing and a rival to the Ford Capri Perana, costing R5,800 at a time when the next top Firenza was R2,700.

Chevrolet 1300/Chevrolet 1900 (HC). 1975–8 (prod. unknown). 3- and 4-door sedan. F/R, 1256, 1960 cm³ (4 cyl. OHV). Further development of Vauxhall Viva (HC), replacing Chevrolet Firenza range in South Africa. Body styles now included a three-door hatchback unique to the country (the Vauxhall Chevette was not sold there), while a more formal grille adorned all models. Mechanically similar to Viva and Firenza.

For some reason my brain has stopped working this Saturday, which can only benefit Autocade. Here are some of the models that were recently added, including some very rare Korean models. In fact, these are so rare there is no detailed mention of them on Wikipedia (the site I love to hate) yet the first listed here, the Saenara, is an important milestone in the history of the Korean motor industry, being its first proper passenger car. All four were built by companies that eventually became Daewoo.

Saenara (P310). 1962–3 (prod. 2,773). 4-door sedan. F/R, 1189 cm³ (4 cyl. OHV). Korean edition of Nissan Bluebird (P310), Korea’s first locally produced postwar sedan. Built on what was a modern assembly line. Styling, while 1950s in flavour, considered attractive in the Korean home market. Engine derived from Austin unit, with 55 hp.

Chevrolet 1700. 1972–8 (prod. 8,105). 4-door sedan, 5-door wagon. F/R, 1692 cm³ (4 cyl. CIH). Holden Torana (LJ), made by Saehan of Korea. Essentially a facsimile of the Australian original, but for an unusual station wagon model that looked more like an Opel at the back. Robust, but a failure on the Korean market, thanks to a perception that it was thirsty (the oil crisis did not help). In theory replaced by facelifted Camina in 1976, though it ran alongside it.

Camina. 1976–8 (prod. unknown). 4-door sedan. F/R, 1492 cm³ (4 cyl. CIH). Facelifted Holden Torana (LJ). No Chevrolet badge; made by GM Korea venture Saehan. Ran concurrently with Chevrolet 1700, which had proved a flop in Korea. Fairly tidy facelift, with the more modern, if bland, Chevrolet-like front end blending well with Torana’s mid-Pacific styling. Short production, and replaced (none too soon) by the Saehan Gemini, a version of the Isuzu Gemini (1976–9).

Daewoo Imperial. 1989–93 (prod. unknown). 4-door sedan. F/R, 2969 cm³ (6 cyl. OHC). Poshest vehicle on the GM V-car (Opel Rekord E) platform, Imperial was the ultimate development of the series at Daewoo. Conceived as a response to the Hyundai Sonata and Grandeur, with styling apeing top Chryslers (notably the last Imperial and the New Yorker) and Japanese luxury sedans. Formal roofline, and new front and rear ends, hid the Opel Senator roots. Double-D ornament on grille. Engine size meant to surpass what Hyundai had put in to the Sonata—the unit was shared with the Senator, and developed 156 hp.

This has got to be one of those bad journalism moments:

CNN on Fiat–Opel

Analysts say its small-car technology can help Chrysler, known for its minivans and Hummer line. In the past five years, Fiat has been able to regain market share in Europe with its economy fuel-saving cars as well as its luxury line, Alpha Romero.

   I’m sure Chrysler would love to know it owns Hummer and have extra headaches about what to do with that brand, and do Alpha Romeros have anything to do with actor Cesar Romero?

From Lucire TV: videos of the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro, on the Holden Commodore platform. The design is clearly inspired by the Chevrolet Camaro of 1967–9, but it is a striking, modern reinterpretation (unlike the Dodge Challenger, which I think looks like someone Xeroxed some old blueprints).

I have not put too many SUVs into Autocade. I guess they don’t do much for me. There are a few exceptions, beginning with the crossover range that was 25 years ahead of its time, from AMC. And a few more that might be of interest.

AMC Eagle. 1980–8 (prod. 197,449). 3-door coupé, 2-, 3- and 4-door sedan, 5-door wagon. F/A, 2464, 2474 cm³ (4 cyl. OHV), 4229 cm³ (6 cyl. OHC). First crossover four-wheel-drive family car range, marrying Ferguson system to AMC Concord body styles. Wheelbase 1 in longer than Concord and cars much taller; 20 years ahead of their time given the crossover SUV craze of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Reliable thanks to long prior product life of the donor technologies. Sedans and wagon only in 1980, Kammback and SX/4 (based on AMC Spirit) followed in 1981. With Renault Alliance production gearing up, Kammback and SX/4 deleted after 1982 and 1983 respectively; by 1988, only wagon remained, selling a few thousand units. Canadian production only from 1984. Last AMC-developed range of cars. Chrysler takeover meant that 1988s were officially called Eagle Wagon, though AMC badges remained on the car.

Ford Everest (U268). 2003–6 (prod. unknown). 5-door SUV. F/R, F/A, 2499 cm³ diesel (4 cyl. DOHC), 2606 cm³ (4 cyl. OHC). Mazda truck-based SUV for Asian markets and in the Bahamas from Ford. Truck origins all too evident, so less refined than the likes of Escape or Explorer, though marketed in some countries as Ford’s SUV flagship.

Samsung QM5. 2007 to date (prod. unknown). 5-door estate. F/F, F/A, 1995 cm³ diesel, 2488 cm³ petrol (4 cyl. DOHC). Plain-looking SUV from Renault–Samsung, with platform shared with Nissan X-Trail. Dull though well made interior, good ride but average handling. Previewed as Samsung QMX show car. Exported with Renault grille as Renault Koleos. Export models had petrol engine before home-market one.

Volkswagen Touareg. 2003 to date (prod. unknown). 5-door SUV. F/A, 2460 cm³ diesel (5 cyl. OHC), 2967 cm³ diesel, 3580 cm³ petrol (V6 DOHC), 4163 cm³ (V8 DOHC), 4921 cm³ diesel (V10 OHC), 5998 cm³ (W12 DOHC). Second of the VW–Audi–Porsche 7L-platform vehicles to launch, in an attempt to get the SUV market in US. Aim was to develop an SUV with sports car-like behaviour on the road. No third-row seats, so accommodation not as great as rivals’. V10 TDI regarded as environmentally unfriendly in US and eventually pulled from that market. Mid-term facelift in 2006.

[Cross-posted at Lucire] General Motors intends to overtake the Toyota Prius with its Chevrolet Volt—a vehicle that is an electric car first, with a petrol engine that only kicks in when extended range is needed. (The Prius, in layman’s terms, works the other way round, with a hybrid engine assisting the petrol one—though around town, the Prius tries to work on electricity only.) Sensibly, in these tough times, GM will sell the Volt as an Opel in Europe, a Vauxhall in the UK and a Holden in Australasia, and unveiled the Opel-badged version in Genève this week.
   Lucire TV will have more Salon de Genève footage, but for starters we feature Alain Visser, Chief Marketing Officer, General Motors of Europe launching the Opel Ampera, and talking about GM’s focus on electrifying the automobile. Other shots are of the Ampera, including its interior, filling up, and information on its propulsion system.
   It’s finally beginning to feel like the 21st century, rather than a hangover of the 20th.

The Opel Insignia’s shape has grown on me but it is almost too contemporary—suited to today’s trends, so how will it look come 2011? Still, it is miles better than the Daewoo Tosca that is sold in New Zealand with Holden badges. The Vectra C’s replacement should always have been the Insignia in this market, too—I am seeing the Tosca trounced by Camry, Mazda Atenza and Ford Mondeo.
   The first video is a bit dull but the second has interior and exterior shots, filmed against the London background.
   This car has won Car of the Year in Europe and the Gelben Engel from ADAC (the German Automobile Club). In other words, some people think it’s a world-beater, but I don’t believe it will head to the US. There are rumours it could come Down Under to supplant the awful Tosca.
   We do know it sells in China with Buick badges.
   What a shame it has come while GM is in such deep trouble—everyone is focusing on the troubles and not the car.