I went to a San Jose Chevy dealer yesterday and was told that the HHR is being discontinued after this year. Is this true?

 

Yeah, I think they are replacing it with the Orlando or version of the Cruze?

 

Get em while they last!

 

THe HHR has been planned to go till 2011 and into 2012. The Orlando is not coming out till late 2011 the last I was told.

The SS ends this year but the LS and LT will carry on. The Orlando and HHR will sell together for a year during the change over like the Cobalt and Cruze will this fall.

There will be plenty of HHR's at cheap prices for the the near future as it plays it's time out. Don't expect many if any changes.

 

Good luck the sole supplier of automatic transmissions for the HHR is closing it`s door for good June 2010 1,200 jobs lost.There is only 400 workers left down to 1,400 trans a day day shift only.I worked my last midnite shift Feb.2009 production was at 4,300 running 4 lines.March 1st down to 2 shifts 3 lines running 3,200 trans per day.

800 workers left with early buyouts between June 1 -Sept. 1 2009 then down to the current 1 shift 1 line.

http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f...-2010-a-64218/

 

I think there are only two cars using this tranny now the Cobalt and HHR. The Cobalt is due to end next year at Lordstown. 1,400 trannys is much more than the number of the vehicles they build a day for either vehicle.

I checked 2011 is the last offical year and they expect some HRR's 2011 to be still sold in 2012 to clean out the inventory. [Note there are still 2008 Grand Prixs unsold at some dealers as are some other discontinued GM models].

The Orlando will be intro'd at some point in 2011.

Either way the Cobalt and HHR will have one more year and they will not be built in numbers like in the past. Last year and this year sales have dropped dramatically.
I would assume they will built out to cover what they need for the end.

 

In one way this is sad. In another, it makes the HHR even more unique. so enjoy it and take care of your baby! Take lots of pictures too!

 

Last day of production for the SS will June 4th 2010 still taking SS orders into April maybe some dealers will take a chance and order extras.

 

That sounds about right. Every year is will vary a little at some plants. 2011 order usally can be taken in late May or June.

My great uncle who was like a grandfather too me was a bug wig at GM and would order his cars in late may. [he bought two a year] and they would come in in late Aug. He then would have to wait till GM would release them as often they would come in before the new cars were offically released. The dealer would hide them from veiw.

Im the 70's and 80's that went away. It was kind of fun when I was little to see cars no one else had seen. Today the fun is gone as 3 years before they are release we know everything about the new cars.

 

Mass produced retros can't last forever. The styling is static. What can they aspire to? Isn't that the reason why enthusiasts embraced the SSR (first) then the HHR (afterward)?

We as enthusiasts are captured in a point of time in automotive styling distinction and it cannot be reproduced again by mass production.

Only those who can afford the talent of legends such as Chip Foose or Jesse James can get something unique like this in the future and only by way of extreme, custom one-offs.

The Orlando will clearly have its place in regard to function, but unfortunately, will pretty much blend into the landscape of modern, mediocre automotive applications. Its styling will be somewhat difficult to distinguish among the popular Asian techno-appliances. It will never hold a candle to the styling uniqueness of the HHR.

ENJOY YOUR HHR. IT IS A VERY SPECIAL VEHICLE.