Granite Confirmed approved for 2013-14
12-06-2011, 05:36 AM
#101
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I think it could stand a good chance of having it since the Cruze will get it here soon. If they have the engine in the market I see it being used in several lines to keep the volume up.
GM just will have to do a hell of a marketing job to sell Diesel cars here. there is a small segment of people who really understand them and with the price of Diesel being up it keeps many from trying them.
I expect GM will post 50+ MPG in the Cruze and really drive home how many mile per tank you will see. VW is also going to move back to promoting Diesels too. Who knows people may understand the miles and torque these things have.
Too many people understand HP but few understand Torque.
GM just will have to do a hell of a marketing job to sell Diesel cars here. there is a small segment of people who really understand them and with the price of Diesel being up it keeps many from trying them.
I expect GM will post 50+ MPG in the Cruze and really drive home how many mile per tank you will see. VW is also going to move back to promoting Diesels too. Who knows people may understand the miles and torque these things have.
Too many people understand HP but few understand Torque.
The issue is weight and how much would it add since they want to keep that down.
As for the Smart car comment you need to see it first as it ismore similar to a Honda Element or Scion and if a lot larger than the photo's show.
It is going to be a cars like the HHR. You either love it or hate it. It will sell well as long as they price it right. The key to the HHR is that great value and how much car you got for the money. That brought in more buyers than even the styling.
02-05-2012, 11:09 PM
#103
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Dead as a doornail according to Automotive News, here's a link to the story on Autoblog from January 11, 2012.
http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/11/gmc-granite-is-dead/
http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/11/gmc-granite-is-dead/
02-06-2012, 05:37 AM
#104
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Dead sort of. Look for some lind of Chevy version it the latest. GM did not feel this fit GMC well but that does not exclude CHevy.
I expect we will see a Revamp on this and it will find a place at Chevy. For the market and pricing it would fit Chevy better. GM has since they first Showed the Granite changed GMC' maketing and moved it much more upscale. This changed how a Granite would have fit into their marketing.
Besides Chevy has yet to replace the HHR and they understand that well. While not a direct replacment it would serve the same price segment and be more in line with Scion etc.
I expect we will see a Revamp on this and it will find a place at Chevy. For the market and pricing it would fit Chevy better. GM has since they first Showed the Granite changed GMC' maketing and moved it much more upscale. This changed how a Granite would have fit into their marketing.
Besides Chevy has yet to replace the HHR and they understand that well. While not a direct replacment it would serve the same price segment and be more in line with Scion etc.
02-06-2012, 06:18 AM
#105
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I doubt that the Granite will ever come back as a Chevy or anything else. It never progressed beyond the concept car state, no funding was approved, no mules were ever built, and except for some overly optimistic press releases...no one at GM really took it too seriously.
Chevrolet doesn't need to replace the HHR, they have the Equinox which is doing very well and anything smaller would possibly divert sales from that profitable platform.
For the time being "retro" is dead and GM is quite happy to let Toyota, Kia, Nissan, and others have the "cute ute" market to themselves.
Our beloved HHR was a happy accident, a stylish alternative to the stillborn Cobalt station wagon, and something special for sure. But like all good things, it had to end.
Chevrolet doesn't need to replace the HHR, they have the Equinox which is doing very well and anything smaller would possibly divert sales from that profitable platform.
For the time being "retro" is dead and GM is quite happy to let Toyota, Kia, Nissan, and others have the "cute ute" market to themselves.
Our beloved HHR was a happy accident, a stylish alternative to the stillborn Cobalt station wagon, and something special for sure. But like all good things, it had to end.
02-07-2012, 06:04 AM
#107
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I doubt that the Granite will ever come back as a Chevy or anything else. It never progressed beyond the concept car state, no funding was approved, no mules were ever built, and except for some overly optimistic press releases...no one at GM really took it too seriously.
Chevrolet doesn't need to replace the HHR, they have the Equinox which is doing very well and anything smaller would possibly divert sales from that profitable platform.
For the time being "retro" is dead and GM is quite happy to let Toyota, Kia, Nissan, and others have the "cute ute" market to themselves.
Our beloved HHR was a happy accident, a stylish alternative to the stillborn Cobalt station wagon, and something special for sure. But like all good things, it had to end.
Chevrolet doesn't need to replace the HHR, they have the Equinox which is doing very well and anything smaller would possibly divert sales from that profitable platform.
For the time being "retro" is dead and GM is quite happy to let Toyota, Kia, Nissan, and others have the "cute ute" market to themselves.
Our beloved HHR was a happy accident, a stylish alternative to the stillborn Cobalt station wagon, and something special for sure. But like all good things, it had to end.
As for the Nox replacing the HHR. It has to some point but as it was seen here many here think of it as too large for them. Buick has already showed a Gemini based Buick and Opel and the Granite was also based on this platform. GM will have Chevy something on this platform too that will be SUV like as this segment is one of the fastest gowing in America today.
The HHR was not an accident as it was a product of vision buy the same two men who saw the value in the PT. Lutz and Nesmeth new how to sell a small wagon better than anyone else in Detroit. Lutz knew something few other did when he asked for and approved this program. When most said he was nuts he proved them wrong again. Today he has left many at GM that think like him and are not a slave to clinics and other things that often lead to dead ends on many vehicles like the Aztec.
Many think it was the retro that sold these cars. It helped but the real keys were the fact they were good values and they looked more like trucks or SUV's to most buyers. You would be suprised how many never knew they had as Cobalt under the skin. In fact if they had done a Cobalt wagon it would have never sold half as many as the HHR.
I too agree that Retro is dead. That card for the most has been played out and will remain only a part of future styling but the market will not be a slave to it. Even cars like the Mustang will evolve to more fresh styling with only hints of the past.
02-07-2012, 06:08 AM
#108
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I still hold hope for a small group of imported models ala G8 but I think that window is now closed. They are having enough difficulty getting the Caprice here in great numbers.
Holden at this point is basically Chevy with a few home market built RWD cars. They have a Malibu, Cruze, Colorado and even their renamed Sonic.
Their market is more and more imports including GM cars.
02-08-2012, 08:49 PM
#110
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