No more GM Performance/SS Division
02-18-2009, 04:48 PM
#1
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No more GM Performance/SS Division
Cross post, but read over at GMI that the SS division of GM has been axed, so no more SS models.
http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f...sbanded-75664/
Jamie LaReau - Automotive News - February 18, 2009 - 5:05 pm ET
DETROIT -- General Motors, focusing on mainstream products in a battle to survive, has scrapped a unit that produced high-performance vehicles.
GM today disbanded High Performance Vehicle Operations, which is based at the company's suburban Detroit technical center, and redeployed its engineers, said spokesman Vince Muniga.
"All high-performance projects are on indefinite hold," Muniga said. "The engineers are moving into different areas of the organization, and they will work on Cadillacs, Buicks, Chevrolets and Pontiacs."
The unit created low-volume vehicles for GM's divisions designed to appeal to enthusiasts and bolster the company's image. Products included V-series Cadillacs and the Chevrolet Cobalt SS, HHR SS and a V-8 version of the Colorado.
Muniga said there are no plans for high-performance versions of upcoming cars.
The move is in the spirit of GM's viability plan delivered to the U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday. In the plan, GM said its future-product focus is on fuel- efficient cars and crossovers. It also pledged to increase its current offering of six hybrids to 14 by 2012 and to 26 by 2014. GM also boosted its request for federal aid by as much as $16.6 billion.
The High Performance Vehicle Operations unit could be reinstated once GM regains its financial health, GM's Muniga said.
"These guys are pretty good at what they do," Muniga said, "They are moving into different areas to work on core products
http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f...sbanded-75664/
Jamie LaReau - Automotive News - February 18, 2009 - 5:05 pm ET
DETROIT -- General Motors, focusing on mainstream products in a battle to survive, has scrapped a unit that produced high-performance vehicles.
GM today disbanded High Performance Vehicle Operations, which is based at the company's suburban Detroit technical center, and redeployed its engineers, said spokesman Vince Muniga.
"All high-performance projects are on indefinite hold," Muniga said. "The engineers are moving into different areas of the organization, and they will work on Cadillacs, Buicks, Chevrolets and Pontiacs."
The unit created low-volume vehicles for GM's divisions designed to appeal to enthusiasts and bolster the company's image. Products included V-series Cadillacs and the Chevrolet Cobalt SS, HHR SS and a V-8 version of the Colorado.
Muniga said there are no plans for high-performance versions of upcoming cars.
The move is in the spirit of GM's viability plan delivered to the U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday. In the plan, GM said its future-product focus is on fuel- efficient cars and crossovers. It also pledged to increase its current offering of six hybrids to 14 by 2012 and to 26 by 2014. GM also boosted its request for federal aid by as much as $16.6 billion.
The High Performance Vehicle Operations unit could be reinstated once GM regains its financial health, GM's Muniga said.
"These guys are pretty good at what they do," Muniga said, "They are moving into different areas to work on core products
02-18-2009, 05:03 PM
#3
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Join Date: 07-14-2008
Location: Marshfield,MA
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Sad news. Hopefully when the economy rebounds they can get back to building cars for enthusiasts.
Here's the Autoweek release about it.
http://www.autoweek.com/article/2009...NEWS/902189973
Here's the Autoweek release about it.
http://www.autoweek.com/article/2009...NEWS/902189973
02-18-2009, 05:12 PM
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Location: Akron Ohio
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One would gather no HHR let alone SS after 2011 from all indications.
The good news is these talanted people will be building the main product and not just tuning. Bad news is the one thing GM is doing right is broken up.
Ford has been in and out with their performance division several times so This is not the end just a gap in perfromance.
The bottom line is GM has to look responsible to DC to convince the idiot crooks.... I mean capital hill members they are responsible.
Don't be suprised performance shows up quietly in several low key ways in a few models.
The good news is these talanted people will be building the main product and not just tuning. Bad news is the one thing GM is doing right is broken up.
Ford has been in and out with their performance division several times so This is not the end just a gap in perfromance.
The bottom line is GM has to look responsible to DC to convince the idiot crooks.... I mean capital hill members they are responsible.
Don't be suprised performance shows up quietly in several low key ways in a few models.
02-18-2009, 05:20 PM
#8
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Join Date: 07-05-2008
Location: Akron Ohio
Posts: 5,464
Your V8 Camaro is coming in about a month. The Camaro is set till at least 2016.
Your just going to have to live with the C6 Vette till at least 2014. The Vette is its own group and makes a profit.
What they are dispanding is the GM Perfromance Division that did the tuning on the other cars. This group was led by John Heinrency and he just retired so this anouncment is not too suprising.
GM needs to make cars for the masses that make money and sell well. Untill that is fix the rest can wait. Lets face it Honda and Toyota make mostly boring cars but are in better shape finacially.
Remember this anouncement will not effect the cars in production or the ones ready for production. But it will effect future product in development for the next few years.
In other words don't expect a SS Cruze or SS Orlando. On the other hand you can still expect a Turbo 1.4 Cruze and a 3.0 Turbo Buick Lecrosse AWD.
Oh note there is a Z28 but it is on hold and all development is done. It just has no money for launching it nor is it the right time to release a near 600 HP supercharged Camaro while asking DC for money. The Bumble Bee Camaro in the new Transformer movie is 90% the new Z28. Motor Trend reported this 2 days ago. We most likley will see it yet in limited numbers but the question is when.
02-18-2009, 05:23 PM
#9
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Join Date: 03-03-2008
Location: Columbus, oh
Posts: 55
Bye Bye HHR SS
GM disbands unit that creates high-performance vehicles
http://www.autoweek.com/article/2009...NEWS/902189973
http://www.autoweek.com/article/2009...NEWS/902189973