GM Engineers Should Form Their Own Company
 

From technologies like the visco-magnetic fluid in shock absorbers to winning the design challenge at the LA Auto Show the past two years, it's obvious that there is some serious engineering talent at GM. The problem is, much of it is watered down before it hits the street. Marketing may not like the look or feel of a car, union rules may prevent a car from being assembled in a certain manner.

I think the engineers should break off and form their own car company. I think we'd see some amazing things.

I drove an HHR rental car yesterday. Unbelievably poor design and ergonnomics. Embarrasing pile of crap. They might have some good ones, but they've got plenty of bad ones too...

The Bose suspension would weight 800+ pounds by itself.
What about steel bumpers and things that are simple and doesn't break? There's a reason why the AK47 sells so well internationaly.

Dumb question of the day - what is an HHR rental car?

Todd, you're making my point, believe it or not. At GM, a concept has to go through several "commitees" before it reaches production. If the engineers could roam free, they'd build better cars.

Jeff the HHR is a horrible little GM car.

http://www.hhrclub.org/models/2007/c...dition-400.jpg

Buddy of mine just bought the new Acura MDX w/ electro hyd. shocks, they work unbelievably well.:eek:

funny, i am seriously considering a GTo as a replacement for my GTI..400hp and i can get one for like 27k

Oh the humanity! That is one awful looking ride!

The HHR is the Chevy copy of the PT Cruiser- something like 6 years after the PT hit the streets, Chevy came out with an inferior copy. Yay.

I don't get it- I posted on the Japan Tax Advantage thread too.

I seriously want to buy American. I believe that the best minds in the world are right here; our current corporate structure is somehow causing us to crank out junk, near-misses, and the occasional hit. I don't blame quality issues on our workers either- foreign brands who manufacture here manage to do it very well.

I don't remember if was here or in one of my industry rags, but the design issues at the big three were blamed on the group consensus approach rather than having an "artist" being the head of design(ala Bangle @ BMW). By the time a design at GM is altered enough to make everyone happy..........no one ends up happy.

There is no faith in the individual, no trust, no balls. You have to be willing to bomb to truly succeed.

The BS systems-for-everything Six Sigma style textbook approach to everything is the culprit, because in the end people are people so you can't really blame your masses only how you use them/let them use you.

GM products and styling?

Pictures speak louder than words. How the hell did this thing EVER reach production??? Every time I see one, I try to imagine the meeting where the design was approved.

But I just never can imagine people in an approval meeting gathering around the beast, looking at it with their functioning eyes, and saying "Yeah, that looks just right! Let's go with it!"

WTF is wrong with those people?

http://www.autogaleria.pl/tapety/img..._2001_01_b.jpg

Although I know where they stole most of the destign cues from, including the stacked front end style.

http://www.ajga.org/Newsletter/TheAJ.../Truckster.jpg

Makes sense^

Actually, that's exactly what happened with the Aztek (Ass-tech?) as pictured above. IIRC some French woman designed that thing and they shoved it out the door...and bomb they did! Now you know why they're gun-shy.

WRT the HHR...at the Proving Ground here in AZ it's known as the Me2 Cruiser. :D

I rented an HHR a month ago, total POS. This thing had torque steer, even though it doesn't have any torque.
Rattle, shake, echo, 30 miles in that ****box was too much.

Yer right about the ergonomics too, nothing fit. Everything was too close or too far away.

The GTO is made by Holden in Australia. Great cars. Damn shame they don't import more of them.

I totally agree about the "Ass-tech", I actually get angry whenever I see one (which is luckily pretty seldom these days)! How could they? Even my nine year old son who was probably seven at the time he first saw one, asked me "what was wrong with it and did someone make it themselves?!"

I'm convinced that GM designers are the castoffs and rejects from all the world's other car makers. GM seems to have cornered the market on butt-ugly.

I grew up loving GM products, but wouldn't pay a nickel for one now.

Yes, though I think I read GM was thinking of bringing more over.

The Holden GTO was a nicely styled car, with a Vette engine in it. It was quite expensive at the high $30K, but seemed to do well around town and on the track.

If at all, I'd buy one used to avoid the premium. They can't sell for too much on the secondary market.

BTW: the Cadillac CTS is pretty much a success. So at least that was done right.

I'd like to drive a CTS or get a ride in one, because I've heard good things. Now if GM could just put something entry level out, I'd be impressed.

Here's a problem I have- I can sit in a $50K+ Corvette, soak in the interior, then get out and sit in an $22k VW. The VW interior is light years nicer. In every way. Why is this? The Corvette is so much engine, so much chassis, seemingly the best thing America has out right now. Whats with the inside?

Not that I would throw one out of bed or anything...

Laid-Off Ford Employee Decides To Start Own Car Company
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/55167

From the onion.:D

Thought it was rather on-topic.

The CTS is really nice, they hit that one spot-on IMHO.

i am being quoted 26.5-28 on a leftover 06 and 25k on a left over 05(same car) I know it's a holden...

A buddy of mine(a car nut) drove one and said "Wow". He said the car is so grossly overpowered it's comical.

Take that for what it's worth.

Does the 05 have the bigger engine? Either year, thats a lot of car for the money!

I think they should have gone in a different direction with the styling of the GTO, but at the same time its not bad. Just understated, and a bit bulbous. One thing for sure, that v8 is killer.

I'd like to see a WRX killer from GM or Ford- that would be a radical departure.

and we're not talking rocket science. The windo controls were on the front center console. Took me forever to figure it out. The sideview mirror controls were right where the window control should have been on the driver's side door. Right where you'd sit your hand...over a control that you use infrequently. Idiots...

A guy saying a car that does 60 in under 5 seconds is "grossly underpowered," what's that worth?

:confused:

In four or five years I will be replacing my disposable/appliance/commuter car and I will take a look at the Cobalt.

You're obviously not a BMW driver. :)

http://www.electrodyne.cc/Merchant2/...18.00.100M.jpg

I think you took my comment wrong.

He said the power-train was impressive but that the chassis didn't seem up to the task. But.......he said for the money it's a cheap straight line thrill that commutes civilly.

Edit: I see now, you thought I said "underpowered" read it again.

LOL, *over* powered, that makes sense!

I thought maybe his daily driver was an F40 or something.

(But for $25K, some cheap straight line thrills and a decent commuter might not be so bad).

Re: GM Engineers Should Form Their Own Company
 

Isn't this the thought behind Saturn?

It is....I was accelerating at WOT in my (now gone) WRX on the merge ramp to get up to traffic speed on the 202 here...the GTO directly behind me blew past like I was standing still and merged way up ahead.

Ford already has one: The AWD Focus.

They don't sell it here.

I've driven a couple 3.6L CTS cars. Believe me - they're not a joke. The interior is simple, the gauges are large and easy to read, and the handling isn't top heavy as with prior American sedans.

Supposedly (because I haven't seen one in the flesh), there's a CTS Sport produced by Cadillac. It has the 3.6 with a 6spd manual, special suspension, tires and wheels. It has no chrome, but a very demure aero package.

One of the magazines wrote a story about it, and suggested it's more impressive than the CTS-V, especially at $15K less money.

I've seen spyshots of the '08 CTS, which is really nice - nicer than the current model.

SVT may make their own version, IIRC. That is, if SVT is still with us. I heard Ford was thinking of killing the division. If so, it makes for a tragically stupid mistake toward the enthusiasts. :rolleyes:

That's what I don't frickin get. They have an AWD turbo Focus. Did they not see the insane success that the WRX was? And then, that the STI was a success too?