General Motors News - Jalopnik releases rendering of C7 ZR1

[LotusGT1]

OK, but when you are a private party and want to buy a new CTS-V, you're fucked if you want to sell it relatively soon

[RC45]

This is true for all regular production autos (or any consumer product in the US)

Coming from South Africa, where car prices rose rapidly each year after 1988 - where a Golf GTi used to cost about R8,000 new in 1984, to costing over R100,000 in the late 1990's - I was used to a market where the value of used vehicles was held up by the escalating cost of new vehicles.

Where it was not unheard of for a 5 year old car to sell on the used market for higher than the original price when new.

But coming to the US where the economy of scale is mind boggling --- the dealers in the city of Houston probably sell more new cars a year than many counrties do (and I am not talking about poverty stricken countries with 3 roads and a self-proclaimed Dictator President for Life either... )

You see the prices of new cars creeping up maybe $100 or $200 a year... maybe.. in fact, many times the newest latest model comes out at a LOWER price than the outgoing model.

This was true for the C5 Coupe and the C6 Coupe.

New prices for those 2 cars were a couple hundred dollars less than the last model out going car.

Imagine that logic and economy of scale and markket mindset being applied to Corollas, Civic, Malibus, Camry's etc etc etc.

You end up with literally millions of used cars that have little to no residual value.

Add to this the new car rebate and discount incentives, 0% financing incentives etc etc etc - and you see why the car is just another commodity in the US and the profit is in the amount of turnover you can generate, not always in the "profit per unit" -- like WalMart yeah? Only a few % profit, but apply that to nearly a billion dollars in turnover revenue per day you see a large dollar amount.

Now this does not always mean the best for the manufacturer, because all the while they are stuck with rising health care and pension costs etc.

Any way... the point is that used cars are dirt cheap in the USA... and even someone working as a shelf packer in WalMart can get a half decent used car for $5,000 and pay it off over 3 years

[nthfinity]

and it didn't sound turbocharged; or like a 4 banger... i'm not affluent in GM v6 engines; but that is almost cirtainly what i saw today... a Pontiac Solstice V6... i'll post some pictures later. 8)

it appeared to handle well, and have liniar accelleration; but not a lot in the noise department as he passed me.

[noliebro]

i will agree that the current cts is lacking on some build quality, but overall is a great car, cant wait for the super V, the regular CTS-V has one of the sickess sounding engines ever. and the next gen CTS is gonna blow everything away inside and out IMHO.

[bmwmpower]

that old sound great, sure for buying used, im these days daily in carlots and here is situation different,
used Focus with basic price 12 K euro as new
after 5 years old average condition still 6-7 K
6-7 years old 5-6 K

[nthfinity]

http://nthimage.com/spy_shots/spy_shots_rules.htm

photos are in there, the only Solstice... a few others are interesting

[SilviaEvo]

hmmmmm thats a little weird. i thought it was already released? or did it have a smaller engine?

[nthfinity]

Originally Posted by SilviaEvo hmmmmm thats a little weird. i thought it was already released? or did it have a smaller engine?

4 cyclinder engines; and mid-summer the turbo 4's are coming out... this is almost definately neither... he passed me in goign about 80mph; and the window was down

[r2r]

interesting!

More power is always good.

It seems like GM is competing with themselves, possibly the solstice with more power and the sky redline coming soon.

[nthfinity]

you guessed it. Post all General Motors news in here

[nthfinity]

http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic...=2006608060568

BY TOM WALSH and MARK PHELAN FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITERS The 400-horsepower Chevrolet Camaro concept generated buzz at the North American International Auto Show in January. (MANDI WRIGHT/Detroit Free Press) Related articles: * • TOM WALSH: At last, GM's strategy is making sense • Phelan's first to drive Camaro concept Photo galleries: * More Photos Camaro More Photos Camaro It's really happening: The Chevy Camaro is coming back as a production car, the Free Press has learned. General Motors Corp. Chairman Rick Wagoner is expected to announce the resurrection of the legendary muscle car in a speech Thursday to an automotive conference in Traverse City. The auto industry has been buzzing with speculation about GM's plans for the Camaro ever since the carmaker wowed the crowds at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in January with a stunning 400-horsepower concept. At a time when truck and SUV sales are softening and car sales are regaining momentum, a sexy new entry could give GM's entire passenger-car line a boost. The production version could be built as early as 2008 and will offer three engines, a V-6 and two V-8s, according to people familiar with the plans. GM spokesman Steve Harris would not comment Friday on plans for the Camaro, but other sources told the Free Press that GM's top management and board of directors have green-lighted the car. The Camaro was introduced in 1966 as the answer to the Ford Mustang, and it prowled America's streets and drag strips until production ended in 2002. Like the concept, the production Camaro will be based on GM's new Zeta global architecture for rear-wheel-drive cars, expected to form the basis for several big, powerful sedans and coupes to be introduced over the next few years. It was unclear last week where GM intends to build the Camaro. Speculation in the automotive press has centered on assembly plants in Oshawa, Ontario, and Wilmington, Del. Other unanswered questions are sure to keep the buzz going even after Wagoner's announcement: How many people will buy a Camaro in the age of $3.15-per-gallon gasoline? What will it cost? And what about bringing back the Pontiac Firebird/TransAm? Contact TOM WALSH at 313-223-4430 or [email protected].

just confirms what I came out and said 7 months ago

[nthfinity]

If there is anything the Rick Wagoner has learned during his time at GM, it's that you never piss off the unions.

LMAO

if there is anything that Rick has learned is "never play second fiddle 5 years after the japanese for the boring car market"

there is nothing in that article that supports this auther's opening statement; what a bunch of BS

[FoxFour]

Getting back on the Camaro news, I saw on Fox News that GM will be officially announcing Camaro production this Thursday (8-10) .

[detltu6]

it was announced today. It is now official. They updated the chevy performance website.

[nthfinity]

News:

300 hp Solstice GXP coming, likely as a 2008 model, in turbocharged form

News:
rumored "v6 corvette" false

News:
Supercharged LS9 "blue devil"...
who said it will only cost $100,000 USD? GM is 100% commited to making this car a mechanical and engineering success; including use of new and more exotic materials. 650hp... it may be significantly more.

suspension is obviously different, I am unsure of what kind of final body changes will be at this point, as I only have 'access' to GM Powertrain ATM