On Design Interiors

I agree with your comments on the G6 interior. The interiors were the single reason that I stayed away from GM vehicles till recently. We got a Rendezvous and was really impressed by the improvements.
However, driving around the country it is appalling to see the low level of confidence in GM's vehicle reliability and in Detroit's ability to make reliable and pleasing vehicles in particular.
The media bias against Detroit does not help. Detroit recalls are on the 6 o'clock news while Import recalls are rarely covered, if at all, in some automotive dailies.
Getting people to visit the dealerships, getting to know the products and most importantly making the corporate brands 'sexy' again is going to be the key. Caddies tie up with Led Zep is a great idea and GM needs to do more in this regard to be accepted.

Just bought a 2004 Pontiac GTO. Fantastic car. Fantastic design inside and out. Amazing features and build quality.

Two comments on the marketing of this car:

1. The dealer says the GTO is supposed to be a challenge to cars like the BMW 3-series coupes -- even the M3. Yet the marketing is no different that it was for the TransAm. The latest TV ad shows a picture of the car doing a burnout -- which appeals to kids who think that's cool -- but end up buying a Scion. Bottom line? The GTO is sophisticated car. Sell it like one.

2. Was at the San Jose International Auto Show yesterday. The Golden Gate GTO club had a very nice display of classics that lined the entry way. Everyone who entered the show was greeted by this display. Was there a new GTO by this display? NO. Was there a new GTO in the PONTIAC BOOTH ITSELF?!?!? NO!

Tell you what, if the marketing people in my company blew an opportunity like that -- they'd be fired.

Mr. Lutz, if you don't mind me going slightly askew for a second, the problem with the LaCrosse in my mind isn't the interior; its the powertrain. I would really like to know why the fabulous 3.6l V6 was detuned for 240hp in Buick's first 'Lexus-fighter' when the same engine gets 245hp in the Rendezvous and 255hp in the CTS?

As far as the interiors go, yes, some have some seemingly lightyears from the past. But please don't forget that the 90s saw several beautiful GM interiors, such as the one on my 1996 Aurora. The subtle curves, driver orientation, the variety of colors, the use of leather, vinyl, REAL wood, and chrome is beautiful every time I sit inside. Its my hope that such a trend will exist on Buicks in the near future. I've seen spy photos of the Lucerne and its quite a step up.

And while on the subject of interiors, please also don't forget about the little extras GM has been known for, things like map pockets, console orgnaizers, rear seat ashtrays, visor extendors, lighted vanity mirrors, and the like. Those things don't need to be the victim of penny-pinching.

Mr. Lutz,

I find it interesting that you think the new LaCross is better inside than the G6. Having recently been inside both, I'd quite think it was the opposite. The LaCrosse suffers from some terrible material choices, IMO--fake wood that looks like it came out of a 70s rumpus room, and mouse-fur upholstery that even my 72 year-old mother would hate. Then there's details like the cupholders--a big, blank box in the center console with a cheap looking seperator that pops out. That's progress?

By comparison, I found the G6 to be really quite remarkable. Simple, elegant, and yet attractive, too--exactly what a sports sedan should be. It's not perfect--the chrome trim rings are SHINY, and the optional (I guess?) fake wood should be banished from whence it came, but then again, NO car is perfect. Frankly, as an import buyer, I could happily live with the G6 interior without a complaint. The LaCrosse I'd turn around and take back to Avis before I left the airport parking lot.

I agree for the most part with all of the comments posted so far.

My question is: When are we going to start seeing automatic transmissions with more than 4 gears in GM's mainstream vehicles?

Mr. Lutz:

The G6 does have a nice interior. The Aura's interior is beautiful. I'm very pleased at what appear to be new radio controls & displays (saw on the HHR, Impala, Monte Carlo mini-site and Aura press pix), and also the auto-climate controls are much more...luxurious looking.

Will those new controls carry over to the Saab 9-7x, which in its almost year-old press photos has the radio & climate controls shared with the Trailblazer?

I see the Aura borrows from the Saab SID: will the SID be added to future Saab models like the 9-6x, and to newer iterations of the 9-2x?

What's great is that domestic GM had a lot to learn from its cousins in Trollhattan and Ruesselsheim about interior design: and it's doing it.

I know GM picked up a female designer who did work for Renault - are these new interiors (HHR, Aura, e.g.) her handiwork?

I saw the LaCrosse at the dealer a couple of days ago and it has by far the best fit and finish of any GM car I have ever seen, both inside and out. In this aspect it is truly Lexus quality. What is not Lexus quality is the faux wood trim. I would rather see black plastic there than fake wood trim, as it takes away from an otherwise legitimate entry luxury car.
I like the G6 too, and think that the interior is fine for its segment. Being a Pontiac, I think giving it more power and tauter handling is a higher priority - that GXP G6 concept at SEMA was AWESOME!

First of all, I am a devout import buyer and when I bought my last car (2003 Mazda6), I did not consider a GM product.

I don't dislike GM. It just seems that GM's exterior designs, interiors, drivetrains and engines seem to be "second best" when stacked up against the import competition.

Mr Lutz, America is the best country in the world. I know we can do better when it comes to our domestic cars. However, it seems that GM is afraid of scaring off their bread and butter customers if they try something new and innovative.

But I think American's tastes are changing. More and more Americans ARE seeking something new and innovative. Witness the success of Scion.

I don't want every new GM to look like a Nissan or Drive like a "Zoom-Zoom" Mazda, but I do want to see GM products mentioned in the same breath as anything from Toyota and Honda.

Good luck, Mr. Lutz.

Bob, I am very impressed that you've responded to the feedback so far, and I have a lot of respect for you in opening yourself up to the public here!

And I must say that the Solstice interior is quite impressive from the photos I've seen. Simple and clean!

And the G6 certainly is a big improvement over the Grand AM. But I guess I was hoping for something more in a new generation car...I'll be waiting!

As a clarification, though, is the Accord really that much more expensive than the G6?

Since the G6 was brought up in a post about Saturn, I feel it's only fair that my worthless opinion should also be totally off-topic and the recent news about the 2006 Monte Carlo should be discussed.

303 horsepower coming from a version of the LS2, lovely. Horsepower is always good.

However, I am honestly confused beyond words about the choice of FWD for this car. I realize that when selling cars, the majority of your buyers aren't going to be car savvy people, so it's essentially a numbers game. But the torque steer must be so monumentally painful to bare, I recoil in horror just thinking about it.

I understand FWD is cheap, which you know, that's great and everything for commuter cars, but it makes for a terrible "spirited" driving experience, which I assume is what you're trying to give with the whole "vroom vroom hey look 300 horsepower, but not in the Mustang! We can make a cheap powerful car too!" thing.

But it doesn't matter how great GM engineers are, they will never overcome physics, and the fact that throwing a big heavy engine in a FWD car pulls the car to the side after traction is gained upon acceleration.

I know, it's cheaper to do it FWD, and it's not like the people who care are a large enough group to directly affect the sales. But for all of us who actually to care about things like this, maybe I don't know, take a look at it again. Hopefully someone who reads this will care.

PS- Since this is a conversation about interiors, I have to say you guys have been a lot better recently with that. Sitting in GM cars where I work built only five years ago show a noticable difference from what's on showroom floors today. But there is one glaring problem, and that is Chevy pickup trucks. The interiors are really leagues beyond dreadful when compared to their competitors. Cheap plastic, the arm restin the Colorado feels like it could actually fall off at anytime, the interiors just feel so... Dead and lackluster I guess would be the best words for it. Get some people on that. You have people, I presume, because you're Bob Lutz. Right now I am imagining a team of fresh graduates from some great college rushing through a hallway with red lights flashing because Bob Lutz has requested some charts and graphs about Chevy pickup truck interiors.

PSS- Stop putting the SS monicker on everything. Please, for the love of kittens and ice cream and babies and all things good in the world, just stop. Please.

PSSS- Also, the Saturn Sky does look pretty cool. Good work with you know, that, and everything. Could be a good cheaper alternative to the Concept C if VW ever does anything production wise with that.

PSSSS- Thank you for bringing the Monaro here, although that flat Pontiac grille doesn't help its looks in the depth department, makes it look like a bit of a blob really (and stop your salesmen from saying it's a competitor to the M3 for the love of all that is holy. You know the reason the car doesn't sell that well beyond the price point? The salesmen treat it like some magic ball of wisdom that will grant you all the knowlege of the universe and make you young again. It's a great fast car, it's got the most comfortable seats known to man, but it's not a BMW. The worst I have ever seen customers treated, save for all Toyota dealerships in major areas, is over the GTO). But anyway, now the Commodore, pretty please. You know Ford is going to bring the Falcon or a variation of it over here eventually, beat em to it, aye?

Mr Lutz,

Im glad to see a face at GM acknowledging the interior problems that have plagued your vehicles for years. I'm very hopeful that the initiative to change interior quality on GM vehicles is moving forward at an excellent pace. Hopefully it's not too late to buck the stigma of "GM = Poorly Built" in the mind of the general consumer and even performance enthusiast. I'm glad to hear the G6 is selling well, perhaps the aforementioned stigma is only present in performance circles.

I cant wait to see where this blog goes. Hopefully it can act as a link between those of us buying the cars and all of you building them.

PS: I bet if GM brought a well built, more powerful than an 05 Rustang, 07 Camaro to the table it would definitely turn a lot of heads in the performance community and if priced properly pull people away from cars like the WRX, SRT4 and other sport compacts.

Mr. Lutz

I like what you have been doing with Interiors lately, we purchased a Chevy Cavalier only a few months ago and I tell you, the interior on that thing cant compare to what you guys are doing now. I'm glad saturn is going to make a comeback. I am personally worried about Buick though. What is going to happen to it? If you are giving Saturn a cash infusion is Buick still going to get its infusion? I am really sick of the image Buick has over here. I live in Canada and Buick is always seen as "grandfathers car"
I dont konw why but everyone here loves Hondas. I am the current owner of a Buick Century and love it, but please tell me that Buick will be coming back, I dont know about you Mr. Lutz but I miss the old days of Buicks with V-8's and portholes roaring around the streets. A Buick that can attract a younger demographic would be great. Thank you for your time.

I am a major auto enthusiast. My income bracket not only allows me to enjoy educating myself on the entire industry, it also allows me to buy many of these cars. I own 18, currently 5 of which are GM products, 4 Cadillacs and a new C6 Vette. I've been following GM since the 'turn around' has begun and I must say I am VERY impressed! I have the new STS 4 (AWD) and it is by far the best mid sized vehichle in its class, which means best mid sized vehichle in the world. In fact, of all the vehichles I own, if I had to have one it would be the STS. Its fast, elegant, fun, smooth, yet agressive (and living in MI it has AWD which is a MAJOR plus). The interior is TOP notch and most definitely world class. I would agree that the SRX and CTS-V are ho-hum interiors, but I believe those vehichles were designed prior to the new standard. Also, even though they may be ho-hum there is absolutely nothing offensive by them. The seats are comfortable, the ergonomics are nice, and build quality is great. I would expect next generation or even updated SRX / CTSs to have interiors similar in quality to the STS, G6, and the beautiful new cross over sports vans (I was VERY impressed with those interiors for the price range).

Don't take this as 'sucking up' at all, but I believe Mr. Lutz and GM have done an AMAZING job injecting quality and care into their new line up of vehicles and expect even more from them in the future, both inside and out.

BTW - I've got some pictures of my car line up (albeit 9 months old so many have gone and many have come). The URL follows: http://www.geocities.com/dma200011/cars/

Enjoy and keep up the good work at GM guys :)

Mr. Lutz,

I have to say I like the direction GM as well as all of the domestics (is Chrysler still considered a domestic?) have been taking in the past couple of years in improving your products. So I wanted to first commend you and of course those you're helping lead on a job well done....in taking the first steps in the right direction. Unfortunately consumer demands are always in the here and now, which I realize makes your job all that much more difficult and there still seems to be some ways to go.

I agree the G6's interior is light years ahead of previous Pontiac products in terms of fit and finish. I also think the interior materials are also improved although not quite up to the compared Accord and I can see how that ""works" for most customers at the price point." I could see how that could be justified by a price difference between a G6 and an Accord. But I think the point to which the poster you were responding to was trying to emphasize was that aesthically speaking the Honda and Acura simply "look" better and I have to agree the styling inside didn't improve as much as the sheetmetal outside, and I don't see exactly how that is directly correlated to price. Although I don't find the G6's interior offensive, I don't think it "looks" as good as it could. Although the fit and finish can be world class, if it doesn't "look" world class it can make people think its less than world class. And that might be the case with the G6 interior. Its a styling issue not a quality issue.

All things considered I agree the G6 has shown GM can definitely make a great competitor to the Accords and Camrys out there.
Again I like the direction all of you are taking at GM, keep on trucking...and automobiling too.

PS-If you need a somewhat fresh graduate to make some charts and graphs about Chevy pick-up truck interiors, I'm readily available. I'll also do chassis design if thats needed...*wink*

One interior component that has bothered me, being an audio enthusiast, is the stereo. Today's aftermarket has a lot more to offer in terms of sound quality than factory systems. I can understand and appreciate that since the average consumer isn't as picky about their sound, that there's no reason to pour money into top-notch audio systems for them. One thing that I do respectfully ask though is that GM vehicles be made friendly towards aftermarket stereo installation. It has come to my attention that in many recent GM vehicles there are important parts of the car's computer system that are integrated into the radio. This makes it all but impossible to remove the factory deck and install an aftermarket one. If you want to sell cars that will appeal to not only the audiophile crowd, but also to the large number of teenagers who install aftermarket equipement, then you need to steer away from integrating the factory radios into everything. Ford made an even bigger mistake on their late-model Taurus, where the radio is integrated into an odd-oval shaped console with the heating/AC controls. Tell me how you're supposed to install a CD player in that and make it look good.

Each brand should have interiors that are appropriate for its price range. Dodge has great interiors for its price range because it is cheap but not tacky because it is simple. As far as upscale goes, i.e. Cadillac, genuine wood (see Audi) is a must. How much could genuine wood possibly cost. A Cadillac CTS or STS with an Audi like interior would be a hot item.

I believe GM has been coming out with some really great cars recently (Cadillac CTS and the Corvette). The interiors are definitely a lot better than in the mid- to late-90s where it seemed GM went the route of the cheapest materials it could find.

However, I wonder about the branding efforts of each division. How is GM differentiating each division? Is it based on age of buyer, affluency of buyer, or by the cars themselves? I'm hoping that each division will have its own unique lineup instead of seeing the same cars with just different badges and moldings.

First of all, this blog is pretty cool...I've often wished I could call up an auto-industry product exec and give him/her a piece of my mind. I guess this is the next best thing.

So on the topic of details that make a car attractive, I've got one for you. Why is it that steel rims on modern cars are only offered with plain gray wheel covers? I prefer steel rims because here in northern NJ we get potholes like you wouldn't believe, and I don't want to worry about costly rim damage. But most wheel covers today are very boring, particularly on GM cars. My 1986 Pontiac Parisienne (remember those?) has beautiful wheel covers with brushed metal faces that look as good as any alloy wheel. Why can't we see something like that as an option between the basic wheel covers and alloy rims?

Anyway, keep up the good work. The Buick LaCrosse looks nice and I'm waiting to see how the Lucerne turns out. Believe it or not, while my taste in cars makes me sound like an old fogey, I am actually a 21-year-old college student who happens to like big highway-cruiser cars. So there is hope for Buick yet!

Mr. Lutz,

I'd like to congratulate you first. Since you've taken over at GM, I've seen almost nothing but great strides in product and ideas. A few are still a bit lacking (I cannot find one good reason why the Colorado / Canyon twins were not designed with the TrailBlazer's I6 in mind as well, but that's another day's rant.) but overall it is a far cry from GM of a decade ago. Not even five years ago, there was not a Cadillac made that I would even remotely consider buying; now there's three, albeit as pipe dreams; Pontiac's styling is returning to reality, and GM's seemingly new-found ability to react (The '04 SSR is underpowered? Whoops, let's put an LS2 in for '05, and let buyers choose a six-speed if they want. THAT is listening to the consumer.) is a welcome change from designs that stagnated for nearly ten years with hardly a touchup.

That said, I'm now going to join the ranks of those clamoring for another Camaro. It's obvious the F-Body as the world knew it from 1967 to 2002 is dead, seeing as there's simply no room in Pontiac's lineup between the Solstice and the GTO to make room for a proper Firebird. This is a shame, but a forgivable one. Unlike many of the rest, though, I'm not going to rant and rave about how killing the Camaro was a horrible idea. While I desparately wish I had the option of purchasing a new one, by 2002 the Camaro was in desparate need of a serious update, especially the V6 models. You take away the wonderfully powerful LT1 and LS1 V8s, you take away the responsive suspension, and you're left with a hard-to-drive rattletrap with poor visibility and a harsh ride. It's no wonder sales plummeted so much by the end.

All that isn't to take away from how good the V8 fourth-generation was - my father purchased a '94 Z28 6-speed brand new, which my brother now drives, and he recently purchased an '01 Z28 6-speed. These are F-Bodies number three and four for him - his first car was a 1968 Firebird, which he traded for a then-new 1973 Camaro. I'm currently elbows-deep in transplanting the driveline out of a 2000 Camaro SS into my 1970 GMC pickup; one could definitely say I'm a huge fan of the F-Body.

Chevrolet needs a cheap image car. The Cobalt is a good start, but when it comes down to it, no matter how you dress it up, a Cobalt SS, Civic Si, Neon SRT4, Scion tC, and even the Impreza WRX, are still glorified economy cars. There needs to be a way for someone to drop about $25k on a drop-dead gorgeous, rear-wheel-drive car with the thumping idle only a V8 can provide. Right now, the only way to get that new is by going to a dealer with a blue oval on the sign, instead of a bow tie. Take a slightly smaller version of the GTO platform, and give it some edges - lines that while not blatantly retro, remind someone of that first Z/28 302, or a split-bumper '70 RS with a 396. Detune the LS2 a bit - you guys were great at it with the Camaro's LS1 versus the Corvette's - if you must. Give it plenty of room for two, and slightly usable rear seats. Give the base-model a proper engine, perhaps the I5 or I6 from the GMT355/360 platform. Price it right, and it will sell, sell, sell.

First, let me thank you Mr. Lutz for banishing the horrid Fisher Price interior on the Venture and giving us the Uplander's interior.

TO the nay-sayers: Sit in a G6 and you'll appreciate one. What GM needs, it seems, is better photographs. The photos that were circulated of the G6 interior and looked horrible. This was also a problem with the CSV exterior "beauty shots" which made the vans look much worse than the real thing - flat and fat. The G6 was awash in a sea of gray in the promotional photos, looking little better than the Grand Am it replaces, unlike the tan and charcoal interior of the concept, and that was very disappointing. But get up close, like I did, and WOW. Impressive. The interior was charcoal - almost black - unlike the gray interior shown in the initial photos.

But the Malibu is indeed a sea of gray plastic on the inside. Tight fit, good materials can only take you so far in a completely monotone interior (although the aluminum trim bar was nice). One thing I would like to see is GM banish Gray Plastic to the fetid abyss that it came from.

Even the all red and all blue interiors of the 1980s would be a welcome change from gray monotony.

The 2004 Grand Prix added some colors, which was good. Saab is mixing it up, and the Cobalt looks great on the inside.

Black plastic, silver trim, colored seat inserts, brown leather...all of these things help to take a good interior into the realm of great.

mr. lutz, without tipping your hand, is there really an affordable rear drive v8 in gms imediate future or is everyone just blowin smoke?

ps, by affordable i mean in the 20-28000+ range

Dear Bob.

Bring back the 57' Chevy, the 63' Deuce, the 67' Chevelle, the 69' Camaro and the 70' Monte Carlo and we'll love you forever lol wishful thinking.

I'm impressed with the relative progress on the interiors. The fit and finish on the seats is dramatically better. I agree that the lacrosse interior also is improved.

Nevertheless, its the 2006 Impala that has me confused. THe exterior is really quite bland. I understand the need for "Conservative" lines. It just seems like rather weak compromise.

THis is about interiors...and the Impala interior is DRAMATICALLY improved. Thanks for that. I hope next go around we can get a little flair outside.

In general you guys are improving. I think if you see some frustration from GM fans...just remember we've been through the type of hell only understood by Buffalo Bills fans.

Please:
ALL radios are to have 2 dials, one for volume, one for tuning.
Numbers and lettering are to be big enough to be llegible from the drivers position.
No light gray on dark gray lettering
No deep set pods for instrumentation
Never put shiny reflective chrome rings around instruments
Dig out your Summit catalog and look up AUTOMETER gauges. Use 5 inch dia gauges with white faces, black numerals and red needles.
Buy a Volvo S60R T5, sit in seats, copy, add to vehicles.
Now, back to rear drive again.

Thats all, thanks.

Bob Lutz said:

"I would admit that the Accord has a great interior, as does Acura. But we're talking much higher prices there."

Most of you will know the saying "God is in the details," and a lot of Honda's (and Toyota's) ability to charge a premium over domestic vehicles lies in their superior interiors. The Accord's interior not merely could come from a more expensive Acura, it does — essentially a larger version of that in the Acura TSX (which actually is an Accord in most markets). The new Avalon being unveiled this weekend sets a new standard for the large car class. The Lucerne may be a step closer to a Lexus-like interior, but for a similar price Toyota will give you an interior that really could have been lifted straight out a Lexus. That same quality in design and material is still lacking in the new Buick.

GM's concepts such as the Centieme, Cien and Cheyenne have shown the kind of high-quality interiors customer's now expect, but GM seems unwilling to do the same in it's production models, either for fear that customers will not pay the higher prices required, or of alienating it's more "traditional" buyers. As a result people feel that cars such as the G6 and Malibu are not "worth" as much as the Camry and Accord. Check the forums Mr. Lutz — even priced below the Accord people felt the G6 was priced to high and complained about the interior.

The LaCrosse interior may be stylish, but too many fine details are lacking. Faux wood trim, mouse-fur headliner and myriad other details let down the LaCrosse. Follow Honda's lead with the Acura TL — offer a more sophisticated replacement in a shorter package next time and produce a true alternative to the ES350 and Lincoln Zephyr (based on Epsilon II). Work with Fiat and build a Lancia version (below the Thesis) to add build volume and use more European capacity. The interiors of the Thesis and Ypsilon would look great in a Buick.

The same applies to engines. In this respect people are more concerned about specific horsepower and boasts of near-zero emmissions than the technology involved. Honda's J30A V6 may only have SOHC and two-stage variable valve timing, yet it produces 250 hp. Toyota's new 3.0 L 3GR-FE produces 245 hp and the 3.5 L 2GR-FE in the new Avalon 280 hp. Honda's J35A and Nissan's VQ35E each produce up to 300 hp. This fosters the impression that these engines are "better" than GM's OHV designs, or even the new DOHC V6s, and consequently worth more money. Honda now offers variable cylinder management in some engines. The benefits may be questionable in Honda's application, but again it creates the impression that the Honda is superior and thus worth much more to the customer.

Where is the DOD system promised for the new OHV V6s? Where is a weight-saving aluminum block? (Kudos for the VVT system and 2800 rpm peak torque). Where is a 300 hp (non-turbo) high-output version of 3.6 L HFV6 for the CTS, SRX and STS? Where are 3V versions of the OHC engines that GM Powertrain says will add another 30 hp to the 3.9 L, producing a more respectable 270 hp, and VVT for the OHV V8s? Where is wider application of the TwinPort system when GEMA will offer a similar feature on its new Global 4-cylinders for Chrysler, Hyundai and Mitsubishi? An aluminum block, 24V and TwinPort in addition to VVT would do wonders for impressions of the OHV V6s' value.

Mr. Lutz.

The new interiors that are coming out of GM are magnificent. The interiors of the new Saturn Sky and Aura were breathtaking. However, I have a comment I would like to make. Often times, it seems that GM releases photos of their new interiors that are gray in colour. Gray really makes the interior to look dull. It would be much better to have interiors in colours such as beige. Gray interiors do not do justice of the vastly improving interiors of GM. An example is the Corvette's interior. Initial photos of it in beige were great, but the later photos of the interior in gray were not very exciting.
P.S. I would also like to see less of the black plastics used for the centre console, car window switches, etc.

Mr. Lutz,

Great blog!
Keep up the good work.

Steve S.
Troy, MI

I'm not sure how the price of the car can really have that much bearing on how nice the interior looks. Sure, more expensive cars use nicer quality materials, but it seems GM interiors are not only made of low grade materials but they're ugly as sin and laid out terribly. How does that have anything to do with the price of the car?

I love your blog!

I'm wondering what you think about putting computer systems into cars. Here's a look at what Microsoft is doing: http://radio.weblogs.com/0001011/2005/01/08.html#a9134

Mr. Lutz,

It's great to see that a big auto maker executive actuallty opens up to the public and listens to what they have to say, great idea!

I'd also like to congradulate you and anyone else involved for the amazing progress being made at GM these days. The road to recovery can be a long and hard one, and though a lot of the new stuff still is not perfect, the progress that has been made is pretty impressive.

Though a lot of people might not agree with me, I think that even the later 90's models (some, not all) weren't all that bad. We have a 2002 Century Limited, a 2001 Grand-Am SE1 and about to get a GMC Savana as well as quite a few GM products in the past (yes, I'm from a family of GM lovers, GM and Chrysler). All of them, especially the Century, have been great, I love the Century right now, great car despite what alot of people would try to have you believe.

Speaking of wich, I think the Allure/LaCrosse is a pretty good replacement for the Century and Regal, personally I would've preferred seeing the Century and Regal each get their own replacement, but what can you do, I guess. The new look is great, materials have improved, fit and finish are better. Keep it up!

I can't help but wonder what's going to happen to Buick though. With the demise of Oldsmobile and Buick looking like it's going to become the new "import fighter" for GM, I'm hoping that the same thing is not what lies ahead for Buick too. As another person mentioned, it would be nice to see them make a reutnr to what they once were. Oh, and if you don't mind me making a suggestion, I have 2 words for you, Grand National.

I've seen pictures of the new Saturn concepts by the way. Wow! What a change! The Aura looks like nothing that we've ever seen come out of Saturn ever before, and I mean that in a good way. I think this may be the best to ever happen to Saturn. But, what will happen to the people who used to buy Saturns because they were decent vehicles at a pretty low price?

The new Monte-Carlo and Impala are pretty impressive too, I can't wait to see more of these two. I hope that's a good example of things to come from Chevy.

Well, that's all I have to say. Keep up the good work and let's hope GM can make a huge comeback.

Thanks, keep it up, and good luck!
Denis C

p.s. : I too would like to point out that a lot of the pictures that give us a preview of models to come, often make it look strange or even ugly, while the real vehicle looks pretty good or even great.

Please, please, please, on all future stereos for GM, include an auxiliary input (RCA jacks) for the MILLIONS of iPod and other digital music players to connect into.

Tape deck adapters and FM transmitters don't cut it, and fancy interfaces like BMW's are nice but more than what the vast majority of us in the iPod nation need/want.

Just a simple input (like the Honda Element has) is all it would take.

Thanks for opening yourself up like this. This relatively small effort should reap you huge rewards in the realm of public opinion. More GM and other corporate execs should have the balls to do this. You rule.

By the way, I love Saturn. I totaled one once and walked away. Here's the story "A seat belt saved my life." http://scobleizer.manilasites.com/2001/10/29

Here's a picture: http://scobleizer.manilasites.com/pictures/viewer$620

Hey Mr. Lutz--

Why not import another Australian car into the states, namely the Holden Utes. I think with gasoline prices rising, pickup drivers are going to want something that can carry their loads as well look cool. Just a thought.

As a GM buyer since my 1970 Chevelle bought new, and now the owner of a 2002 Chevy Trailblazer, my patience with recalls is wearing thin. Truck's been very reliable, and has only been to the dealer once for an actual repair for a reprogramming to address a cold run problem. However the average 3 recalls a year since new is a problem especially when the recall notice says it's a 30 min job, but the dealer is backed up a day and may take hours or overnight!

Would also like to address the continuing decontenting of these GMT360-370 SUVs. I "might" have considered trading UP to a newer one, but with my last count 15 items that since 2002 have been deleted or changed for the worse, why would I do that?

Finally I would really like there to be an OnStar DELETE option on new GM products. Upscale Trailblazers are sold overseas without OnStar. I would not buy one of the upscale LT or LTZ (now discontinued) Trailblazers because they all had mandatory OnStar. I have other communications means (amateur radio and cell phone) and do not want the OnStar equipment in the vehicle at all, so that really limits me on GM choices.

THANKS for this opportunity!

Bobbo,

Like said in an earlier comment, please stop letting GM put the "SS" moniker on completely underserving vehicles. the SS pickup truck is a laughable, overweight, ugly, underpowered and overpriced turd. 1960s-era GM is turning in it's grave. Also, the Impala SS and Monte Carlo SS? FWD, bland (Impala) or plain ugly (Monte Carlo) with disappointing power, considering they pack a supercharged 3.8 liter V6. They should be turning the REAR wheels, too. Buick got 245hp, 20+ mpg, RWD, and great looks back in the 80s with the Grand National. Why can't GM do it now?

Ford's SVT line and Chrysler's PVO/SRT line are something GM should look at.

Basically, the only things in GM's current North America stable that interests me are the Corvette, the GTO, and all the -V cars that Cadillac is coming out with. But I won't be able to afford anothing more than the GTO for some time to come.

And lastly, please please please stop benchmarking. GM has been the innovators in the past, so why not come up with something that isn't a has-been before it even hits dealer lots?

Mr. Lutz,

Congratulations on your efforts to restore the respect and dominance GM once enjoyed. Duntov, Mitchell and Earl must be spinning 7,000 rpm in their graves given the current state of the automotive industry. I have a few suggestions regarding recreating the magic of the past:

1. Get the GTO styling straightened out and give Chevy a sister - Chevelle.
2. Build this thing in all versions to save costs - four doors, wagons etc. Call them Malibu's.
3. Use this platform for Monte Carlo & Grand Prix (maybe Buick - Grand National?). Then I could actually buy something that resembles what is raced on Sundays.
5. Do not do full-on retro's. These cars need to be modern and create their own legends.
5. Do not attach "SS" badges to anything other than rear drive V8 vehicals. You are diluting the namesake and the legend otherwise.
6. Stop using "sissy car" names ("Vue" and "Vibe" come to mind).
7. Let Saturn die a peaceful death. Use the money GM has allocated to spend on Saturn to shore up Chevy, Pontiac and Buick. These are the brands that have produced legendary vehicals and created the strong following that mainstream America identifies with.
8. Colors, content & style. The work of Harley Earl and Bill Mitchell should be the inspiration here. Modern, subtle and judicious use of chrome, contrasting interior colors and attention to detail.
9. Build it and we will buy.

Good luck and best regards,

A thiry-something car nut.

Mr. Lutz,
One very important issue is looming as a concern with the public and Im sure, Lawyers. We urge you to make the use of the EDR (Event Data Recorder)also known as the Black Box recorder, controllabe by the OWNER. The default position should be OFF. The owner can then OPT IN to allowing it to be in action. These devices should be divorced from the safety function computer system so they can be deactivated. We have deactivated out airbags to stop the recording and I know of many others that have also. These recordings of how you drive your car are very dangerous. Im a safety engineer and know the benefits of this knowledge but it can be gathered from fleets and not needed in the general public, and the privacy issue is far more important. Make them controllabe by the driver and or owner. And the default position should be OFF.

I have contacted the Electronic Freedom Foundation (EFF) and our congressmen for help in addressing this issue in the near future.

Thank you

Bob,

You wrote: "Now I'll invite comparison with anybody, any price class, any national origin."

Now you are taking your point to a ridiculous extreme so as not to be believable. There is nothing about any GM interior (any car, any price class) that yet can compare or compete with the interior of a fair number of cars on the road today. For example the Audi A8L, the Range Rover HSE, the Mercedes Maybach, and lest you think these high end cars "unfair", even the Audi TT all have interior style and quality far in excess of what GM is producing today.

Sorry, but that's my opinion and I'm sticking to it (and I own a couple of these fine vehicles because I put my money where my mouth is). I hope you one day acheive such design styl;e and quality but I for one am not waiting around for it.

Mr Lutz,

As a past Saab owner, I am sorry to see that so far GM has destoryed Saab. I don't know if this message is posted but if it isn't I at least hope it is passed on to you.

While apparently Ford has helped Jaguar, Range Rover, even Aston Martin try to rediscover that which made those marks great GM has lost the soul of Saab. An SUV? A Subaru? Whoever is making these decisions has no clue what Saab was about.

Too bad, while the world is full of so many look-alike me-too vehicles Saab was at the least a unique iconoclast delivering intelligent vehicles with their own special flair, innovations, and ecological responsibility.

Just some rumblings about GM design:
The existing front end of Impala is bolder in appearance than photo shots of 2006 model. Too blah and looks like carryover from Mote Carlo. My 2002 Buick Regal GS exterior and interior is better than LaCrosse I recently test drove. LaCrosse is just quieter and tighter, but goofy looking.
Pontiac is the performance division. What happened to duel exhausts on G6 (Grand Am had them). Vibe GT would look cool with duel exhausts. Why does Solstice have a puny 4 cyl 170 HP engine and single exhaust. How about 220 HP and duel exhausts from the get go. Bonneville GPX front end looks to similar to the Grand Prix which looks similar to the GTO (which mated a Grand Prix front with an Olds Intrigue rear end). The older style Bonneville front with the fog lamps pushed toward the center gave the vehicle an agressive stance and made a bold statement like a Dodge Ram. When you looked in the rearview mirror you knew a Bonneville was on your butt and got the hell out of the way. Pontiacs are becoming to bland. Here's an idea. Reintroduce the rear wheel drive updated Trans Am and Camaro. Build them at Bowling Green on same platform with corvette and caddy-vette, max out facility driving down costs and agressively price both ($18K) to reach intended market like the Mustang is doing. Why does GM take so long from auto show to production (solstice 3+ yrs). Foreign auto makers show a car at Detroit show and 6 months later you can buy it

Mr. Lutz,

Thank you for making this forum available to those of us who care about GM and it's products.

I've been a "GM guy" for all my life. Even when I was a kid, my dad only ever bought GM cars. So the loyalty or at least the potential for it is there. In my case I've owned a bunch over the years: Chevy's, Buicks, Pontiacs and Oldsmobiles from the '70s. In the '80s and early '90s I went import with a Toyota and a VW. Now I'm back, with an '02 Intrigue and a '68 Cutlass that's a restored hobby car.

GM made a huge mistake killing Olds and keeping Saturn, but that's another topic. I like my Intrigue and likely will keep it for a few more years. That car should never have been axed because it was the best of that crop of platform vehicles. The engine was (is) superb. The interior is OK, enough not to keep me from buying it. But it wasn't compelling either although the woven headliner material was a nice change from the usual fuzzy cloth (I notice things like that).

I understand that interiors are about fashion as much as style (two different things) and it was a product of the times in which it was designed. GM interiors are slowly getting there, but still seem to suffer from too much supplier-driven componentry and low-bid materials. My Cutlass comes from the days when GM interiors were the class of the industry, I believe in large part because much of the development was done in-house. Now I understand a lot has been outsourced to suppliers. It just isn't the same though.

I look at the interior of the current Malibu - horrid, especially in gray. I understand that most manufacturers these days are only doing gray and tan interiors, with an occasional black or charcoal in the mix. But until the early 90s you generally had some color choice in an interior, something that dated back to the days of Harley Earl. Everyone seems to have forgotten that. There are some exterior paint colors that simply don't work with gray or tan interiors. You need some other choices inside. Hopefully, we'll see some of that. Generic gray mouse-fur fabric (I thought I had coined that phrase, BTW!) just doesn't work for me on a $30K purchase.

The concept Saturn Aura seems almost to have gone too far the other way. Chrome or plasticrome everywhere, lots of different shades, lines and moldings... it almost reminds me of my old '78 Delta 88. You don't want to go that way either. Find a balance of style and good taste without getting too trendy, as with the current use of plastic fake aluminum in far too many places. The 'late-80s FWD Olds 88s used that, and it looks tacky.

I wish GM good luck and hope it makes it through. As for me, while the Aura has a lot of good things going for it, there is one item that I think will keep me from ever considering it - the nameplate. I cannot ever see myself driving or owning a Saturn product. That brand has mostly negative connotations for me, meaning cheap, utilitarian, unattractive cars. If that vehicle was in another GM brand lineup, I might reconsider. I understand Saturn is supposed to fill the gap left by Olds, but it is an uphill battle - and as in my case, well-nigh impossible for some.

GM has a hole in it's market coverage for people like me right now. At this point in my life, I don't want a Chevy (entry-level), a Pontiac (too boy-racerish), a Buick (too old), or a Caddy (Actually, I'd love one, but cannot afford it). I'm the target market Olds existed to serve. You don't have anything for me to go to right now. And it won't likely be Saturn. So, when the time comes, I might have to go elsewhere. I don't want to do that, but I may have no option at GM.

Oh how I long for the good old days when every fall we had to wait for the windows on the dealerships to be uncovered so we could see the newest models. The anticipation of new models was fantastic and it brought crowds into the showrooms. Not any more. What does G.M. offer that is exciting across their entire model line? Every year looks like the last one except for maybe different wheels or wheelcovers. Think back to the days when every year brought a completely new design to the showroom. '55, '56, '57, '58 Chevrolet was entirely different in every one of those years, and they were and are memorable. Does anyone really know the difference between a 2000 and 2004 Monte Carlo, Impala, Regal or Grand Prix? G.M. is now bringing out the HHR but only after the PT Cruiser has been around for nearly 10 years and that niche is probably ready to die off. Where is the competiton for the Pacifica or the Dodge Magnum or the Chrysler 300C? I would love to see GM build a vehicle similar to the Pacifica or the Magnum. The soccer Moms don't need another PT Cruiser with a GM Badge. Someone at GM needs to wake up and start designing vehicles that make people want to get in line to buy them. Look at the 300C, it's still hard to get and they're still lined up to get one. GM has to have enormous incentives in place in order to move vehicles when in reality what they need is "Product".
On another note. Why did GM put the same engine in the new Buick LaCrosse as is in the Cadillac CTS, but de-tuned it to only 240 Hp? I would like the same horsepower in the LaCrosse as is in the CTS.

I don't like your design.

Mr. Lutz,

First off, I appreciate your participation in this dialog.

I am currently approaching the end of my lease on a BMW and have started evaluating my options for my next car. I have been very impressed with the new Corvette but the interior leaves me cold. There seems to be so little imagination in its design and it's totally unbefitting a $50,000 car. Also, the sales brochure lacks useful information about the car and options, and seems more of a comic book than a sales brochure for a $50,000. What's really scary is that I'll have to go to a Chevy dealer to get more information. The last time I did that the salesmen couldn't be bothered to break up their very graphic and public discussion about picking up women in the bar to wait on any customers.

As a weekly customer of National Car Rental I'm familiar with a good many of GM's cars. With few exceptions, the interiors are pretty uninspired. The seats are sofas, the switchgear seems cheap and dated, and the stereo's EQ settings are...well curious. But it's easy to dial in the HVAC system, work the wipers, and set the cruise control. Easier than my BMW for sure. And of course there are always lots of cup holders.

However, interiors are but one reflection of GM's problems. Generally, I find the cars are unsophisticated and even the rare exceptions are marketed poorly. I know you aware of this - but the competition is increasingly providing high levels of sophistication at a lower price point.

Good luck.

I own a few late mode GM vehicles, and manage a fleet of passenger vans that includes a few full size late model Chevy vans. I am amazed at the impractical interior design features on these vehicles. The 2003 Express van has side doors on the left and right side of the vechicle, but there are no handles to pull the door closed on the right side door. I have a 2002 express van with a right side door only, and it doesn't have interior handles either. I think that the a lack of handles on an interior door is a much more practical matter than how the interior looks, but it seems to me that GM has a hard time connecting with the end users of vehilces and what might be better and more attractive to end users. If anyone has ever tried to communicate with Chevrolet online or on the phonse about anything out of the ordinary I think they would also understand Chevrolet's inability to adapt to changing needs and wants of the American consumer. I think I will always look to GM first, but I wish that they could produce better thought out products, and could provide better quality customer service.

Bob Lutz, your comments on the accord are not quite accurate in that you can buy a basic Accord for about $16K and change; I bought my wife the EX fully equiped version which has an incredibly tight fit and finish, a comfortable logical interior and lots of amenities. But what wows me about the car is how quiet and tight it is. I drove GM for many many years and the cars just got shodier as time went by. Unless I buy a BMW or Mercedes I can't find a car with as much solidity, road manners etc. As an example I put the keys to 2 different cars in my wife's hands; a Jag X, loaded and the Accord EX, V-6 loaded; and after a drive in each she immediately selected the Honda. And each day she drives it she tells me what a great choice she made. By the way the dealer has been extremely attentive to any and all concerns about the car, including some that were simply cosmetic preferences and not warrantied; they covered em all. Good luck at GM; now just extend that brand attentiveness to quality that you are building at Saturn to the rest of your divisions. And drive a loaded Accord and you'll see what your up against.

Hello Mr. Lutz,

I think GM would do well to marry Buick exteriors with Pontiac interiors. Take for example, the Buick Rendezvous (beautiful on the outside, but has an untextured interior that seems too loose) and the Pontiac Aztek (ugly body, but has a nice tight interior almost like a VW interior; almost.)
I must say I love the looks of the Buick Lacrosse but haven't had a chance to see the interior. (It's been a while since a GM vehicle has made me look twice.) Don't you think the advertising has been kind of slim? And couldn't GM afford to actually pay Aerosmith to sing their song for the ads instead of having studio singers do it? I could be wrong but the voice singing the song "Dream On" doesn't sound at all like Steven Tyler. The real Aerosmith + Buick would be an awesome pairing as both are classics one can always count on to perform.
Just a few thoughts from a casual observer and commuter.

I appreciate the improvements across the board and agree that your comeback is real. Nonetheless GM must overcome the stigma of unreliability and its generally poor reputation

Like it or not, in order to be credible domestic products must match or exceed the imports in quality AND beat them on price -- at least at first.

Once you have established yourselves with vehicles that have the requisite quality and reliability THEN you can raise prices to match demand and reap the fruits of your labors. But not till then.

Remember that Lexus invaded the luxury market by pricing the first LS400 at $38,000 only and by giving customers better than MB/BMW reliability from the word go. Then, they could raise the price.

Until then, -- almost Accord-like with lower price will simply not work. It will mean that you're always catching up.

How come Hyundai could do more in terms of improving quality in a short time on the JD Powers surveys than GM has done in a much longer period of time? You need to have a dozen vehicles which reliably match Honda/Toyota in reliability and/or routinely beat the best of Euroean style and feel at a good price.

Bob:
Drove the sport model(sticker 35K) of the Lacrosse at Perry Buick of Virginia Beach ( a very reputable dealer). I thought the car was much like the '85 Electra T-type I bought my wife years ago. On the interstate I had to step on the gas to get around a truck: I thought the response was less than confidence inspiring!

I also felt the car was somewhat bulky, and did little to bring me back from Honda/Acura. It was quiet, but it didn't make me want to buy the car despite a nice follow-up call from the dealer.

Bottom line, you still have work to do!

Just thought you should know how this old 69 year old man felt. Incidentally, my father worked for GM for many years, and we loved Buicks in the forties and fifties!

James

Mr. Lutz:

Congratulations on your jump into the blog faithful. I too, a GM dealer in Miami, took the jump a week after you. I find this new medium exciting. Just like you I will be able to tell my side of the story to my employees and my customers. And, they, in turn will be able to tell me what they think about what I think. You can check my efforts at: www.autocity4u.blogspot.com. And congratulations on your ongoing efforts to bring out products that customers really want. The Buick Lacrosse, the Pontiac G6 and the Pontiac Solstice are real winners!

Sincerely,

Lomberto L. Perez
President
AUTOCITY BUICK-PONTIAC-GMC OF PINECREST
Miami, Fl.

Bob,
I am driving my 2nd Cadillac CTS, an 04 and truly love the new engine and the redesigned instruments. I have a brother who drives an SRX and the additional touches like the closing storage panels on the front doors and the better refinement of the console are great additions and would be welcome on the CTS. I understand there would be an additional cost but imagine it would be nominal and would go a long way towards making the interior feel a little more "up-market" and assumedly could be included as a running change. Two things that bug me... First, for those of us who spend a lot of time in our cars, a true pocket on the back of the front seats as opposed to a net is MUCH more functional. Secondly, I had "rain sense wipers" on an Aurora which at first I thought was a frivolous option...Once I experienced them and how you could literally "set them and forget them" I became hooked and really missed them. I’m not sure if they are available anymore but I found them an excellent option and would happily (for the right price of course) check that option box at ordering time. In any event, I continue to preach the message of just how excellent my Cadillac’s are and look forward to leasing another one next year. Thank you for creating focus and a desire for excellence at GM.

PS. I think a Pontiac Solstice in British Racing Green with tan leather will look great in my garage next to my Cadillac.

Cheap Visors - Many vehicles in the GM line have visors that do not extend to shield the sun on the side window. My daughter had a 4 cylinder, price leader, S10 pickup truck with visor extensions. My $30K+ Montana does not. I overheard a couple at the auto show make the comment "Cheap" when they noticed the vehilce's visor did not have an extension. No matter good an interior looks, if it doesn't perform, no one cares. I have to hold my hand along side of my head to keep the sun out of my eyes when traveling south to Warren in the morning. This is a reminder of GM's shortcoming every day.

I'm glad to hear that GM is working on improving the interior of their designs. I have always bought Japanese but I really do want to buy American. I now believe the quality of American cars has drastically improved, particularly GM, but the interiors are the last major item I feel needs to be addressed. If higher quality materials cost a couple hundred dollars more it's definitely worth it.

Hello, I am a huge sports car fan, and I have been hearing rumours that there is going to be a release of a retro-trans-am in 2006, is this true? If so where can I see one? I would buy one imediatley upon release!

Dear Mr. Lutz,

I am intrigued that there is a venue to comment upon the design of cars that has the possibility of actually impacting upon these designs.

I realize that I take a different and perhaps parochial view of car design, and that I represent a small minority of the car buyers of the world; be that as it may; here are my entirely unsolicited comments.

I use a wheelchair. I had polio and that means I have been disabled for a long, long time - before it was even trendy, hence every car I have ever had, or rented has had hand-controls. I now qualify myself as an expert after driving them for well over 40 years.

Now styles may vary but to get a folding chair into a car usually goes like this.

Open driver door, slide from chair to driver’s seat; slide from driver’s seat to passenger’s seat; fold driver’s seat forward; reach behind seat and grab on to the front of the chair and pull it into the space between the front and rear seats; release front set back and slide back into driver’s seat. Give a sigh.

This presumes a two door car. As you can easily appreciate you can not do this with a four door car. It also requires that the space behind the back of the drivers seat and the rear of the door opening is sufficient to allow you to get the chair in, and the space between the front and rear sears can accept a folded chair. As a collorary it usually requires an automatic transmission and power steering and brakes.

Now trying to find a car that meets all these requirements and also has a trunk into which the chair will fit – allowing the rest of the family to share my incredibly fabulous company has been a sore trial on my well developed and well exercised sense of humour.

I have two children under 12 and a wife – who indulges me. We currently have a surplus of cars. A 2005 Buick (my wife alone must skew the demographics on Buick owners), a 2001 Focus wagon, a 1993 Mustang and an 1981 WS6 Trans-Am.

I can drive all of the cars, but can only get my chair into the Mustang and the TA. They are great cars for my needs. 2 large doors, low to the ground – no and - let me repeat this, no centre counsel preventing me from moving – entirely gracefully – from the driver’s to the passenger’s seat.

I shall not lie. You can not get the chair into the trunk of the TA without disassembling it, leaving not much room than for a negligee or two. In my defense I bought it before I was married and was responsible. I can not give it up – as my seven year old daughter says… “.. it likes corners”.

The Focus is nearly great. The interior room is ample, almost as much as the Sable wagon it replaced – and handles much better. The wagon means my son can get the chair into the cargo area with little trouble as it has flush entrance. The centre arm rest swings up so my wife and I can share the driving with out me having to get out into the chair just to get into the passenger’s seat. We rented a current Monte Carlo in Florida that required me to do that, and the last generation of Thunderbird was no better – same with Grand Ams etc. It drives me crazy.

We have just got the Buick and I am reserving my comments until I am more familiar with it.

I shall not even hint at the tribulations I go through at car dealers… “ I need a two door automatic… “ “Oh we have a nice 5 speed Jetta right over here…” I have more than once strained an arm restraining my wife… She is Irish you see - lost her sense of the absurd in the famine. Now speaking of stereotypes - all the dealers immediately try to convince me to by a van… I point out that Vans, and SUVs are all way too high off the ground to allow me to get from the chair into the driver's seat. They never believe this and I must go to the vehicle, open the door and show them the distance. A waste of time.

Look at the selection of cars or wagons out there… no two door wagons – I can understand that; but the selection of coupes with no centre console, that can contain a wheel chair between the seats, have a usable trunk, an automatic transmission, and have any pretensions to style or panache is pretty low.

We looked at the Saturn – the extra two doors intrigued me; it would make getting the chair in nearly easy - but the fact that the Redline version is not available with an automatic and you could not get 4 wheel disk brakes on the regular version annoyed me. An the interior was a bit bizarre even for me. The previous version of the Saturn had the console running into the back seat area, you could not jam a chair in with out major automotive surgery.

Even if the new GTO was less expensive, it would be a dubious choice as the chances of moving between seats, with the emergency brake positioned as it is – is not with out grave personal risk, and more mundanely the console intrudes into the rear storage area…. The current Grand Am coupe and the Cobalt suffer from the same problem. Oh well.

All the companies make a big deal about their programs for the “disabled driver” which are mainly to subsidize modifications to a vehicle; this is all well and good but it would be nice if the initial design of both the interior and exterior took some of the generic needs of the disabled driver into consideration. I doubt that this would compromise the integrity of the process anymore than taking into consideration the specific needs of women has. In truth I suspect if you could delete some “standard features” you would have a reasonable starting point for a far more accessible design.

When we do a big development projects I often get two different project managers involved in the initial needs definition stage, as experience has thought me that presumptions colour all design development exercises, and that the more varied input always leads to a more refined and insightful product. I know that the budget discrepancies between my projects and yours are many orders of magnitude but I think – perhaps naively - that the paradigm is congruent.

Now to reassure you the auto industry is not alone in its narrow view… the wheelchair industry, if you can believe it, is worse.

So much for my ranting. I appreciate the effort you are making to improve GM – and remember at least ½ of our cars were made by you. Good luck.

Craig Taylor
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada.

Members of my family have proudly bought and sold Buicks (at times, as dealers) for generations, so I appreciate more than most your efforts to revitalize the brand and make it worthy of its heritage again. The new LaCrosse is a step in the right direction...but I'd like to offer a few comments for improvements to this "first edition."
(1.) At least give us the option of having brushed aluminum trim on the dashboard, like the Infiniti G35. Fake wood is just that, and that's all it will ever be. The 1970s really are over, guys!
(2.) With the exception of the 17" versions available on the CSX, the wheel selection is butt-ugly. The mid-range wheels look like something that fell off a covered wagon crossing Kansas 125 years ago.
(3.) I can't figure out why the solid graphite (i.e., black) interior trim isn't available with the gold exterior paint. This would be an awesome combination! (Especially with the fake wood ripped out of the interior!)
(4.) Also, why charge extra for an exterior "chrome appearance package" that ought to be standard on all models? The car looks rather forlorn--dare I say naked?--without it. This is like charging extra for bumpers! Nonetheless...the LaCrosse really is a step in the right direction, but more, even bolder steps are a must to save the brand. Let's be sure the following is always true: "When Better Automobiles Are Built, Ford Will Be Out Of Luck!"

why has cadillac escalade stoped the silver sand for the exterior? i have owned for of these and now i look at the 2005 it isn't there. you can have two blues and yet do away with the best looking color.
interior design ... has no one figured out how to place a cup holder to the left side of the steering wheel?

I have just heard about the demise of the Pontiac Bonneville. I can't believe what I am hearing. We have a 2000 SLE, that is loaded with most of the goodies, including the optional chrome mag wheels. It is black with a taupe leather interior. We love this car.

We had planned to buy a '06 model with the V8 option, but now we are going to have to go to a Cadillac CTS-V. I refuse to drive a Buick, and absolutely would never own a Chevy. The Bonneville does not deserve to get the axe.

The HOLDEN/GTO would have been my choice. It is so boring to look at, and has NO image. It just plain stinks. The G6 is also another snooze. I think that Pontiac has forgotten their mantra "We build excitment."

All I can say is that our 2000 Bonneville still recieves attention and tons of compliments. Most of the folks we have talked to, all say they really like the looks of it. Even at 5 years old, we still see people checking it out. I hope that the decicion to end the Bonneville will be reversed.

To me, the only thing Chevy has to offer is the Corvette. If you need to trim fat, look at them, not the Bonneville for crying out loud....

Okay so you improved interior quality that was standard 20 years ago...pat on the back?

You are not only behind still, but you're marketing the "caught up" still. High hopes...see the real thing and no hopes.

Still waiting...GM is doing better than yesteryear, but I want better than next year.

I would consider G6 selling extremely well when people are lining up to pay premium over MSRP. When GM has to resort to cash incentives and the 1 million dollar giveaway sweepstake to sell a brand new model, there is a problem here.

To be fair, the G6 is a step forward in terms of the fit and finish and the exterior and interior designs. However, the powertrain is still no match to Honda's and Toyota's. The steering wheel design is downright hideous. Change it to the three spoke steering wheel now and I garantee you sales will improve.

For me if this is changed, I can see myself in a G6.

I am suprised there are some obvious misses in the G6. Like the G6 giveaway at Oprah's show. Marketing 101, never give away new product with sizeable monetary value. It has negative effects on customers' perceived value of the product. And what's up with the TV commericals. Oprah's show and the TV commercials. Only women drives a G6?

I can't believe misses like those still happen in GM's product launch.

Honesly, if I can, I will pay to talk to GM's designer and marketing people. Hopefully, I can talk some senses out of them.

It may sound harsh, but I believe your products should speak for your company. If you build great products, your customers will be knocking on your door and get on waiting list to buy them.

That's how you launch a brand new product.

Mr. Lutz,

Since when is a Honda Accord a more expensive car than a Pontiac G6? Base prices on 4-cylinder Accords are MUCH less - some 5 GRAND less. As for V-6 Accords, base price is one grand higher, but a fully loaded one is a full grand LESS than a similarly loaded G-6.

Oh, I forgot... Honda can sell its cars without having to pay people to take them; Honda buyers are happy to pay at or near sticker price. There's a message in that - but GM, the Big Three, seem deaf to it year after year.

As for "giving you credit" for the vast improvement in Pontiac interiors, why should I give you credit for doing what you should have been doing all along - striving for the best in every market segment?

I DON'T think the G-6 is a bad car - it is indeed a better car than what it replaces. It just is not the best compact I can get for 25 grand - not even the 2nd or 3rd or 4th best.

I will continue to beat this drum until you listen! It is not enough to build a better car than you built last year. You must build a better car than Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Subaru, Volkswagen and Nissan - all of whom have more attractive offerings for 25-30 grand than the G-6. That you can pat yourself on the back for interiors that are merely less crappy than the interiors of past Pontiacs is a travesty. You should be ashamed. When they are as good as or better than the best available in a given market segment, THEN you've earned the right to brag.

Mr. Lutz

Here's my .02 cents regarding the discussions in this blog.

The G6 interior is fine, not everyone wants an interior like the Japanese! In my opinion the
design of the Accord exterior falls flat, how
many years are they going to milk that same
basic design. Bland, Boring, Same old Accord!

You want the G6 to sell? Continue to build
cars that excite people, that stand apart from
the crowd, and stand behind your products.

I have purchased many GM cars and plan to
purchase the G6 (GXP hopefully!) Skip some money on the interiors and train the dealers. They are the representation of your company to the consumer. One bad experience with them and you can have million dollar interiors in the G6 and it still won't sell.

To get the people to the dealers, advertise effecitively. I do see so many more car ads on TV than I do for GM. Thank God Pontiac was sponsoring the NCAA tournament.

A note about quality to Andy: my co-worker had just purchased America's best selling sedan, The Tauras. Just kidding-- the Camry -- and he had to take it back four times due to transmission failures among other things. American automakers have come a long long way since the 70's, in fact I am still driving my 91 Olds Cutlass Supreme with 300,000 miles on it with original engine, exhaust, and transmission.

Half the problem with GM are problems that your customers will never know or care about. How much money does GM pour into taxes on old factories, healthcare, and retirement of it's largely U.S. work force? Toyota, Honda, and the rest have new US factories, almost all with favorable tax (read: none) treatments. They don't have to deal with spending large somes of money on retirement benefits. Basically, they are reaping all the benefits of selling in America, and send most of the profits back out of the country, save for the factory workers they employ.

Its a tough road ahead. As gas prices rise, GM has an alternative fuel vehicle that will destory the competition, right? Right? Hopefully Wagoner doesn't concentrate too much on the SUV's. With the gas prices the way they are, you might be doing an all hands on approach the the tabled zeta platform as people switch away from gas guzzlers! Good luck!

Mr Lutz,
I bought a 2003 Pontiac Vibe and loved it. The interior had great features. I traded it for a 2005 Vibe and was shocked that the center console was changed, removed the top storage part that gave height for arm rest for driving comfort. Also no 12 v. power point in bottom of center console. There had been a pocket on the back of the driver's seat good fot Atlas, etc. In checking the Toyota Matrix twin car, they kept these features. Why did Pontiac drop functional, interior features like these? Also Toyota Matrix is 5yr/60K while same Corolla engine and running gear in Vibe is only 3 yr/36K. I like my dealer, but with these differences I feel compelled to buy the Matrix over the Vibe next time. Please comment. Thank you.

We love our 2002 Monte Carlo. We bought it "certified used". We are extremely happy with the comfort and reliability.

We had a 95 Astro Van that we got 9 years and 130,000 miles out of before it sold and it was running great. No major repairs ever needed.

If we weren't still making payments on the Monte, I'd be out buying a new truck this weekend before the employee discount price for everyone promotion expires. That truck would replace my 1995 Silverado.

In my garage is a 1969 Chevelle, and on the side of the house awaiting it's turn in the restoration bay in the garage is a '58 Apache truck.

Ok, so quality sucked at one point, it no longer does....anymore than any other manufacturer. So how do you convince people that switched? Not easy, but it burns my butt seeing Americans buying foriegn cars when American cars are back.

People should be supporting themselves and friends and family that work for GM and other American companies. I know the lines have blurred with acquisitions of foreign companies, and foriegn companies operating plants here employing people, but many American's retirements are now tied into stocks that are invested mostly in American companies. Both GM and Americans have a responsibility to prop up our own economy before those overseas! Sending jobs out of the country doesn't help here GM!

So how can you improve? Build the Camaro or Chevelle again. You guys need to compete against the new Mustang. Make the Corvette (C6 is awesome!) a little more affordable, be out front on new tech that reduces dependance on foreign oil. And while I realize it's not what everone wants, I'd like to see more tech in instrumentation. Digital with graphic displays or a computer screen where the guages are with virtual instruments.

I would like to see in future designs of iinteriors the making of the removable seats in the Montana's and their ilk, to be lighter and more manuverable than what is in my 2000 Montana. If I had wanted to work out and stress my back worse than I already do I would buy a gym membership. I am a big guy and I am not very weak ok I am fairly strong. But momma those bloody seats are torture to put in and out.

why has cadillac escalade stoped the silver sand for the exterior? i have owned for of these and now i look at the 2005 it isn't there. you can have two blues and yet do away with the best looking color.

I tried to buy a new Solstice this weekend in Alexandria, VA. They had a $5K markup over MSRP. Needless to say, the car is still there. Ever noticed that the 442/Hurst Olds from the 80's are still selling at MSRP if they are in excellent condition? That says a lot about your cars. You gotta give us what we want!! You stick a Solstice out there and then limit its production. Bad decision.

Rod,

While I appreciate your concern about dealers charging mark-ups over the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) on the sticker, we are constrained by federal law from preventing the practice. As independently owned businesses, our dealerships are allowed to set their own prices based on local market conditions, although GM has always strongly encouraged them to honor our suggested retail pricing. I encourage you to shop around at other Pontiac dealerships as mark-ups (if any) will vary from location to location.

Jim Hopson,
Pontiac Communiations

I am the owner of a 2007 Suburban LTZ. This is my 11th Suburban.

I am a working guy who has always used the Suburban as a fancy truck, with the ability to throw in the back seat and go to an event or restaurant with 4 couples from time to time.

In previous Suburbans, I left the seats down 90% of the time and used the vehicle as a truck. I haul a lot of lumber and plywood. When I first looked at the new Suburban at Kring Chevrolet in Petoskey, Michigan, I was surprised to see how the seats folded. It is now impossible to get a flat cargo area in the vehicle. I was disappointed, but thought I would give it a try and figure out how to do the work I do with the new "soccer mom" layout.

It doesn't work. If you can slide a piece of plywood past the cheap, intruding guides for the 3rd row seats without tearing them from the floor, you need a second person to lift the front edge of the plywood up onto the raised height of the folded second row seats to get the plywood into the vehicle and close the door. Try to add a second sheet and it slides right back out the door.

What a bad design. Every thing about it is worse than the old design. Please explain the thinking behind these changes.

Almost everything else about the truck is better than the 2005 Suburban I owned before this one. Fuel consumtion is worse, which puzzles me, but I can live with that. I can't live with the seats and if I could get out of the lease, I would, today!