Podcast: GM's $33 Million Rollover Testing Facility

Might it be possible to provide a text version of your podcasts? I much prefer reading blogs to listening to them.

The Ford Fusion with 221hp and a 6 speed auto will be as fast as the G6 gtp. Get rid of the 4 speed automatics. Its destroying GM.

I would like a cobalt with a 5 or 6 speed auto. Lots of sound deadening in the doors, sport suspension, 2.4L 180hp, 40mpg highway, xm radio, remote start, and better ground effects.

Thats it guys, thats the magic formula. Its not rocket science.

Hey guys,

When you're done with rgw's request, can I have a car that flies and gives backrubs?

And I thought I was being demanding asking for a reasonably affordable and reliable car with RWD and stick shift.

The 4 speed automatics aren't destroying GM, the perception of the 4 speed automatics are the problem. Look at the current GTO for instance, the acceleration times are quicker in the 4 speed automatic the the Tremec 6 speed manual. GM has the know how to produce powertrains with low end torque curves, great acceleration, terrific fuel mileage, & less "shift busyness" than the competitors. So in the near future we will see 5 and 6 speed automatics offered by GM but in the mean time go & drive one of the "relic" 4 speed automatics & remember that GM is also doing great things with pushrod engines while others are switching to overhead cams. Just my two cents for what it's worth.

John @ above post... ROTFLMAO!

Am I the only one who finds it ironic that the GM Ad Campaign for "employee discount for everyone" features marketing managers and advertising execs?

Hello? Why is GM rewarding people who haven't done their job very well by putting them in TV commercials? ( We couldn't figure out how to sell these cars for retail, so now we are offering everyone in the general public the employee discount?) And why couldn't GM come up with a single hourly person for these commercials? Would it be so wrong to have Frank the pipefitter or Denise the assembler in one of the spots?

Of course GM is doing well with the promotion, (now that you have decided to not make any profit on these cars), so its easy to say now that the promotion worked so why question it.

I just find it totally bizarre that you decided to put all the underperforming marketing execs in the commercials. Yikes.

OK RGW If you want that car wait about 3 year’s. Its just not like that. You don’t just bolt a new bumper and drop a new Engine in it. It Takes Years of testing and engineers to build a car or make modifications a more powerful motor will put more stress on the drive train so that’s got to be changed. You consumers just think that you can put any thing a car and sell it. if we could do that we would have 600 hp cars that would probably fall apart after 60,000 miles

It Is Rocket science to make a car ride comfortable and smooth so when you drive your car from the power steering to the plastic in the drive shifter has to be tested and ok'd by quality and safety administrations

Also in a engine it is either power or Fuel economy. you cant have both. It would be impossible to get 4 cylinder to get 40 MPG then get 300 HP it would be insane. Even with emissions and better engines and better fuel. I Hope in the future that would be possible GM has done good with the 30+ MPG cars there pretty fast.

Automatic transmissions are so complicated too. I would like to see if you could work on a trans its like a human brain there is so many parts and you don’t know what they do so probably GM goes with a already Proven 4 speed automatic trans . If it has Overdrive it really has 8 gears but that’s hard to explain to simple minded people that think anything is possible

If You Guys make that dream come true I want a Corvette that gets 1000000000000 MPG that has 10,000 horse power and can I put bean oil to power it

I’m with you Jhon a good old Trusty 350 V8 RWD Sports coupe with 5 speed on the floor (or 3 on the tree older people remember them gear boxes) To me MPG doesn’t bother me!

Congrats with NASCAR way to go CHEVY

Craig

japanese cars are better...

WOW David you actually base your cars off of which country they come from? If you buy a car you should compare features and performance and styling. not just that there imported. Im loyal to GM but if another company has a car that looks ok i will test drive and compare. so every one when you buy a car test companies out like GM Ford Dodge Subaru and others just to see what you like dont mind the company or emblems just go with what the car handles the every day to day drive.

The Reason I like GM is that they are dependable. My 15 year old caprice has only had 1 problem that was the alternater which i expected it to go. Also i know that performance is always good and fuel econmy the other day i caclculated that i got 17 city 25 hiway for a old V8 thats awesome. Another thing is that on the road what older cars do you see? most of the time GM Fords Chysler/Dodge rareky do you see a old toyota or Honda they just do last also those warntees are jokes my buddy got a good discount on a toyata with the 100,000/10 warantee and they wouldn't cover a power steering pump at 15,000 miles 1 year. besides today a 100,000 is put on a car in less than 5 years because we drive alot more. also READ THE FINE PRINT ON A WARNTEE. My Grandfathers buick they repalced a tire after 14,000 miles. Even though the tire had a nail in it.

Just when you go to buy a car base it on the looks and over all performance. NOT THE COUNTRY THAT IT COMES FROM!

Craig

Desperate people do desperate things. Sometimes silly things. GM's employee discount for everyone will likely turn out to be a major faux pas just like 2.9% interest was the fuel for great auto sales in 1986. This is the date GM mentions when comparing recent sales and how great they are.

Now, the fun really begins. The historical rally months for oil are coming up, Ford and Chrysler just announced matching the "pay people to buy your car" program and Honda, Nissan and Toyota all reported strong sales without matching GM's give away program. This last point lends credence to the argument that GM is booking sales that would have happened without this program....BUT would have happened over months at some type of profit.

If this is GM's plan to work itself out of a mess, I fear we will see more layoffs, more long term pain in the company and a more likely shot at a financial crisis.

What a shame it has all come to this.

How about a GTO with the 505hp LS7 that will give the BMW M6 something to think about. 19in wheels, better stereo, stiffened suspension.

Put the 140hp 1.8L ecotec in the cobalt.

Start thinking about a replacement for the aveo that can compete with the new Kia Rio.

Perhaps I can summarize my input by asking why GM is always following the Europeans and the Japanese? How? Six and seven speed automatics have undeniable advantages, but has GM brought them to the marketplace? No. DOHC engines have real performance and economy advantages too, but GM continues to flog fifty year old OHV designs. Why? I could go on, but what would be the point? GM is, sadly, on the road to disaster unless it commits to being a leader. China and Korea will always be a lower cost producer. GM must be better, and than can happen only if GM commits to lead, not follow.

To Jeff,

I couldn't have said it better myself.
GM could--SHOULD be a leader like it was in the 50s and the 60s. Now, it can't even follow because it lacks not only the vision but the corporate backbone to do so.

Why? Because GM got fat and lazy in the 70s, 80s and 90s and now, unfortunately, they have to pay the piper.

What's especially sad is that a great car advocate like Bob Lutz is saddled with a horrible line up and has to keep imploring people to watch for the next big thing. The Solistice could be. I think the CTS-V might be it. But it's going to take more than what they have on the roadmap today.

I think the vast majority of auto enthusiasts would LOVE to buy a GM car that is worthy of our money. But until that day comes, we'll continue to buy BMWs, Audis, Mercedes, Lexus and, of course, Hondas instead of Chevy, Pontiac or Caddilac

As I read these threads I
have noticed that many of
GM's detractors are not
willing to give credit where
to the car company no matter
what it does. Some of you
would probably still bash GM
even if it came out with a
line up of 80 mpg automobiles
with the fit and finish of a
Lexus or Benz and a million
mile/12 yr bumper to bumper
warranty and at a good price.
Let's be honest about this.
GM has raised the bar on most
of its cars and I am looking
forward to see what is coming
up in the near future.
That being said, I would like
to give my view on what has
contributed greatly to GM's
problems. I believe that GM
has let all of it's dealers
get away with murder. For
the last 35 years I have left the dealership unhappy
with the service atleast 50%
of the time but usually a
hefty bill was also there.
On the other hand, I have 2 dauthters 27/25 that swear
by their Toyota & Hundhai.
Like me, they don't like to
take their cars to the
dealer for service. It cost
as much or more to get the
work done and being young
they really can't afford
it. But, when they pick up
their cars it does not even
occur to them that the job
may not have been done
right. They have a high
degree of confidence it
these dealerships. When
they pick up their cars, it
will be fixed. That's their
perception of the service
they get and even today I
still leave my GM dealer not
satisfied 50% of the time.
Yup, I believe GM is making
competetive cars now but
must lean hard on their
dealerships to give better
service. And I want to say
this for the record. It's
not the money the dealership
charges that is the problem.
The customer should not have
to worry whether the job was
done right. When I've asked
my girls if they were happy
with their the repairs the
answer was "of course"