Webchat: Brent Dewar on Chevrolet
Join us for a live webchat with Brent Dewar, Vice President Chevrolet Global brand. Brent will answer your questions regarding Chevy’s current global lineup from 4:00 – 5:00 PM. Look forward to your comments and questions! – GM Blogs
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When will the be doing a re-design on the current Impala? Even if a small one.
GM needs guys like Steve Kemp Mr EBR ( every body rides) Jim Ehrler Big Jim wants to see ya in a Holly KIA and last but not least Harry Criswell of Criswell Chevrolet. If GM is going to survive they need these guys
This is very cool!
Please explain the corporate thinking behind choosing the name “Cruze” for the Cobalt replacement.
Did your marketing research and analysis actually convince you that was a good name?
The name stinks. It’s just another example of incompetence from a company that until now was showing some signs of life.
Another new name plate. Another new name to market.
And no coupe! Who do you think is going get all those Cobalt Coupe sales, Henderson!?
Hello Kia Forte and Honda Civic.
Goodbye sales.
Is there any plans to bring back the S-10 pickup. This was a great selling truck and was very nice truck for us that didnt need a fullsize. I feel the chance of putting this truck back into production would help boost sells for the company
Do you like the Colorado? The S10 was replaced by it. I think it’s a cool truck.
Please do that. The Colorado was NOT a good replacement for the S-10. What in the world were you guys thinking? You had something good, and then had to go messing around with it.
What’s that old saying? That’s right, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
What are some of the features of the Chevrolet Silverado XFE and cost of ownership?
Enough with the hybrids, I have to pull a trailer… What happened to the 2007 headline “GM Announces New 4.5L V8 Duramax Diesel For Half-Ton Trucks”?!
WHEELS! GM always has great rims on their vehicles at the car shows, but the production vehicles have drab wheels… Make the rims just as stylish as the body of the car and the whole car looks more attractive.
I have heard a distant rumor that GM may very well be making a new z28 camero but it has been put on hold due to the new emission standards required in Canada and the Untied States is this true? If so when do you think GM may make a decision and will they be built in Oshawa Canada where they are making the camero right now?
Are there any plans for Chevrolet to pick up any of the Pontiac’s hottest sellers
Based on the fact that a popular G6 configuration was the 3.5L V6 on the GT trim which featured Fog Lights and Alloy wheels, is there any chance Chevy will offer the Malibu in this configuration on the 1LT model? This would attract loyal G6 owners looking for a replacement and Chevy could add a 6-way power seat with cloth interior that the G6 did not offer keeping Pontiac owners with a GM brand.
I would hope GM is looking for ways to change the 2010 Malibu beyond some color changes and making the 6-speed Auto standard on 1LT trim which is not really a change since buyers could add the 6-speed as an option and E-85 capability to the 2.4L has limited appeal and a power lumbar adjustment vs manual is nice but you can still adjust the lumbar manually – again not much change. In fact GM dropped the unique LTZ uplevel instrument cluster, cargo net and even the compact spare tire!!
Not sure why GM deleted features and feels that no real changes are required to a 3 year old car that has never acheived the sales numbers the car is capable of, advertising is not going to get the 20,000 + per month sales the Malibu is capable of with the competition it faces, not even the next generation Malibu will if some serious feature changes are not made – the competition will only get better.
How is GM planning to respond?
As it is now my Dad and Uncle will both be buying 2011 Fusions in SE trim since they offer the equipment they demand at the price they will happily pay, it is the value that the price/features offer that matters, they don’t need “special deals” just the car they want with the equipment they demand, Ford can do it, why not GM? They are even willing to overlook the absent rear seat armrest and fold down front seat passenger seat back, what is it going to take to make these minor changes?
SierraGS:
Sounds like your mind is made up, at least on behalf of your dad and uncle. The 3.5L V-6 was a raspy and harsh pushrod engine. Not near the refinement of the 3.6L DOHC engine. They should have killed that pushrod engine family a long time ago as every other competitor has a better V-6 offering. The Malibu is a decent car with good styling. The Impala is a joke when compared to the competition.
Thanks wbt for calling my Dad’s Impala 1LT a joke, I’ll be sure to let him know, but I don’t think he would agree with you.
He loves the performance/MPG that his Impala with the 3.5L engine gives him and for his daily driving needs it has more than adequate power while delivering 23.2 to 25.6 MPG in driving that is mostly stop and go with a good many of the hills of Pennsylvania mixed in, which is where the 3.5L shines providing good low end power with quick, smooth shifts from the 4-speed automatic. There are areas in the country like the Northeast where cars spend alot of time in local traffic on signal controlled roads and 2-lane rural roads both with many hills on them, highway travel is mostly 4-lane (2 each direction) with many curves and on/off ramps that limit speeds to under 80 (usually 70-75 MPH) where pushrod V6 engines are more than adequate and where GM V6’s provide MPG that rival or exceed many competitors 4-cylinders with 5 or 6-speed automatics.
I have driven his Impala and found it’s power more than adequate for the driving environment without any real NVH issues and for a family car of its size capable of carrying 6 passengers, 24+ MPG in those conditions is fantastic!
My Dad has owned GM OHV V6 engine powered vehicles since he bought his 1992 Lumina Coupe which he still has and is very happy with, when he bought my 1998 Malibu LS from me for a second car with 4-doors he discovered that he used the standard equipment Fog Lights quite alot and liked the extra illumination they give on the roads he regularly travels, and was happy to find that it provided 22-24 MPG on a regular basis, same as his Lumina. He leased the Impala because he got a little better deal and since he was planning to only have it for 3 years he got the Impala 1LT which does not have Fog Lights – BIG MISTAKE, and one he regrets and WIIL NOT repeat.
He was actually interested in the new Malibu when he got the Impala but it did not (and still does not) offer the 3.5L V6 or Fog Lights on the 1LT or 2LT trims that he is interested in and would have bought a Lincoln MKZ in place of a Mailbu LTZ if he were to go that high in price.
His next car will have Fog Lights, a V6 and cloth 6-way power drivers seat and sticker for less than $24,000 – something he was hoping for in the Malibu 1LT or G6 GT (no cloth 6-way seat) but neither did but the Ford Fusion SE does today.
FYI the 3.6L DOHC V6 offered in the Malibu, G6 and Aura had little effect (if any) on their sales performance, so I think the joke here is that a DOHC V6 that GM midsize cars have offered for 3 years would “fix” their sales/market problems.
is there any more diesels in the future? the colorado/ canyon would be a great canidate for a small four cylinder turbocharged Isuzu motor. another thing, are we going to see more manual transmissions in the future? i know peope who have said they woudl buy a duramax if it had a manual transmission, ford and dodge both have manuals as options for their big trucks why not GM?
When does Chevrolet or GM plan on coming back with a new minivan. I worked for GM for over 35 years and have always purchased GM vehicles. However you people have lost it once again by eliminating the min-van and are forcing me to consider a Chrysler product or a foreign vehicle which I don’t want. I am sure that many other families feel the same way as well as the small business delivery vehicles We don’t want SUV’s
Mr Dewar,
are you still convinced your decision to shut down the GM European Clusters was the wisest?
I was a strictly GM owner for years…… WAS…….. Now I own an Infinity, a Nissan and a Chevy Silverado. I have been so disappointed with GM in the past that I switched. Everything from the dealer experience ( feelings of being cheated) to the quality issues of the vehicles turned me away.
Remember these two words……… Quality and Value…… all your competitors know them.
Hyundai has gone from being a joke to taking market share by improving its quality and value.
What lessons can GM learn from Hyundai? And how fast can you learn them?
Soirry I missed the webcast due to work, must miss Fritz’s today as well, but always willing to add to the conversation, as you probably know.
Brent, when you say “cool affordable convertibles” I hope you mean starting with a droptop version of Aveo or it’s replacement (smart and mini come that way, and expect so will Fiat 500), a Cruze convertible (surely the market was there in Cavaliers and Sunfires), a Malibu version of the G6 droptop, this time with 300+ hp and AWD. Maybe you could even rip the back half of the roof off an HHR or at least a sliding version like a Studebaker Lark (or some Denali over $50k you have running around). And not everyone that wants a two 2+2 seat convertible needs the heft of a Camaro, or has the entry price for a Corvette – it does not have to be a continuation or remake of Solstice/Sky – but maybe a less-is-more approach so successfully used now for 20 years by Mazda. IOW, back to the roots of small British motoring. The Kappas came off as very successful recreations with up to date tech of the first 1953 Corvette and a comparison of the first ‘vette and the first Solstice reveal a closeness right down to the top sealing problems (lol), but in the end were merely (sacriligious talk upcoming) shrunken Corvettes. How about a real honest to goodness wind in our hair (while we still have it), cheap, affordable, fun, economical, and practical (read bigger trunk) Chevy version of an iconic MGB. Maybe even the last RV8 version. I hear that the tooling and rights for the former Buick Al V8 are up for grabs)
Speaking of AWD, isn’t it about time to adress the AWD sedan market at other than Cadillac and Buick? I spent some time recently behind teh wheel of the newest Audi A4 quattro nearly back to back with a new Buick LaCrosse FWD and I must say the Audi, even in 4 cylinder trim has set a solid mark. If Chevy has Ford at all in their sights then an AWD Malibu SS, to go after the Fusion (and new Subaru Legacy) is long overdue. Any chance out long enough that the Malibu’s next version (is it still based on Insignia then the parts are there) will have AWD?
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Comment From brian ]
Will the new GM branch out their successful brands. For example, will we see a 4 door Camaro. I would love to own one but i need 4 doors for my family- i DO NOT want to buy an M3 from BMW
15:05 Fritz Henderson: do not see a 4 dr camaro in our future. we will continue to look for performance opportunities across our lineup, including in sedans.
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Buick as the new class of world class is an emergent American world brand.
There is a large segment who would like an executive sedan with a small 4.0 V-8 like the M3, and would be more likely to purchase one and trade-up more frequently at a more affordable Buick price range.
BMW M3 sedan small 4.0L V-8 with 414 hp. MSRP $54K.
Lexus GS 460 sedan V-8 with 342 hp $53K.
Lexus GS 350 sedan V-6 with 303 hp $45K.
GM has an amazing opportunity with Buick as the new class of world class by targeting this executive sedan segment with Buick style to really supercharge the brand.
Buick should offer a “Riviera sedan” inspired by or based on the “Aurora” looks / 2000 LaCrosse concept:
http://www.supercars.net/cars/270.html
Suggest:
*Riviera sedan 4.0L V-8 DI DOHC 320 hp – 342 hp (or the 5.3L OHV with 300 hp) for $35K to $43K range.
*Rivera sedan V-8 “supercharged” 4.0L DI V-8 420hp to 440 hp for about $45K.
Riviera sedan base model 3.0L V-6 for $29K.
GM should market:
Riviera sedan “supercharged” series vs. BMW M3, Lexus GS 460, and Mercedes .
Riviera sedan vs Lexus GS 350.
CTS-V vs. BMW M5.
Buick Grand National G8 6.0 V-8 vs . . . . . .
2010 LaCrosse CXS vs Mercedes C class and Lexus ES 350.
All new Buick Regal sedan based on ‘Shanghai Riveria concept’ vs Lexus IS.
Estimates for the total new car market are misleading since they do not include sales potential. Only about 20% of vehicle purchases are new, 80% used. Thus, increased retail turn-over would yield a much higher annual estimate for the U.S. potential sales of new cars. The buying public is already ready to buy as evidenced by the early 2010 LaCrosse sales. This group could not find a single car under ‘cash for clunkers’ promotion that they really were willing to buy. But they immediately snatched up the 2010 LaCrosse which did not qualify for the cash for clunkers program. GM should take careful not of this. This group really wants style and they are waiting for more. As soon as Buick puts out a Riviera sedan many of these new LaCrosse buyers will be standing in line to buy one.
Even now, there are busy executives and their spouses who are getting excited about the LaCrosse and have yet to get the time to just go down and buy it, order one, or take a drive. They’ve decided on the touring package CXS version before they’ve even seen the car in person!!!
Add the color mist blue metalic with ivory perforated leather to Buick.
With increased driving, and increased appreciation for luxury styling Americans are looking for an American car to buy in the affordable luxury segment. However, they may not see a style that inspires them, so they “hold” on to their nice Park Avenue, Bonneville, Aurora, G8, until they “see” a “new” car they like at least as well as the one they already have. This group also would like a “fair” offer for their well liked “trade-in.”
The polls the 72% to 81% would consider buying an American car are staggering, enough to make a self-respecting GM executive fall off his/her chair. This is what GM enthusiasts have known for a long long time. A much much smaller percent are willing to consider a foreign brand. That is a wake-up call that Americans really want American style like the Buick LaCrosse and they want it to have the brand mystique of being “world class” in an American brand. They want it in high fashion colors like white diamond, blue mist metalic, (what ever happened to burgandy with burgandy leather).
GM is missing soo much sedan business in the affordable luxury segment with buyers in the executive car segment searching. These buyers “concede” to a foreign brand only after they’ve exhausted their waiting, and searching and even asking which American car they are supposed to buy.
Many of these affordable luxury sedans as suggested could have coupe versions once the sales and profits are established.
Awareness is a major reason these buyers are not buying even more American cars lately.
Had the all new Taurus been given a luxurious name like “crown Victoria,” many of these buyers would already be buying driving it in greater quanities. Many of these buyers are completely unaware of Lincoln’s naming system except they know the name “Navigator.” If you mention “MKS” they have no idea which model it is or that there is a new larger Lincoln even if you describe it as the larger one the new sedan. They only have seen the MKZ on the road and aren’t sure what its called though many more are liking it. More often, if you say Lincoln, they think of the cross-over MKX model which they really like on looks and say oh the hatch back or the cross-over or something along those lines. Lincoln should use the MKX grill for a luxury sedan.
Its very encouraging that GM has made the new 2010 LaCrosse with the elements that buyers really want from the fantastic dash board display, audio, sporty console, comfortable sporty interior, and stylish exterior. The 2010 LaCrosse appears already be turning the tide for GM on sales. Its out front and ahead of the competition.
Adding a manual 5 speed to the Malibu, interier grab handles, and spoiler would keep the momentum going.
Part II – the Park Avenue Ultra reborn.
The buying public: Can you ask GM to make another Park Avenue? We really like the one we’ve had.
Full size luxury at Buick:
Could Buick target the full size Lexus LS / Avalon with a larger verion of the 2010 LaCrosse with a more refined grille? Might it be called the Park Avenue Ultra.
Borrowing some powertrain options from the Riviera sedan described above the new Park Avenue Ulta
*Park Avenue Ultra sedan 4.0L V-8 DI DOHC 320 hp – 342 hp (or the 5.3L OHV with 300 hp) for $35K to $43K range.
Park Avenue base model 3.0L V-6 for $27K.
GM should market affordable luxury:
Park Avenue Utra sedan vs. Lexus LS 460
Riviera sedan 4.0 V8 vs BMW M3, Lexus GS.
High end luxury:
Cadillac XTS vs BMW and Mercedes.
CTS-V vs BMW M5
Edwin, your pricing for these suggested Buick models places them too far cheap for Buick’s intended market. a 3.0 L LaCrosse is nearly $28K, and you want a $27K Park Avenue? While a large car like the Lucerne remains far more popular than the Lincoln MKS and Cadillac DTS, it is already too close in price to the Impala and LaCrosse in V6 form, and too thirsty in V8 form. GM does not feel it can offer a large Buick at a good price that does not take too many sales from the future XTS. You could argue validly that this is as much because the XTS will be far too cheap, but higher priced large sedans suffer from volatile sales volumes in the US market and GM feels quite reasonably that the XTS will be more profitable, and the Impala more popular, than a Buick larger than the LaCrosse.
your’re right the base Lucerne is $29K, that’s more like it.
Andrew,
I don’t feel the Buick competes with the XTS. GM is missing too much sedan business as it is on account of style choices. The 2010 LaCrosse is finally getting there for Buick on style. Some people simply want the look offered by the 2010 LaCrosse in a full size sedan, while others want the Cadillac style. The Malibu is the right styling direction for Chevy.
The executive car sedan customer is not interested in an Impala. They’ve been waiting and waiting for Buick to ante up on style. And finally they have the 2010 LaCrosse. but Buick still needs much more as illustrated above. They want either a Buick or a Cadillac and they expect comtemporary looks.
Buick is a more important priority, especially in this economy. The Buick customer has the money.