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Volt Teasers
14 August 2008
GM released a set of photos of portions of the production Volt design in conjunction with a presentation by Bob Boniface, Director of Design for Chevrolet Volt, at the Management Briefing Seminars in Traverse City, Michigan.
The production design differs from the original show car based on work done to optimize the aerodynamics of the vehicle to ensure meeting the 40-mile all-electric range target. “The show car surface as tested could not have confidently delivered on a 40 mile promise,” Boniface said later.
Boniface said that the mules are performing very well, and that the actual production body should be dropped on the chassis next summer.
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August 14, 2008 in Brief | Permalink | Comments (13) | TrackBack (0)
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Comments
GM had better get it right and on time. It stocks and bonds are at junk level.
Posted by: thomas | Aug 14, 2008 5:43:26 PM
hm yeah i wish i had cash to buy some gm stock, the volt would have made me rich!!
Posted by: philmcneal | Aug 14, 2008 6:19:09 PM
They showed Lutz getting behind the wheel of a Malibu that had the Volt running gear in it and he drove it around for reporters. The standard smooth and quiet remarks were made and positive spin was in abundance all around.
Posted by: sjc | Aug 14, 2008 8:47:00 PM
It's not hard for GM to engineer a good hybrid car. It's hard for GM to take risks and culturally difficult to steer such a large and diverse organization.
It is to the credit of GM management that they have made an iconic symbol out of the Volt. It's a good name. Volt is the unit measure of electrical potential.
It is also the measurement of GM's potential.
Posted by: NCyder | Aug 15, 2008 5:34:35 AM
well put, NCyder.
It puzzles me that the Volt is a 5-passenger. You'd think they'd first bring out a smaller version. If they pull this off i won't complain.
Posted by: danm | Aug 15, 2008 6:07:52 AM
Better to be a year late and/or have "only" 20 miles electric range and get it right. Cars that blow up or fall apart would be a complete fiasco.
Posted by: richard schumacher | Aug 15, 2008 7:04:40 AM
Let's see on my last Chevy (ever)the tranny, the rearend, the starter, and the front axles all burned out before 100,000. There is still that "planned obsolescence" mindset in Detroit. And of course there was the EV1 fiasco. Twice burned. I think I'll wait for the electric Nissan.
Posted by: creativforce | Aug 15, 2008 8:52:13 AM
Too bad they had to push out the front end so far to accommodate the crash tests. I really like the forward thrust wheels in the concept. And a TV news report showed the instrument panel that the reporter claimed iPod/Mac users would love. If it performs as it claims and helps drive other manufacturers to compete - we should all be just a little bit happier.
Posted by: Sulleny | Aug 15, 2008 10:37:10 AM
Uh-oh. Catastrophic failure in first 100k miles of Chevy life? That's what happened to my last new Chevy. Now I'm driving "boring" Japanese cars, just like creativforce.
Posted by: Mick | Aug 15, 2008 12:40:47 PM
So here we have a sample size of 2 -> great anecdotal evidence you got there! I prefer to stick to one of those silly "issues per 100 vehicles" lists rather than anecdotes from two unknowns where I don't know the use/maintenance/etc.
Posted by: | Aug 15, 2008 3:09:51 PM
Danm, Volt is a 4 seater. The back seat only holds two due to the large battery in the tunnel.
Posted by: doggydogworld | Aug 15, 2008 3:51:13 PM
I personally have no problem with a 4 seater. I have favored efficient 4 seat sports sedans for quite a while.
As far as quality, I looked up GM quality versus Toyota in trucks. It seems the initial quality is rated about the same, but Toyota pulls ahead in reliability. I did not look at the details, but that told me that Toyota lasts and GM does not.
Posted by: sjc | Aug 17, 2008 11:25:49 AM
EV1 fiasco? What fiasco??
They had an engineering program where they GAVE people test cars under the understanding that they would be taking them back!(at the endo of the program)
Some people didnt want to give their free car back... so what? All they did is cry and whine about it enough to make create on idiotic mockumentary. Big deal...
Posted by: WopOnTour | Aug 18, 2008 2:48:19 PM
