Source: Automotive News special email alert

Jamie LaReau - Automotive News - February 18, 2009 - 5:05 pm ET

DETROIT -- General Motors, focusing on mainstream products in a battle to survive, has scrapped a unit that produced high-performance vehicles.

GM today disbanded High Performance Vehicle Operations, which is based at the company's suburban Detroit technical center, and redeployed its engineers, said spokesman Vince Muniga.

"All high-performance projects are on indefinite hold," Muniga said. "The engineers are moving into different areas of the organization, and they will work on Cadillacs, Buicks, Chevrolets and Pontiacs."

The unit created low-volume vehicles for GM's divisions designed to appeal to enthusiasts and bolster the company's image. Products included V-series Cadillacs and the Chevrolet Cobalt SS, HHR SS and a V-8 version of the Colorado.

Muniga said there are no plans for high-performance versions of upcoming cars.

The move is in the spirit of GM's viability plan delivered to the U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday. In the plan, GM said its future-product focus is on fuel- efficient cars and crossovers. It also pledged to increase its current offering of six hybrids to 14 by 2012 and to 26 by 2014. GM also boosted its request for federal aid by as much as $16.6 billion.

The High Performance Vehicle Operations unit could be reinstated once GM regains its financial health, GM's Muniga said.

"These guys are pretty good at what they do," Muniga said, "They are moving into different areas to work on core products."

http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f...sbanded-75664/


****THIS IS FOR UPCOMING VEHICLES, not ones already in production. Current model line vehicles are unaffected!****

 

Well that sucks. But whatever they can do to be profitable again, go for it.

 

******* great. GM's gonna turn into Toyota, producing nothing but bland consumer vehicles n

 

Man that sucks. I hate to see GM going down the drain like it is.

 

Um, give us our damn GM STAGE 1

Man this could be a fun thread

 

I agree. Toyota has some of the most ugliest looking cars.

So much for there being a Cruze SS soon.

 

The Camaro is unaffected, with the exception that Z28 (550HP) is most likely cancelled.

 

you know they wont.

 

dont forget toyota builds this

 

Way to go GM, your high performance vehicles are the only ones worth buying. Keep making worthless cars like the HHR, Impala, the entire Buick and Pontiac line, SUVs that people no longer want, and most of all a 40,000 dollar electric car that nobody can afford that your selling at a loss. See if those bail you out.

Building completely uninspired cars aimed at balancing a checkbook rather than building a customer base, sounds awfully like Chrysler. If this company even lasts another 5 years they won't have anything even worth buying just like Chrysler is now.

 

Repost https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/general-cobalt-68/gm-disbands-unit-creates-high-performance-vehicles-156397/

 

Yeah the Camaro SS is not really a change from anything, just dropping a big V8 doesn't take crazy engineering.

You for sure won't see a Cruze SS though. I can only hope that the stage kit still comes out.

 

X2.........

 

What a crock of **** ..

 

One car does not save an eternity of bland automobiles.

 

Not for Americans who have no ******* money right now.

 

the chrysler problem was entirely different back when they were part of the DCX group. Mercedes wouldnt let them build anyhing that would compete with their cars. ( the ME Four Twelve comes to mind). I dont know if cutting out all of the high performance vehicles is a great idea but obviously the route they're taking now isnt working. As for going the route of toyota, may not be such a bad idea, they may be boring, but they arent broke either

 

got damnit.

 

Last time I checked they're losing money and closing plants like everybody else.

 

Typical American approach-

Fat ass lazy people who only wan't to get from point A to point B so they can save gas and money to afford all the cheezeburgers and 6 dollar coffee they shove down their throats everday .. People who have no character and don't give a **** about any personal image at all ...

 

this is MEGA FAIL

 

GM has no say so in the matter since the government had to bail their ass out and have to comply to what they want. Instead GM gives their top execs millions and millions of dollars for retiring. I don't feel bad for GM since they brought this upon themselves. As bland as toyota cars are they actually listen to the people and give them what they want hence why they are #1 right now.

 

NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

 

Yeah but you don't get it ... GM doesn't make desirable Economy cars so they are in the fail boat with no paddle ...

You think I would have bought a cobalt if it didn't have a 260 hp Turbo LNF w/ brembos etc HELL NO

 

My dad said he heard that the challenger sales are boosting chryslers sales, and they are gonna be ab;e to come out of this ok, lets just hope GM does too. but 26 billion is alot to over come.