G8 to survive as Chevy Caprice !!!! "too good to waste"= Bob Lutz 7/11/09 interview
#1
G8 to survive as Chevy Caprice !!!! "too good to waste"= Bob Lutz 7/11/09 interview
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/11/l...u-s-z28-likel/
BREAKING: Lutz says Pontiac G8 to survive as Chevy Caprice in U.S.; Camaro Z28 reportedly dead
BREAKING: Lutz says Pontiac G8 to survive as Chevy Caprice in U.S.; Camaro Z28 reportedly dead
Bob Lutz is back, and after what seems like five minutes into his job as GM's new marketing kingpin, he's doing what he does best: making headlines. Rest assured that this is a good thing, as El Generalissimo Roberto Maximo told Automobile Magazine that yes, the Pontiac G8 will live on in the United States as the Chevy Caprice. So much for Fritz "I'm not a fan of rebadging" Henderson's statement to the contrary a couple of weeks ago.
"The last time we looked at [the G8], we decided that we would continue to import it as a Chevrolet. It is kind of too good to waste," Lutz told the mag. As for the G8 being "too good to waste": Amen to that, Bob. This also makes us wonder if law enforcement-grade models will be part of the deal with Holden to continue production. Chevy Caprice police cars? That's got a very familiar ring to it. The next question is whether a U.S. Caprice would mimic the Middle East-market Caprice, which is based on the long-wheelbase Holden Caprice/Statesman, or whether it will simply be a Chevy-badged version of the standard-wheelbase Holden Commodore/Pontiac G8/Chevrolet Lumina. Frankly, as long as there's ultimately a Caprice SS that is identical to the Pontiac G8 GXP in every critical way, we don't care.
In his conversation with Automobile, Lutz also essentially confirms that next year's Cadillac CTS coupe will be joined by a V-series variant, saying that the CTS-V coupe was the car that had most of the Presidential Task Force members' tongues wagging during the product-pipeline tour they were given by GM. Lutz even hints that a CTS-V wagon is not completely out of the question. (We'll take the wagon in brown, with the stick, Bob.)
On the bad news side, in a separate blog post, Automobile reports that Lutz kind of throws dirt on the idea of an LSA-powered Camaro Z28 (though he doesn't specifically state that the program's toast). He says that for "mainstream" sports models like the Camaro, powerful sixes (like the one in the Camaro LS and LT) and turbo fours (like the one used in the now-dead Cobalt SS, HHR SS and Solstice GXP) are more indicitive of the automaker's future direction in that regard. Hmmm. Well then, how about bolting a blower to the direct-injected V6?
Welcome back, Bob. This sounds like it could get pretty fun.
"The last time we looked at [the G8], we decided that we would continue to import it as a Chevrolet. It is kind of too good to waste," Lutz told the mag. As for the G8 being "too good to waste": Amen to that, Bob. This also makes us wonder if law enforcement-grade models will be part of the deal with Holden to continue production. Chevy Caprice police cars? That's got a very familiar ring to it. The next question is whether a U.S. Caprice would mimic the Middle East-market Caprice, which is based on the long-wheelbase Holden Caprice/Statesman, or whether it will simply be a Chevy-badged version of the standard-wheelbase Holden Commodore/Pontiac G8/Chevrolet Lumina. Frankly, as long as there's ultimately a Caprice SS that is identical to the Pontiac G8 GXP in every critical way, we don't care.
In his conversation with Automobile, Lutz also essentially confirms that next year's Cadillac CTS coupe will be joined by a V-series variant, saying that the CTS-V coupe was the car that had most of the Presidential Task Force members' tongues wagging during the product-pipeline tour they were given by GM. Lutz even hints that a CTS-V wagon is not completely out of the question. (We'll take the wagon in brown, with the stick, Bob.)
On the bad news side, in a separate blog post, Automobile reports that Lutz kind of throws dirt on the idea of an LSA-powered Camaro Z28 (though he doesn't specifically state that the program's toast). He says that for "mainstream" sports models like the Camaro, powerful sixes (like the one in the Camaro LS and LT) and turbo fours (like the one used in the now-dead Cobalt SS, HHR SS and Solstice GXP) are more indicitive of the automaker's future direction in that regard. Hmmm. Well then, how about bolting a blower to the direct-injected V6?
Welcome back, Bob. This sounds like it could get pretty fun.
Last edited by 427C5; 07-11-2009 at 11:48 AM.
#3
Who gives a **** what they call it? Yesterday, the car was DEAD.
It's got a LSx, 4 doors, close to 4,000lbs, and can be had for around $30,000 or less.
Instead of pissing in your cheerios, just be happy to be getting the cereal at all.
It's got a LSx, 4 doors, close to 4,000lbs, and can be had for around $30,000 or less.
Instead of pissing in your cheerios, just be happy to be getting the cereal at all.
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Why not make it the new Impala? I'll be surprised if they don't do that. I knew this would happen all along, it was too stupid to take such a great car...one of the best in GM's lineup, and cancel it when they are supposedly "reinventing" the company.
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well i guess u g8 fellas can start "caprice"ing it out and say u got it exclusive before they came out... they wont know it was previously a pontiac
and maybe u can make it an impala ss clone
its pretty cool since its comin back, but wonder how its gonna be for the g8s? like price/resale value and such, i mean how many times has a car been canceled after 2 years made and turned over to another make...
and maybe u can make it an impala ss clone
its pretty cool since its comin back, but wonder how its gonna be for the g8s? like price/resale value and such, i mean how many times has a car been canceled after 2 years made and turned over to another make...
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well i guess u g8 fellas can start "caprice"ing it out and say u got it exclusive before they came out... they wont know it was previously a pontiac
and maybe u can make it an impala ss clone
its pretty cool since its comin back, but wonder how its gonna be for the g8s? like price/resale value and such, i mean how many times has a car been canceled after 2 years made and turned over to another make...
and maybe u can make it an impala ss clone
its pretty cool since its comin back, but wonder how its gonna be for the g8s? like price/resale value and such, i mean how many times has a car been canceled after 2 years made and turned over to another make...
I would think it would help resale, lot of people are scared to buy one since Pontiac will be gone soon. At least with a Chevy counterpart people can rest assured they can get serviced. I remember owning a Pontiac Parisian back in the 80s and it was just a caprice - 305 and all.
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This is gonna sound racist but the brothers are gonna love this car. Caprice's are top dog in the donk comunity. You'll see one on 26's about a week after they come out. I'd prefer they named it an Impala SS and finally do some justice to the 94-96 Impala. But for history sake, this isn't to bad. The Caprice used to be higher end then the impala. Either way its a good thing. For us gearheads and my buddy Antwaun who loved my G8 but isn't a poncho fan. His favorite car is a 2 door box chevy up on some 26's.
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all of those names were names of the POS chevys they had then. it should be called the Impala or Chevette etc, If did chevelle it would be like what dodge did with the Charger making it a 4 door.