Why hasnt GM?

Fire It Up · Moderator

Why hasnt GM?

ifcar · Moderator

Why hasn't GM put most of its family sedan lineup on RWD platforms?

Because it would be expensive to design an all-new platform rather than continue to upgrade the W-Body and because RWD has a lousy public perception.

Even with that in mind, I believe that the Impala, Grand Prix, and others will be moving onto an RWD platform by the end of the decade.

Fire It Up · Moderator

quote:
Originally posted by: ifcar
"Why hasn't GM put most of its family sedan lineup on RWD platforms? Because it would be expensive to design an all-new platform rather than continue to upgrade the W-Body and because RWD has a lousy public perception. Even with that in mind, I believe that the Impala, Grand Prix, and others will be moving onto an RWD platform by the end of the decade."

Lousy public perception with the mainstream people. FWD has a lousy perception with performance searching people. And if they made the S/C Monte Carlo RWD, it would compete with the V8 Stang. Its sales would skyrocket.

ifcar · Moderator

quote:
Originally posted by: Fire It Up
"Lousy public perception with the mainstream people. FWD has a lousy perception with performance searching people. And if they made the S/C Monte Carlo RWD, it would compete with the V8 Stang. Its sales would skyrocket."

Mainstream people make up far more of the buying public than enthusiasts. And the GTO already exists to compete with the Mustang.

thewizard16 · V-12

quote:
Originally posted by: ifcar
" Mainstream people make up far more of the buying public than enthusiasts. And the GTO already exists to compete with the Mustang."

Exactly. I for one, would not buy a RWD car for basic family use, which is what the Impala, Grand Prix, Lacross, and Regal are intended for. I live in an area prone to ice, and frankly, we've owned both types, and the FWD is much easier/more predictable when it comes to maintaining control on slippery conditions. I'm not saying that RWD is helpless or anything, when driven right, normally you can maintain control with not too much of a problem, but I love the predictablity of FWD, and evidently, so do many people.

Lorinser · V-6

quote:
Originally posted by: Fire It Up
"Made their 3.8L S/ V6 equipped vehicles rear or all wheel drive? The engine is powerful and moddable. It has around 280 TQ at 3,600 RPM. Intercool the engine and add bolt ons to that, and the car should be in the 12's.

That would make a good Grand National. Not like GM will ever make another Grand National....

Fire It Up · Moderator

quote:
Originally posted by: ifcar
" Mainstream people make up far more of the buying public than enthusiasts. And the GTO already exists to compete with the Mustang."

The GTO competes with the Cobra. This would compete with the GT, since it would be priced almost 9 grand lower than the GTO.

Fire It Up · Moderator

quote:
Originally posted by: thewizard16
"Exactly. I for one, would not buy a RWD car for basic family use, which is what the Impala, Grand Prix, Lacross, and Regal are intended for. I live in an area prone to ice, and frankly, we've owned both types, and the FWD is much easier/more predictable when it comes to maintaining control on slippery conditions. I'm not saying that RWD is helpless or anything, when driven right, normally you can maintain control with not too much of a problem, but I love the predictablity of FWD, and evidently, so do many people."

GM is trying to make them seem like sports cars. Hence the SS and GXP badges and all the fancy stuff like tapshift. Theyre still 4 speed auto FWD cars.

ifcar · Moderator

quote:
Originally posted by: Fire It Up
"GM is trying to make them seem like sports cars. Hence the SS and GXP badges and all the fancy stuff like tapshift. Theyre still 4 speed auto FWD cars."

But it is relatively inexpensive for them to do that. Designing a new platform would be quite costly.

thewizard16 · V-12

quote:
Originally posted by: ifcar
"

But it is relatively inexpensive for them to do that. Designing a new platform would be quite costly."

ifcar's right... it would probably be impossible for them to design a new platform, make a whole new car, and sell enough at a good enough price to make any money.

Kevin · GMPenguin

quote:
Originally posted by: ifcar
"Why hasn't GM put most of its family sedan lineup on RWD platforms? Because it would be expensive to design an all-new platform rather than continue to upgrade the W-Body and because RWD has a lousy public perception. Even with that in mind, I believe that the Impala, Grand Prix, and others will be moving onto an RWD platform by the end of the decade."

No offense Sarin, but you aren't getting the point and therefore don't really know what you are talking about. I agree with what iffy and wizard have said, it costs more to make a new platform, most consumers aren't looking for performance or RWD (hence camry, taurus, and Accord sales, no offense) and I would never expect the Monte Carlo to try and compete with the Mustang, it's "supposed" to be more of a luxury sports car (definite failed attempt, imo). I also think that those mentioned vehicles will be RWD within a short matter of time.

Fire It Up · Moderator

quote:
Originally posted by: Kevin
"No offense Sarin, but you aren't getting the point and therefore don't really know what you are talking about. I agree with what iffy and wizard have said, it costs more to make a new platform, most consumers aren't looking for performance or RWD (hence camry, taurus, and Accord sales, no offense) and I would never expect the Monte Carlo to try and compete with the Mustang, it's "supposed" to be more of a luxury sports car (definite failed attempt, imo). I also think that those mentioned vehicles will be RWD within a short matter of time."

Then GM is doing what I'm saying.

-- Edited by Fire It Up at 20:14, 2004-12-02

ifcar · Moderator

quote:
Originally posted by: Fire It Up
"Then GM is doing what I'm saying.-- Edited by Fire It Up at 20:14, 2004-12-02"

You asked "why hadn't they" not "why don't they"? We'll be waiting for maybe five years for the new platform, and they may not be using the 3.8's.

thewizard16 · V-12

Aha! And ifcar returns the parry. It's like verbal fencing, but with civility. I like it.

Fire It Up · Moderator

quote:
Originally posted by: ifcar
" You asked "why hadn't they" not "why don't they"? We'll be waiting for maybe five years for the new platform, and they may not be using the 3.8's."

The could have done it.

ifcar · Moderator

quote:
Originally posted by: Fire It Up
"The could have done it."

The could have, could the?

But they didn't, for the reasons I mentioned: Cost and image. The W-Bodies were still selling well, and still are.

thewizard16 · V-12

Of course they COULD have done it... They could do anything they wanted to, but evidently, they didn't want to.

ifcar · Moderator

quote:
Originally posted by: thewizard16
"Of course they COULD have done it... They could do anything they wanted to, but evidently, they didn't want to. "

Exactly. The W-bodies are popular to this day, so it looks like GM made the right choice.