Wagoner: Rear-Drivers To Proceed (car connection news

Wagoner: Rear-Drivers To Proceed


Still concerned about CAFE, though.
by Joseph Szczesny (2007-05-20)




Rick Wagoner and Camaro



Chairman and chief executive officer Rick Wagoner said General Motors will move forward with a new line of rear-wheel-drive cars.


"There is no reason why you wouldn't want to execute those cars," Wagoner said after a speech in Detroit. "There will be a lot of people looking for them."



Fritz Henderson, GM's chief financial officer, has also said GM would build the new rear-wheel-drive line. "We have some rear-wheel-drive vehicles in the pipeline and we're going to execute those," he said.



Like Henderson, Wagoner also emphasized that GM is re-working its approach to fuel economy. The U.S. need a new comprehensive energy policy that includes reducing the dependence on oil imports which will enhance national security, cut down on the volatility of gas prices for consumers, and create a more stable environment for carmakers to invest in new technology, Wagoner said.



TheCarConnection was the first to reveal back in February that GM planned to spin off more models based on the rear-wheel-drive architecture developed for the next Chevy Camaro.



Robert Lutz, GM vice chairman for product development, said recently GM had "hit the pause button" on the family of rear-wheel-drive models. However, GM has said isn't going to scrap the program though it its rethinking the powertrain options it plans to use in the various models which would be spun off from the same architecture underpinning the Camaro.



The business case for the new Camaro, due out in 2009, has already been reviewed and approved, which means most of the fixed investment required for the other rear-wheel-drive models has already been committed, Lutz said. With the basic investment in place, the other models would be less expensive to develop, Lutz added.



Lutz said in the future, GM will have fewer but more flexible platforms that would accommodate a wider range of vehicles and vehicle designs.



GM has taken some heat for long period, more than 36 months, it is taking to move the Camaro from concept car to production. Lutz has indicated part of the reason for delay to enhance the utility of the Camaro's fundamental architecture so it could be used for other vehicles as well.



With money in relatively short supply, GM executives have become more cautious about spending, particularly on new vehicle architectures. GM, however, continues to make substantial investments in new powertrains, including hybrids and electrically-driven vehicles, Wagoner said.