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This write-up first appeared a few days back on GMI, and I have to say that it is one of the most compelling arguments, and one of the better collections of information (at least, information that we have) of what GM plans to do with RWD over the next five or so years. I personally felt it was a well-written summation of whats going on, so feel free to comment on the current plans...
The future looks bright indeed. Too bad so much of it is at least three or more years away...
nadepalma on GMIA Further Glimpse of GM's RWD Plans
The rumor mill is grinding out some new inside information on what is ahead for GM's RWD plans, thanks to a previous reliable source. In fact, the news this week on Lutz's announcement that the RWD platform will continue despite his previous statements was actually passed along to us sometime ago, but this has been my first opportunity to post on it.
With this in mind, here is the inside news from the source along with a confirmation of what many of us on GMI have already speculated about.
We all know that the new Cadillac CTS comes out later this year and there has been much speculation as to the possibility of GM producing different variants of the CTS to fill other niches. Many GMIers and journalists have stated that GM's phoenix-like re-launching of the brand has been impressive, but that Caddy isn't exploiting enough niches.
Consider that BMW and Benz already offer coupes, convertibles, "4-door coupes" and wagons that help to incrementally increase sales and fatten the bottom line, thanks to sharing platforms with more mainstream vehicles. And now, even Audi is jumping into this fray with the new A5 Coupe and rumors of an A7 "4-door coupe" ala the Benz CLS coming soon.
Of course, Cadillac has none of this. But it seems that the folks at GM haven't let this go un-noticed.
As such, we will most certainly see a coupe spawned from the CTS that will essentially be Cadillac's 6-Series fighter. Expect it to cost more than the 'typical' CTS sedan. No word yet if it will retain the "CTS" moniker in coupe guise or if Caddy will look to 'expand' the nomenclature to include new monikers (just as the 5-Series and 6-Series are mechancially identical and share many interior bits, but have different names/marketing/etc). But with the CTS name becoming recognizable, it very well may just retain the CTS name.
To this Caddy will add CTS-based wagon. When the wagon debuts it will somewhat supplement the Caddy SRX, as many have speculated that it's days are numbered. The CTS wagon will be one of two vehicles that will replace the SRX.
The other vehicle will be the rumored Cadillac BRX. We will see the sunset on the SRX around June of 2009, with the BRX being launched possibly early 2009 as a 2010 model. The BRX will ride on a hybrid Theta-Epsilon platform (or as some have called it TE platform) for the intermediate term. So two products will essentially replace the one (granted, the TE isn't RWD, but still relevant to this topic).
The BRX will only be on the TE platform for only a short time before an all new model debuts in 2013 as a 2014 model. It will move to the RWD/AWD "Alpha" platform that has been pretty much confirmed in every which way to GM insiders short of an official announcement by the powers that be.
Both the "CTS Coupe" and wagon will debut in late 2009 as a 2010 model.
In 2010, the "new" CTS will have a significant MCE (but will launch as a 2011 model). GM is refreshening it rather quickly after it's initial launch in a bid to move move the entire CTS-Line to a true E-Class/5-Series fighter -- both in reality and in the eyes of the public.
Consider, when GM launched the original CTS, it was the 5-Series sized figher for 3-Series money --- and was the "entry-level car" for the Crest and Wreath brand (yes, we even remember some comparisons to the old Cimmaron as its "spiritual predecessor" before the critics got their chances behind the wheel). GM is already bringing the new car up a few notches when it debuts next year, but it will still be seen as the "entry-level" Caddy and perhaps still more of a 3-Series/A4/C-Class fighter than a truly E-Class/5-Series competitor. Giving it a MCE in 2010 will allow the GM to raise the profile gradually and give GM more time to add a new vehicle at the bottom of the lineup to directly compete with the 3-Series (more on this later).
Expect this CTS MCE will an updated exterior, an "all new" interior, more powerful engines, and more features to add to the top-spec models.
We can expect STS production to come to a end in the first-half of 2010, leaving the CTS-line of vehicles as the only Sigma based product GM will have after both the SRX and STS are faded out of production.
Soon after, expect the CTS family to get redesigned and migrate to a version of the Zeta platform sometime in 2012 as 2013 models. When this migration to Zeta happens, Sigma will essentially be dead come 2012, as GM will reduce the number of mid/large passenger car platforms down to the highly flexible Zeta platform, with Alpha taking up the mid/small range (no word on Kappa -- if it will elvove into Kappa II or use a smaller variant of Alpha).
The new Cadillac BLS comes out January 2011 as a 2012 model and will be on the RWD/AWD Alpha platform so it can compete directly with the 3-Series. Expect the next-gen BLS to have a sedan, coupe, convertible and wagon variants ---- which will undoubtedly be appreciated by both North American and European customers with so many models to choose from. This news obviously contradicts the previous notion that the next BLS would be built in Europe on the same line as the 9-5/Vectra/9-3 in Russelheim. But, it also casts doubt of when the current model will be phased out. As of right now, the Alpha platform is in development but will take some lead times to get to market. And with Epsilon II coming out in the '09-'10 timeframe, what will this do to the production line in Trollhattan of Epsilon based vehicles since Delta II production will be ramped up in Trollhattan (presumedly for a 9-1)?
Could the current BLS be left alone and produced in Trollhattan or will GM put the product on hiatus for a few years until Alpha is ready? This is still unresolved as of this writing.
As Ming posted back in April in his article "Rumor Mill: Saturn's Future Car Plans", GM has decided to give Opel/Vauxhall a Alpha sedan -- and as of now, it seems GM has decided to green light a Saturn variant as well. This new "sport-sedan" will be sold alongside the next Vectra/Aura and all three brands will sell essentially the same car come early 2011 as a 2012 model.
GM has also greenlighted the next Pontiac GTO/Holden Monaro, but don't expect the car to be built in the US, but rather be sourced from Australia. The next GTO/Monaro will come out fall 2009 to compliment the G8.
The bad news in all of this is that GM has moved the Alpha based Pontiac G6 from 2010 to 2013. So in the mean time, come fall 2009 the G6 will be redesigned -- possibly on Epsilon II as a 2010 model. This means that the "next" G6 will have a short run on the platform before going to Alpha. The lead times in getting the Alpha up and running in Australia is what is holding the project back. GM can't afford to keep the current G6 around without a major update soon, so we can expect the G6 to continue as a FWD vehicle for the time being until GM-Holden completes development.
Also, GM is considering an El Camino for Chevy, and if GM give it a greenlight, then we should see it would come out possibly in 2009-2010.
GM has also decided that the name of Chevrolet's RWD/AWD Zeta sedan will indeed be Impala, despite recent concerns that the name would be abandoned. This reinforces Ming's other post "GM Looking to 2008 Chevy Malibu to defend Midsize Sedan Impala's Market Share" from a few months back. However, the timetable will be pushed back possibly a year. So it could be launched from November 2009 to June 2010. And of course, if it comes out in 2010 it will be a 2011 model, if it comes out in 2009 it will be a 2010 model.
A lot to absorb, but the bottom line remains; GM is NOT going to abandon RWD vehicles and it seems as though enthusiasts and performance lovers will have plenty to choose from in the coming years at GM. It also signals the first shift of what could be an equal/Saturn-Cadillac rebirth for Pontiac and what could amount to much higher volume for Cadillac.
(Disclaimer: This is cobbled together from a reputable and anonymous source Ming has cited in previous Rumor Mill threads, with some added commentary and speculation)
The future looks bright indeed. Too bad so much of it is at least three or more years away...
, with a substanstial amount of torque too.)
