GM to start selling automotive Unicorn in 2010

[72Golf]

GM says they will start selling the mythical Chevy Volt next year in California. The lucky buyer will get a car that can go a whopping 40 miles on a single charge of the LI battery and up to 300 miles more with the "back up" IC engine. All this for only $40,000!

Doomed to fail, as expected (and designed).

[Jim_75Sahara]

GM enjoys getting humiliated by the Japanese. After decades of pushing what GM felt like building rather than pushing engineering excellence adds up to FAIL. I remember as a teen wondering how could Honda design the CVCC engine at the same time that GM/Ford/Chrysler said that such an engine was impossible. That left a powerful neg. impression on me.

[Harv]

Yea, They make the Volt and Honda will make the Clarity.

http://automobiles.honda.com/fcx-clarity/

John

[skipsfcr]

Additionally one huge problem with GM is / has been that they're way too slow getting vehicles from concept to market. The Volt is a prime example. This car has been advertised for something like 3 years on television now and could be read about in magazines for at least two or three years before that. Take the friggin' ridiculous HHR wagon and SSR truck, both with their outdated retro styling. The HHR was supposed to compete with the Chrysler PT Cruiser...Hey GM...I've got news! The market for that junk died a few years ago. Both the aforementioned vehicles could be seen ENDLESSLY in magazines for at least 5-6 years before they were actually available. When they came out it was like "Big deal." Ditto the ugly assed new Camaro. It's really kind of pitiful. Toyota unveils a new concept at Paris / Detroit / Frankfurt, wherever, and next year it's on a dealer's lot. At least it seems that way.

[robspeed]

Additionally one huge problem with GM is / has been that they're way too slow getting vehicles from concept to market. The Volt is a prime example. This car has been advertised for something like 3 years on television now and could be read about in magazines for at least two or three years before that. Take the friggin' ridiculous HHR wagon and SSR truck, both with their outdated retro styling. The HHR was supposed to compete with the Chrysler PT Cruiser...Hey GM...I've got news! The market for that junk died a few years ago. Both the aforementioned vehicles could be seen ENDLESSLY in magazines for at least 5-6 years before they were actually available. When they came out it was like "Big deal." Ditto the ugly assed new Camaro. It's really kind of pitiful. Toyota unveils a new concept at Paris / Detroit / Frankfurt, wherever, and next year it's on a dealer's lot. At least it seems that way.

im no giant fan of GM or the camaro, but there is a yellow RS in my parking lot at work and i have to say its not horrible looking. i looked it up online and the 6.2 liter 426hp v8 gets 24mpg on the freeway, and the 306hp v6 gets 29! thats pretty damn impressive for a not-very-slippery-looking shape and fairly ridiculous power. Even better, the 505hp 7 liter vette z06 gets 25mpg. the vette's number is partially explainable by its extremely slippery shape, which the camaro doesnt benefit from. obviously the very tall overdrive 6th has a lot to do with it, but however they do it, its pretty impressive. The camaro looks a lot better than the new mustang, which started looking tired almost immediately. imo, obviously...

EDIT:

took that for a friend a few weeks ago...

[skipsfcr]

OK, I'll concede the Mustang's retro look didn't appeal to me for long, although I did like it ok when it first arrived. I think my whole problem with the Camaro (as I stated previously) is that I've been looking at the darn thing (in magazines) almost ever since Chevrolet "did away with" the Camaro. FWIW the new Dodge Challenger RT looks a good deal better than either the Chevy or Ford IMO. M-Racer of the FAQ, however, told me the "new" Challenger drives a little too much like the vintage Challenger it was styled after...Big and heavy