Gm Disbands Unit That Creates High-performance Vehicles

[fbachman]

Jamie LaReau

Automotive News

February 18, 2009 - 5:05 pm ET

 

DETROIT -- General Motors, focusing on mainstream products in a battle to survive, has scrapped a unit that produced high-performance vehicles.

 

GM today disbanded High Performance Vehicle Operations, which is based at the company's suburban Detroit technical center, and redeployed its engineers, said spokesman Vince Muniga.

 

 

"All high-performance projects are on indefinite hold," Muniga said. "The engineers are moving into different areas of the organization, and they will work on Cadillacs, Buicks, Chevrolets and Pontiacs."

 

The unit created low-volume vehicles for GM's divisions designed to appeal to enthusiasts and bolster the company's image. Products included V-series Cadillacs and the Chevrolet Cobalt SS, HHR SS and a V-8 version of the Colorado.

 

Muniga said there are no plans for high-performance versions of upcoming cars.The move is in the spirit of GM's viability plan delivered to the U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday. In the plan, GM said its future-product focus is on fuel- efficient cars and crossovers. It also pledged to increase its current offering of six hybrids to 14 by 2012 and to 26 by 2014. GM also boosted its request for federal aid by as much as $16.6 billion.

 

The High Performance Vehicle Operations unit could be reinstated once GM regains its financial health, GM's Muniga said.

 

"These guys are pretty good at what they do," Muniga said, "They are moving into different areas to work on core products."

[Bowtie2Sierra]

Given the current financial situation GM is in, I think it's a wise move for the short term. I hate seeing that division "disbanded" nonetheless.

[longhorn_giant]

Granted I know they weren't the mose fuel efficient vehicles on the market, but the SS-s were a fun thing to play with. My old roommates TBSS gets about 10 mpg, but that LS2 was a lot of fun to let loose. Hopefully the SS will be back soon.

[jthelman]

No loss.

 

In these times you have to fallback, regroup and go with what works. In GM's case, I'd say keep the Corvette as the performance car, and ditch the exotic SS brands for now. They don't sell enough.

 

I'm probably more extreme than most, I'd kill the HHR, the Colorado, and probably a half dozen other useless models.

[Draenor]

Tobias beat ya to it.

Oh Noez

[VMax2007]

 

 

[LawmanSS]

I don't think the value of the Hi-Po versions of the vehicles necessarily lies in their sales, but in their ability to draw folks into the showroom.

 

No matter, it's sad to see that division disbanded...

[VMax2007]

It's all just political posturing to keep the Greenies in Congress happy during the whole bailout loan process.

 

Once the dust settles and they get the Gov't out of their hair, they will bring it back.

 

[LawmanSS]

Once the dust settles and they get the Gov't out of their hair, they will bring it back.

 

 

I'm with ya...keeping the faith!

 

I can't imagine my son growing up in a world without GM performance.

[Nick The Great]

It's all just political posturing to keep the Greenies in Congress happy during the whole bailout loan process.

 

Once the dust settles and they get the Gov't out of their hair, they will bring it back.

 

 

 

Congress: "What are you doing to combat global warming?"

GM: "Well we disbanded our hi-po division to conserve fossil fuels."

Congress: "Well done, good job. "

GM(under their breath): " . . . for now. "

[Spurshot]

Great. Our liberal democrat government is now designing (or dictating what can be designed) cars. Soon, they'll all look like a Russian built Prius. WTF makes a pile of liberal commie lawyers smarter about what vehicles we need than the people that have built them for over a hundred yrs? God help us.

[Josh]

Check out our article on the front page

 

http://www.gm-trucks.com/news/business/200...and-operations/

[VMax2007]

Great. Our liberal democrat government is now designing (or dictating what can be designed) cars. Soon, they'll all look like a Russian built Prius. WTF makes a pile of liberal commie lawyers smarter about what vehicles we need than the people that have built them for over a hundred yrs? God help us.

 

One word....cash!

 

Once they don't need bailout cash anymore, it'll all be good again. This beats the alternative (no bailout and no GM).

[DofD]

 

When someone's holding a .50 cal to your nuts, you're going to play by their rules till they till leave you alone.

[jrrod2004]

 

When someone's holding a .50 cal to your nuts, you're going to play by their rules till they till leave you alone.

 

 

thanks for the mental picture