Oddball Update

It’s official. A few days ago, I posted a rumor that the next-generation GTO’s platform, codenamed Zeta, was under review at GM and might be scaled back. Turns out it’s worse than that—the entire Zeta platform in North America has been dropped, according to the Chicago Tribune. Zeta will, however, be used for the next-generation Holden Monaro in Australia. The Monaro, of course, is the car on which the GTO is based, which means that the next-generation GTO might be another imported, rebadged Monaro. Pontiac’s halo car could also be repositioned to use the Sigma platform (Cadillac CTS/STS) so it could be built here (at a price premium, no doubt) or dropped altogether. No official word on that yet, but Pontiac insiders say the GTO is going to be placed on hiatus after 2006. However, most of them also agree that it will return…eventually. Edit: More on this has just arrived from The Detroit News.

This just spells more trouble for Pontiac and GM, both of which haven’t had much good news to report lately. The article states that Zeta was given the boot so that GM could work on developing other platforms that can accomodate cars, crossovers and SUVs. Great! So this just proves that GM hasn’t learned anything, and is once again putting all of their eggs in the SUV basket. Well, good luck with that. (Gee, you don’t suppose GM’s cars can’t compete in the industry because they put all their money and time into their truck products, do you?)

Meanwhile, at the New York Auto Show this Wednesday, Hau Thai-Tang and Carroll Shelby will be unveiling the 2007 Shelby Cobra GT500 by SVT, the first official Shelby Mustang since 1970. It’s a total throwback to 1968, with dual LeMans stripes, a vented hood, ducktail spoiler and all the goodies. Mechanically, the GT500 will reportedly be outfitted with 5.4 liter, 4-valve V8 with a Whipple Twin Screw supercharger, 6-speed transmission, and solid rear axle. Rumor has it that it’ll be underated at 440 hp/450 lb-ft with only 8 pounds of boost. The car should retail for around $40,000 and—this is the real problem—only 7,500 units will be produced. GOD, I WANT ONE OF THESE CARS REAL BAD. But given that they go on sale next year, I’m afraid it’ll be too soon for me to swing it. That breaks my heart. Into little tiny pieces!

Anyway, continue reading if you want to see the full text of the GM press release concerning Zeta’s demise. Looks like another bright, sunshiny day at General Motors…

GM halts rear-wheel-drive project
Says decision made in ‘04 on Zeta platform

By Jim Mateja
Tribune auto reporter
Published March 19, 2005

General Motors confirmed Friday that it has stopped development on vehicles being designed for a new rear-wheel-drive platform in the North American market.

Sources said the move is not related to financial woes and the company’s projected loss of $850 million for this year. They said the decision to stop developing cars on the platform, code-named Zeta, was made last year.

Zeta was believed to be the platform GM was going to use for the next-generation Pontiac GTO as well as possibly a pair of new Buick offerings, the Velite sedan and convertible, and maybe a midsize, performance Chevrolet sedan.

GM was developing the platform in cooperation with its Holden subsidiary in Australia, which still will use it. GM reportedly had plans to build the cars for North America in the United States, though it now gets the GTO from Australia. GM would not say how much it hopes to save with the move.

Sources said that though GM is re-evaluating just about every product program since cutting its annual profit forecast in half this week, the decision was made in December to halt development.

“We’re going to re-evaluate our programs for midsize, rear-wheel-drive products for North America,” said GM spokesman Pat Morrissey. “The resources on Zeta are going to be reassigned to other North American products that will have a more significant impact on volume and profit.”

The “other products” are full-size sport-utility vehicles due for the 2006 model year and full-size pickups for 2007—cash cows not only at GM but also in the auto industry.

Morrissey said GM will look at the best way to add rear-wheel-drive cars in North America. A rear-wheel-drive platform is important because it offers the option of all-wheel-drive, which is proving popular in passenger cars. He also didn’t rule out Velite and GTO being built off another GM platform.

“We have other RWD platforms and are looking at our options,” Morrissey said, which include developing more vehicles off a Cadillac platform that can provide rear-wheel- and all-wheel-drive. The so-called Sigma platform is now used to produce the CTS and STS sedans, and SRX sport-utility vehicle.

Some observers suggest GM stripped what was to be a low-volume Zeta lineup to turn to a platform that could accommodate higher-volume cars, crossovers and SUVs in rear- and all-wheel-drive.

Categorized as Cars