Saturn Vue two-mode dead, Chevrolet Equinox hybrid unlikely to hit until 2011

[cwerdna]

Originally Posted by JSH

I suspect the Aura hybrid will also be cancelled as it has not been mentioned in Saturn's sales agreements with Penske.

Yep, the Aura hybrid is dead too per The Associated Press: GM cancels Malibu hybrid, works on new system and GM cancels Malibu, Aura hybrids - Autos- msnbc.com.

GM Pulls Plug on Hybrid Model - WSJ.com (you may need to visit it from

403 Forbidden

Google: malibu+hybrid+wall+street+journal

) has this not so surprising quote plus another:

"We could care less," said Joe Menegos, sales manager at Ron Baker Chevrolet-Isuzu in National City, Calif. He noted the hybrid Malibu only gets what he described as marginally better fuel economy and said that the price is more expensive.
A base Malibu, carrying a four-cylinder engine, costs about $22,300, and a hybrid version, which uses a battery to help propel the vehicle, is about $4,000 more. Both models achieve 34 miles-per-gallon in highway driving, according to GM.

GM, which filed for bankruptcy last week, posts substantial losses on every hybrid Malibu it builds.

What happened to Jonnycat26 and his singing the praises of GM BAS hybrids?

[bwilson4web]

The old GM management dictated hybrids with these characteristics:

• weak 'auto-stop' - thinking that idle fuel burn was the secret, they reworked a heavy-duty alternator into a motor generator and a small battery pack and called it "hybrid" and the market shrugged its shoulders.
• over-engined, two-mode - unable to understand economy, they put massive, oversized engines in their two-mode hybrids as if calling a vehicle "hybrid" was enough and the market shrugged its shoulders.
• "hybrid" door banner - they thought painting the text "hybrid" on the vehicle was all it took and the market shrugged its shoulders.

The old GM management was tone-deaf, totally disconnected from the reality of peak oil and dumbfounded by the Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid, and Ford Escape Hybrid. The old GM management product solutions were not engineered as much as directed with the same skill that crushed the EV1. Small wonder there is an unsold inventory of old GM hybrids.

It will take the time, perhaps a 18-24 months, for the surviving, former GM engineers to 'clean house.' One thing I know for sure, they have the talent. What I don't know is if their new managers will let them 'do the right thing.' Meanwhile, there are all of these left-overs.

Bob Wilson

[Shawn Clark]

The Malibu hybrid didn't make any sense since it wasn't noticeably more fuel efficient than the base model or compared to other sedans. As Bob says, GM's approach to hybrids has been all wrong. They have not taken this sort of thing seriously with bottom up design objectives that made sense.

The problem with any re-org is that once poor management settles in, they stay until the very end. It's the bulk of the technical talent that either leaves for greener pastures or gets the axe. Top down re-orgs that work take some visionary types that are willing to slog through the tough times with a clear long term objective. To do that requires throwing a lot of deadweight/old style management off the bus and bringing in new folks that have the temperament and talent to make it work.

Having to start over every few years is a disaster. Rather than building upon what they've done and applying the lessons, they start over on another dubious plan.

[RonH]

Originally Posted by hill

"Creep me out" interview. At 2:40 into the video, GM's new leader (is that who he is?) Mr Henderson says, "there's no reason the markets shouldn't bounce back". Um, what about ever increasing fossil fuel demands, even as cheep oil supplies (purchased from countries that are filled with extreamists, that want to wipe us out) fade away ... coupled with astronomical national debt ?? No reason? Wow. Call me out to lunch. Was he joking?

.

I'm losing track, but I thought the new CEO was to be Whitacre, the doofus who used to run AT&T and started the whole net-neutrality debate by saying he wasn't going to let google use his pipes for free, completely ignoring the fact that except for a few wireless freeloaders, everybody pays for their internet access. I can see it now: the volt won't charge from any electric company which doesn't pay GM for charging its cars.

[dbacksfan]

Bob, I truly hope that GM does come out of bankruptcy a renewed, invigorated company.

I really like the looks of new 2010 Equinox and hope that they do offer a hybrid version that is capable of achieving real-world, combined gas mileage in the mid 30s. That would represent a 40% increase in gas mileage over the '10 model, 4-cylinder model. Which, by the way, gets very respectable mileage as compared to its competitors (RAV4, CR-V).

I would like to throw my support to GM by buying one of their vehicles. But, given the short-sided and arrogant attitude of GM management, causes me to question whether they've earned my trust.

Originally Posted by bwilson4web

The old GM management dictated hybrids with these characteristics:

• weak 'auto-stop' - thinking that idle fuel burn was the secret, they reworked a heavy-duty alternator into a motor generator and a small battery pack and called it "hybrid" and the market shrugged its shoulders.
• over-engined, two-mode - unable to understand economy, they put massive, oversized engines in their two-mode hybrids as if calling a vehicle "hybrid" was enough and the market shrugged its shoulders.
• "hybrid" door banner - they thought painting the text "hybrid" on the vehicle was all it took and the market shrugged its shoulders.

The old GM management was tone-deaf, totally disconnected from the reality of peak oil and dumbfounded by the Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid, and Ford Escape Hybrid. The old GM management product solutions were not engineered as much as directed with the same skill that crushed the EV1. Small wonder there is an unsold inventory of old GM hybrids.

It will take the time, perhaps a 18-24 months, for the surviving, former GM engineers to 'clean house.' One thing I know for sure, they have the talent. What I don't know is if their new managers will let them 'do the right thing.' Meanwhile, there are all of these left-overs.

Bob Wilson

[SageBrush]

GM spent years and ad dollars to convince it's buying public that hybrids were the last thing on Earth any sane GM customer should want.

I toast their success, on the way to oblivion.

[PriusSport]

GM hybrids just don't get good enough gas mileage compared to other hybrids. That's their misjudgement, and undoubtedly why they are being dropped. I expect there will be some new GM hybrids with better gas mileage to compete with Ford and Toyota hybrids.

[resoh02]

Originally Posted by hill

"Creep me out" interview. At 2:40 into the video, GM's new leader (is that who he is?) Mr Henderson says, "there's no reason the markets shouldn't bounce back". Um, what about ever increasing fossil fuel demands, even as cheep oil supplies (purchased from countries that are filled with extreamists, that want to wipe us out) fade away ... coupled with astronomical national debt ?? No reason? Wow. Call me out to lunch. Was he joking?

.

I think they should check the gm offices, someone is piping in stupidy gas. If this is the new GM they might as well file bankruptcy now and not waste time.

[Duffer]

Originally Posted by resoh02

I think they should check the gm offices, someone is piping in stupidy gas. If this is the new GM they might as well file bankruptcy now and not waste time.

I am glad to see that the Internet connection in your bomb shelter is working properly. Yes, the world is in bad shape due to poor management by wealthy people who should know better, they are the cream of our society you know. The U.S. looks like an old maid that has cleaned way to many houses and her to do list is still growing. As a manager you must talk about positive things instead of all the negative things that are happening now, or may happen in the future.

[resoh02]

Originally Posted by Duffer

I am glad to see that the Internet connection in your bomb shelter is working properly. Yes, the world is in bad shape due to poor management by wealthy people who should know better, they are the cream of our society you know. The U.S. looks like an old maid that has cleaned way to many houses and her to do list is still growing. As a manager you must talk about positive things instead of all the negative things that are happening now, or may happen in the future.

I will be positive when something is positive. The previous mgt ran it into the ground and now the current mgt is on the same track. If they think the 40000 volt is the answer they are crazy. People can't affort the exsisting prices let alone 40k.