[McCall]

GM pulls plug on '08 line of cars - Product czar Bob Lutz wants to
speed new trucks, SUVs to market faster.
http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosinsider/0.../A01-123402.htm

If the Zeta program is dead, that means the new Camaro/GTO is pretty much dead. Boy those guys at GM are idiots....

McCall

[94bird]

Found this in AutoTech daily recently. It's a little different spin on the previous posts:

GM PUTS THE BRAKES ON REAR-DRIVE ZETA MODELS
General Motors Corp. has halted development of up to four rear-wheel-drive midsize
vehicles that were due to be launched in North America in three years, according to
several media reports. The vehicles—including the next-generation Pontiac GTO—were
to be built on GM’s Zeta platform, which is expected to still be used for applications
outside North America.
The move is said to have been initiated by Vice Chairman Bob Lutz after it was determined
the vehicles couldn’t be engineered and produced as cost effectively as competitive
rear-drive models such as the hot-selling Chrysler 300 and new Ford Mustang. The
decision also allows GM to shift resources to the development of new full-size pickups
and SUVs that are due next year.
In addition to the GTO, the Zeta platform was expected to be the basis for new
Chevrolet and Buick models—possibly reviving the Camaro nameplate and giving life to a
production version of last year’s Buick Velite concept car. The current GTO shares a platform
with the Holden Monaro and is produced in Australia.
An internal GM memo circulated last week said the vehicles have been put on hold
until further notice by the current business climate, according to some reports. Although
the automaker acknowledges the Zeta platform programs have been stopped, officials
insist new approaches are being analyzed for future midsize rear-drive vehicles.
Those new models may eventually be shifted to the existing Monaro-GTO platform or
the Sigma architecture that carries the Cadillac CTS and STS sedans and SRX crossover
vehicles. But this likely would delay introduction by at least a year.

==============================

In the same issue they spoke of showing a SS version of the Trailblazer with a 391 HP version of the LS2 in it and 20" wheels. Hehe, the 0-60 was touted as 5.7s. Heck, notice above that one of the reasons GM is killing the Zeta platform is it's not as cost effective of a RWD platform as the LX (Charger, Magnum, 300) for Chrysler and the Mustang for Ford. Now, they're coming out with a SS Trailblazer that SRT already has covered handily with a Grand Cherokee. GM's other SS will be a 250 HP V6 Monte Carlo (FWD). Ugh. I'm with you guys. GM is making some outright stupid marketing decisions.

It's in the headlines lately that they will offer "early retirement" to about 28% of their white collar workers asap.

It's heartbreaking.