Comments on: [update] GM confirms U.S. Opel production, Chevrolet branded Opel MPV

By: DeansterTJ

DeansterTJ — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 13:46:27 +0000

What European in their right mind is going to spring for an American-made minivan? This is the end of the Opel minivan’s sales in Europe.

Also, what happened to all that ****ing smoke blwon up our asses about the death of the minivan, people were migrating to CUVs, etc…etc….hence the justification for the Acadia and Outlook, etc..etc….

Pure bull**** as usual. **** GM

By: Got Handling?

Got Handling? — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 12:40:57 +0000

Lets all do what we are good at. Strategy, design, engineering – Europe: Spanner-monkeying, USA.

By: TOZO

TOZO — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 00:15:31 +0000

Another minivan!!! Now? NO!!!! Maybe two minivans in the states? Sure the Zafira-Chevy beats the Uplander, but this is poison to Saturn.

By: autonutt

autonutt — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 23:33:54 +0000

BAD idea.. Saturn needs this vehicle NOW.. Chevy can wait, since they already have the HHR and Equinox covering this market niche, where Saturn has a wide gap between the smallish Vue and HUGE Outlook.

By: SS4LIFE

SS4LIFE — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 20:14:12 +0000

yeah, autonut I agree. European cars do look alot better. I think GM is making a good move by taking Opels and Holdens (which I know are Australian) and re-badging them as Saturns and Pontiacs. GM hasn’t had the greatest success with it in the beginning, (i’m referring to the GTO) but the GTO style first introduced in the US in 04 was an aging style in Australia and that was their mistake) Also and that they priced it over a Mustang GT, and over produced them. But a buddy of mine has one and the build quality, and fit and finish on it is really nice. I think it has a nicer interior than a Cadillac. Keep on bringing the foreign cars GM! Just don’t give us another Allante!

By: autonut

autonut — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 18:51:34 +0000

CA36GTP point well taken. However, that does not explain the fact how most of jap transplants do produce higher quality cars right here in US. The best quality car produced stateside is Honda and it is build in Ohio and the worst is Jeep manufactured in the same state (per Consumer Report).
I don’t disagree with your point entirely, but I think European cars do look better.

By: CA36GTP

CA36GTP — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 18:45:21 +0000

Which is worse: a car built by lazy Europeans who come up with idiotic ideas like living wages, or a car built by lazy UAW workers who think they are entitled to drag a company into bankruptcy because they want a few more bucks in healthcare?

I guess we’re about to find out.

By: autonut

autonut — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 18:15:38 +0000

Perhaps S-Max rules, but on another side of the pond. I do wonder what mechanicals are being suited for US market? In Europe those thingies are very popular with I4 diesel, I don’t think I even noticed them with anything but. If you drop heavier V6 into front wheel drive, driving dynamics will suffer.

By: 04focus

04focus — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 18:15:12 +0000

Does it have a sliding door? If not, it’ll probably go the way of the first-gen Odyssey. I think this and the Mazda5 are both great cars, and it’s a shame the Mazda5 didn’t sell as well as it should. Honestly, if I were to ferry around children I’d take this with a stick over any of those faux-SUVs around. This car looks much less goofy than the 5.

By: cardesigner5

cardesigner5 — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 17:51:13 +0000

good for GM profits, not good for build quality.

By: cookie4me

cookie4me — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 16:36:00 +0000

With Mazda leaving the “small” end of the minivan segment, at least there will be a niche to be filled. Not exactly a volume buster but then GM hasn’t done “volume” in minivans for some time. Where is the love? I’m not feelin the love here at LLN.

By: LP640

LP640 — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 15:57:01 +0000

The vauxhall Zafira (pictured) is quite a popular and well selling model in continental Europe, but if its a minivan you want, then look no further than the Mazda 5 or the superb Ford S-MAX .
S-MAX RULES !!!!

By: tripleonefive

tripleonefive — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 22:22:42 +0000

No anger here You are the janitor who cant say Acura. If I wanted an Accord I would have bought one Its a great car but I wanted something more so I drive what I drive
I wouldnt be caught dead in a Tempo or Lambuhhhh
Well if I had a job as a janitor I might but Im better than that

By: jackjimturkey

jackjimturkey — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 22:06:44 +0000

The **** is here, fluffer.
The **** is here.

So much anger, so much hostility!
Not myfauld you drive an accord. Not my fault you’re in your career.
This is America, nobody is responsible for your success but you.

I’m Iago here

By: tripleonefive

tripleonefive — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 05:44:37 +0000

You use your head at your job ? They let you clean the toilets with your tongue janitor man ?
If the Accord Civic and TL were such bad cars then they wouldnt be selling as well as they are. They would have such high resale and I would see them on the side of the road just like I say about 11 american cars of varying models and years
Now get your mop and clean the pile of **** in the bathroom

By: tripleonefive

tripleonefive — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 05:30:56 +0000

Any Honda is better and more reliable than any Mazda bc Mazda is a Ford much your Tempo If I did drive a 95 Accord it would be better than your Tempo or Lambduhhh you are waiting for
Now clean that barf up in the bathroom. Whats in the burgers ?

By: jackjimturkey

jackjimturkey — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 23:04:06 +0000

than a Mazda5

By: jackjimturkey

jackjimturkey — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 19:19:25 +0000

is not better

By: jackjimturkey

jackjimturkey — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 19:19:07 +0000

1115: what makes you think I cant (sic) get a luxury car?

And no, your accord i not better than a ‘95. It might, on a case-by-case basis, be better than some tempos, but it’s not better than a fusion

By: cardesigner5

cardesigner5 — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 18:24:53 +0000

an opel produced stateside, that will help

By: sharpie

sharpie — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 05:04:39 +0000

There is nothing wrong with selling Opel here as Saturn since these are still new products in the US market. A Chevy version? Why not, but that’s it, don’t keep cloning them to Pontiac (No a sport division should not have a micro or mini-van, or Buick (why would empty-nesters have the need for a van).

And it certainly is a “breakthrough” that the bonehead execs in Detroit are actually using some braincells. Haha

By: tripleonefive

tripleonefive — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 04:58:30 +0000

It Kinda doesnt It’s better than a Tempo or Mazda 5 Dont be mad that you cant get a luxury car or a toilet
If the car has diff sheetmetal engine and interior and driving dynamics then that makes them different

By: jackjimturkey

jackjimturkey — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 23:12:39 +0000

yeah, it kinda does
you own an accord

By: tripleonefive

tripleonefive — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 23:10:57 +0000

The Nissan Armada is the same as the Infiniti and nothing else.
Nissan has the respect to not label it a breakthrough
Being on the same platform does not make the car the same

By: jackjimturkey

jackjimturkey — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 22:47:57 +0000

autonut: I liked the 1st-gen oddessy/oasis, but I wasn’t about to buy one considering the POS honda I’d escaped from not two years earlier.

swerve: you hit the nail on on the head

By: SwerveEarly

SwerveEarly — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 21:37:20 +0000

Ther is nothing wrong with designers or engineers in U.S.
Its the corp.s they work for that hold them back, in the name of trying to make a product not offend anyone and to save costs. Hopefully the present state of industry will force the weak companies to die off and the survivors to get stronger.

By: richt62167

richt62167 — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 21:15:22 +0000

Im all about bringing American euro’s here, because all we have here is ****. But what does that say about us. Not you and me reading this blog. Im talking about the American auto designers. what are they going to do for employment????

Well I guess Walmart could always need greeters

By: CTS DRIVER

CTS DRIVER — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 21:07:50 +0000

autonut mabey i meant a rooster.
1115, i could say the same about infinity, if nissan has 2 brands then it means they rebadge the same car to 100% of its divisions, isnt that the same philosophy as gm?

By: tripleonefive

tripleonefive — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 20:56:10 +0000

oh great another “breakthrough” for Saturn A rebadged Opel.

By: rompn4x

rompn4x — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 20:28:27 +0000

European design is OK but don’t make it out to be the mecca of design.

By: autonut

autonut — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 19:13:21 +0000

P.S. Opel looks better then either Honda or Mazda. Opel always had(has) great design studio.

By: autonut

autonut — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 19:10:56 +0000

autonutt, I see Mazda5 as 10 year old carbon copy of original Odyssey(1994-1999) . It was 6-7 passenger wagon with doors, hideaway third mini-seat, 2.3L 140-150 hp I4 , 4 speed auto tranny and weighted around 3500 lbs. Checkout Mazda5 stats.

By: Impulsive

Impulsive — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 18:52:14 +0000

Cut off the dead North American designers and managers. European leadership is taking over.

By: autonutt

autonutt — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 18:44:33 +0000

Chevy and Saturn selling a Mazda5/Kia Rondo fighter in the US sounds like a good marketing strategy, since very few makers (and none of their US counterparts) offer one yet. Everyone thought Mazda was crazy to bring the Premacy/Mazda5 to the US, but this market should continue to soar, at least until Honda and Toyota bring their versions (Stream and Corolla Verso) here and dominate sales.

By: autonut

autonut — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 18:26:24 +0000

Microvan minivan, who cares? It looks like a nice tall station wagon with doors. As long as it has decent mechanicals and quality it has a good market potential. Look at Kia sales numbers, they have a lot of smallish “space” vehicles and with gas creeping up those things will sell.