Although General Motors’ Kappa platform – which underpins the Saturn Sky and Pontiac Solstice, plus the Opel GT and Daewoo G2X overseas – is arguably one of the most capable small sports car platforms on the market, GM has reported canceled the platform’s successor – Kappa II. The program has reportedly been shelved due to high production costs.
According to GM Inside News, the Kappa II program was put on hold just last week. As with the Kappa platform, the Kappa II was slated to use hydra-forming in both the construction of the architecture’s frame and body panels – a very costly procedure. Add in the fact that the current Kappa cars are largely built by hand and that GM has yet to turn a profit on them, and it spells the end of the line for the development of the Kappa II platform.
It was rumored that GM could move the production of Kappa II-based cars to Mexico to save on production costs, but the softening of the market and the need to raise $15 billion in the next few years has forced GM to suspend the project indefinitely.
However, even though GM isn’t going through with the Kappa II program, it doesn’t necessarily mean the current Kappa cars are one and done. Although GM couldn’t stretch the Kappa platform to accommodate a sedan, GM’s upcoming Alpha platform – which will underpin a new Cadillac rear-wheel drive sedan – can be shortened to underpin a small two door, such as the current Kappa cars. If GM’s Kappa cars do make the switch to Alpha, look for them to hit the market in 2013.
