Sounds good to me. The Astra shows Delta is still a viable platform, but it needs an update. The versatility of this platform sounds promising, though I hope an AWD option is left open.

Best of all, this provides GM with another reason to get a new Cobalt/G5 out for 2009, as they need to be updated badly.

As long as they limit a platform to one brand in each region. A lot of GM’s failure in the past was linked to slapping on a different fascia and calling a Chevrolet a Cadillac. I see the same failure if they make a Cobalt wear the same sheet metal as a Saturn Astra.

I care………………………………………….. no really i do (!)

Yea, that last paragraph seems to indicate GM isn’t learning from its badge engineering ways. This could suck badly.

I can see them using Zeta for several brands because it’s such a good platform. Camaro and G8 are on the same platform, but nothing alike, so who cares? But more traditional platforms should be split. For example, I think Alpha should be Pontiac-only, used for making mid-sized performance cars. Chevy and Saturn can have the Delta successor, as they should be the ones building small FWD cars.

Just when I thought GM was on a roll, they announce the return of badge engineered clones for this new platform. If products for different brands must share platforms to reduce development costs, then so be it; but please give the products their own sheetmetal, interior design, and features to properly differentiate the products. Simply changing the fascias and grille are not enough. I truly thought the Pontiac G5 coupe would be the last we would see of this silly practice from GM; I guess I was wrong.

I hope I am not being overly negative here. I just can’t see this working, especially with Saab, Buick, and Opel/Saturn involved in the project. A Chevy with a Saab grille and fascias is still a Chevy.

Well, if the “shared sheetmetal” means a Daewoo in Korea, a Chevy or Opel in Europe, and a Chevy or Saturn in the US, it’s fine. As long as there are not two brands sharing sheetmetal in the same country…

Why the hell would they want to replace the Cobalt? Man, I see tons of them everywhere all driven by 18 year old girls with those newfangled mobile phone deals stuck to their heads. I guess they must be tryin’ to find all the other girls driving Cobalts cuz they sure don’t seem to be worried ’bout anyone else I recken by the way they’re drivin’. Heck, they must be great cars cuz you can get 2 or 3 used ones for the price of one of them forin cars. Makes sense to me- never have to worry if one breaks- you always gots a spare!

GM will succeed

If every brand had to design and engineer it’s own chassis, the cost of these vehicles would be astronomical. Creating a platform for multiple brands saves cost. Try to be a bit realistic here, this is the new platform for the sub-$20K market. If an Opel in Europe has the same sheetmetal and headlights as a Chevy here in the states, what does anyone care?

I don’t.

I *do* care when Pontiac is used as a dumping ground for rehashed Chevy models.

Piablo,
What you say is true and no one would care. However, plenty of people will care when the Pontiac looks like the Chevrolet which looks like the Saturn (etc., etc.). GM successfully badge engineered the Lambda platform because they gave each brand a unique look and unique sheet metal. This doesn’t appear to be the case. I will not complain until their plans unfold and we see what they are planning but we should all pray that they don’t repeat mistakes of the past!

Um, Delta II? Haven’t we known about this for a while now? (By the way, I think I heard the Volt is supposed to be based on this platform)

See FORD!!!! thats what you call a bold move

No Delta Saab!

“We are doing a new platform that has a huge bandwidth.” Is that one of the new auto-industy buzzwords I’ll be pestered with?

CA36GTP: Gm should dump the cobalt name, and sell the new compact and the cobalt side-by-side for a year, to show how much better the new car is. I’d rather see a larger version of the Solstice for pontiac.

Cookie: “A lot of GM’s failure in the past was linked to slapping on a different fascia and calling a Chevrolet a Cadillac.”
That was a terrible idea.

mazdaman: “I just can’t see this working, especially with Saab, Buick …” Right you are!

04focus “Well, if the “shared sheetmetal” means a Daewoo in Korea, a Chevy or Opel in Europe, and a Chevy or Saturn in the US, it’s fine. As long as there are not two brands sharing sheetmetal in the same country…” You’re also right.

Has anyone see the 08 malibu on the road yet?? Are the tail lights red or are ther clear?? Leftlane shows tham red, but Chevys website shows them clear. What gives??

They are red with clear reverse lights. They are red on Chevy’s site, don’t know where you were looking.

Actually, I just found the pic with the main tail lamp clear. That’s odd. Never seen em like that.

As long as they only do it on entry level cars, it could be fine. But knowing GM, if it were to work, they’d assume it’ll work across the board.

The LTZ trim on the Malibu has a clear lens . All other trim levels have red lenses except for the reverse.

richt and GTP.. the Malibu’s outer taillamps are red on the low line models, and white on the top LTZ model.

Back to the topic at hand.. this new updated platform is promising for many reasons, but I am dismayed at the thought of a Saturn, Pontiac and Chevrolet potentially sharing the same body in the same market (US). Buick was mentioned too, but I’m guessing the only Buick on the Delta II platform will be Chinese (since they are currently offering a compact Buick on the Daewoo Nubira platform there). Let’s hope that after all of GM’s careful marketing in bringing the Saturn brand back to the fore that they don’t squander it by making the next Astra a Cobalt clone — and that the next Epsilon platform-mates (Aura/Vectra, Malibu, G6, 9-3) don’t suffer the same body-sharing fate.

I concur with autonutt. You have what seems to be a success with re budged Opels at Saturn and Chevy, just spend some coins to master CAFE regulations and move on. Why those masochistic moves with platform which destined to fail like all of those that failed before? They clawing their way out of disaster with Opel cars, why masturbate with future now?

I’m hoping Malibu and Aura move to Epsilon II, while the G6 goes RWD to the Alpha platform. Unfortunately, signs point to Epsilon II all around.

richt – I know many people have explained the lights thing but here is my explanation. All lower level trims have only TWO clear white bulbs altogether (the inner two, one on each side). The LTZ trim has FOUR clear white bulbs altogether (the inner and outer ones, two on each side).

CA – suposedly Pontiac is commited to an all-RWD lineup starting with the G8. The G6 is supposed to be like that pink Holden Torana concept from a few years back. Even the G5 is supposed to go RWD which would be awesome

Um……….LLN, you need to post those LSA engine images of the badboy that’s going into the ZR-1 Corvette. That is, post them before GM makes everyone take them off.

Thank you autonutt!!

Sorry continue on…………!