Here’s How Holden Is Helping GM Calibrate The Trax
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Given that the upcoming Chevy Trax subcompact crossover will be a vehicle sold around the world (except for the U.S.), General Motors is dispersing the various necessary engineering and testing work across its various global operations units, representing a global collaborative effort of bringing the small CUV to market.
For example, Australia’s Holden is involved in engine and transmission calibration for the vehicle. “We are working closely with the homeroom on global calibration work and of course making further refinements to ensure Trax will be well suited to Australian roads and conditions when it arrives next year”, said Holden’s Director of Powertrain Engineering Simon Cassin. The Trax will be sold in Australia as a Holden.
A GM Authority source familiar with GM’s vehicle development processes described GM’s ability to spread its engineering work around the world as a significant advantage not shared by competitors, where national subsidiaries/arms are no more than marketing, sales, and after-purchase support centers for the country/region in which they’re located. “Holden corporate might as well be called GM Australia. The team is very knowledgeable and helpful and can be trusted to properly execute the tasks assigned to them using The General’s new global development tools,” explained the source.
The GM Authority Take
We already knew that GM’s Australian operations did more than run plants while selling, marketing, and providing support for the vehicles sold in the country — a not-insignificant competitive advantage. Perhaps GM should use that additional development expertise with crafting a high-performance variant of the Cruze, which is slowly sliding down the sales ranks in the U.S. And if you live in the land of Oz, don’t be surprised to see Trax prototypes rolling around Holden’s providing grounds in the next several months.
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Could you please explain to me why GM around the world is on the same page, but the US is like a totally different world! Do they really think a automotive likes and dislikes are completely different?
What are you referring to — the fact that the Verano and Astra sedan have different tail lights? Those are small changes for what is otherwise the same car.
Chevy and Caddy have the same lineup around the world except for vehicles that don’t make sense in individual markets (trucks). So I guess I don’t see how the U.S. is treated differently within GM.
C’mon Alex. You know what he’s talking about. The rest of the world gets diesels, wagons, hatches, and now small CUVs. We get sedans, large CUV/SUVs, and trucks. The buyer who wants quality and utility in a small package is forced to buy foreign. And there are a lot of foreign cars like this now. Just came back from the store and parked my MINI next to a couple sitting in a Juke. You want Buick to go upscale with the Encore? OK, what does the average buyer on a budget do then? Look at the economy, our daunting debt, and the huge trade imbalances driven by foreign oil. Thrift is a word more people are going to need to learn.
Sure, but outside the Cruze hatch and wagon (and coupe), that aren’t available, we know that a diesel-powered Cruze is on its way — and it will be the market leader from what we’re hearing. The next-gen Equinox will (finally) become the new (truly) small crossover where the market sweetspot will be. I think that alone changes many things.
I agree with the GMA take. A Super Cruze is now needed. Resting on laurels is an old GM trait. Time to step up the game. It wouldn’t be hard either…All I would be asking for (at the moment) is the 205hp 2.0L from the Regal.
220 in the Regal Turbo — but a healthy 260 lb.-ft. of torque as well! They can crank up the power in that baby all the way up to GS levels!
Just a question why wasn’t this a GMC in north america (great vehicle for the granite name and body) and have what the granite was (a tall hatch) be a chevy?
Alex. I’m referring for one the Cruze. US no wagon or hatch. How many people will rreally buy a diesel in US? US, wait 2-3 years for next Colorado/S10, US, no TRAX, 2-3 years for next Equinox. US, no UTE. US, no Commodore wagon. US, Captiva is rental car only. That’s just a small sample off the top of my head. Oh yea, Trailblazer.
Well, we’re all already aware of the Cruze. The wagon may not come, but the hatch and a coupe need to… yesterday. That much we understand.
The Colorado/S10 is now 1.5 years away and is a by-product of the reorganization.
The Equinox is the best-selling vehicle in its class, but — ironically — it has no definite class, as we already discussed. So when the smaller next-gen version arrives, it will be a much better car and will occupy a clear segment — taking all the benefits advantages of doing that. It seems that GM was giving Americans what they seem to have valued the most — space — in their crossovers with the current ‘Nox… can you blame them for that?
Now, there is literally no established market for something like the Trax in the U.S. Granted, this can be changed — but Ford isn’t bringing its EcoSport here either. That should tell us something about segment demand.
The Ute and Commodore Wagon are write-offs; they would sell in the single digits, if that. Initial demand would be in the 500 per month for each; then it would taper off — just like the G8 did.
The re-classification of the next-gen Equinox makes the Captiva a non-starter… at that point, the Captiva will go away entirely.
And yes — the Tblazer needs to come.
So what we’re seeing here is a company undergoing massive change — and getting its $hit together (for lack of a better term) to truly dominate the market; it’s consolidating platforms and becoming more efficient while more closely meeting demand. In effect, I predict the lack of Cruze variants in the U.S. will be solved in 2 years, the next-gen Equinox will be a runaway success more so than the current model, and the Blazer will make it here by then as well. 2-3 years sucks if you’re in a market for one of the aforementioned vehicles, but that’s what a reorg does!
I’m looking to buy a 2013 Equinox soon, (before year’s end). I really like the interior space. But will I regret buying now, in view of the next-gen Nox coming out? And does that mean the re-sale value of a current gen Nox will plummet?
And a note to Alex – I read your comments on five things you like about Equinox, but I couldn’t find your promised comments on five things you hate.
theres no rendering of the next equinox yet but it will be shorter than current gen so if you want more legroom and still want the V6 at the same time because the next nox will probably not even offer a V6 just get the current one
Thanks for the input. Your comment brings up another question. I read that the 3.0 isn’t worth it go for the four cyl. But with 2013 choice of newer 2.5 L vs. the 3.6 V6, is there a big enough difference to go with the six?
Thanks
@Stan The 3.0 wasn’t a bad engine, but it was weak — mostly in the torque department. So you got slightly better performance with the 3.0 over the 2.4 but were penalized in the fuel economy department. The 3.6 doesn’t get as good mileage as the 2.4, but it certainly is much more powerful all around. So yes, the 3.6 is worth the premium over the 2.4 — it’s much more noticeable.