General Motors has been very secretive about its Chevrolet models launching in 2013. And frankly, it’s going to make 2012 look like a joke in comparison with the all-new C7 Corvette, next-generation Silverado and a new addition to the lineup: a rear-wheel-drive sport sedan. That last of which has been an especially hot topic as of late, since Chevy confirmed its arrival in a press release, tying its launch into the next NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
The Australians have great suspicion that this new Chevy is going to be based off the Zeta-based Holden Commodore, and many signs are pointing to that — but we don’t think it will be called the Commodore here in America. One major reason is that GM has yet to trademark the “Commodore” name here in America. It’s much easier to imagine the Caprice simply entering civilian duty along with its police patrol vehicle variants, name and all. Its current looks as a police car seem to also more-or-less resemble Chevy’s new design language featured on the 2014 Chevy Impala and 2013 Traverse that were unveiled at New York last week. And yes, it will offer a V8.
For all intents and purposes, this rear-wheel-drive car — which its official name still escapes us, but we’re calling it the Caprice for now — will pick up where the celebrated Pontiac G8 left off. So we can all stop complaining now. Also, it takes some heat off the new Impala for not offering AWD.
The sweepstakes closes on December 22nd and the drawing will take place on December 28th.
At a time of year when luxury car ATP usually rises.
Sales decreased 5.6 percent to 16,670 units during the first ten months of 2024.
Specifically critical minerals supply chain development.
Scheduled for a Spring 2025 launch.
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1 last thing. If this is going to be the high end Chevy, it should offer awd as an option with every engine. I know the zeta platform was designed to support awd also, so no excuses.
Whatever car this turns out to be, I say it needs a new name, not one from the past. The GTO(2004-06) & G8(2008-09) tell you all you need to know. The GTO was immediately panned for it's styling when compared to 60's GTO's regardless of it's performance, whereas the G8 could stand alone.
"The GTO was immediately panned for it’s styling when compared to 60′s GTO’s regardless of it’s performance, whereas the G8 could stand alone."
Exactly. Let the new car stand on it's merits, not by using cars from 30-40 years ago as a benchmark to judge it by.
Compare cars in the present, not from the past.
so how do you explain the G8 selling so poorly?
I would agree sales were below expectation, but remember the G8 arrived on the market here in March 2008, 6-7 months later the economy crashed and few people were buying new cars. Do you think GM ever intended to sell 80-100K of these a year? Certainly not. Maybe 40-50K? This was a car for those "in the know", the enthusiast, who wants function over form.
The other proof of the demand/appetite for these cars is in the used car market. A nice low mile G8 GT still commands $25K+! Remember these cars were only $32-33K brand new, 3 yrs. ago.
Same for the GTO especially the 05-06. I agree the economy put a bullet through GMs plans but lets be real, GM didn't know what to do with the cars anyway. Actually they didn't know what to do with Pontiac, so i Guess its a mute point. That said I'd bet the G8 would have done just fine as a Grand Prix or Bonneville. Everyone who actually cared about the car when it was new wondered about the G8 moniker anyway. Fortunately it was an exceptional performer. To bad the Charger and 300 out sold it handily even with a recession going on.
While Caprice is a good name, it does have an old fashioned feel to it, I drive one and will keep it running till they come out with a RWD that looks good. I'm all up for resurrecting an old nameplate. How about Bel Air and have the 1957 style font to the nameplate also
An argument for more retro cars?!
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/51/5ytru.gif
why are you even on here if you hate RWD and V8 cars?
Because RWD V8 cars don't sell to the masses anymore.
The world at large doesn't demand RWD or V8's; they demand practical transportation at a reasonable price. RWD and V8's don't factor into their demands.
The above matters to GM because if they don't make cars that appeal to the greatest number of people globally, then GM will deserve to go bankrupt.
Furthermore, nothing, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING in GMA's user policy says you must be a died in wool fan of RWD and V8's to post on this site.
For the record, I have an '87 Z28, but even I know it's a dog and wouldn't sell in today's world.
Bel Air is a fantastic name MH. Maybe that should be an option
I'm with you Grawdaddy NO MORE RETRO. But dusting off an old nameplate and reincarnating it as modern Awesomness ala 94-96 Impala or the 5th gen Camaro is the name of the game. A lot of GMs nameplates have nothing but positive memories associated with them. If the car is worthy, the name is justified.
A good example of a good car not so good name is the last GTO. I have a 05, one of the best cars I've owned, from build quality to performance and modability. The essence of the car is EVERYTHING the original GTOs claimed to be and wanted to be. Yet GM didn't advertise it, it was based on a platform styled in the 90s and they watered it down in transition from down under. Decontenting standard options, causing suspension issues with the American market only 17s (the car was designed for 18" wheels) and flooding the wrong markets with inventory (a year supply of GTOs in the NE but next to none in the south or out west? Really GM?!
No one else messes up as much as GM does when it comes to marketing and promoting their products. It repeatedly seems the more focused and pure a car, the more GM sabatoges thier own efforts to sell it.
Very true, just look at the volt spectacle, amazing car, bad rollout / inventory allocation and advertising
EXACTLY!! GM bottles "Greenie lightning" with that car, yet completely F'd up the roll out, initial advertising, and explaining why the car was so revolutionary. then they let the media torpedo it with: 1st the whole issue of whether or not the gas engine ever actually propelled the car (who the F cares!!! it get the equivalent of 100mpg!!) then 2nd: the whole "battery catches fire" fiasco! no it doesn't, the NHSTA crash tested one and THEY did not properly disconnect the battery afterward, DAYS LATER it started smoking! how hard is it to explain that the NHTSA did NOT follow proper post crash procedures?!?
SMH, then there was Fox news and others constantly whining that they only made it 30-40 miles BEFORE the car went into gas engine generator mode. wait how is that a problem?!? you ran out of electricity after driving in 30+ miles of stop and go traffic AND highway driving at 70+mph WITH the AC blowing and the radio on. and you still made it home!! "oooooh noooo, i gotta put a gallon of gas back in my hyper-efficient car once a week because, well because i'm just trying to find something to whine about."
and GM just sits by silently and lets them torpedo the car over something that is an inherent ADVANTAGE in the volts design i.e YOU WON'T BE F'ING STRANDED BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD when the battery runs out!
that's like complaining about about having to feed and walk the dog, AFTER you find out he saved your family's life by preventing a home invasion! "aaah! d#mn stupid dog, yeah you protected us from the intruder (which is why i bought you) but i don't understand why i have to feed and walk you once a day! sheeeesh!
lol
As one who actually owns a G8 GT with a factory LS3, all I can say is bring it on. Years ago I built Trans AMs with punched out blueprinted 400s and loved to drive them. The G8 is as close as you can get to that set of the pants feeling. It’s a four door Corvette with a great ride and room for friends. As I have said before I hope GM brings the Holden 60 Coupe with a LS7, six speed and all the goodies to go with it. As for a name I would like to see it called the “DAYTONA COUPE” with a LS3 and “SS” with a LS7. Then let Ford and Chrysler scramble to match that. Don’t thing Toyota stands a chance.
I will wait and see. But I hope that GM could start utilizing the technology seen in the ATS on any RWD that comes into production, and stop making their new cars unnecassarily heavy
This car needs a new nameplate. There was so much backlash when Pontiac re-used the GTO nameplate, and it is still a sore point for many original GTO owners. It doesn't fit.
Actually it fits just fine. A lot of those old heads have conviently forgotten that the GTO of their nostalgic past was little more than a badge and sticker job for a plain Jain Tempest. Except for the hood scoops, most GTOs of the past were barely distinguishable from any other American mid size coupe of the time.
GM just messed up the marketing of the new car Royaly, never mind they made the original sin of droping a well loved and lucrative nameplate in the first place.
Classic GM fumbling. The result of all of this mismanagement of nameplates and division Equity? No more Oldsmobile, no more Pontiac, no more Saturn, no more Hummer, and no more Saab. ALL of those divisions were well defined and lucrative and died because GM either could not adapt in step with the times, or lost focus over the years of what the brand was about and let it wither on the vine.
GM, particularly Chevrolet needs to step up and bring home a car that does what the Super Sport did in 1963 and on. Give the driving populous a real driving machine that has power, styling and puts Chevy back out front with a ground pounding V8. We all know that GM has become a rebadged foreign car factory so let’s go with a real winner from our friends down under. Holden designed and built the Pontiac G8 GT and as an owner of one with a Factory LS3, all I can say is what a rush to step down on that puppy. I am pushing 70 and have owned Chevy SSs, TAs and a Shelby Mustang-1967 GT Highland Green fastback 390 four speed off the show room floor, the G8 beats them all. So I hope to see the Holden 60 Coupe on the track and in the show room as a new Chevy SS with a supercharged LS7/6 speed and a name like maybe the DAYTONA COUPE. Why not, many performance cars have been called the DAYTONA so why not a CHEVY! This is not for the faint hearted or family bus, but for the ones who still love the American road and Chevy SS!