Meet the 2015 Chevrolet Express: a compact utility van entering an increasingly-crowded space consisting of the Ford Transit Connect and Nissan NV200. Now look closely: does the City Express look like a product engineered and designed by General Motors?
If you answered “no”, then you’re absolutely correct. The City Express is, in fact, a rebadged Nissan NV200, and is a Nissan in pretty much everything but name. It won’t have such GM niceties as OnStar, it won’t have the MyLink infotainment system, and it certainly won’t drive like a Chevrolet. But it will fill a gaping hole in Chevy’s product lineup.
The compact utility van is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) — a combination that further gives away the City Express’ non-GM roots. The powertrain combo is rated at 131 horsepower (98 kW) and 139 pound-feet of torque (188 Nm), which gets sent to the front wheels, and GM is quick to point out that all 3,200 Chevy dealerships are capable of servicing the van. A MacPherson-strut suspension is out front, and a multi-leaf rear suspension harkens back pickup trucks. All that makes for an estimated payload capacity of 1,500 pounds.
Since the City Express will be doing a significant amount of hauling, its cargo area was designed to be spacious right off the bat, with 4’6″ of space from side wall to side wall — which is enough to load a standard 40″ x 40″ pallet flat on the floor. The space from the rear doors to the back of the front seats measures in at 6’10”, and folding the passenger seat increases that to 9’8″. Further optimizing cargo space are flat rear wheel housings. So, load ‘er up, and send ‘er off for quick (express) urban (city) deliveries, boys!
The new compact van will be available in LS and LT trim levels and joins the full-size Express. Pricing will be announced later. In the meantime, you’ll find us patiently waiting for a compact van that’s designed, engineered, and manufactured by The General.
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Comments
I think this is great strategy by GM, use a existing van with some GM touches to enter a new market to see if people will be interested in a van like this! Then if the numbers support the idea start planning on building the next version.
Now I know people will hate what GM is doing,
But would you rather GM wait 4 or 5 years to bring GM’s version to market?
They have already waited four or five years to bring an existing design to market. I cant imagine how long it would take to design one. But your right the strategy is correct for sure.
Where’s the story? Just a headline?
There is no lets see if it sells here. The fact is GM is behind on entering this segment and the van they have coming is a couple years off. This is just buying time till their model is ready.
Not many saw the small van segment going as fast as it has coming and GM did not have this as a priority in their plans till they found the sales growing fast. This is just a band aide till they have their own.
Clear example of GM playing catch up, instead of being the first to create a new segment
I still have to give it the 4×8 test. It looks like it’s ‘just’ wide enough.
I don’t get this strategy, I think that the Orlando would have made the perfect urban delivery/cargo vehicle. It has the right size, engines, tranny, and is available in AWD. All they would have had to do was hollow out the interior behind the driver seat, put in panels and make it upfitter friendly and there you go, you maximize the plant building the orlando, technically making more money per unit because cost will eventually go down, Orlando sales “increase” because of fleet and commecial purchases, and lastly it’s already a vehicle that is in GM’s arsenal, that was designed, and built by us. No worry having to issue recalls, or worry about product quality from someone that we are borrowing a platform/shell from. It’s all Chevy.
That being said, it would leave GMC out of the loop but that can be easily rectified by using one of Opel’s small city cargo vans. Or, just use Opel for the whole program!!
As Jonnyd84 mentioned, doesn’t opel have a line up of vans? Why not use vehicles already in the gm stable?
ralph, a search on wikipedia suggests that the Opel vans are joint ventures with Fiat (Combo) and Renault/Nissan (Vivaro & Movano). Considering GM has already dealt with Nissan for vans and the Nissan NV2000 is already set up for the US market, it may have been the best stop-gap alternative until they decide to bring their own to the market.
jonnyd84, the Orlando is on an outdated platform and the rear opening isn’t configured for double side hinged doors like the other vans in the segment. The rear sloping roofline and higher floor height may not allow for competitive cargo capacity.
That makes sense, I was just thinking back to the vibe’s, and how I had lots of couriers that would love to buy them because of the size, the fold flat seats for cargo. Maybe the next generation Orlando will be designed with this market in mind. But there are people who make boat loads more money than I do that make that decision.
Ok you have too look at all the factors.
#1 the Orlando is not going to be around very much longer as the platform is being discontinued and replaced. It is on the Delta 2 that is going away so no need to invest much here.
#2 GM can invest very little here in some restyle and let someone else build these and not give up space or money in setting up a production line for short term.
#3 The Opel was less set up for the American market than the Nissan already sold here. The expense to set it up for American standards would have add more expense and less profits.
This is really a new segment but GM still has other areas that were more important and more profitable to deal with first so their van was delayed. They are working on one and it is coming but with their plat already full moving to second Gen models like the new Cruze, Camaro and Nox along with a total rebuild of the Buick line and a flag ship for Cadillac there is only so much man power and money they can spend at one time.
While I do not like this one, I think it is a good idea that Chevrolet is turning towards the van market again. Hopefully a new Uplander will come on the Super Epsilon platform with a 1.8L Turbo I4 (VVT, SIDI and iVVL) that has 240HP and 285FT-LBS along with an 8-Speed transmission. New GM would know how to make a minivan that people actually want.
I doubt the Opel vans are Federalized, and doubt the Orlando is either. GM has a bad habit of not federalizing non US bound autos–Adam and Cascada being two examples.
I think it is great when automakers source from each othet. GM will make a lot of money since they avoided R&D and tooling costs.
I’d love to see this happen more often. Imagine how much GM could save sharing powertrains with the Renault Nissan Alliance? Or platforms with Honda? Maybe GM could speed up going modular this way, and skip a costly first generation. This would help stock price.
Nearly all of the new GM platforms and products are going to be legal globally.
This also why GM and others are all trying to get Euro and American standards closer.
I sure hope the next gen van is being planned for having a diesel. Lack of a diesel in the transit connect is costing ford sales. It is slow when empty, let alone with a load in it. Meanwhile, Chevy has made a decent deal with Nissan for a stop-gap van, SK good on Chevy for not missing out entirely for now.
Give it two side windows and two extra seats and I would buy one in a heartbeat. I sure wish GM still built a minivan!
I have seen every full cargo van with a paint strips, peeling . and chevy never recall for paint job . i dont trust the paint job on this company any more . i will never buy a chevy again . before you spend money on chevy trucks look for nissan or ford . you never seen one on the street with a bad paint job.