amen to that

 

Pick out a vehicle that would take for 100 miles daily commuting carrying four full size adults fairly comfortable with decent gas mileage. Not many choices out there. HHR would be a nice choice and bit cute looking providing all above for $20K tag.

 

I personally don't like them, they went back to the styling of the 49 'Burbans and they only have a 4 cylinder correct? I think they shouldve made them bigger,like the size of a fullsize pickup, and put a V8 in them if they wanted to go retro. They didn't do anything retro except the body, because I don't think they had a 4cyl, Front Wheel Drive?, "SUV" in 49, only Fullsize I6 and V8 SUV. Ford at least put the Mustang and GT back to their roots, an inexpensive(base model, got ours for under 17k) sports car in the Mustang, and a *****-to-the-walls performance supercar in the GT.

 

I want to see an original 49 Chevrolet V8 SUV. I doin't think you'll find a 49 SUV anything existed and that was 6 years before Chevrolet sold their first V8.

 

The HHR was made to compete against the PT/cruiser Chevy just used the 49 suburban for the heritage looks.

 

I think it was really nice of GM to redesign the PT Cruiser for Chrysler.

 

HHR= "Heritage High Roof." It is not a SUV- we've got a stable full of 'em. We sure the heck don't need another bigger anything right now- got a lot full of big SUV's, and new models right around the corner. Don't need another powerful SUV either- how many sizes would you like with over 300HP under the hood? We've got four currently. Don't need another expensive one either- got plenty of those.

What we did need was a simple, sensible, inexpensive SUVish compact with a bit of style. The HHR works- Chevy should ultimately hit 100-130,000 units with that one. If this is a GM screwup, we need a few more of them.

 

Sorry osbornk, I've been to too many shows this past summer, and there are guys that make them look original. Although I thought there were a couple company's doing conversions back then even, maybe that was a few years later...but I could be wrong, ya never know,lol. I just don't particularly like them, I think they are trying too hard to catch an older style, I personally think they should try maybe a modernized version of the 67-ish body style.

 

Now this here explains a lot about why GM is going under.
Take a vehicle that was ugly enough to stop a clock
Make it smaller, uglier and underpowered
try and sell it 56 years later..

I actually liked the PT cruiser when it came out, but the novelty has worn off.
and so, late to the party, here comes GM... the sales will be a little blip on the radar screen, then disappear, I'm sure.

I have an idea. Take a real popular, good looking car to start with, then make a retro version of it that's got everything better than the original, including looks. Oh. Guess they already are building Mustangs. And people are lined up for '07 Shelbys.

 

That's the whole thing, though- we're backordered on HHR's into the spring. GM's upper production numbers twice, and are looking to come in at double the original projections. At 130,000 units in the first 12 months, that's hardly a minor blip on the screen. \

It may not your cup of tea- but from a marketing standpoint it's as close to a home run as GM has fielded lately. All that being said, everything depends on the new full size trucks and SUV's. It's scary to think that way, but it's fact. The good news is that's markets GM understands.

 

The thing I guess, that gets me most is that GM used to be a styling leader.
'69 GTO judge, 69 Camaro Z-28, 69 Firebird... I am a Ford man but these are all beautiful cars.
Even the '67 Chebby pickup was a good looking unit.(he says grudgingly). But GM brings out a GTO that looks like any generic Pontiac on the lot, instead of cashing in on that '69.

The closest thing to retro they tried was the "Mad eyes" look of a '59 Buick on their new trucks. Total dud. Why not make them look like a '67 if they want to get themselves a winner? Instead of dragging out clunker after clunker like the Avalanche, Aztec, Rendezvous, etc.
What do they think, if they make enough butt-ugly cars, someone might change their mind and like them? Cadillacs that look like their grille is melting?

Come on. It aint workin'.

Hire away a Honda engine designer, who can get a horse a CC like a honda Vtec has. 160 horses in a 1600 cc motor. Then design a small block V8 that can do that. 500 horses out of a 5 liter motor. Normally aspirated. That'd be a good start. Then, pull out some '69 GM brochures and start designing. Might have a winning combo there. Give those asian co's a thing or two to think about.

Instead of a Corvette that looks like a 10 year old Supra.

 

Whether you like the HHR's looks not, it is one of GM's most practical vehicles and at an attractive price. However, I don't think the profit margin (if there is any at all) is enough to make much of a difference in the bottom line. The full size PUs and SUVs will be the savior or downfall of the General because of the better profit margin and hugh investment. I just hope they didn't saturate their market with their current with their fire sale prices.

 

I think everyone here knows I happen to like the GTO...
So I don't think its worth me defending it again.
While those cars look great. The worst thing that GM could do in my opinion is reinvent a car that is old 35 years old.

I am sorry but I am very ANTI retro (I do have a soft spot for the Mustang though).
How about building a modern classic???

 

if they'd have built one looked like this, we'd both been happy, Big.
http://www.creatingthelie.com/auto_g...oupe_front.jpg

 

OK, OK- I'm beating this GTO thing to death. the biggest problem is the name. We have a certain level of expectations of what a GTO should look like, and the current bodystyle isn't it. The side issue- something Cadillac is capitalizing on- is that many folks are getting tired of round, amorphous look-alike shapes. Cadillac breaks that mold- so does the new C6. The Mustang works because... well, it looks like a Mustang, and can't get confused with anything else.