GM scraps big rwd sedans for Chevrolet and Buick
GM scraps big rwd sedans for Chevrolet and Buick
Automotive News | May 26, 2008 - 12:01 am EST
DETROIT — General Motors has killed plans to develop large rear-drive sedans for Chevrolet and Buick. The result: The next-generation Chevrolet Impala will remain front drive.
"Serious fuel economy issues" killed the rwd vehicles, which were expected to debut around 2011, says a GM source.
No other large-car programs are expected to be scrapped, says another GM source familiar with the programs.
The rwd Impala was about 3 inches longer than the fwd 2008 Impala and was styled with a long nose and short rear deck, according to industry sources.
The Impala SS was expected to offer a 350-plus hp V-8 engine and be positioned head-to-head against the Hemi-powered Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger.
But the federal fuel economy rules, unveiled last month by the Bush administration, persuaded GM to cancel the Chevrolet and Buick programs.
The law mandates a 40 percent increase in vehicle fuel economy by 2020, to an industry average of 35 mpg. Administration regulations anticipate a fast start, calling for 25 percent improvement in the 2011-2015 model years.
The Chevrolet and Buick sedans were being developed on GM’s global rwd Zeta vehicle architecture by the automaker’s Holden subsidiary in Australia. U.S. models sharing that architecture are the 2008 Pontiac G8 sedan, 2010 Pontiac G8 pickup and the upcoming Chevrolet Camaro. The V-8 version of the G8 gets 15 mpg in the city and 24 on the highway.
