Patrick
09-30-2008, 12:25 PM
The Chevrolet Volt is some 2 years away from meeting dealership orders, and already it is one of the most talked about cars (not) on the road. Based on the early interest in this vehicle, GM has already began discussions about utilizing the technology across other brands (likely rebadged Volts), and even offering variants to the vehicles with the E-Flex drivetrain.
The technology used in the Volt is expensive, so GM doesn’t plan to make a fortune on the sale of the vehicles, but there have been talks of offering a Cadillac badged model based on the Volt. Due to the difference in the target audience of the Cadillac brand and the higher average price of the Caddy models, a luxury Volt from GMs American high-end could allow the company to see more profit. The next rumor of sorts involves a Pontiac wearing a slightly sportier skin than the Volt, with the intention of appealing to a younger crowd.
However, the most recent rumors from GM stem around completely different models, and not just rebadged Volts. GM is considering offering a compact vehicle with E-Flex, which would have a much shorter travel distance, and along with that a much lower price tag. General Motors is also considering the idea of making a slightly larger variant of the Volt, with more of a traditional “station wagon” shape to allow for more cargo room than the Volt.
Again, these are all based on comments from GM employees based on rumors, so they should be taken with a grain of salt, but with the direction of the automotive market, these new trimlines could help spread the technology around as well as help General Motors.
The technology used in the Volt is expensive, so GM doesn’t plan to make a fortune on the sale of the vehicles, but there have been talks of offering a Cadillac badged model based on the Volt. Due to the difference in the target audience of the Cadillac brand and the higher average price of the Caddy models, a luxury Volt from GMs American high-end could allow the company to see more profit. The next rumor of sorts involves a Pontiac wearing a slightly sportier skin than the Volt, with the intention of appealing to a younger crowd.
However, the most recent rumors from GM stem around completely different models, and not just rebadged Volts. GM is considering offering a compact vehicle with E-Flex, which would have a much shorter travel distance, and along with that a much lower price tag. General Motors is also considering the idea of making a slightly larger variant of the Volt, with more of a traditional “station wagon” shape to allow for more cargo room than the Volt.
Again, these are all based on comments from GM employees based on rumors, so they should be taken with a grain of salt, but with the direction of the automotive market, these new trimlines could help spread the technology around as well as help General Motors.