mshu7
09-18-2002, 11:32 AM
Here's a post from GMInsidenews.com about the W-Body. Sounds like GM is moving in the right direction. Although, we can't truely believe it until we see it. But read for yourself...
"GM’s W-body has been the butt of many jokes in the autoworld since that first 89 Chevy Lumina rolled off the production line. As GM’s attempt to lure mid-sized FWD sedan buyers away from cars such as the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, and domestically the Ford Taurus it has had a rather unspectacular history. In coupe form it dueled with Ford’s Thunderbird and Cougar for years until Ford pulled the plug on the MN-12 in 1997. In the front-wheel drive coupe/sedan market it has survived import competition solely on its value/reliably quotient. The W-body is very cheap and generally has average to above average reliability. What the cars lack is emotional design and perceived quality, which any GM enthusiast will be the first to admit. The interior in the Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo not only looks to be made of cheap materials, but also features unattractive design also. The Pontiac Grand Prix has faired a little better design wise but still lacks in profit making perceived quality.
By definition perceived quality is when you sit in a car and its materials and design provide an impression of high cost and workmanship. A good example of this is Volkswagen who is able to sell their compact offering, the Jetta, at a much higher premium than other makers due to a design which leads the buyer to assume that car is luxurious enough to justify the cost. GM is notorious for lacking perceived quality in pretty much every model they make outside of Cadillac. Bob Lutz, GM’s new head of product however has decreed must change and all GM cars will come with world-class interiors. Our first look at this new design policy was in the Pontiac G-Force concept car, which is slated to become the next Grand Prix. The G-Force takes many of Pontiac’s tradition styling cues and adds upscale touches that look like they came from the Cadillac CTS. These upgrades may be added across the W-body line in mid-cycle styling changes before it is phased out over the next 4-5 years.
Upcoming W-bodies
The first redesigned W-body will be the 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix, which is currently on the show circuit as the G-Force show car. The car will continue to be powered by the venerable supercharged 3.8L V6 called in GM speak the 3800 Series II. In the G-Force application the engine has been uprated from 240 HP to a 280 HP due to intake/exhaust upgrades and other minor tweaks. The 3800 is still not at it’s full production power potential which is rumored to be above 300 HP. The engine for this application dubbed 280x2 (for 280 HP and 280 ft/lbs. TQ) is mated to a new manually shift able automatic named the TACshift. It is unclear whether this is an all-new design or a revision on the current Hydra-Matic 4T65-E transaxle. The current 4T65-E is rated only to 280lb-ft of torque, so it would be hard to imagine the new car receiving this transmission without a major design overhaul. Expect a great new traction control program also to handle the massive power that the cars will be pushing through the front wheels.
The 2004 Grand Prix is a short cycle design and is expected to be replaced by a RWD platform around 2006-7. In a surprising turn of events the RWD platform is rumored to not be Sigma, but a new cheaper platform that GM is considering that could house a variety of affordable RWD cars (Monte Carlo, Impala, Camaro, GTO/Firebird? and all RWD Holdens). The design sketches of the Pontiac G6 and Chevy SS released this summer also are rumored to be headed for the new platform as quite possibly the next Impala and Grand Prix.
The much lamented Chevy Impala and Monte Carlo will also see revisions in the coming year, though not as drastic as the Grand Prix. Interior and exterior tweaks are a possibility; however since the cars are newer and the W-body will reach the end of the road soon expect minimal investment. The enhancements that the Chevy duo will receive instead will come in the fashion of a big dose of HP. Though GMI reported in a rumor mill article that the upcoming 2004 Impala and Monte Carlo SS will include a 4.8L V8 we have since learned that these rumors are unfounded (That's why we have a Rumor Mill). Instead the cars will share their powertrain and transaxle with the upcoming Grand Prix GTP (G-Force?), that being the 280x2 Supercharged V6. On internal source said that the engine will be made with at the 280 HP at the very least. With proper traction control these cars could be potent import killers in the 20th century horsepower wars. The current king of the affordable import hill, the Nissan Maxima, sports a 255 HP 3.5L V6 and is known for mid 6 second 0-60 times. The upcoming Impala will weigh 150lb’s more (3400lbs to 3250lbs), but also will have 25 HP and 34lb-ft of torque more on a much flatter curve. Though the current Impala is a huge sales hit, it has been a disappointment to enthusiasts for its lackadaisical performance and styling. That is why the upcoming Impala SS is a huge source of pride for GM as they will finally have a replacement for 90’s Impala SS that will be able to out perform the older model. Though making it RWD was not in the cars do to the huge costs the car will defiantly perform. With the quick shifting, manually controllable TACshift transmission and traction control expect mid-low 14-second quarter mile passes. Considering the new Impala SS will have equal power to the LT1 (in some applications) and weigh just as much (3400lbs) as a new Camaro Z28 those numbers may be conservative.
The Monte Carlo, receiving the same drive train enhancements will give Chevy a viable performance coupe until funding for a new Camaro becomes available. Right now there are many cars in line for development money at GM and the Camaro is pretty much at the back. If the new Camaro was approved today it wouldn’t see light until 2007 at the earliest, and it’s not near approved. Though the Monte Carlo is FWD it will weigh less than the Z28 and have LT1 power, so factory freaks in the 13’s can be expected. Hopefully they can find someone better than cartoon character the Tasmanian Devil to market the cars image. Both the Monte Carlo and Impala will receive revised appearance packages obviously.
All this may not be what every one (RWD performance enthusiasts) wants, but it is by far better than having nothing at all. Right now the plan is to let the Impala, Monte Carlo, and Grand Prix run their course until 2007 and then be replaced on the new RWD platform, which is now in VERY early planning. As GMInsidenews.com finds out more we will be sure to share it."
"GM’s W-body has been the butt of many jokes in the autoworld since that first 89 Chevy Lumina rolled off the production line. As GM’s attempt to lure mid-sized FWD sedan buyers away from cars such as the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, and domestically the Ford Taurus it has had a rather unspectacular history. In coupe form it dueled with Ford’s Thunderbird and Cougar for years until Ford pulled the plug on the MN-12 in 1997. In the front-wheel drive coupe/sedan market it has survived import competition solely on its value/reliably quotient. The W-body is very cheap and generally has average to above average reliability. What the cars lack is emotional design and perceived quality, which any GM enthusiast will be the first to admit. The interior in the Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo not only looks to be made of cheap materials, but also features unattractive design also. The Pontiac Grand Prix has faired a little better design wise but still lacks in profit making perceived quality.
By definition perceived quality is when you sit in a car and its materials and design provide an impression of high cost and workmanship. A good example of this is Volkswagen who is able to sell their compact offering, the Jetta, at a much higher premium than other makers due to a design which leads the buyer to assume that car is luxurious enough to justify the cost. GM is notorious for lacking perceived quality in pretty much every model they make outside of Cadillac. Bob Lutz, GM’s new head of product however has decreed must change and all GM cars will come with world-class interiors. Our first look at this new design policy was in the Pontiac G-Force concept car, which is slated to become the next Grand Prix. The G-Force takes many of Pontiac’s tradition styling cues and adds upscale touches that look like they came from the Cadillac CTS. These upgrades may be added across the W-body line in mid-cycle styling changes before it is phased out over the next 4-5 years.
Upcoming W-bodies
The first redesigned W-body will be the 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix, which is currently on the show circuit as the G-Force show car. The car will continue to be powered by the venerable supercharged 3.8L V6 called in GM speak the 3800 Series II. In the G-Force application the engine has been uprated from 240 HP to a 280 HP due to intake/exhaust upgrades and other minor tweaks. The 3800 is still not at it’s full production power potential which is rumored to be above 300 HP. The engine for this application dubbed 280x2 (for 280 HP and 280 ft/lbs. TQ) is mated to a new manually shift able automatic named the TACshift. It is unclear whether this is an all-new design or a revision on the current Hydra-Matic 4T65-E transaxle. The current 4T65-E is rated only to 280lb-ft of torque, so it would be hard to imagine the new car receiving this transmission without a major design overhaul. Expect a great new traction control program also to handle the massive power that the cars will be pushing through the front wheels.
The 2004 Grand Prix is a short cycle design and is expected to be replaced by a RWD platform around 2006-7. In a surprising turn of events the RWD platform is rumored to not be Sigma, but a new cheaper platform that GM is considering that could house a variety of affordable RWD cars (Monte Carlo, Impala, Camaro, GTO/Firebird? and all RWD Holdens). The design sketches of the Pontiac G6 and Chevy SS released this summer also are rumored to be headed for the new platform as quite possibly the next Impala and Grand Prix.
The much lamented Chevy Impala and Monte Carlo will also see revisions in the coming year, though not as drastic as the Grand Prix. Interior and exterior tweaks are a possibility; however since the cars are newer and the W-body will reach the end of the road soon expect minimal investment. The enhancements that the Chevy duo will receive instead will come in the fashion of a big dose of HP. Though GMI reported in a rumor mill article that the upcoming 2004 Impala and Monte Carlo SS will include a 4.8L V8 we have since learned that these rumors are unfounded (That's why we have a Rumor Mill). Instead the cars will share their powertrain and transaxle with the upcoming Grand Prix GTP (G-Force?), that being the 280x2 Supercharged V6. On internal source said that the engine will be made with at the 280 HP at the very least. With proper traction control these cars could be potent import killers in the 20th century horsepower wars. The current king of the affordable import hill, the Nissan Maxima, sports a 255 HP 3.5L V6 and is known for mid 6 second 0-60 times. The upcoming Impala will weigh 150lb’s more (3400lbs to 3250lbs), but also will have 25 HP and 34lb-ft of torque more on a much flatter curve. Though the current Impala is a huge sales hit, it has been a disappointment to enthusiasts for its lackadaisical performance and styling. That is why the upcoming Impala SS is a huge source of pride for GM as they will finally have a replacement for 90’s Impala SS that will be able to out perform the older model. Though making it RWD was not in the cars do to the huge costs the car will defiantly perform. With the quick shifting, manually controllable TACshift transmission and traction control expect mid-low 14-second quarter mile passes. Considering the new Impala SS will have equal power to the LT1 (in some applications) and weigh just as much (3400lbs) as a new Camaro Z28 those numbers may be conservative.
The Monte Carlo, receiving the same drive train enhancements will give Chevy a viable performance coupe until funding for a new Camaro becomes available. Right now there are many cars in line for development money at GM and the Camaro is pretty much at the back. If the new Camaro was approved today it wouldn’t see light until 2007 at the earliest, and it’s not near approved. Though the Monte Carlo is FWD it will weigh less than the Z28 and have LT1 power, so factory freaks in the 13’s can be expected. Hopefully they can find someone better than cartoon character the Tasmanian Devil to market the cars image. Both the Monte Carlo and Impala will receive revised appearance packages obviously.
All this may not be what every one (RWD performance enthusiasts) wants, but it is by far better than having nothing at all. Right now the plan is to let the Impala, Monte Carlo, and Grand Prix run their course until 2007 and then be replaced on the new RWD platform, which is now in VERY early planning. As GMInsidenews.com finds out more we will be sure to share it."