Chevy Volt a flop?

[phillyfan]

Anyone who is squeezed by $4 per gallon gas is not going to buy a $40,000 Volt, even with the $7,500 tax credit. The return on investment isn't there. Those who can afford the gas, don't care.

I have nothing against the Volt. I like the series hybrid concept. The price point on this car is too high compared to a traditional high mileage vehicle.

You'd be surprised. Smart people make dumb decisions. Paying for gas is an emotional thing. My mom would pay 60k for a car to save a few cents on gas. She drives miles to buy cheaper gas.

[sseelhoff]

You'd be surprised. Smart people make dumb decisions. Paying for gas is an emotional thing. My mom would pay 60k for a car to save a few cents on gas. She drives miles to buy cheaper gas.

Is it make or break for her?

[Willie Mays Hayes]

Anyone who is squeezed by $4 per gallon gas is not going to buy a $40,000 Volt, even with the $7,500 tax credit. The return on investment isn't there. Those who can afford the gas, don't care.

I have nothing against the Volt. I like the series hybrid concept. The price point on this car is too high compared to a traditional high mileage vehicle.

The lease prices are reasonable. Also, a 50 cent increase in gas really doesn't impact a monthly budget much (unless you're doing an obscene amount of driving, which is not intuitive for a Volt). The increased gas prices impact the psyche a lot more and will drive people towards fuel efficient/electric cars.

[sseelhoff]

The lease prices are reasonable. Also, a 50 cent increase in gas really doesn't impact a monthly budget much (unless you're doing an obscene amount of driving, which is not intuitive for a Volt). The increased gas prices impact the psyche a lot more and will drive people towards fuel efficient/electric cars.

I agree that fuel prices will drive people toward more fuel efficient cars. No doubt about that. But they will be at a much lower price point. I would expect sales of small Hondas and Toyotas, Ford Focus, Cruze, etc... will take off. Volt pricing puts it in a different category.

[Willie Mays Hayes]

I just said demand will go up, not that it will outsell those models.

[pGekko]

You'd be surprised. Smart people make dumb decisions. Paying for gas is an emotional thing. My mom would pay 60k for a car to save a few cents on gas. She drives miles to buy cheaper gas.

Hell, just look at the gas price thread.

[SportsFromA2]

Laid off over 1k

how do these "temporary" lay-offs work under the new contracts $$-wise for GM? Are they saving a significant amount of $$ or is just to shrink inventory?

I'm kinda surprised GM didn't try to give a $1K or 2K rebate first to try to get them moving, rather than just stop production altogether (I'm assuming they're not saving a ton of $$.. if there are huge labor savings for temporary layoffs, then I get the decision)

[phillyfan]

how do these "temporary" lay-offs work under the new contracts $$-wise for GM? Are they saving a significant amount of $$ or is just to shrink inventory?

I'm kinda surprised GM didn't try to give a $1K or 2K rebate first to try to get them moving, rather than just stop production altogether (I'm assuming they're not saving a ton of $$.. if there are huge labor savings for temporary layoffs, then I get the decision)

Not sure. Probably get time and a half for having to be on call.

[SportsFromA2]

Not sure. Probably get time and a half for having to be on call.

see I tought it would be something ridiculous like that, but I believe I remember reading that the jobs bank and things like that were eliminated, so there's the small chance they ARE saving a significant amount of $$

[wallyfairway]

Higher fuel prices may Spark interest

Halting production may short circuit product sales

People who want them may blow a fuse

[phillyfan]

Now hoff can get a bmw volt

How the Chevy Volt Became a BMW

I think that the former will be more likely. With BMW betting the company on the Chevy Volt drivetrain architecture, it is likely that this will bring the ultimate vindication for GM. It will be time for the Volt critics to cut their losses at that time.

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It is worth reminding Volt watchers that the Chevy Volt has the highest customer satisfaction rating of any car in the U.S. market, according to Consumer Reports -- even higher than the Porsche 911. A record 93% of Volt owners would recommend the car, compared to 91% for the Porsche 911. Conversely, close to 99% of all people criticizing the Volt have never driven it.

And what would be the only car company with even higher respect and customer esteem than BMW? Yes, that would be Porsche.

Volt 2.0

But wait, there's more!

The BMW i8 will hit the market no later than the first half of 2014, which would be at least three years after the Chevy Volt hit the streets, in late 2010. What has GM done in the meantime? Been busy developing the Volt 2.0, that's what!

GM will be in a position to launch the Chevy Volt 2.0 and the Cadillac ELR, which is the two-door version with a more plush interior, also by early 2014. By the time the BMW i8 hits the market, the market leader -- GM -- should also hit the market with two improved Volt models: One Chevy version focused on cost reduction, and one Cadillac version focused on the luxury market.

Think iPad here. By the time competition arrived for the iPad, Apple(AAPL_) launched the iPad 2. And we all know how that went. The early leader maintained its grip. GM most likely also has additional cars based on some tangent of the Volt platform in store for late 2013 or 2014. Can you imagine a Chevy Suburban, Cadillac Escalade and a minivan based on the Volt? All would be obvious hits in their respective segments.

What's the bottom line here? BMW's best engineers examined the Chevy Volt and concluded that it was going to be the car to beat. They were so desperate to copy it that they hired the chief project manager of the Volt to make it happen as quickly as possible. I think BMW's finest engineers know a little more about what makes the best car, than some U.S. pundit who has never even driven the Volt.

http://www.thestreet.com/story/11451...ame-a-bmw.html