Comments on: Volt Birth Watch 35: GM Employees to be Volt Guinea Pigs http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/volt-birth-watch-35-gm-employees-to-be-volt-guinea-pigs/ The Truth About Cars is dedicated to providing candid, unbiased automobile reviews and the latest in auto industry news. Sat, 13 Mar 2010 11:35:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Bozoer Rebbe http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/volt-birth-watch-35-gm-employees-to-be-volt-guinea-pigs/comment-page-1/#comment-254782 Bozoer Rebbe Sun, 23 Mar 2008 21:19:30 +0000 http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/volt-birth-watch-35-gm-employees-to-be-volt-guinea-pigs/#comment-254782 <em>Anyway I have never seen any SUV/CUV/PU which was other than..ugly!</em> Then you've never seen a Range Rover or the original Jeep Cherokee. The GMT400 platform C/K pickups and SUVs from Chevy/GMC in the late 1980s and 1990s was also a very clean design. The "forward control" Jeep pickup, the FC-170, was also an interesting design. Oh, and I believe you meant "alludes". Anyway I have never seen any SUV/CUV/PU which was other than..ugly!

Then you’ve never seen a Range Rover or the original Jeep Cherokee. The GMT400 platform C/K pickups and SUVs from Chevy/GMC in the late 1980s and 1990s was also a very clean design. The “forward control” Jeep pickup, the FC-170, was also an interesting design.

Oh, and I believe you meant “alludes”.

]]> By: Bozoer Rebbe http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/volt-birth-watch-35-gm-employees-to-be-volt-guinea-pigs/comment-page-1/#comment-254772 Bozoer Rebbe Sun, 23 Mar 2008 21:12:45 +0000 http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/volt-birth-watch-35-gm-employees-to-be-volt-guinea-pigs/#comment-254772 The term is "pilot production". Virtually every mass produced automobile and truck has a short "pilot" production run to make sure the assembly plant works and the cars come out ok. The cars are assembled just like any other production cars, but the line moves very slowly. This allows them to check production methods and fine tune them before the line is ramped up to production speed. I don't know about the other mfgs, but for as long as I can recall, the Detroit companies have put pilot production and early production vehicles in the hands of employees for a combination of real world testing and viral marketing. The term is “pilot production”. Virtually every mass produced automobile and truck has a short “pilot” production run to make sure the assembly plant works and the cars come out ok. The cars are assembled just like any other production cars, but the line moves very slowly. This allows them to check production methods and fine tune them before the line is ramped up to production speed.

I don’t know about the other mfgs, but for as long as I can recall, the Detroit companies have put pilot production and early production vehicles in the hands of employees for a combination of real world testing and viral marketing.

]]> By: shaker http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/volt-birth-watch-35-gm-employees-to-be-volt-guinea-pigs/comment-page-1/#comment-253262 shaker Sat, 22 Mar 2008 12:18:04 +0000 http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/volt-birth-watch-35-gm-employees-to-be-volt-guinea-pigs/#comment-253262 I think that the Volt's present design is true to purpose; an electric-driven platform to proudly parade the oversize Chevy idento-grille around town. The GM employee/drivers (who will voluntarily submit to surgery to have all of their cervical vertebrae removed) will happily make such a sacrifice to bring GM firmly into the late 20th century. Maybe that was a bit too "snarky" ;-) I think that the Volt’s present design is true to purpose; an electric-driven platform to proudly parade the oversize Chevy idento-grille around town. The GM employee/drivers (who will voluntarily submit to surgery to have all of their cervical vertebrae removed) will happily make such a sacrifice to bring GM firmly into the late 20th century.

Maybe that was a bit too “snarky” ;-)

]]> By: oboylepr http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/volt-birth-watch-35-gm-employees-to-be-volt-guinea-pigs/comment-page-1/#comment-252092 oboylepr Fri, 21 Mar 2008 21:06:10 +0000 http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/volt-birth-watch-35-gm-employees-to-be-volt-guinea-pigs/#comment-252092 <p>The caption on the photo eludes to the fact that the definitive production version will not look like the one in the photo. This is good because that one in the photo must be one of the most hideous designs to ever come out of a car company design studio, ever! It is even worse than the Aztec in that the Aztec is an SUV which by nature are ugly anyway (by design!) Anyway I have never seen any SUV/CUV/PU which was other than..ugly!</p> <p>This volt is supposed to be a car. It looks like the product of an unholy union between a WW2 aircraft carrier and the Alien from the movie of the same name. Even if it was all GM claims it is and more, even if it brought peace to the Middle-east, even if it finally eradicated world hunger, aids, malaria and all forms of cancer I would not want to be seen even close to one much less own and drive one. For the love of all that is good GM, don't let this abortion out on the public roads!</p>

The caption on the photo eludes to the fact that the definitive production version will not look like the one in the photo. This is good because that one in the photo must be one of the most hideous designs to ever come out of a car company design studio, ever! It is even worse than the Aztec in that the Aztec is an SUV which by nature are ugly anyway (by design!) Anyway I have never seen any SUV/CUV/PU which was other than..ugly!

This volt is supposed to be a car. It looks like the product of an unholy union between a WW2 aircraft carrier and the Alien from the movie of the same name. Even if it was all GM claims it is and more, even if it brought peace to the Middle-east, even if it finally eradicated world hunger, aids, malaria and all forms of cancer I would not want to be seen even close to one much less own and drive one. For the love of all that is good GM, don't let this abortion out on the public roads!

]]> By: Bunter1 http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/volt-birth-watch-35-gm-employees-to-be-volt-guinea-pigs/comment-page-1/#comment-251572 Bunter1 Fri, 21 Mar 2008 19:50:37 +0000 http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/volt-birth-watch-35-gm-employees-to-be-volt-guinea-pigs/#comment-251572 Juniper-Good point. I was in a hurry. What I suspect they would do is deliver a few in "pre-producs" in late 2010 and claim they met their goals. Take care, Bunter Juniper-Good point. I was in a hurry.

What I suspect they would do is deliver a few in “pre-producs” in late 2010 and claim they met their goals.

Take care,

Bunter

]]> By: SherbornSean http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/volt-birth-watch-35-gm-employees-to-be-volt-guinea-pigs/comment-page-1/#comment-251532 SherbornSean Fri, 21 Mar 2008 19:47:12 +0000 http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/volt-birth-watch-35-gm-employees-to-be-volt-guinea-pigs/#comment-251532 This is just smart business, and I think it's completely unfair to criticize GM over it! GM doesn't have to pay out as much to the families of electricution victims if they were employees, rather than lawsuit-happy customers. Considering its track record for quality, GM is just being prudent here, people. This is just smart business, and I think it’s completely unfair to criticize GM over it!

GM doesn’t have to pay out as much to the families of electricution victims if they were employees, rather than lawsuit-happy customers.

Considering its track record for quality, GM is just being prudent here, people.

]]> By: Captain Tungsten (of GM) http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/volt-birth-watch-35-gm-employees-to-be-volt-guinea-pigs/comment-page-1/#comment-251412 Captain Tungsten (of GM) Fri, 21 Mar 2008 19:27:11 +0000 http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/volt-birth-watch-35-gm-employees-to-be-volt-guinea-pigs/#comment-251412 Gee, why wasn't it news when the captured test fleet for the Uplander was deployed? Please don't answer that. Gee, why wasn’t it news when the captured test fleet for the Uplander was deployed?

Please don’t answer that.

]]> By: offroadinfrontier http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/volt-birth-watch-35-gm-employees-to-be-volt-guinea-pigs/comment-page-1/#comment-250792 offroadinfrontier Fri, 21 Mar 2008 17:37:08 +0000 http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/volt-birth-watch-35-gm-employees-to-be-volt-guinea-pigs/#comment-250792 I agree, but I'm just not seeing the "new technology" part. Save from the Tahoe, whose hybrid system is pretty Truck-oriented, GM's closest thing to a hybrid is that instant start-stop crap (the supersized car starter that they call a "Hybrid"). I agree, but I’m just not seeing the “new technology” part. Save from the Tahoe, whose hybrid system is pretty Truck-oriented, GM’s closest thing to a hybrid is that instant start-stop crap (the supersized car starter that they call a “Hybrid”).

]]> By: Juniper http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/volt-birth-watch-35-gm-employees-to-be-volt-guinea-pigs/comment-page-1/#comment-250722 Juniper Fri, 21 Mar 2008 17:18:53 +0000 http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/volt-birth-watch-35-gm-employees-to-be-volt-guinea-pigs/#comment-250722 Bunter Like they said, they are "pre production versions" Beta tests, Actually, I think this is normal procedure. It certainly is in other industries. Real world testing of production built (or close to it) product before production release. It is the right thing to do. Especially with a new technology. Bunter
Like they said, they are “pre production versions” Beta tests, Actually, I think this is normal procedure. It certainly is in other industries. Real world testing of production built (or close to it) product before production release. It is the right thing to do. Especially with a new technology.

]]> By: offroadinfrontier http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/volt-birth-watch-35-gm-employees-to-be-volt-guinea-pigs/comment-page-1/#comment-250712 offroadinfrontier Fri, 21 Mar 2008 17:18:30 +0000 http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/volt-birth-watch-35-gm-employees-to-be-volt-guinea-pigs/#comment-250712 Will the employees be getting hybrid drivetrains, or is this a "fit/finish" (read: false-marketing on-the-streets) road-test? Will the employees be getting hybrid drivetrains, or is this a “fit/finish” (read: false-marketing on-the-streets) road-test?

]]> By: GS650G http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/volt-birth-watch-35-gm-employees-to-be-volt-guinea-pigs/comment-page-1/#comment-250522 GS650G Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:55:17 +0000 http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/volt-birth-watch-35-gm-employees-to-be-volt-guinea-pigs/#comment-250522 I'd buy one and garage it because the Barrett Jackson auction for it will bring big bucks 20 years from now. I’d buy one and garage it because the Barrett Jackson auction for it will bring big bucks 20 years from now.

]]> By: Bunter1 http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/volt-birth-watch-35-gm-employees-to-be-volt-guinea-pigs/comment-page-1/#comment-250462 Bunter1 Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:48:35 +0000 http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/volt-birth-watch-35-gm-employees-to-be-volt-guinea-pigs/#comment-250462 That isn't a "production" car if only employees drive it. That's a test vehicle. Period. Bluntly, Bunter That isn’t a “production” car if only employees drive it. That’s a test vehicle.

Period.

Bluntly,

Bunter

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