WAROTD: GMC Granite, Compact Chevy Van Planned. Impala, Compact Pickup Coming?

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

GM has been showing off all kinds of future product at its day-long “Global Business Conference,” as it drums up support for its upcoming IPO. Sadly TTAC was not invited, but a wealth of exciting news is percolating through the autoblogosphere. Like this item: Compact MPVs are a big deal.

GMC’s “Granite” concept (above) has been approved for production, to be built on the Cruze’s Delta II platform. According to Automotive News [sub], Chevrolet will double GM’s pleasure by “launch[ing] a family van soon in several global regions” based on the same “global compact” architecture. Would this be the long-rumored Chevy Orlando? Orlando was off-again for the US market the last time we checked, replaced by the Volt MPV5 and the Granite… if this is not the Orlando, GM’s already-crowded herd of compact CUVs, MPVs and other five-doors is getting even more crowded than it seemed nearly a year ago.

Speaking of which, the biggest GM sin-in-the-making of last summer’s hype, the lack of replacement for the aged Impala before 2014, may have been acknowledged inside the RenCen. Several outlets reported being shown a new Impala concept, indicating that perhaps GM is taking its need for a competitive large sedan more seriously.

On a final GM product-related note, Carscoop has uncovered patent drawings of a Chevrolet compact pickup, meaning we might just have got one Wild Ass Rumor right. No word on anything related to that product yet, so like the “family van” this could be a Chevrolet for markets outside of the US.

Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • Contrarian Contrarian on Jun 30, 2010

    SO GM is flashing lots of vapourware to help its upcoming IPO. I see not much has changed.

  • 1996MEdition 1996MEdition on Jun 30, 2010

    Another GM late comer copy....looks too much like an Xb clone. Reminds me of their attempt at the ME-Too Cruiser.....can't even remember what that was called. Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.

  • Mjz Mjz on Jun 30, 2010

    Saw a small pick-up prototype with camo on Woodward Ave in Detroit a couple of days ago. It was a dead ringer for the Carscoop drawings of the new compact Chevy pick-up.

  • Flameded Flameded on Jun 30, 2010

    That Granite looks... mmmm well , pretty good (compared to the crap their ramming down our throats these days) I can't focus now...after hearin bout this new Impala rumor... I tell you what...it BETTER have 6 taillights. ;) - and an optional V8. Also, I agree with ...well whoever said...make it affordable (base model-heck I'll take crank windows and no radio or floormats)...with options all the way up to the sky. Remember those days? Well, I don't , but I've heard about em'

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