Volt Birth Watch 140: Aesthetic Holdups

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

The Freeps Mark Phelan has a new paean to the Chevy Volt mule’s electric grunt, saying the Cruze bodied tech-tester has “immediate torque for acceleration most sporty small cars would envy.” As GM prepares to build the first run of Volt-bodied test mules starting in mid-June, it’s bumping up the media presence of its last best hope by offering flacks like Phelan another test drive. And this time around the Volt’s “sporty acceleration” tops the talking points. “The test vehicle ran with smooth, quiet power,” reports Phelan, “but driving it felt reassuringly like getting behind the wheel of any new car.” Which conveniently is “a key goal for the Volt program,” according to GM EV Maestro Frank Weber. Another “key goal?” Making it look good enough to draw interest at its $35K price point.

GM-volt.com‘s Lyle Dennis wonders “why GM still needs more time to bring the Volt to market.” After all, they’ve been working on it for what, two years now? It’s just an expensive Chevy with an unproven power system. What’s the big holdup? Looks, apparently.

“Most of it truly is the aesthetic side of it,” Volt Chief Engineer Andrew Farah tells Dennis. “The mule cars aren’t pretty. We know that people want a vehicle that is distinctive.”

In other words, not the Chevy Cruze. That thing is fugly. Or, “not distinctive,” anyway. Do I smell a marketing tagline in the making? Introducing Chevy Cruze: Not Distinctive. At all. Please spend twice as much on the Volt.

And the Volt was distinctive at one point. But then GM took its model to the wind tunnel and found that it was more aerodynamic going backwards than forwards. Since its Prian makeover last fall, we’ve known essentially what the Volt would look like, and distinctive it ain’t. But, according to Farah, the aesthetic features “only comes together in the final stages.”

Building a car “is a lot like fashion,” says Farah. “If you start too soon you’re selling something that’s already old.”

So why have we already seen two different Volts being pimped in GM ads for years now? Is the Volt going to receive another refresh before it heads into production? Farah isn’t forthcoming with the details, but if this line of questioning misses the point as far he’s concerned.

The real upshot? “The things that are holding it up are really the typical new vehicle kinds of things.” As in not the electric underpinnings, which have so far “proven very robust and successful.” How robust? “Nothing has come up that we haven’t had an answer for,” he tells Dennis. There have been no “unanticipated problems.” How reassuring.

Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • KixStart KixStart on May 19, 2009

    From the article: "He concluded therefore “the things that are holding it up are really the typical new vehicle kinds of things,” and not in fact the high tech cutting edge battery and powertrain engineering which have so far proven very robust and successful." I find this really hard to believe. If it's the typical new vehicle things... GM's done those many times before and this project is supposed to have their best people. Why would there be anything holding it up at all? The answer should be more like "On schedule." The more credible source for delays is in the weird parts. It's possible that this article, filtered through the hyperenthusiasm of Lyle Dennis, is much ado about nothing at all... that awkwardly phrased questions from Dennis meet slightly tormented or misunderstood answers from Farah and confusion results. Maybe the thing really is 100% on schedule. Frequent GM-Volt and you find confusion often reigns there, anyway; GM's answers are often confusing, anyway (their execs should keep their mouths shut, instead of showing off how much they "know" about this top project), and the visitors to the site tend to make elaborate castles in the air of the merest wisps of rumor... I think Dennis does it, too. But on the face of it, this doesn't quite ring true. Time will tell.

  • Trouble codes guy Trouble codes guy on May 21, 2009

    Gosh, GM is all talk, talk, talk, blah, blah, blah. They can't walk the walk and produce the Volt. What's with all the hype on a car that might never hit the showrooms (well the ones that are left by the time the Volt comes out)? Wake me up when I can go test drive one at the local dealer. GM, you're a big part of the reason the EV1 was crushed. I haven't forgot that, that's why I bought a Prius a year ago. I love it and can't wait for a plug-in Prius so I can support a company who is actually walking the walk when it comes to producing an "electric" car that's really a hybrid car. Fuck you GM.

  • FreedMike Off topic, but folks, this site is not working well for me from a technical standpoint, and it doesn't matter if I'm using my phone, or my computer (on two different browsers). It locks up and makes it impossible to type anything in after a certain point. Anyone else having these issues?
  • Syke Kinda liked the '57, hated the '58. Then again, I hated the entire '58 GM line except for the Chevrolet. Which I liked better than the '57's. Still remember dad's '58 Impala hardtop, in the silver blue that was used as the main advertising color.
  • Dartdude The bottom line is that in the new America coming the elites don't want you and me to own cars. They are going to make building cars so expensive that the will only be for the very rich and connected. You will eat bugs and ride the bus and live in a 500sq-ft. apartment and like it. HUD wants to quit giving federal for any development for single family homes and don't be surprised that FHA aren't going to give loans for single family homes in the very near future.
  • Ravenuer The rear view of the Eldo coupe makes it look fat!
  • FreedMike This is before Cadillac styling went full scale nutty...and not particularly attractive, in my opinion.
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