Vuick Mule Test-Driven

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

GM-volt.com‘s Lyle Dennis got a test drive of GM’s two-mode plugin CUV at GM’s recent PR event. First planned as a Saturn Vue (canceled due to the Saturn spin-off), then planned as a Buick rebadge (only to be murdered by Twitter), the two-mode plugin is currently homeless. Will it ever see the showroom floor? Which brand will it be sold as? How long will it take to restyle it in such a way that even the biggest fanboys won’t diss it as an obvious rebadge? Even GM executives probably don’t know yet.

Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • CyCarConsulting CyCarConsulting on Aug 24, 2009

    Will the new GM cars have a sill plate that says, Body by Twitter?

  • Richard Chen Richard Chen on Aug 24, 2009

    @slateslate: good question, as the Vue and SRX are in Mexico on different variants of the Theta platform. Perhaps the planned Saab 9-4X, the SRX's sister CUV, will get the hybrid?

  • Psarhjinian Psarhjinian on Aug 25, 2009
    Could the two-mode powertrain be fitted into the SRX? You would think, since the Vue was adapted for it. You’d think that GM would debut its cutting-edge technology via Cadillac first and then have the technology trickle down to the mass market nameplates. You'd think that, too. Saab would have been perhaps a better choice for this kind of thing, or at least would have been before GM burned every scrap of brand equity they had. Saturn was not a bad idea, what with a fairly open-minded demographic as well. Oh wait, GM burned Saturn's equity starting in 1999. If GM has a fault (I know, I know) it's in treating every brand like Chevrolet. Sometimes it's a Chevy with plastic shit glued to the side, sometimes it's a Chevy with leather, sometimes a Chevy with the key between the seats. But GM, truly, seems to take very brand and try to make it into Chevrolet. Except GMC. Oddly, GMC has, until this year, escaped that fate. I'm expecting a GMC-branded Malibu and Cruze soon enough.
  • GarbageMotorsCo. GarbageMotorsCo. on Aug 25, 2009

    Since GM has numerous versions of the same (mediocre) vehicles kicking around, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the hybrid system show up in one of those. The Vuick was probably too hip and exciting for the old folks who drive Buicks to appreciate.

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