GM promises to deliver Volt on time no matter what

Things may not be looking all that great for GM at the moment, but the automaker is vowing to meet its promised launch date for the Volt, even it doesn't receive the government aid it's been seeking, and despite the fact that some of the plants that should be making parts for the car are currently closed. According to The Wall Street Journal, while GM isn't saying specifically how it'll get the car built on time, it could possibly make it a top-priority project in the event the company's forced into bankruptcy protection and use what little funding it has left, or it could import the necessary parts from overseas. Needless to say, some folks remain unconvinced, but as AutoblogGreen points out, GM has really gone out on a limb with the Volt, and it can't exactly afford to start backtracking now.

[Via AutoblogGreen]

[John H. @ Dec 18th 2008 11:03PM]

and im gonna grow a fourth arm

[Game_playa @ Dec 18th 2008 11:05PM]

FO REALZ???!!!

[Soulsaber @ Dec 18th 2008 11:18PM]

So you already have 3 arms?

[Patriks7 @ Dec 19th 2008 1:33AM]

Well guys tend to call that toothpick between their legs an arm..

[OneLove @ Dec 22nd 2008 1:11PM]

I'd buy that for a dollar!

[thebense @ Dec 18th 2008 11:06PM]

"Needless to say, some folks remain unconvinced, but as AutoblogGreen points out, GM has really gone out on a limb with the Volt, and it can't exactly afford to start backtracking now."

I wonder if it took them to the point of pre-production of the volt to realize what they can and cant afford.

IMO, GM needs to stop making crappy cars, and making higher quality cars. But what do I know?

[Temple @ Dec 19th 2008 12:54AM]

According to Autoblog (sister site of Autoblog Green and Engadget) the Volt is going to cost $40,000. Hope they go more out on a limb to make this affordable and not just on the market 'no matter what'.

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/18/rumomill-cadillac-volt-coming-to-detroit/

"While the Volt is supposed to carry a price tag of around $40,000, the range-extended, plug-in hybrid CUV from Cadillac would be priced significantly higher, and that could help GM recoup some of the costs associated with the Volt's advanced drivetrain development."

[Smart People Play Tuba @ Dec 19th 2008 12:55PM]

I almost don't care about the Volt anymore since they smoothed out those sharp edges on the concept model:

http://www.gm-volt.com/galleries/album/72157603653293621/photo/2173004906/Chevy-Volt-2007-Chevrolet-Volt-Concept.html

Now THAT was an awesome-looking car.

[JamesInDC @ Dec 18th 2008 11:06PM]

....and what makes GM think people are going to buy yet another piece of crap car from them???

[Flashpoint @ Dec 18th 2008 11:16PM]

When people see "Bankruptcy", they don't see Chapter 7 or chapter 11, they simply wonder whether or not the company will be around in 5 years to support their product.

I'm pro bailout cause I don't wanna see the Big 3 go under just because of a financial meltdown.

[Charles @ Dec 19th 2008 12:47AM]

Flashpoint, I think GM's problems started long before the financial melt down. With incompetent management, uncompromising unions and an unbalanced product portfolio GM has been heading towards collapse for some time. The financial melt down just sped things up.

There's no point pumping billions into the existing broken structure just to keep it going a few months longer. They need to be put into bankruptcy and completely restructured so it can be turned into a viable company with a chance for long term success.

[justme @ Dec 19th 2008 5:11AM]

@Flashpoint = Check your facts... GM burned over 75 BILLION dollars in the last 3 years of there onhand cash... Don't blame the current financial meltdown on GM going under! GM is loosing $52,000 per minute, or 3.1 Million an hour! How long can they last? Most people in the known say that 2009 year will start without GM.

The only plus for GM going under first, it may save the other two by waking them up. GM still say they are the number 1 car maker. Hate to tell you, if your begging for money and burning/loosing $52k a minute then your not number 1!

PS they have abount 800,000 cars in stock in the US they have made but not sold. Other counties like the UK they are doing a 2 for 1 sale (google UK two for one sale) for Dodge Avenger to get rid of the stock!

[Scythe @ Dec 19th 2008 9:13AM]

@JustMe Dodge != GM. Dodge is Chrysler.

[PynkFloydd @ Dec 19th 2008 4:11PM]

I think this article sums up GM's incompetence...

http://blog.cleveland.com/business/2008/10/ohioans_help_refine_chevy_volt.html

Seriously, I look at that and think WTF. The made an awesome concept car and turned it into the next Geo Metro.

[Captain America @ Dec 18th 2008 11:11PM]

SUPPORT AMERICA!!! BUY AMERICAN!!! DON'T LET THE US PEOPLE LOSE JOBS AND HAVE OUTSIDE NATIONS PROFIT OFF OF US!!!

[andres @ Dec 18th 2008 11:21PM]

buy american what?

[Kspraydad @ Dec 18th 2008 11:23PM]

Your President uses a Canadian designed and China Manufactured phone...follow your leader.

[Bomchickawahwah @ Dec 18th 2008 11:26PM]

@ Kspraydad,

If you're referring to a Blackberry...you're wrong. The President isn't allowed to use cell phones or e-mail due to security issues. But I get what you're getting at.

[thedesolate1 @ Dec 18th 2008 11:32PM]

Wait so let me get this straight. They want us to trade humanity for patriotism with all this war propaganda nonsense and now you want to tell me what car I should drive too. Oh yeah because if my car breaks down Captain America is gonna pay the bills right?

/S

Whats next? Don't buy italian or asian food because its un american?
Let me tell you I love me some olive garden cuz when you're there you're family.

[Shaka @ Dec 18th 2008 11:42PM]

Let this be a testament to GM's incompetence:

http://quest.cjonline.com/stories/011901/gen_0119017811.shtml

You reap what you sow.

[Dan @ Dec 18th 2008 11:50PM]

I'm having trouble reading your post, can you type /darker/?

[James @ Dec 19th 2008 12:48AM]

Lol calling olive garden Italian is like calling panda express Chinese.

[Rudolphe @ Dec 19th 2008 2:22AM]

Probably because most american made smart phones suck.

[Fabs @ Dec 19th 2008 8:47AM]

Captain America, I'm Italian and just bought a 2009 Sebring, hoping that will last 200,000 km as my previous one (it has a bigger trunk than European convertibles and costs half).

But you surely know that all "American cars" are built with less than 40% of US parts. Conversely all Japanese cars built in US are more than 80% made of American parts. Less expensive, better made, American workers more paid, lesser bonuses to US overpaid managers. So, which cars are more "American", those that give work or those pretending gov funds?

[thedesolate1 @ Dec 20th 2008 2:05AM]

@James
I was joking with the Olive Garden thing...

Captain Sarcasm where are you?

[kevin @ Dec 18th 2008 11:13PM]

no matter what?

[Jonny @ Dec 18th 2008 11:14PM]

Does it really matter if the customers you're trying to sell the thing to cant get credit due to the tightening of loans?

[Tony @ Dec 18th 2008 11:58PM]

Oh noes! Now people can't buy cars with money they DON'T HAVE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

[Seanross @ Dec 19th 2008 1:10AM]

Well.. we had it.. but they borrowed it so they could make it so we could buy it.. >_>

[Todd @ Dec 18th 2008 11:18PM]

Apparently the The Wall Street Journal hasn't seen Who Killed the Electric Car

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0489037/

The Big Three will cease to exist by this time next year anyway, stop pulling the bain-aid off so slowly.

[thedesolate1 @ Dec 18th 2008 11:21PM]

They are really betting everything on this huh?
Well there are many factors involved in the purchasing of this vehicle like A. Will the company be around long enough to service the warranty B. Can consumers afford it C. Can creditors afford to lend to consumers to buy it. D. Can creditors lend the consumers money who will then purchase the car and can the car actually live up to the expectations and E. How long till the Japanese giants make something sexier, more economical, more efficient, more durable, more feature packed, with better quality parts and safer to drive.
GM aint going nowhere though. We need them to make our military stuff and fuel the war machine just like in the second world war. The government wont let them fail even if they have to plunge the dollar further to do it.

[BigD145 @ Dec 18th 2008 11:25PM]

"gone out on a limb" That pretty much describes the entire auto industry here. They went out on the limb labeled "Made in China" years ago. It's no wonder they lost market dominance and gained junk bond status only to end up begging for money even after they've been subsidized all these years by the US gov't.

[Kspraydad @ Dec 18th 2008 11:50PM]

I've owned GM/Ford/Chrysler in the past and currently have a Toyota and Ford. I have nothing against the domestics but unless they sell me a car for $5000 dollars there is no way I have faith that they'll be around to take care of my $20K+ investment in one of their vehicles. The faith that they will still be around is going to be even harder to rebuild than their quality issues have been imo. Time to let the foreign brands by their IP and just tariff the hell out of imports if you want the jobs to stay in America.

[LMM @ Dec 18th 2008 11:54PM]

First thing that comes to mind is Microsoft's OSes.

All I'm saying is when it comes out on time, it damned well better be READY.

[online @ Dec 18th 2008 11:55PM]

Assuming GM is still around in 2010 when the Volt is scheduled to arrive (as I understand) . . . are they still planning on trying to sell this thing at like 50 grand? If so, this is already a failure.

[Ayman @ Dec 19th 2008 10:52AM]

Depends maybe they see a super high inflation coming up, which then the FV of $50000 in 2010 would be worth $15000 in PV ... I said maybe

[Bosco @ Dec 19th 2008 12:04AM]

We all know that the Volt was designed by extraterrestrial engineers and that GM has been delaying its existence and rollout for two decades at behest of the oil companies. The real plan, of course, was to unveil the 200mpg carburetor when the company finally seemed to face impending doom, but it was lost 15 years ago in an industrial accident involving a Lumina van and 8 Disney characters.

[Alexei @ Dec 19th 2008 12:05AM]

Eh, too late for GM.

Now that South Korea has that free trade agreement with the U.S., not only would we see a deluge of Samsung/LG products, but we are gonna start seeing alot more Hyundai's and KIA's on the road...

gg GM.

[Evan @ Dec 19th 2008 12:12AM]

The Volt is pretty much just a hybrid Cobalt, so most of the engineering is already done, and they should be able to build them in the Cobalt plant. As for the hybrid system itself, they are already testing the hybrid system in mule cars, so most of that engineering work seems to be already be done too. So then, I would assume the remaining hurdles are money and sourcing parts (especially the batteries).

[knowledge @ Dec 19th 2008 12:18AM]

This thing is a concept car pushed to the consumer as a gimmick. GM says this thing will cost $40k but the idea to to help save gas? That doesn't keep someone from buying a cheap Civic for $15k and saving more money or even buying a $20k Prius. GM like the other two American car companies have been declining for the last 10 years because they have no ingenuity and creativity with their cars or business.

[digitallysick @ Dec 19th 2008 12:19AM]

The original concept looked so much better and its very expensive , i feel it will fail unless they bring down the cost, or make the design better

[miguel.olfindo @ Dec 19th 2008 12:21AM]

If they didn't crush the EV1's a while back, maybe they wouldn't be in this predicament right now...

[JL @ Dec 19th 2008 12:31AM]

Hmm... well, this proves a few things... GM still has a dream, at least on paper. Americans still know what crap looks like, and they won't buy it even if it's made in America (not that they should.) Good stuff can come from America. Toyota designs some models in California and manufactures them in Ohio. Lastly, GM's dream is too late, Americans want good, reliable vehicles and they'll buy it from anyone because, in the end, they still have to make it to work on time.

[kevinm @ Dec 19th 2008 12:37AM]

I believe it when I see it. But I won't care if it's north of $30k.

[lens42 @ Dec 19th 2008 1:19AM]

Oh Great. If I didn't already have enough reasons to worry about this car being a lemon, now I'm supposed to feel better because GM will push it out "no matter what". I can just see the sales guy in polyester saying, "This car is great, the designers and engineers rushed it out fast!" GM, of all the car companies, should worry about this car being reliable first. It will be worse than a late intro if Volts start dying on the road. And you can be sure that first cameraphone pic of a Volt hooked to a tow truck will all over Digg in about 3 minutes. GM *really* does not get it.

[Rudolphe @ Dec 19th 2008 2:23AM]

And if ford, gm and chrystler do faile who's going to make our tanks?

[Fabs @ Dec 19th 2008 8:59AM]

Rudolphe, "outsourcing". An American invention!

If American software is made in India, hardware in China and Korea, cars in Mexico with Asian parts and customer support in Philippines, maybe tanks will outsourced in Russia.

[Mr. S. @ Dec 19th 2008 2:35AM]

OK, i know no one will ever see this post cuase its not FIRST, or even second, thrid of fourth FIRST, but I really really really hope someone from GM sitting at home cuase they are hiding from their employees read what I'm about to say. wait for it... I hate GM, I hate Hippies, I hate american cars in general, BUT I would walk straight into a GM dealer tomorrow if you make that VOLT platform into a convertible sports car like the sunfire thing? Yes, I live in CA. Make it, and people will buy it. You know, do something smart for once. seriously, once.

[highest ranked]

[Killian @ Dec 19th 2008 2:40AM]

Yeah, they're all about green technologies now-- when they're on the brink of chapter 11. It's just sad.

[Ryback @ Dec 19th 2008 2:51AM]

No point in spamming. We already know the site. It's where we all met your mom.