GM disbands unit that creates high-performance vehicles

[Sprint XR8]

Automotive News
February 18, 2009 - 5:05 pm ET

DETROIT -- General Motors, focusing on mainstream products in a battle to survive, has scrapped a unit that produced high-performance vehicles.

GM today disbanded High Performance Vehicle Operations, which is based at the company's suburban Detroit technical center, and redeployed its engineers, said spokesman Vince Muniga.


"All high-performance projects are on indefinite hold," Muniga said. "The engineers are moving into different areas of the organization, and they will work on Cadillacs, Buicks, Chevrolets and Pontiacs."

The unit created low-volume vehicles for GM's divisions designed to appeal to enthusiasts and bolster the company's image. Products included V-series Cadillacs and the Chevrolet Cobalt SS, HHR SS and a V-8 version of the Colorado.

Muniga said there are no plans for high-performance versions of upcoming cars.The move is in the spirit of GM's viability plan delivered to the U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday. In the plan, GM said its future-product focus is on fuel- efficient cars and crossovers. It also pledged to increase its current offering of six hybrids to 14 by 2012 and to 26 by 2014. GM also boosted its request for federal aid by as much as $16.6 billion.

The High Performance Vehicle Operations unit could be reinstated once GM regains its financial health, GM's Muniga said.

"These guys are pretty good at what they do," Muniga said, "They are moving into different areas to work on core products."
http://www.autonews.com/article/2009...902189946/1229

[schnoods]

Bugger.

Fair enough though, im sure if Ford Aus was ever in the deep end, FPV would be gone...

[GS608]

doubt it, Ford would just sell its share to Prodrive and would continue on making high performance falcons and the like.

[ebxr8240]

Originally Posted by XR-CHIEF

doubt it, Ford would just sell its share to Prodrive and would continue on making high performance falcons and the like.

As in near std car with mags and some stripes..
With an extra $10k+ price tag...

[XR6_190]

Not good news for GM fans, will this affect things like the Camaro and Corvette?

[snappy]

Originally Posted by XR6_190

Not good news for GM fans, will this affect things like the Camaro and Corvette?

Sure will and for many years to come.
But goin bankrupt would not help the cause either.
Gm has to show that they are able to payback the U.S taxpayers buy cutting expenses so they are finacially viable.
If they coud not cut expenses they would lose the back up the goverment/taxpayer by the next quarter.

[FPV8U]

Jeez and they had just put all their efforts into thinking of a way to make a LS Engine make more power and came up wit hthe idea of a 6.4L.. :P