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Lutz: Sixteen, Velite Are Dead!
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Say it ain't so, Bob, is likely the refrain around the hand-wringing blogs and Detroit outlets today. That's because Maximum Bob--he who would be the first to champion the cars against detractors--says the Buick Velite roadster concept and the Cadillac Sixteen likely aren't going out of concept-car form.
GM had discussed building production versions of both vehicles. And indeed, early this year, Lutz told TheCarConnection.com that the Camaro had been delayed so that its architecture could be stretched and poked and prodded to share with other vehicles--say, a production Caddy Sixteen.
Now, the Wall Street Journal's John Stoll reports that the recent CAFE developments and 35-mpg fuel economy bills have taken the top end off the Camaro's potential. The company has to redirect its priorities, Lutz said in a video podcast this weekend, that GM needs to spend money on alternative-fuel and green vehicles. The Velite "got prioritized out" and the Sixteen "would probably not be an extremely prudent thing to do."
GM won't give up on a potential Cadillac supersedan, Lutz says. But the news for now is more development money to greener cars, and less to dream machines. You can watch Lutz' video here - and let us know what you think with a comment below:
GM's Lutz: Some Concept Cars Killed Over Fuel Economy
--Wall Street Journal
Responses (34 total)
By Doctor Olds | Posted: Dec 27th 2007, 06:51:40 PM
GM's problem is not lack of government fuel economy regulation. As Toyota has gained market share, their fleet fuel economy has deteriorated. Yes, they are trying to sell vehicles like the Escalade, just unsuccessfully. The Escalade fuel economy, by the way, is better than the largest Toyota and Lexus SUVs, even though they are smaller and less capable. They also have put $5000 incentives on the Tundra- it is simply not as good, nor as fuel efficient, as the new GM trucks. Fuel economy regulations put manufacturers, including "green" Toyota, at odds with their customers. Everyone wants mileage, but only after they have the function, performance and cost they want. The new regulations will increase vehicle cost more than the fuel savings. That's why the regulations have been put in place. The market function- customers choosing their preferred balance of function, fuel economy, and cost- does not support dramatic improvement in fuel economy. GM, as well as Ford & Chrysler will be forced to spend many $Billions to develop products that the market may not accept.
By DaPartsGuy | Posted: Nov 13th 2007, 08:49:48 PM
Hey, GM hater - Lutz has forgotten more about the car industry than most people will ever know. However, you are entitled to your opinion regardless of how incorrect it is. Have a nice day.
By Ken Sez | Posted: Oct 28th 2007, 09:39:52 PM
Cadillac Sixteen...........should be built for prestige of the brand, their present offerings are substandard, that is they are not in the same class as Lexus (I own one '03 LS430), MB S-class, Audi, BMW. The STS is small, the DTS is fwd, and the CTS is a compact.
Okay, make it limited production, let me choose ext. and int. colors from a broad palette, let me decide on no perforated leather seats, let me decide on On-Star vs $12 Rand-McNally, remember
when one could order many individual items to personalize? And, please don't offer that it can't be done because of costs and inventory.....technology today permits this choice, eh?
It isn't a 'green' thing, it is giving the customer his choice, amen
By gm hater | Posted: Sep 27th 2007, 03:37:00 AM
I think GM is dead thanks to Bob Lutz the "Putz"
That guy doesnt know what the hell he is doing...he should be fired effective immediately....
By Anthony Bell | Posted: Sep 13th 2007, 03:50:51 AM
As a journalist who was present at the Detroit Opera House reveal of the Sixteen; it IS a halo vehicle that could bring Cadillac into the competitive high end limited production sector. Lutz certainly has the background to make that happen, however, as some of you have pointed out, there are a couple of major drawbacks. Fuel economy is the first, but that can be achieved with the next generation of high-tech hybrid engines, including some remarkable diesel-hybrids using Direct Ignition. (Don't laugh at 45+ mpg). Second is cost, especially if the Sixteen starts at over $150K.
The better bet is for GM and Cadillac to bring some high-end luxe versions of the larger STS. The (for the time being) China/Asia market SLS, offers a four-seat, stretched version called an SLS. It's interior is not unlike that of a Bentley Flying Spur, and would be something that could easily sell everyone they bring to the North American marketplace.
These and similar suggestions are well known to Mr. Lutz and could well be here by 2011 or sooner.
The only thing stopping this from happening, a couple of thousand serious deposit checks. That was what got the Viper and Prowler to market.
As for other successful platforms that should be (and have been) brought to North America ... GM has already done that in limited numbers, from Australia/Holden and from Europe/Vauxhall-Opel), with more to come in the next few years. And GM is not the only player looking at this.
Ford (pre-Mullally) have imported test vehicles from their European and Australian operations to evaluate their suitability for the U.S. market.
Chrysler (through its European connections with Magna) offers high mpg versions of such vehicles as the 300 (including a Killer Touring/wagon version of the Magnum), with the 3.0L diesel from Jeep that gets over 40 mpg.
Going GREEN doesn't have to mean just E-85, bio-fuel etc. There are other options.
By Pablo heffering | Posted: Sep 12th 2007, 07:18:36 PM
" Pat Davis Says:
July 3rd, 2007 at 8:03 am
If blogger JOE learned how to use the English language, perhaps his rants
would have a chance of being understood!" In all fairness Pat Joe's comment was typed in at 3:54 am so I would guess a sampling of liquor played a role in the butchering of the language...
By DaPartsGuy | Posted: Aug 22nd 2007, 05:43:30 PM
Bob Lutz is pure genius. Look at what he's done in the past. It seems as if he's been beaten down by GM in order to "comply". This is not the Bob Lutz we know and love, we want the cigar smoking, swearing, "screw you if you don't like it" Bob Lutz. GM, pull your head out of your butt and listen. Build whatever you think the market needs and get engineers that have one ounce of brains in their head to make it happen. American engineering is almost an oxymoron. We copy more and more each day from our competition, there is no original thought process. Bob Lutz was never afraid to call a spade a spade regardless of who he upset. Make the cadillac sixteen and get engineers that can make 25-30 mpg happen. Hell, a tired old crown victoria gets 25mpg on the highway with a 4.6L, why can't a sequential controlled injection sixteen? Have it run only on eight under light load. Geez, we're losing our vision, and hopefully we haven't lost Lutz.
By Marvin McConoughey | Posted: Aug 20th 2007, 03:31:28 PM
The auto industry will never again have a sound case for a sixteen cylinder motorcar. Sixteen cylinder cars appeared at a time of relatively primitive technology when the upper class paid little income tax. Now, technology can produce more 500HP-plus V8/V12 engines than the market can absorb. Sixteen cylinder engines offer little other than unreasonable excess. Let the sixteen cylinder engines die for all time.
By Ken | Posted: Aug 8th 2007, 12:24:27 PM
I think that GM needs the Sixteen for the people out there that can afford it and don't care about milage. Would you want to be told what to drive?? As for the Velite, it is the best looking car I have ever seen with the Buick symbol on the hood. Why not combine the two arguments and create the Velite with a green engine? Why can it not be a fuel efficient 4 cylinder?? Even better, benchmark it off the Chevy Volt (if it ever makes it to production)! I agree that Buick, like Pontiac, needs to do something to get out from under the shadows!! Not all fuel efficient cars need to look like plain, economy pieces of crap like the Sprint, Firefly, and even the now dead Cavalier!!
By Richard Marsh | Posted: Jul 20th 2007, 03:04:17 AM
I have not aways been able to afford high performance cars.... modified them instead, myself. Now I have '05-06-07 cars all high performance (400-505HP). But, still modify them. If I had a high milage car, again, I would modify it... suspension, brakes, what-ever. I like cars. I'm 61 years old now. I bought a motor cycle once... just as a hedge for best gas milage of all. And a Fiat 850. I squeezed a couple in the back seat and we went to the car races at Monterey, CA. in it. They were OK when fuel economy was important. But I'd rather have a super high performance car, if I can afford it.
-Richard
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