Saturn Vue two-mode dead, Chevrolet Equinox hybrid unlikely to hit until 2011

GM is counting on its new partner to cut the cost. New partner? Yes, dear ol' Uncle Sam ... the U.S. government vis a vis yours and my TAX dollars. GM is counting on giant subsidies to cut the cost of the Volt. See? You're going to have to buy GM whether you like it or not! I hope the Volt makes it. But it sucks that it needs $7,000 tax payer dollars each just to help it compete w/ the Prius ... if it ever gets to market, that is.

You're kidding, right? . . . . that part about "... you must talk about positive things ...". What does that mean .... that nice talk will fix things? ... that NOT talking about what's wrong will make it go away? I must be a little dull here, because that philosophy never made a dime for my business ventures. So, does that mean if I don't talk about being dull, that I'll suddenly stop being that way?


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GM had been in a tail spin for years before the wings folded and it crashed into the ground. There were many factors involved in it's demise; management decisions, labor costs, health insurance costs, retired worker's pensions, years of manufacturing jobs lost in America and our shift into a "Service economy", oil prices, ... History can't be changed and you are never sure of the future. When you take control of a company you need to inspire people, not just say "we are dead meat". If the Volt is all that you are looking at then you are missing boat.

 

I seem to have missed this thread.
Thanks Bob for setting up that test drive. Yes the Vue was a nice car to drive and I think the 2 mode drive train is really a tow car setup. GM seem to have taken the view (pardon the pun) that this car was going to be for people who wanted the power of a 6 with the economy of a 4. It would be a good tow vehicle and might displace some of those monstrosity class trucks and SUVs (Suckers & Uneducated's Vehicle). You and I both know you need 500hp to tow that 6 x 4 box trailer to the local tip to dump half a ton of tree prunings. It stands to reason that the Vue 2 mode hybrid would be a tow car with the drive system coming from a commercial vehicle heritage.

I hope GM get serious about hybrids because when that happens I think hybrids will become mainstream. Even if it doesn't Toyota will make hybrids mainstream anyway, it will just take a little longer.