GM Confirms Zeta Products

[ragingfish]

Quote »GM Planning Family of New RWD Performance ModelsDate Posted 02-11-2005Summary: General Motors will build a variety of cars for Pontiac, Chevy, even Buick on its new Zeta platform.CHICAGO — The 2008 successor to the Pontiac GTO will be joined by performance-oriented siblings at Chevrolet and luxury editions at Buick late in the decade, according to supplier sources who spoke with Inside Line here at the Chicago auto show.The next-generation GTO will be built on a new General Motors architecture known internally as the Zeta platform. It is basically an evolution of the current chassis that underpins the 2005 GTO, which is assembled in Australia by GM's Holden subsidiary.The new GTO, however, will be built in Michigan, Inside Line has learned. It will be joined by a new sporty coupe and companion convertible model at Chevrolet. The bow-tie division reportedly will not resurrect the Camaro name on the car, but is said to be considering using the Monte Carlo badge on this new midsize rear-drive model.Unlike the GTO, which will continue to be powered by a high-output Corvette V8, the Chevy two-doors, which are due around 2009, reportedly will offer buyers a choice of V6 and V8 engines.Pontiac also will get a new rear-drive sedan, which internally is being referred to as the G8. Offered with V6 and V8 engines, it will debut around 2009, and will take the place of the front-wheel-drive Bonneville, which is being phased out later this year. It may also supplant the front-drive Grand Prix.The production version of Buick's stunning Velite convertible concept is also expected to share the Zeta chassis, but the car will focus more on luxury than performance. Although the Velite is expected to be built in Michigan at the same factory as the Pontiac and Chevy models, a rear-drive Buick luxury sedan is expected to be imported from Holden in Australia.What this means to you: GM is gambling hundreds of millions of dollars that Americans will embrace a new generation of midsize rear-drive performance and luxury models later in this decade.http://www.edmunds.com/insidel...04687

[Stang2Vibe]

Oh, I think I'm going to LOVE this new Zeta platform! Hopefully it will lead to building some larger, high power cars again. These midsizes from the Zeta platform sound really nice, but I want a new muscle-yacht reminiscant of the 1968 Cadillac Fleetwood. The 472 block is a favorite of today's top-fuel racers, and was the only engine available in the Cadillac line for a few years. The old 429 was a good engine, too. I'm not going to hold my hopes too high with the new GM cars that are expected to be built. We all know the saying about when something seems too good to be true.