The 2009 version of the North American International Auto Show is underway in Detroit. The economic downturn is preventing me from attending in person this year but I am watching from afar by way of the internet.On Sunday, General Motors previewed plans for several vehicles then unveiled a hot Cadillac concept car called "Converj." It's a plug-in electric hybrid vehicle which utilizes the Chevrolet Volt technology. As you can see in the photo, the car looks great. But then, so did the Volt in concept form. My fear is that GM will do what it often does after teasing the public with a hot concept-- turn down the heat in production leaving us with a ho-hum, uninspired, run-of-the-mill looking vehicle that evokes about five percent of the excitement of the concept.
I was in love with the Volt until GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner unveiled the production version late last year. When the car rolled out on stage, it sucked all of the wind out of my sails. The biggest reason given for toning down the design was aerodynamics and safety regulations.
One of the problems I have long had with GM is the propensity to design concepts that can't be produced. You can't unveil something that people get excited about, decide to produce and sell it, and when it arrives in dealer showrooms the car looks nothing like what people saw at unveiling. In recent years, GM got it right with the HUMMER H2 and Chevy Camaro, and Buick Enclave models. The concepts were all production-ready, for the most part. GM blew it with the old Pontiac Montana and Aztec, and now the Chevy Volt.
In this day and age, I wouldn't waste time developing concepts that only work in a designer's imagination. If it can't be produced, move on to the next project.
Cadillac also introduced the new 2010 SRX crossover vehicle. It has been totally redesigned and now appears to share a platform with the Chevrolet Equinox/Pontiac Torrent/Saturn VUE. I like it. Learn more in the video below.
Oh, Good Evening!
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