GM Lab Eco Initiative: investigating the "bare necessity" car & truck

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

It's marketing tripe.

If it weren't for the Tata Nano threat, I'd agree 100%. As it is, I agree 95%.

Hell, the questions were answered 100 years ago:

Awesome. Where do you find that stuff?

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

Even the late '90s is going too far. Bring back the Toyota Sport Truck from the mid-70s, or its Datsun counterpart. Owned one when I was working construction back then, would load it full of boxes of ceramic tile & mortar, and drive to the job site on not a lot of gas.

I like the idea of those... always lusted after em when I saw them on the street... went to check one out that was for sale... and couldn't physically fold my carcass into it! Not from being fat either.

Manufacturers: Please make vehicles that non-orientals can get into. Thank you.

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

If it weren't for the Tata Nano threat, I'd agree 100%. As it is, I agree 95%.

Awesome. Where do you find that stuff?

Go back to the blog and see where I gave them a piece of my mind... even though I don't have any to spare!

I find that stuff cuz I already know what it is hence I know what to search for. That one is an old Briggs and Stratton buckboard. I would love to drive one of those!

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by shovel

This vehicle doesn't directly answer that question, but look at the shape of the cab/hood...

suzuki x head - Google Search

Kinda cool little runabout truck if they could remove some of the "X-TREME" from it, simplify it some...

If my legs were flamingo-hinged, that just might work.

[KITT222]

Originally Posted by MadisonMPG

I really want Government Motors to die, or at least truly listen.

I guess the Metro is also a bare-needs car. But the GM you all hate is the Wagoner-controlled GM. Wagoner believed the SUV was the real money-maker. I am going to admit, I love GM. New GM, after they started over, is listening, and observing the competition. They have recently premiered some excellent vehicles. They are focusing less and less on the truck and SUVs. Their most successful large vehicle they have currently is the Equinox, which achieves 32MPG, which is best in class. Meager by Ecomodder's standards, but its a step in the right direction. The Cruze is rumored to get around 40MPG, and the Spark and new Aveo are going to get at or over 40MPG. The new GM is trying, and doing much better than the old GM.

This "bare necessities" car and truck wont see the light of day. GM decided to invest more of its time in the Volt, Cruze, Aveo, and Spark.

[Frank Lee]

I'm a big fan of GM from the early days up to somewhere in the '70s.

They had management and engineering leadership in the '50s and introduced world-class product like the small block V8, and innovative product like Corvair. They absolutely OWNED styling leadership up through the '60s.

Then the Dark Ages came.

Perhaps with the right combo of leadership and engineering prowess, they can regain the crown. I'm thinking Ford has it among the domestics now.

[cfg83]

KITT222 -

I'm crossing my fingers that GM succeeds. I like what I see in the Cruze. The Volt is out of my pri$e range but I do like it's drivetrain because I've always wanted a serial hybrid to make it into the real world.

CarloSW2

[Bicycle Bob]

GM has long maintained a back lot with prototypes of everything from a motorized skateboard to a dedicated autobahn burner. However, if they think that much style is a "necessity" they have not noticed what people on a budget will drive. This is disappointing from the company that decided to fight Ford's price for a new model T by starting a market for used cars.

[Daox]

Wow, I just watched the videos last night. What absolute BS... I'd laugh at it, but its too stupid. Efficient? Gimme a break.

[TomO]

I know I needed a vehicle that can carry 4 people plus some luggage. At other times I need to carry ~1000lbs of potting soil or landscape bricks. Then there are times when I need to transport about eight 10' 2x6s plus four 16' 2x6s. not to mention the motors and transmissions that I transport sometimes. I also do some autocrossing in the summer and ice racing in the winter.

So I've done all these things with my current vehicle plus I still get excellent gas mileage, my vehicle looks great (to me), and is very cheap to insure and operate.

Now GM is trying to figure out how to make that vehicle?

Too bad Honda beat them to it almost 18 years ago!

It's my Civic VX. It is a bare necessities car too, no power locks, no power windows, no power steering...because it doesn't need any of that.

I feel that GM is on life support, and the only reason the plug is not being pulled is because of nostalgia, since it's obvious that GM doesn't want to make the car that would save them from utter demise.