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GM Ingenuity At It Again

Old Dec 30, 2004 | 02:06 PM
  #1  
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At the end of November, Chevy had a 301-day supply of SSRs on the lot. Between the SSR and GTO, GM may not have to make cars at all in 2005.
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Old Dec 30, 2004 | 02:18 PM
  #2  
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See, adding bigger motors and huge sticker prices to cars that weren't selling anyway doesn't work. Lutz better hope the G6 and Solstice are hits or he's going to have problems. He can't take credit for the Vette.
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Old Dec 30, 2004 | 03:07 PM
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While GM didn't eat up a lot of development money on the GTO, the SSR is horrible. The money they spent developing both of these cars they could have spent developing a Camaro that could rival the Mustang.
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Old Dec 30, 2004 | 03:54 PM
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I was very angry when I heard about the price of the SSR. I was hyped up to buy one,. then they price it over 40 grand. That car prolly costs the same to make as a Camoaro . GM is so frustrating to watch,
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Old Dec 30, 2004 | 04:08 PM
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What's funny is the SSR is way too close to the vette in price. I would rather have an 03 or 04 Vette and probably save money then get the SSR. I like the point about the Camaro, they really went the wrong way.
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Old Dec 30, 2004 | 08:04 PM
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I don't normally pay that much attention what's on Blue Oval News, but I thought this article was interesting (and pertinent to this thread):

http://www.blueovalnews.com/2004/sales/roz...lace.123004.htm
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Old Dec 30, 2004 | 08:15 PM
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301 day supply!? :shock:

They're gonna have throw in a $5K rebate and a GTO just to move em.

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Old Dec 30, 2004 | 08:18 PM
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Old Dec 30, 2004 | 08:30 PM
  #9  
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I've heard that Chevy dealers are getting SSRs whether they want them or not. Chevy just puts them on the trucks and sends them out.
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Old Dec 30, 2004 | 09:15 PM
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They missed their market. The SSR should have been aimed at the people that bought the Prowler. Had they beefed it up more, limited production and made it a collector's item, it might have been successful.
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Old Dec 30, 2004 | 09:18 PM
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Tomservo that was an excellent article. Best part was mentioning how GM likes to kill off cool brands.
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Old Dec 30, 2004 | 09:21 PM
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wow... both of these cars have been horrible.

gosh... idiots!
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Old Dec 31, 2004 | 07:12 PM
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News Link SSR Production halted

A growing stockpile of Chevrolet SSR models is forcing General Motors Corp. to cut production and idle its Lansing Craft Centre -- where the sporty convertible pickup truck is built -- for five weeks early next year.

At current sales rates, GM has enough SSR models to last nearly 300 days -- far more than the industry's ideal 65-day supply target.

"It's a market-driven decision to align product volume with market demand," GM spokesman Stefan Weinmann said.

The plant, which employs 500 workers, will be shut down the weeks of Jan. 3, Jan. 10, Jan. 31, Feb.7 and Feb. 28.

The SSR went on sale in 2003 as a low-volume vehicle with expected annual sales of about 13,000 units. But the $42,000 roadster pickup has fallen short of GM's sales targets.

Only 8,538 have been sold this year through November, according to Autodata Corp.

After wowing auto show crowds when it was first introduced in 2000 as a concept vehicle, GM decided to sell it to create buzz for the Chevrolet brand and build showroom traffic.

But some dealers complain the trucks are taking up valuable space that could be otherwise used to display more popular and modestly priced models.

Brent Dewar, Chevrolet general manager, says there are no immediate plans to discontinue the SSR.

"The SSR has a very important place as a halo vehicle for us," he said in a recent interview. "I'm very positive about the SSR."

Dewar said the vehicle is bringing new and existing customers into Chevrolet showrooms in most markets. They may not be buying SSRs, he said, but in many cases the customers are purchasing a Chevrolet product.

Chevrolet sales are up 4 percent this year.

"It's a market-driven decision to align product volume with market demand."
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Old Dec 31, 2004 | 10:43 PM
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I thought it was strange that GM ran a very similar commercial to the one ran last year for new year's eve. GM's marketing must be short on ideas.
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Old Jan 1, 2005 | 01:05 AM
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Let this be lesson to all car companies...

Just because it makes a cool show car (and as a show car it was kinda cool) doesn't mean you should actually BUILD the stupid thing.

Plus, 13,000 unit production run for the year? That's nuts, and I'm talking certifiably insane, 8,000 should have been their target. Of course, god only knows how much that thing would have cost then.
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Old Jan 1, 2005 | 10:08 PM
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Does anyone agrre with me on the point that GM would be selling thse like hotcakes if they were 30k?
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Old Jan 1, 2005 | 10:55 PM
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sorta. maybe. im not very educated on the subject (heck, all i know is that its 50 big ones n its the only droptop turck i've ever seen. and it has 390hp) so it would probably depend on the functionality of the truck bed. i've heard it aint too great, but im not sure. some one wanna shed some light?
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Old Jan 2, 2005 | 11:44 AM
  #18  
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The truck bed is carpeted and the truck has no tow rating...
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Old Jan 2, 2005 | 11:46 AM
  #19  
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Oh yeah, Dodge was first with the convertible pick-up...



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Old Jan 2, 2005 | 06:26 PM
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The SSR is an anomaly...sure its a cool vehicle, but it can't be used for more than a weekend cruiser or as a show car... Not really a sports car or a utility truck.

I've only seen one on the road (actually it was in a parking lot of a grocery store)
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