GM->ke1024 executive vice president Mark Reuss recently discussed some of automaker’s plans for the future, including Cadillac's->ke18 focus, Chevrolet's->ke199 outlook, and even the future of the Buick Avenir.
In a discussion with reporters at the NYAS,->ke226 Ruess said he didn’t want Cadillac to try to “out-German the Germans,” but rather concentrate on reaching a younger generation. “There’s an opportunity there for those people to drive something different than what their parents did.”
What makes Cadillac different? Reuss thinks it’s “...probably different value equation, probably different powertrain equation, probably different styling equation, that’s very American. And not syrupy retro.”
“We’ve got an ATS-V->ke3619 that’s going to flame the M3->ke2366 and M4,”->ke4183 Reuss continued, “and then we’ve got a CTS-V->ke1200 that’s a 200-mile-an-hour hammer. Those are credibility punctuations.”
Reuss also said he was open to a Cadillac sports car, but that GM was “...trying to fill in as a priority the Cadillac entries that we don’t have in the marketplace on a volume and profit basis first.”
Regarding the new Chevy Volt,->ke2721 Reuss said that the toned-down exterior aesthetic was a response to market demands, adding that the last model didn’t sell due to a design that looked a bit like a “science experiment.”
Reuss was also supportive of a production version of the Buick Avenir concept, if vaguely: “It was such a hit, what would it look like in production, what would it cost to do it. So that’s where we’re at."
Continue reading to learn more about what Mark Reuss has to say about GM’s cars.
Why it matters
GM might be reborn in a big, bold way, but that doesn’t mean it can afford to fool around with risky products. For example, when asked about “fixing” the Chevy Malibu, Reuss said that GM “...can’t miss. We can't have those kinds of misses on our cars and crossovers and trucks. We can't do that. If we do that, we give a reason for someone to go buy something else. It's that simple.
"On a car like the Malibu->ke1034 we have a chance to really fix all of that, which we have, and then lead. Then you've got a real opportunity there. So that's what we've really been focused on here – to fix those things."
He later added: “We need that car here to transform Chevrolet desperately because it's the heart of the market. And when you think of Chevrolet, people will come back and think about what we did with the Malibu->https://www.topspeed.com/cars/chevrolet/2016-chevrolet-malibu-ar167224.html] and the Cruze... It's hugely important to us."
Revitalizing a behemoth like GM is a monumental task. Changes, no matter how dire, take time to properly implement, and it’s a fine balance between making something you know will sell and making something that feels fresh and new. However, it’s a line that GM will have to walk no matter the badge.
Cadillac CT6
One of the cars to appear at this year’s New York Auto Show was the Caddy CT6, a luxury sedan built to take on the big three German automakers in a big way. The exterior design is a progression of the “Art and Science” language, with highly chiseled features and abrupt edges. The interior is packed with gadgets and high-end materials, while the drivetrain options range from a turbo four-cylinder with 265 horsepower to a twin-turbo V-6 with 400 horsepower. MSRP is roughly $70,000.
When asked about the possibility of CT6 V-Series, Reuss said "The architecture is certainly capable of doing it. The question is who's going to buy the CT6? What kind of person? And do we need a V-Series off of that is the question we haven't answered yet. It's certainly capable of doing it... we've certainly thought about it."
Read our full review here.
Chevrolet Malibu
The Malibu has been struggling to sell in the face of competitors like the Camry,->ke246 Accord->ke237 and Fusion,->ke433 but GM hopes to change that with a dramatically overhauled ninth generation. The exterior design is completely new, with a look that’s decidedly far less rental-car than in years past. It’s also slightly bigger, with 2.6 inches of extra length and 3.6 inches of extra wheelbase. That size carries over to the interior, where there are 1.3 inches more legroom in the back seats. Engine options include an Ecotec 1.5-liter turbo with 160 horsepower and a 2.0-liter turbo with 250 horsepower. Pricing is expected under $25,000.
Read our full review here.