RE: Vauxhall Adam officially revealed
Discussion
It's a bit of a sad state for Opel/Vauxhall/Holden/<insert GM fantasy brand here>. Their market share went down massively in the recent years, and it appears they have no idea why.
This is the track from the last few years in Germany.
In the century before, Opel and VW were changing places one and two.
So what went wrong that people don't buy their cars?
They're reliable, but they're not cool and not something special - the same they used to like forever.
The problem is, there is a lot of other cars in the market now that are equally not cool, uninspiring but reliable. Mostly entering the market from Asia; Toyota, Kia, Hyundai.
Fiat suffered the same problem, and at least identified that their brand needs to become cool. Remember Lapo Elkann? He put some effort into that direction, and it appears quite successful. Google his pictures, his hedonistic coke infested scandals couldn't be further away from the sad-grey-man-in-a-sad-grey-office-image that GM's European brands have these days, and FIAT had before he, er, took care. Then they launched the 500 in retro styling, and the FIAT brand became cooler again, and they still supply to sad grey men and additionally to those who don't see themselves as sad grey men.
So what's GM's strategy on this? The Opel/Vauxhall cars that could be released in retro design are either unsuitable for the small car segment, or are the epitome of boring underclass motoring.
Why not release a copy of the car that turned the tide for FIAT, while saving the budget for Elkannesque coke and hookers? Obviously, a selection of the usual sewing machine and lawn mower engines will be offered to make sure nothing whatsoever will stand out from our non-retro retro-car offer to compete with the other retro cars that are on the market in their second or third generation.
And then, for the next years, let's stop developing our own cars, and buy that equally bland technological reactionary stuff from elsewhere: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-06-26/peugeot-g... so that we give up our uniqueness in development and production, so that we only have to rely on what is worst with our brands: design and image.
This is the track from the last few years in Germany.
In the century before, Opel and VW were changing places one and two.
So what went wrong that people don't buy their cars?
They're reliable, but they're not cool and not something special - the same they used to like forever.
The problem is, there is a lot of other cars in the market now that are equally not cool, uninspiring but reliable. Mostly entering the market from Asia; Toyota, Kia, Hyundai.
Fiat suffered the same problem, and at least identified that their brand needs to become cool. Remember Lapo Elkann? He put some effort into that direction, and it appears quite successful. Google his pictures, his hedonistic coke infested scandals couldn't be further away from the sad-grey-man-in-a-sad-grey-office-image that GM's European brands have these days, and FIAT had before he, er, took care. Then they launched the 500 in retro styling, and the FIAT brand became cooler again, and they still supply to sad grey men and additionally to those who don't see themselves as sad grey men.
So what's GM's strategy on this? The Opel/Vauxhall cars that could be released in retro design are either unsuitable for the small car segment, or are the epitome of boring underclass motoring.
Why not release a copy of the car that turned the tide for FIAT, while saving the budget for Elkannesque coke and hookers? Obviously, a selection of the usual sewing machine and lawn mower engines will be offered to make sure nothing whatsoever will stand out from our non-retro retro-car offer to compete with the other retro cars that are on the market in their second or third generation.
And then, for the next years, let's stop developing our own cars, and buy that equally bland technological reactionary stuff from elsewhere: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-06-26/peugeot-g... so that we give up our uniqueness in development and production, so that we only have to rely on what is worst with our brands: design and image.
AdeV said:
The Hypno-Toad said:
AdeV said:
Will the sporty version be called the SPAM?
Ahmm.... my joke, four minutes ago, hands off! 
Great minds think alike...
Bill Carr said:
Is it platform sharing with the Fiat 500 (and therefore also the Panda) as some posters have suggested, or a-n-other platform? Just curious because the Fiats both have a dash-mounted gearstick, and the ADAM does not.
No, on a shortened Corsa platform. What the PH article doesn't mention is that touchscreen in the interior - the below is taken from Autocar's article on the Adam.
Autocar magazine said:
The as-yet-unnamed system has as its focal point a large, seven-inch touchscreen in the centre console, but it doesn’t include any typical infotainment features, such
as sat-nav.
Instead, the driver plugs a smartphone into the system and the operating system is mirrored on screen. It is then possible to play and control apps — such as music, video and navigation — on screen.
This means that the driver is not lumbered with a sat-nav that uses outdated maps, or a music or video player that plays unsupported formats, because the in-car infotainment capabilities will update with their phone.
Car manufacturers have long spoken of their frustrations that the typical seven-year model cycle of a car means that they cannot keep pace with the fast-moving technology industry with in-car entertainment. The new Vauxhall system addresses this issue.
Vauxhall says the top-of-the-range system will initially be compatible with Android and Apple iOS operating systems. It’s likely to cost less than £300. A CD/radio with USB and aux-in ports and Bluetooth will still be standard on all models, regardless of whether or not the new system has been chosen.
Base-spec models will get a smaller screen with a simpler display that will only be able to play music from a smartphone.
That is a seriously good idea IMO.Instead, the driver plugs a smartphone into the system and the operating system is mirrored on screen. It is then possible to play and control apps — such as music, video and navigation — on screen.
This means that the driver is not lumbered with a sat-nav that uses outdated maps, or a music or video player that plays unsupported formats, because the in-car infotainment capabilities will update with their phone.
Car manufacturers have long spoken of their frustrations that the typical seven-year model cycle of a car means that they cannot keep pace with the fast-moving technology industry with in-car entertainment. The new Vauxhall system addresses this issue.
Vauxhall says the top-of-the-range system will initially be compatible with Android and Apple iOS operating systems. It’s likely to cost less than £300. A CD/radio with USB and aux-in ports and Bluetooth will still be standard on all models, regardless of whether or not the new system has been chosen.
Base-spec models will get a smaller screen with a simpler display that will only be able to play music from a smartphone.
Bodo said:
So what's GM's strategy on this? The Opel/Vauxhall cars that could be released in retro design are either unsuitable for the small car segment, or are the epitome of boring underclass motoring.
I see what you mean. I've no doubt this car will actually be quite good, and it certainly taps into a market that's booming at the moment, but the name really is all wrong.We got a load of marketing BS about how the name had been thought up by lots of 'cool' people from all over the world (all the places it's cool to be from in that kind of exact polar opposite of racism that's almost as bad as racism, in that if you're from the place you're assumed to be the most amazing human being who ever strode the face of the earth - Berlin, Melbourne, London, Spain, Scandanavia etc) who had crazy hair, scruffy clothes, did extreme sports and included 'social networking' as a 'hobby'. It was utterly crass and cringeworthy.
I think marketing has become a major problem with regard to cars actually. People really do buy cars according to substance - how fast it goes, will they fit in it, how much it costs to run, can they get their stuff in the boot etc. They'll also want it to look good, but it seems manufacturers are ploughing collossal amounts of money into telling us to think on their wavelength, rather than just giving us a good car and saying 'you make of it what you want'.
I do wonder quite how much car companies are potentially wasting on this, because I think it makes sod-all difference to sales.
oh dear....BBS-LM said:
I really like what Vauxhall have done with this little car, from a design point of view you can see lots of ideas from the Audi A1, and the fiat 500, but I like it for a Vauxhall, I hope there is a VXR version with 200bhp+
That will be its USP I reckon.Thinking about its opposition:
-MINIs are good, but the problem with their retro styling is that they can't evolve it in any particular direction, so they're looking very passe now, and have managed to pick up a bit of an image problem with some people.
-The Alfa Romeo Mito is a very strong contender, but as far as real-world use is concerned, it's a 2+2 coupe rather than a practical hatchback. If you've got legs, you can't get in the back at all.
-The Fiat 500 is superb and properly small, but like the Mini they can't take the styling anywhere so it's only a matter of time before they have to move on with it. Having said that the Abarth version knocks spots off all its competitors though.
-The Audi A1 is a VW Polo, and unlike Audi assumed, rather than being owned by cool people, they've become the usual grey suburban company-car sloggers, bought by fleets and people who couldn't care less about cars, but want something they think their neighbours will be jealous of but aren't. Dull as ditchwater.
-The Citroen DS3 is probably the most successful example of the genre from a design part of view. Properly avant-garde to look at, fun to drive and the only one with rally cred.
-Which leaves the Adam. Sniffpetrol has already pointed out that it looks very derivative, so in order to stand out it needs something special. A really powerful engine would do this, I suspect, in an evil-looking VXR version.
I suppose you could say the Ford Fiesta is a sort-of rival given that it's very well-appointed inside and looks like a squished Aston Martin AMV8. What surprises me is that Renault hasn't got itself a piece of this market yet. The Sport Clio has one of the best engine and chassis combinations you can buy in a FWD hatch, and yet the interior still looks and feels like the innards of a wheelie-bin. Surely they could get someone over from Nissan to sort this out? A Sport Clio reworked as a baby Alpine or Gordini coupe would be an absolute stunner IMO.
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