RE: Chevrolet Matiz
Tuesday 22nd February 2005
Chevrolet Matiz
V8s, big cars and muscle is what Chevrolet are associated with - not any more
This is the "Chevrolet Matiz" which will be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show.
Enough said...
Discussion
I hope this idea dies a quick and nasty death, and that what few "Chevies" have been bought are easily bio-degradable and disappear very quickly.
It's one thing for Daewoo to market these cars - we know they're only in the (relatively) early development of their auto industry. They can hardly do any better. But for for these wankels from Chev to turn around and try to hawk these is beyond contempt for the motoring masses.
And I won't hesitate to admit that I despise Chevrolet product (having lived in North America and driven their tripe). At least they spared us their version of a "small" car, the Cavalier. Sweet Merciful Lord...
It's one thing for Daewoo to market these cars - we know they're only in the (relatively) early development of their auto industry. They can hardly do any better. But for for these wankels from Chev to turn around and try to hawk these is beyond contempt for the motoring masses.
And I won't hesitate to admit that I despise Chevrolet product (having lived in North America and driven their tripe). At least they spared us their version of a "small" car, the Cavalier. Sweet Merciful Lord...
Badge engineering. Europe saw through ths and concluded it was a very bad idea years ago. Riley elf, Wolsley Hornet, Autin Mini 7 or Morris Mini anyone?
Bad marketing. But then, what do you expect from a giant lumbering loaf of a company like GM?
The Koreans will fight like crazy to rid themselves of GM (again), hope it works!
Bad marketing. But then, what do you expect from a giant lumbering loaf of a company like GM?
The Koreans will fight like crazy to rid themselves of GM (again), hope it works!
Daewoo is relatively big in The Netherlands. They are cheap! Strange to see those cars turn into Chevies. The Matiz is the smallest car and therefor the strangest switch.
Chrysler found it's way into the compact car bizz some time ago and I don't think V8 when I see a Neon or a PT.
Daewoo dealers are very proud of their new badge and put out enourmous flags and banners. Which is silly. It looks as if they want to get rid of their former name as quick as possible.
Chrysler found it's way into the compact car bizz some time ago and I don't think V8 when I see a Neon or a PT.
Daewoo dealers are very proud of their new badge and put out enourmous flags and banners. Which is silly. It looks as if they want to get rid of their former name as quick as possible.
IIRC the Corvette will be coming to the UK without Chevy badges.
Anyway, these were my thoughs on an earlier thread....
>> Edited by andy_b on Tuesday 22 February 12:58
Anyway, these were my thoughs on an earlier thread....
andy_b said:
having spent quite a bit of time in Canada during the last year, thats an insult to Vauxhall Opel quite frankly.
Since the Japanese and Korean makes started making real inroads into the North American market, then GM and to a lesser extent the other two have had to compete with these brands. This means money talks and cuts were made.
Now, with the exception of the Corvette (no Camaro anymore btw) and the new Cobalt, the general build quality and finish is on a par with a Kia or a Hyundai, so IMHO its not the use of Daewoo products in Europe that destroyed the name.
A large number of GM products are Daewoo, Suzuki based as well
For example, the Daewoo Kaloss becomes a Chevrolet, a Suzuki and in Canada, a Pontiac
The Daewoo Lacetti becomes the Chevrolet Opta or a Suzuki something
The Suzuki TG reasonabily priced car use to be a Chevy or something like that
Theres also a big Daewoo which is marketed as a Chevrolet and a Suzuki, so all this is hardly "legend making".
Have to say the new Colbalt looks quite good, loosely based on the EU Astra, but with a ugly front and rear
>> Edited by andy_b on Tuesday 22 February 12:58
Its just typical executives, having not got a clue how to improve market share/sales (i.e. share price!)
Hint for them:
1. Design decent car!
2. Make decent car!
3. Sell decent car!
While the old Daewoo Matiz may not have been a great car (I don't know for certain as i never drove one) at least it looked a lot better than that thing there or most of the other cars in the micro-car sector!
All I can say is they've lost the plot!
Hint for them:
1. Design decent car!
2. Make decent car!
3. Sell decent car!
While the old Daewoo Matiz may not have been a great car (I don't know for certain as i never drove one) at least it looked a lot better than that thing there or most of the other cars in the micro-car sector!
All I can say is they've lost the plot!
annodomini2 said:
While the old Daewoo Matiz may not have been a great car (I don't know for certain as i never drove one) at least it looked a lot better than that thing there or most of the other cars in the micro-car sector!
All I can say is they've lost the plot!
It was quite an appalling drive, but the original Matiz was designed by Giguario for Fiat as a 500 successor. Quite a few similarities with the lights, belt lines etc on the original car....
http://auta5p.car.cz/katalog/italdesign/lucciola_01.jpg
Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this a Bob Lutz initiative?
The guy's supposed to have the midas touch in terms of product strategy, but the whole GMEurope/Daewoo/Cadillac/Saab/Corvette/etc-thing smacks of desperation to me... One weak brand piled upon another, then endlessly juggled to react to the current vogue. It seems you need an ultra-strong staple-brand to begin with (it pains me to say it, but BMW for instance) in order to effectively diversify...
The guy's supposed to have the midas touch in terms of product strategy, but the whole GMEurope/Daewoo/Cadillac/Saab/Corvette/etc-thing smacks of desperation to me... One weak brand piled upon another, then endlessly juggled to react to the current vogue. It seems you need an ultra-strong staple-brand to begin with (it pains me to say it, but BMW for instance) in order to effectively diversify...
Are GM going to keep on with these cars beyond the current generation of models? Or do they plan to use the Corsa/Astra/Vectra platforms in future sort of like VW/Skoda?
With the current Daewoo line up they'd have been as well calling them 'GM value range' or something, like Tesco do with a lot of their stuff.
The Matiz is one of my least favourite cars. The drivers of these things party trick is to pull out into the outside lane of the motorway, doing 57mph.
With the current Daewoo line up they'd have been as well calling them 'GM value range' or something, like Tesco do with a lot of their stuff.
The Matiz is one of my least favourite cars. The drivers of these things party trick is to pull out into the outside lane of the motorway, doing 57mph.
Check out the differences:
www.chevrolet.co.uk/info/our_models/index.htm
www.chevrolet.com/cars/
Looks like an Europe only terror. Chevrolet will sell enough former Ds' to profit. Corvette lovers won't change their thoughts . . .
www.chevrolet.co.uk/info/our_models/index.htm
www.chevrolet.com/cars/
Looks like an Europe only terror. Chevrolet will sell enough former Ds' to profit. Corvette lovers won't change their thoughts . . .
andy_b said:Actually it was OK by the standards of other micro cars of its day, dont forget it was launched in 1998 in the UK, but had already been out for over a year by then. So the poor little thing is nearly ten years old.
It was quite an appalling drive
I used to love 'em, great noise from the three cylinder engine, a hoot to drive hard.
It was OK in '97, but no good in '05.
Buy a Panda.
dinkel said:
Check out the differences:
www.chevrolet.co.uk/info/our_models/index.htm
www.chevrolet.com/cars/
Looks like an Europe only terror. Chevrolet will sell enough former Ds' to profit. Corvette lovers won't change their thoughts . . .
Matiz for the moment is a EU/Asian model only, but the Kaloss, Lacetti and the big Daewoo we dont get are badged as Chevys in the US.
having driven things like an Impala and a Cavailer in Canada, those Daewoos fair as good, if not better than those real chevy products!
dinkel said:
. . . those Daewoos fair as good, if not better than those real chevy products!
Amazing . . .
But true! And why, in AD 2005, can they only get about 180 horsepower from a 3.4 litre V6? Or only 200bhp from a 3.8!? And still they burn almost as much petrol as a BMW M3 motor. There is no excuse from the biggest car conglomerate in the world.
My point is this: go outside, and give your Euro or Japanese car a big, big hug. The colonies have no idea what they're missing.
ubergreg said:
But true! And why, in AD 2005, can they only get about 180 horsepower from a 3.4 litre V6? Or only 200bhp from a 3.8!? And still they burn almost as much petrol as a BMW M3 motor. There is no excuse from the biggest car conglomerate in the world.
My point is this: go outside, and give your Euro or Japanese car a big, big hug. The colonies have no idea what they're missing.
Bollocks!
The Americans make big engines that have lazy characteristics as no American wants to spend all day flogging a tiny engine into submission and changing gear for no perceptible reason. They're bigger engines because they're much bigger cars and so a titsy 2 litre won't cut it. They're tuned for torque not outright power so they're fast in everyday use. Even the Japanese manufacturers fit 3.5 litre engines to their bigger cars in the US so they can compete but the Americans will give you a 5.7 V8 for the same price.
While you're hugging your Euro car, mind you don't get run over by something with a real engine.
As for GM butchering the Chevrolet name, even Toyota won't use the Toyota name on their economy cars, choosing to use the Scion name in the US.
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