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Motor Authority - blog Category: VUE

  • Report: Buick Cancels Vue-Based Plug-in Hybrid Crossover

    Report: Buick Cancels Vue-Based Plug-in Hybrid Crossover August 19th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, August 19th, 2009 Viknesh Vijayenthiran 6 Comments

    Report: Buick Cancels Vue-Based Plug-in Hybrid Crossover

    When General Motors sells Saturn later this year it will lose more than a quarter of its sales of hybrid vehicles. Saturn, with no V8 models, full-size SUVs or pickups, is GM’s most fuel-efficient brand and is second only to Chevrolet for overall hybrid sales with its Vue and Aura mild-hybrid models. One of those models, the Vue crossover, was destined to spawn an advanced plug-in hybrid variant, and at a recent GM event, it had been teased for sale under the Buick brand. News breaking today reveals that the vehicle is already canceled due to negative public, media and dealer feedback.

    The yet-unnamed Buick plug-in hybrid crossover was...

    When General Motors sells Saturn later this year it will lose more than a quarter of its sales of hybrid vehicles. Saturn, with no V8 models, full-size SUVs or pickups, is GM’s most fuel-efficient brand and is second only to Chevrolet for overall hybrid sales with its Vue and Aura mild-hybrid models. One of those models, the Vue crossover, was destined to spawn an advanced plug-in hybrid variant, and at a recent GM event, it had been teased for sale under the Buick brand. News breaking today reveals that the vehicle is already canceled due to negative public, media and dealer feedback. The yet-unnamed Buick plug-in hybrid crossover was essentially nothing more than a Saturn Vue plug-in with a  Buick-style waterfall grille, and that rubbed consumers, dealers and many in the media the wrong way - especially after Fritz Henderson's pledge to avoid all badge engineering. The bottom line at Buick, according to GM Vice Chairmain Tom Stephens, is that the re-branded Vue just didn't mesh with the Buick image. "Last Friday, reaction to the Buick crossover was discussed at the meeting of our Executive Committee, the newly formed group that steers product decisions, and it was decided that if it didn’t belong, it didn’t belong. Buick crossover canceled," wrote Stephens on GM's Fastlane Blog. "And we decided that the important plug-in hybrid technology would be applied to another vehicle, at no delay, that we’ll discuss in the very near future." The idea for a plug-in Buick hybrid isn't dead, however. Instead, the powertrain will be tucked into a new Buick body. That means that most of the key facts and figures on the proposed 'Vuick' hybrid will still hold. The replacement will still be set to arrive in 2011, and will meet the other design criteria, such as being able to seat five adults. It is also still expected to be the first commercially available plug-in hybrid crossover produced by a major automaker. According to GM, the plug-in technology underpinning the Vue and the forthcoming Buick model has the potential to achieve double the fuel economy of comparably-sized SUVs and crossovers on short trips. This is because of the significant boost in economy achieved by combining a modified version of the automaker's 2-Mode Hybrid system with lithium-ion battery cells and charging technology developed for the Voltec system, which will debut in the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid late next year. In fact, the Buick plug-in hybrid will use the same manganese-spinel based chemistry and polymer battery cells as the Volt. The 8 kWh battery - containing half the energy of the Volt battery pack - will be packaged in a rectangular-shaped box under the cargo floor. The lithium-ion battery can be fully recharged in four to five hours by simply connecting the vehicle to any standard 110V household electrical outlet. In early testing, the plug-in hybrid is capable of electric-only propulsion for more than 10 miles at low speeds. On the road, GM's 2-Mode plug-in hybrid system can use any combination of electric or gasoline engine power to move the vehicle, depending on the driving conditions. Importantly, this differs from GM's Voltec technology, which provides the Volt with up to 40 miles of emissions and gasoline-free electric-only propulsion, and an overall range of more than 300 miles when using its internal combustion engine. In addition to the lithium-ion battery pack, the Buick plug-in hybrid's powertrain features two powerful electric motors, sophisticated electronic controls and battery management systems and an efficient direct-injected 3.6-liter V-6 flex-fuel capable engine. [GM Fastlane Blog] 2011 Buick plug-in hybrid crossover Read More

  • GM plug-in hybrid crossover on track for 2011 debut

    GM plug-in hybrid crossover on track for 2011 debut July 8th, 2009 ByRalph Hanson Ralph Hanson, Author, July 8th, 2009 Ralph Hanson 1 Comment

    GM plug-in hybrid crossover on track for 2011 debut When General Motors sells Saturn later this year, it will lose more than a quarter of its sales of hybrid vehicles. Saturn, with no V8 models, fullsize SUVs or pickups, is GM’s most fuel-efficient brand and is second only to Chevrolet for overall hybrid sales with its Vue and Aura mild-hybrid models. Saturn also planned to launch a new Two-Mode hybrid version of the Vue by the middle of the year, as well as an advanced plug-in hybrid version next year.

    While reports emerged earlier this year claiming all these vehicles had been canceled, GM’s vice chairman of global product development, Tom Stephens, revealed that the roll-out... When General Motors sells Saturn later this year, it will lose more than a quarter of its sales of hybrid vehicles. Saturn, with no V8 models, fullsize SUVs or pickups, is GM’s most fuel-efficient brand and is second only to Chevrolet for overall hybrid sales with its Vue and Aura mild-hybrid models. Saturn also planned to launch a new Two-Mode hybrid version of the Vue by the middle of the year, as well as an advanced plug-in hybrid version next year. While reports emerged earlier this year claiming all these vehicles had been canceled, GM’s vice chairman of global product development, Tom Stephens, revealed that the roll-out of the new hybrid technology will not be delayed by the sale of Saturn. Stephens has now revealed to Reuters that the plug-in hybrid drivetrain destined for the Vue crossover will still be delivered to fleets in another model by early 2011 and could also be offered to consumers depending on how high fuel prices escalate in coming years. The first versions are expected to be used by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Electric Power Research Institute. "The technology does not go away. We are going to plug it in," Stephens said. "We'll go to fleets first and see where it goes after that." It will appear in a vehicle from one of GM’s four core brands - Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC or Buick. Likely candidates for the plug-in drivetrain would be the new versions of the Chevrolet Equinox or GMC Terrain, two compact SUVs that ride on a similar version of the Vue’s Theta platform. In the Vue, the drivetrain was expected to deliver about 35mpg. Read More

  • Report: Buick to get two-mode hybrid for new crossover

    Report: Buick to get two-mode hybrid for new crossover June 16th, 2009 ByAlex Kaufmann Alex Kaufmann, Author, June 16th, 2009 Alex Kaufmann 1 Comment

    Report: Buick to get two-mode hybrid for new crossover If the rumors are true, General Motors may be in the process of developing a new Buick crossover - with a new two-mode plug-in hybrid engine that should take the alternative fuels fight to its competitors.

    GM, Daimler, Chrysler and BMW have been jointly developing the two-mode hybrid for some time now, though the Buick application could be the first to see retail sales. GM had previously planned to debut the drivetrain in a plug-in hybrid version of the Saturn VUE.

    But now, with Saturn essentially sold off to Penske Automotive, GM will need a car to stick its latest drivetrain in, which is where the new Buick crossover may come in. While... If the rumors are true, General Motors may be in the process of developing a new Buick crossover - with a new two-mode plug-in hybrid engine that should take the alternative fuels fight to its competitors. GM, Daimler, Chrysler and BMW have been jointly developing the two-mode hybrid for some time now, though the Buick application could be the first to see retail sales. GM had previously planned to debut the drivetrain in a plug-in hybrid version of the Saturn VUE. But now, with Saturn essentially sold off to Penske Automotive, GM will need a car to stick its latest drivetrain in, which is where the new Buick crossover may come in. While the Buick crossover has yet to be revealed to the public and is still in the early stages of development, it is believed that it will sit on the same platform that the Saturn VUE uses, making it a perfect candidate for adopting the two-mode hybrid drivetrain, according to GM Volt. With no official word from GM at this point, it's difficult to be anything more than speculative, but the market for a plug-in hybrid luxury crossover could be big enough for GM to be seriously considering a Buick-branded plug-in hybrid based on the Saturn VUE. Buick's near-luxury status might even allow for more attractive pricing than would otherwise be feasible given the high-tech powertrain. Other speculators are predicting that the upcoming Cadillac SRX crossover may eventually receive a variant of the two-mode hybrid drivetrain, which would put it in similar territory to a possible Buick version. Additionally, GM has already confirmed plans to introduce a two-mode hybrid to the Chevrolet Equinox SUV, and this may also end up getting a plug-in hybrid drivetrain in the future. While GM is remaining quiet about the future production plans of its two-mode hybrid system for now, its plans are expected to be revealed further down the line as development is completed on the new hybrid system. The as-yet unnamed Buick SUV isn't due for production until 2011, about the same time as the Equinox. Read More

  • Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid gets the axe

    Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid gets the axe June 1st, 2009 ByRalph Hanson Ralph Hanson, Author, June 1st, 2009 Ralph Hanson 1 Comment

    Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid gets the axe While most automakers are scrambling to add hybrids and other alternatively-fueled models to their lineups, General Motors is getting rid of a couple of struggling hybrids currently residing in its range of cars - the Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid and the Saturn Vue Hybrid.

    The move comes as a greater push to trim down its range of products and focus on models that can achieve growth for the company. With the Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid's poor sales, GM has decided to stop production of the car for the 2010 model year, and will instead be relying on the backlog of 2009 models currently sitting on dealer forecourts to fill any remain demand, reports... While most automakers are scrambling to add hybrids and other alternatively-fueled models to their lineups, General Motors is getting rid of a couple of struggling hybrids currently residing in its range of cars - the Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid and the Saturn Vue Hybrid. The move comes as a greater push to trim down its range of products and focus on models that can achieve growth for the company. With the Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid's poor sales, GM has decided to stop production of the car for the 2010 model year, and will instead be relying on the backlog of 2009 models currently sitting on dealer forecourts to fill any remain demand, reports the Wall Street Journal. The demise of the Malibu Hybrid is not the most surprising occurrence, especially considering how weak its selling points were. The fact that it was a hybrid model, which many consumers may see as an instant ticket to environmental responsibility, did not hide the issue that its mileage figures were only marginally better than the significantly cheaper petrol versions of the car. For example, the four-cylinder Malibu was capable of achieving a combined cycle of almost 28mpg, while the hybrid only offered combined fuel consumption of 30mpg. Considering the higher price tag for the hybrid variant, it's easy to see why the model failed to strike a chord with consumers, especially up against much better hybrids such as the new Honda Insight and Toyota Prius. Also officially dead for the time being is the Saturn Vue Hybrid, which will reportedly not be a part of the sale of the Saturn brand to its buyer, Penske Automotive Group. Unlike the Malibu Hybrid, which stands an extremely slim chance of returning to production, the Vue will likely never make it to an assembly line as a hybrid. All is not lost for GM’s hybrids, however, as the automaker is expected to launch a new Chevrolet Equinox Two-Mode Hybrid in 2011. Furthermore, more advanced plug-in hybrid technology developed for the Saturn Vue will be retained and used in other GM brands. Read More

  • Saturn Vue Greenline ‘Hyline’ headed to SEMA

    Saturn Vue Greenline ‘Hyline’ headed to SEMA October 31st, 2008 By Viknesh Vijayenthiran Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Author, October 31st, 2008 Viknesh Vijayenthiran 0 Comments

    Saturn Vue Greenline ‘Hyline’ headed to SEMA The Saturn Vue Greenline hybrid vehicle quickly fell off the radar following its launch back in November 2006, however the eco-friendly crossover is set to make headlines again, this time at the SEMA Auto Show in Las Vegas. General Motors will present a modified version of the Saturn Vue Greenline developed together with Sound Choice and Performance.

    Called the Vue Greenline ‘Hyline,’ the customized crossover comes with extensive interior and exterior modifications.

    The list of changes include a new bodykit, single wiper conversion, HID and LED headlights, side-mounted cameras, a cold air intake and sports exhaust, plus a new... The Saturn Vue Greenline hybrid vehicle quickly fell off the radar following its launch back in November 2006, however the eco-friendly crossover is set to make headlines again, this time at the SEMA Auto Show in Las Vegas. General Motors will present a modified version of the Saturn Vue Greenline developed together with Sound Choice and Performance. Called the Vue Greenline ‘Hyline,’ the customized crossover comes with extensive interior and exterior modifications. The list of changes include a new bodykit, single wiper conversion, HID and LED headlights, side-mounted cameras, a cold air intake and sports exhaust, plus a new suspension set-up. Inside, the SEMA show car is fitted with an in-car computer, touchscreen central display, voice command, several video monitors, a custom stereo, and internet access. Read More

  • GM testing Saturn Vue plug-in hybrids

    GM testing Saturn Vue plug-in hybrids July 24th, 2008 ByRalph Hanson Ralph Hanson, Author, July 24th, 2008 Ralph Hanson 2 Comments

    GM testing Saturn Vue plug-in hybrids While all eyes may be turned towards Chevrolet's upcoming Volt plug-in hybrid, other brands under the General Motors umbrella are also set to offer plug-in hybrids to help improve the carmaker’s fleet average fuel economy levels and become more competitive in a world of record high fuel prices. Speaking at the recent Plug-In Conference in California, GM's executive director for hybrid powertrain engineering Larry Nitz confirmed that plug-in versions of the Saturn Vue Hybrid were already undergoing real world testing.

    The Saturn Vue plug-in hybrids use lithium-ion batteries and according to Nitz have already undergone "extensive... While all eyes may be turned towards Chevrolet's upcoming Volt plug-in hybrid, other brands under the General Motors umbrella are also set to offer plug-in hybrids to help improve the carmaker’s fleet average fuel economy levels and become more competitive in a world of record high fuel prices. Speaking at the recent Plug-In Conference in California, GM's executive director for hybrid powertrain engineering Larry Nitz confirmed that plug-in versions of the Saturn Vue Hybrid were already undergoing real world testing. The Saturn Vue plug-in hybrids use lithium-ion batteries and according to Nitz have already undergone "extensive battery thermal management work in the lab and on the road". Nitz mentioned that the plug-in charge integration was still in its early stages but that the system was fully operational Set to arrive in a couple of years, the Vue plug-in hybrid will be using the familiar two-mode hybrid system when it’s eventually released. In the meantime, a front-wheel drive version of the 2009 Saturn Vue will be offered with the same two-mode hybrid system and GM is confident that it will have class-leading fuel efficiency and emissions. While the Chevrolet Volt will be sold as a global model, the Saturn Vue plug-in hybrid is expected to be sold only in North America. GM engineers are working on two new plug-in hybrid vehicles, one based on the Flextreme Concept and another larger and more spacious model. Read More

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