MotorAuthority

Future Opels, Holdens and Daewoos could be designed in Detroit

Posted Mon Sep 1 2008 9:44 AM by Viknesh Vijayenthiran

General Motors’ recent shakeup of its model range has led to cancellations of various vehicle programs designated for the North American market, mostly comprising of large cars, SUVs and trucks. This in turn has caused GM’s American design studios in Detroit to be less inundated with work, while other studios around the world are struggling to keep up with the load – especially those focusing on small cars.

In response GM has shifted some of its small car design projects from Europe, Australia and South Korea to the United States to spread the workload more evenly.

The information comes from company spokesman Mike Albano, who revealed to Automotive News that the Warren design center in Michigan will eventually handle work for two vehicle architectures that were originally meant to be developed in Europe. "We have had a couple studios where some projects have been canceled," he explained. "We have other studios that are totally overloaded. We just need to level that work around the globe."

While Albano wouldn't identify the vehicle architectures, he said that work had been shifted for a number of small and subcompact vehicles.

GM is also increasingly utilizing its resources in new markets such as India and China. The design of the recent Buick Invicta Concept, for example, was handled by teams in both Detroit and China, while the GMC Denali E85 Two-Mode Hybrid Concept was designed almost exclusively in Australia.

Buick Invicta Concept

GMC Denali E85 Two-Mode Hybrid Concept

story Tags:

• Design
• General Motors

Reader Comments

• Mon Sep 1 2008 10:17 AM

  Gus says

  Why Detroit? Could you pick a less desireable place to live in the developed world?

• Mon Sep 1 2008 2:29 PM

  Turkle says

  Gus, I agree that the local Detroit area leaves little inspiration when it comes to living and raising a family. One other issue I have is that outside of the Corvette and its iterations, what inspiring design has come from Detroit? China and Europe's (where small cars really sell) deigners seem better situated in building a small car that would sell well throughout most of the world. Maybe the essence of the design will be created by the European artists and bringing their "art" into production ready designs will be the heavy lifting that the designers in Detroit will be tasked to do.

• Mon Sep 1 2008 5:11 PM

  NoNameDenton says

  Smart business move to consolidate everything, but makes you wonder what the down sides there could be, such as a blanding on the Opels and Holdens (Lets face it not many Americas care about Daewoo).

• Tue Sep 2 2008 6:17 AM

  mark says

  yeah right what a crap idea. Opel and holden make great cars for there markets yet GM america is having all sorts of problems so let let them design the car....dumb.

• Tue Sep 2 2008 2:50 PM

  Tony says

  Agreed. If the Detroit studios are needing work, better to send off their designers elsewhere to ease the load, and at the same time learn more about overseas markets and styling techniques within that environment. Opel designs, like Audi, tend to be unique and fresh rather than "me too." Imagine in a few years after these designers come back and design even Chevys that people actually want to buy. If a car has at least average reliability, looks is one of the biggest factors that influences buying a vehicle.

• Wed Sep 3 2008 12:55 AM

  Tokugawa says

  Hey Gus, You ever been to Detroit? Yeah I didn't think so, so stop talking about it.

• Wed Sep 3 2008 12:56 AM

  Tokugawa says

  P.S.: Art & Science, i.e. CTS

• Wed Sep 3 2008 10:34 AM

  Rick says

  So GM plans to take Opel and Holden cars, whose designers have successfully designed gorgeous models in forgeign markets, and instead have their US employees infamous for designing crap take over? Foot, has been shot.