"Chevrolet Nomad" and/or "Pontiac Safari"
Public naming poll results:
(Chevrolet Stiletto was another used but never voted on)
Design Brief-
-derived from news 12/6/2007 that Chevy, not Pontiac(?) gets a small rear drive car. Update in 2009 is that only Caddy is getting this initially.
-Uses GM's coming "Alpha" small rear drive platform.
-$sub 20k starting price.
-4 cyl and small v6 power; turbo optional.
-slots above Cobalt, below Malibu;
-was to be a coupe and sedan, now just a fastback coup/wagon that revisits the original Nomad. [update Dec. 2008] Current condtions of the market and GM in particular, put this car in question. Nevertheless, this on again/off again 'Alpha' platform may still have some viability for later in the decade. If not 2012, perhaps a bit later. Pontiac is rumored to become a niche market provider only, so perhaps they would still get a version that is unique to Chevy's. News now is Caddilac may get a version so it compete with other rear drive small lux sedans in Europe. The current FWD BLS is doing badly.
Renderings-
http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b346/jackdogg890/2012%20Chevrolet%20small%20rear%20drive%20%20coupe_wagon/
Rick's take-
This small rear drive 'alpha' platform (so smaller than the 'sigma' used with Cadillac CTS, and also the Zeta used by the new G8 Pontiac and coming Camaro) from GM has been rumored for some time in 2007. It was to go to Pontiac, but of recent late 2007, word is in fact they do not get it, Chevy does. Now this makes no sense to this 'experienced closet' autom
otive product planner, but I tried to see what this might look like anyways. In doing so it became apparent this 2 and 4 door small rear drive car would have a hard time fitting into the lineup (as I first thought), without scavenging sales from Colbalt and the new Malibu even. So now my path has swung more towards a 'niche' product that brings to life the concept Chevy Nomad shown at auto shows a year ago. That was 'kappa' based (Soltice/Sky sports car based);
Mine provides real 5 place seating (plus with extra 2 jump seats) in a 2door coupe/sportwagon mode like the original 1955-57 Nomad, but much smaller. '
Some' retro elements will be there, but without overpowering the overall design.
Being a 'niche' product like the HHR, means less sales, and so this platform has to be shared across many makes, as planned by GM. Recent federal CO2 and CAFE fuel standards could kill this platform outright.
Specifications-
-2.4 ecotech inline 4 cyl. base engine
-2.8 v6 (once used in CTS from Cadillac) and turbo (via SAAB) optional.
-rear drive, Alpha platform (being developed for several GM brands).
UPDATE 12/24/2007:
While drawing a coupe variant, I also drew a sport wagon type, that 'suspiciosly' is coming off as a new wave 'Nomad' (a 2 dr. sportwagon sold 1955-57, and also was a concept on the Soltice sports car platform more recently);
As a coupe and perhaps sedan will in fact scavenge sales from other models in the line up (example, a high end v6 coupe could take sales from a base Camaro), I have decide to only offer the 2 door fastback coupe/sportwagon, and call it Nomad or BelAir.
