Automotive Playback: Chevy Ci-TA-tion Edition

Ah yes, the 1980 Chevy Citation. GM's first stab at compact transverse-mounted front-wheel-drive cars debuted on an all-new platform in April 1979. The Chevy Citation replaced the old rear-wheel-drive Nova in the line, and featured an all-new optional 2.8L V6 for motivation.

Sales were brisk in '80 (over 600k that year alone), but problems showed up early. The front subframe, which held the engine and transmission, had a bad habit of working itself loose. It was probably safer to drive with no rear wheels, as the commercial shows because if you breathed on the brake pedal, and the rear wheels would lock up, spinning you and your 30 bags of groceries out of control into a tree or through someone's hedges. And that new 2.8L V6 had a nasty habit of overheating and blowing head gaskets because whoever designed the cooling system forgot that coolant needs to pass through the engine in order to, you know, cool it. And so the Chevy Citation, along with its Pontiac Phoenix, Oldsmobile Omega, and Buick Skylark platform mates, became the most recalled car in history.

But in April 1979, none of that mattered. They had a "thoroughly contemporary driving machine" to replace the aging, oversized Nova. Play the above and savor the pre-catastrophe optimism.

2010 NAIAS Report: Chevrolet and GMC

A few days ago, I reported on the showing Buick and Cadillac made at the 2010 North American International Auto Show. Now, it's Chevrolet's and GMC's turns.

This year at the NAIAS, Chevrolet's big announcement had to do with a small car: the Aveo RS concept, to be precise.

It was impressive. Considering the vehicle it's replacing, though, impressive isn't a very high bar to clear. The current Aveo actually began life in 2002 as the Daewoo Kalos. When GM scooped up Daewoo, amidst a massive financial/CEO embezzlement crisis in 2003, the Italdesign Giugiaro-penned Kalos was a decent product. For the 2004 model year, Chevy decided to plug the subcompact hole in its American product line by putting a new front fascia on the Korean-made sedan and 5-door hatch and selling them in America as the Aveo we've all come to know and...well...

Offering the new small car in America also meant that, when it came time to replace the ancient Cavalier, GM could move its replacement, the Cobalt, up in price and therefore make a better profit margin from it.

NAIAS Report: General Motors - Buick and Cadillac

Automotive Playbook was invited by General Motors to be their guest at the 2010 North American International Auto Show this past week in Detroit. It was an incredible opportunity and an exhilarating experience. Although a guest of GM, I had more than enough of a chance to attend the rest of the show and examine what the other major manufacturers, sans Nissan/Infiniti and Porsche, had on offer, as well.

My take on what Ford and Chrysler, the Germans, Koreans, Japanese, and the more minor players showed and announced will be coming soon. GM, however, gets the first set of analysis.

At this year's show, GM was down to displaying 4 "core brands" - Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC - as opposed to the eight they had last year. It was extremely important that GM put its best foot forward, as it had a terrible 2009 involving a bailout, a bankruptcy, and big managerial shakeups. Because of my lack of concision, the Chevy and GMC perspective will be up in about 3 days. For now, here's Buick and Cadillac:

Buick is seen these days as the "wild card" brand. Few in the industry seem to understand why GM kept it, and what it stands for anymore. Fewer still see how the brand can overcome the old person's car image that has been associated with the brand for a couple of decades now.