New Subaru Impala???

[LarryIII]

I was discussing the FHI-SOA /GM marriage with a Subaru dealership owner. Officially GM owns approx. 20% of Suby stock.
Like all marriages, this one has good times & bad. Suby & Chevy were supposed to have a shared platform mini-SUV (Chevy) mini-van (Suby) out by 2007. That did not happen. The reason is that Suby balked about using GM engines. Suby is commited to flat (H-type) engines. GM wanted them to use straight fours and V-6's.
That goes against FHI's design philosphy of "Symetrical AWD".
Shall we say that the bloom is off the rose and that the marriage is not as blissful as it once appeared.

It is to GM management's credit that they got Subaru and SAAB to work together. Having owned both Subarus & SAABs, I can state that both companies are similar in philosophy. Both are engieering oriented. Both believe in building 'driver's cars'. Both are non-mainstream and a bit quirky.
If GM leaves Subaru & SAAB alone and lets them collaborate together, I think we should see better products from both of these companies.
I know that I would love to see an AWD Subaru with a Suby flat 6 with SAAB designed twin turbos and SAAB brakes. IMHO nobody knows more or has more experience with tubocharging production street cars than SAAB. SAAB brakes are great. They are the kind that can put you through the windshield when you stop short and are not wearing a seat belt. They are like the brakes in a Porsche.

[Seraph]

Originally posted by awdsvx
Hmm, is time to buy an Audi A4 instead!

SOA made a ton of stupid moves. One of them happens to be how they marketed the SVX. As for A4, you do know that it's all VW right? I just love the way people think. Hey Acura is better because it's Aucra. NO it's a Honda with a slightly better trim. Lexus and Toyota. Infinity... well, i'll stop now.

[Seraph]

Originally posted by DavieGravy



VW and Audi share parts and resources, and are under the same ownership. Other than this they have very different histories, cars and company values.

I understand that but they share a ton of things that's its pratically the same crap.

[Seraph]

Originally posted by astralbody
My only comment is if Subaru get contaminated by GM
I will never own a new Suby.

This is the reason I will not get a Hummer.

Victoria

I still believe in H1. H2 and new H3 on the other hand are POS.

[Ron Mummert]

VW is shifting more and more into the platform sharing strategy that crippled GM and killed off British Leyland. Audi, VW, Bentley, Skoda, and SEAT all share platforms, engines, drivetrains, and interior pieces. Audi and Lamborghini will share platforms, and there's nothing to suggest VW won't help itself to that as well. Worse, Audi and Fiat have just consumated a deal that gives Maserati access to Audi's Quattro drivetrain, and their aluminum technology used on the A8. Hopefully they'll be able to escape the fate that has befallen GM and BL - it would hurt to one day think of the A4 as a Cimmaron. [/B][/QUOTE]



Oh, well - Let's all go rent that 1977 classic movie "Network", listen again to Ned Beatty's tirade to Peter Finch in the conference room, & realize there's nuthin' new under the sun.

Ron ("I'm mad as h*ll, but can't remember why"!)

[Royal Tiger]

Apparently Mr. Don't bash Toyota never realized how much the Land Cruiser, Highlander, and 4Runner look so amazingly like the Lexus SUV's. Must be coincidence. I know you said cars only, but rebadging is rebadging. As for ford, they seem intent on stealing badge engineering honors from GM lately. Most Volvo's, Mazda's, and even Jaguars, are overflowing with ford parts. Not ford money, ford parts.

[Royal Tiger]

Hey Yoda, at least you're smart enough to sell the neon and not the Honda!!!!!!! Sorry Rob.

[phoenix96]

Originally posted by alacrity024
$5 says the next Subaru/GM rebadge will be a forester rebadged as a chevy..

-adam

GM's ahead of you:

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/200...s/motoring.htm

[phoenix96]

Originally posted by GreenMarineSVX
That's terrible... I think I'm gonna go loose my breakfast now... Either that or cry... I just can't see any reason why a **** company such as "Chevy" or "GM" should have any association with Subaru... I think it's a case of "the bully and the smart little nerd".... The bully wants to be as smart as the nerd, the nerd just wants the popularity that the bully has... So they team up... It is a sad day....

You must look at it another way too... GM's money gives FHI and Subaru more to spend on their own R&D, as well as exposing the cars to a wider market than they might otherwise have.

$5 says the next Subaru/GM rebadge will be a forester rebadged as a chevy..

-adam

[DavieGravy]

Originally posted by Seraph


SOA made a ton of stupid moves. One of them happens to be how they marketed the SVX. As for A4, you do know that it's all VW right? I just love the way people think. Hey Acura is better because it's Aucra. NO it's a Honda with a slightly better trim. Lexus and Toyota. Infinity... well, i'll stop now.

AUDI IS NOT VW'S LUX BRAND. Audi is NOT to VW what Lexus is to Toyota. There are many Toyotas just rebadged as Lexus, and Lexus was created just to legitimize (for those people that care - Americans some might say) selling Toyotas at twice the cost of ordinary Toyotas.

VW and Audi share parts and resources, and are under the same ownership. Other than this they have very different histories, cars and company values.

[DavieGravy]

Originally posted by Seraph



I understand that but they share a ton of things that's its pratically the same crap.

In many cases, they share the same chasis and other parts, but VW has had issues with quality control in the past that Audi has not.

"Volkswagen AG is working on three fronts to improve the quality of vehicles sold in the United States.

VW will monitor its suppliers more closely, tighten production and improve dealer training, says Jens Neumann, a member of the VW board of management in charge of North American strategy.

"But there's still some work to be done," Neumann concedes. "We are working to improve quality and to improve the perception of Volks-wagen quality." http://www.autoweek.com/cat_content...._code=04365644

Originally posted by NomadTW
how can you say that audi is not the same?

every audi vehicle is built on a VW platform
the TT is a golf, the rest are rebodied passats or jettas, it's exactily the same, different heritage perhaps but still the same cars, basically the same engines and the same low reliablity

No, not true.

[DavieGravy]

Originally posted by YodaIsGod


uh....WTF?! cars only...

Lexus
LS - no toyota version
GS - no toyota version
ES - Camry
IS - no toyota version

Toyota
Corolla - no Lexus version
Celica - no Lexus version
MR2 - no Lexus version
Matrix - no Lexus version
Camry - ES
Avalon - no Lexus version (extend Camry platform)

yeah there is a lot of toyota's are rebadged Lexus cars

And no....Toyota is not selling Toyota's for twice the price.
A fully loaded Camry can be had for around $26k...where as a ES can be had for around $30-33k. mmm...according to my 3rd grade math skills, that doesn't seem like 'twice the price'.

-end rant-

Lexuses sold here in the US are simply rebadged versions of Japan-market Toyotas. Same with Acura. All Acura vehicles sold here are sold in Europe as Hondas at comparable prices to other Honda models. Audi, on the other hand, doesn't do this.

[NomadTW]

how can you say that audi is not the same?

every audi vehicle is built on a VW platform
the TT is a golf, the rest are rebodied passats or jettas, it's exactily the same, different heritage perhaps but still the same cars, basically the same engines and the same low reliablity

[SubaSteevo]

I just read that article. SCC called it the Impalaza. If you noticed (or didn't ), the very next sentence was something to the effect of "Hey, even we make jokes sometimes." They were kidding, there is no Impalaza.