jerseymike

maybe I missed a discussion about this already so sorry if a similar thread has been discussed but;


After driving around the last few weeks and seeing the plethora of current classic designs Camaro,Mustang,Challenger, it's too bad we can't have Olds around for a modern version of the Cutlass. I believe there would be a hell of a market for a new version of the car w/ all the options which were avail back "in the day". Just think about a modern H/O,Cutlass S and a 442 avail with a 5 or 6 speed trans and if they can put a Hemi in a Jeep, just think what they could do w/ a modern version of the 455. GM really missed the boat on what I believe could have been a great opportunity to make some money and put another competitor out on the street against the Dodges and Mustangs...heck even some rivalry within the company vs. the Camaro. Would love to see a modern version of what a Cutlass and crew could look like. I'd have to imagine an eat 'em up, spit 'em out monster .

Well any way, I'd like to read some other thoughts.

mike

DeltaPace77

The automotive market, is a totally different place today, with just no room for one company selling all these different brands. Ford and Chrysler cut some brands too. GM owned most of the market back the, and we certainly know that's not true today. Asia, and Europe are strong players now, with China and India coming. Also, with price of gas, don't think there'd be much interest in a 455.

jaunty75

GM has missed a lot of boats in recent years.

If you search around on here, you'll find many threads dealing with GM and the killing off of Oldsmobile. There are about as many different opinions as there are people posting them.

rocketraider

GM missed the boat with a lot of things in the last 30 years or so, and Oldsmobile and Pontiac paid the price for corporate mismanagement and stupidity.

Believe me when I say that GM does not want any intra-corporate rivalry for that abortion they call Camaro. I would honestly hate to see what current GM Styling would come up with for an Oldsmobile identity. If they held true to form, it would look like a damn bulldozer.

Octania

SIR!

Hurtling insults at bulldozers will come to no good, I assure you!

oldstata

The 6 speed trans would be nice but it would just have a gm motor if you have not noticed pontiac Buick olds and Chevy pretty much had the same drive train
Since the mid 90 's if I am not mistaken so most likely it would have the 6.2 6.0 5.3 or the 3.8 hell maybe even the 2.4 to keep up with fuel ecconemy

ah64pilot

I'm glad they aren't around to make a generic looking 442 rip off. I'd rather use my imagination than have some abomination lurking the streets making me feel stupid for loving the brand so much. I can accept that Oldsmobile is no more. It was also saved from the stigma of being bailed out by the government and being owned in part by the taxpayers.

Allan R

Well, to be honest I think that's a rhetorical comment on an Oldsmobile forum.

Fakser

I really think GM would have botched the design. The Camaro to me didn't really get that old school design treatment that the Mustang and Challenger did. Ford and Dodge really took the hot rod and muscle car enthusiast crowd into consideration where I think GM fell a bit short. More recently though I think GM is starting to get it a little more with the new models adding more power features and that really cool (but outrageously expensive) program of being able to build your own motor. The Camaro die hards might like it but they could have gone more retro and made an even bigger killing. But design kind of has been the Achilles heel of GM.

In my humble opinion.

jerseymike

well I certainly didn't look to open a can of worms on the demise of Olds and the mismanagement of GM,I have read through a few of those threads, it was just a topic that's been on my mind since as I said having seen so many new versions out there. I haven't been car shopping or test drove any of the new models but I have read quite a few articles on the cars out there and along w/ seeing some of the new versions, the Mustang and Challenger look pretty good. If I was to buy a new hot rod it would be a toss up between those two.


It seems as though they tried to renew the old school muscle car battle and I just started thinking of what Olds might have been able to come up with if there was any fight left in the old school way of doing things.

rocketraider

That's another thing GM doesn't get. They price their performance vehicles completely out of reach of any young (and most older) car enthusiasts and then wonder why the young crowd goes Asian and the older guys go Ford or Chrysler. I know several guys my age who are eyeing the new Taurus SHO. Most have been long-time GM guys.

When they again price their fun cars at a level that a kid bagging groceries can afford the car payment and the insurance, they might be surprised what kind of sales they'll make.

But in the meantime let's hope GM doesn't try to reinvent the 442. Everyone saw what a botch they made of the "new GTO"- which incidentally suffered from overpricing just like every other enthusiast car GM has produced in the last 10-15 years. Add in its bloated and uninspired styling and all the performance in the world couldn't overcome it.

DeltaPace77

Well, guess I have two dinosaurs in my garage, as my daily cars an 09' Pontiac GXP. Thing really moves though, with 3.6L DOHC, and the earlier mentioned 6 speed auto tranny. 60's in 6 flat and mid 14 quarters, plus about 28 mpg highway. Whole different experience than a big block rear driver, but easily hang's with them. Only mention this, as there's lots of of modern cars like this out there, and the tranny's are a big part of it.

oldstata

Yeah I personally liked the Pontiac G 8 I believe only a two maybe a three year car and the year before Pontiac went under it offered the 6.2 man it was fast when I took it to gas her up for the PDI

Nilsson

GM begun sinking this ship years ago. I laugh at the Buicks that look like any other luxury japanese car except with a hidious grill.

kevin.horton

Truthfully, I think the new Camaros are butt ugly. You couldn't pay me to be seen driving one of those things. I am happy that GM didn't do a "retro" Cutlass, they would have screwed it up for sure. Just makes our old beaters even cooler. Just my two yen.

kitfoxdave

I was psyched about the camaro convertible concept car... I was saving my pennies and squirraling away a little bit.... then they came out with the reality! I bought a 2009 'stang instead... with the money I saved, I dumping it into my 72 Cutlass.
You are right... the camaro's butt is UGLY!

WhatIf

I for one am glad they killed off Olds when they did. Imagine what they would have looked like by 2008!! Their biggest mistake was how they slowly killed Olds, took them 5 years, and Olds quality declined after 2001. The Aurora was a total POS by 2002 and riddled with bugs. Over the years I've visited many forums about these cars as I tried to fix or get all the bugs corrected in my Aurora, and these cars were simply junk. Seems like lots of people had the same issues. I'd rather see Olds gone that to hear about shoddy quality. Oldsmobile was never like that. They always were well built cars up until the later 90's.