End Of The Road For GM Holden's Zeta Platform?

Motoring Channel Staff - 19/January/2009

Detroit, America — Mirroring the recent news that Ford will end its push to create a new generation of rear-wheel drive vehicles, the Chevrolet Camaro will be the last GM-built vehicle to use the Australian designed Zeta (a.k.a global rear-wheel drive platform)platform.

"The strategy we had a few years ago of basically deriving a whole sweeping global portfolio off the Australian Zeta architecture … frankly, we have had to abandon that dream," GM's car czar Bob Lutz told the GoAuto website.

Australian-based Holden has been the 'go-to' company for General Motor's global rear-wheel drive expertise with research, development and production of vehicles destined for the Middle East, Asia and America carried out in Australia.

It was originally thought that the Zeta platform would underpin several more export vehicles, many of which destined for the USA, but the Australian-based Zeta platform expansion now appears to have run out of steam.

The dire financial situation faced by General Motors and other car companies in the U.S. has affected much of GM's product development, and many other car companies are in the same boat, slashing costs by cancelling upcoming cars.

What was once a plan for a range of rear-wheel drive vehicles to rival BMWs line-up, including vehicles smaller than the Commodore/G8, has been cut short.

The business plan for large rear-wheel drive vehicles in the US has taken a major hit as larger, heavier vehicles are becoming less popular with new car buyers. Furthermore, GM wants to allocate as much investment as it can to its upcoming electric vehicle development, which includes the Chevrolet Volt.

The Zeta platform currently underpins the Australian model Holden Commodore and the American model Pontiac G8 and Chevrolet Camaro.

Prior to the current global financial crisis, General Motors had plans to develop more cars based on the Zeta platform.

The fate of the company's Alpha platform, which was to be used for smaller sized next-generation rear--wheel drive cars, is not yet clear, but as GM is attempting to reduce costs and is selling assets, it is possible that more platforms will be cut.

In other General Motors news, the recent cancellation of U.S. exports of the Holden VE Ute has caused a mild dilemma for the American brand Pontiac.

For more than a year General Motors in America have been gearing up for the U.S. arrival of the Pontiac G8 ST, a slightly modified version of the VE Holden Commodore.

As exports of this vehicle have been abandoned due to the financial squeeze, Pontiac found itself in an awkward situation because the the winner of "naming competition" for the Pontiac G8 ST was expecting to receive a brand new ute.

Obviously this isn't possible now, just the winner of the competition, Joseph Warren, was offered any Pontiac vehicle with a similar price point.

Instead of a V8-powered, Australian-made muscle ute, the American winner chose a Pontiac Torrent GXP - essentially and mid-sized SUV or crossover vehicle.

Who said no one wants SUVs anymore?

Related Links:
- Pontiac Sports Truck (2009)
- Pontiac 1977 Trans Am (Road Test)
- Holden VE Ute: SS vs SV6 (Road Test)
- Ford, GM, Chrysler: Restructured (2009)
- Adelaide Motor Show Cancelled (2009)
- End Game for Saab, Pontiac? (2008)
- Pontiac G8 (2008)