GENERAL MOTORS PRODUCT PLANS

It's time GoodCarBadCar joins the crowd and reveals to the Good Car Nation what General Motors plans to produce in the next few years. One consequence of the United Auto Workers strike last week is a leaked document. The UAW wanted some manufaturing locations assured, and it's assumed that some plans were revealed by GM to the UAW in a joint effort to cooperate. You want highlights of the plans, and so highlights we will give you.

The fact that Pontiac's Solstice and its Saturn twin, the Sky, will be produced in a new plant in 2012 indicates that they could be all-new by then. Besides that, they'll be sharing the plant in Bowling Green with a redesigned Corvette and Cadillac XLR.....

2011 should see a utility crossover smaller than the Enclave/Outlook/Acadia.....

The CTS, Cadillac's sports sedan, was reviewed at GCBC yesterday. Within two years we'll be seeing a coupe and wagon.....

Hopefully when Buick gets their version of the Saturn Aura and Chevrolet Malibu in 2009, it will be as Buickized as the Enclave is now. Completely different, that is, from its Saturn and GMC brethren.....

General Motors boat manufacturing should cease to exist in 2010. The Buick Lucerne and Cadillac DTS are expected to bid farewell at that time. Expect rear-wheel drive replacements.....

Also in 2010, expect to see a North American version of the Opel/Vauxhall Zafira. The Zafira is one of the world's truly flexible vehicles. The Mazda 5 and Kia Rondo will have some serious competition.....

Hummer enthusiasts (you're still reading this blog but may want to avert your eyes during the upcoming H2 review) will consider themselves catered to when GM continues to give life to the brand, at the same time as killing off the H3's partners, GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado. This could happen in 2011.....

The bigger-than-Canyon pickups will be all-new in '12 or '13. The SUV's who share a platform with Silverado and Sierra will likely begin production a different year, perhaps 2013 or 2012.....

Finally, the news you want. Expect to see the Volt in 2010. If that seems soon, that's because it is. New Year's Day of that year is only 820 days away. If battery technology makes quick gains, you better believe the Volt will strike in 2010, and sales will be brisk.