Volt leaks

   

Hear that? It's the sound of an underwhelmed army of car geeks, trying to hide their disappointment about the looks of the long-awaited production Chevrolet Volt. 

After nearly a year of carefully husbanding the release of any information on its extended-range electric car, set for release in 2010, General Motors Corp. today accidentally leaked a batch of photos of the Volt. Before today, the only full-figure images available had been some grainy cellphone shots of a Volt being used for the filming of the "Transformers 2" movie.

The original intent had been to release the photos a week from today, in line with a press unveiling in Detroit, according to a source at GM who declined to be named. The 10 pics featured the Volt along with GM execs like Vice Chairman Bob Lutz, chief Volt engineer Andrew Farah and Bob Boniface, head of the Volt's design studio.

"They were posted on a GM site inadvertently," said GM spokesman Terry Rhadigan. "We immediately pulled them back."  But it was too late -- they were papering the Internet in minutes.

And just as quickly, there was a flurry of debate about whether the Volt lived up to expectations.

While the prototype Volt, unveiled at the 2007 Detroit auto show (and pictured second from top), looked like something from "I, Robot" or "Blade Runner," the production model (top) is decidedly less futuristic. Although it keeps the sharp-looking side-view mirrors, much that was new about the prototype has been replaced with the smooth, rounded styling familiar to family sedans on most dealership lots today. Allegedly, the prototype Volt's design scored poorly in ...

... wind-tunnel tests, and a car like this lives and dies on aerodynamics. That might explain the new shape, but try telling that to disappointed fans. 

Internet comment boards quickly filled to capacity with unflattering comparisons to Acura sedans and GM compact cars and comments like:

DO. NOT. WANT. This car went from super cool. To super lame Prius wanna-be.

and

I want to minimalize my carbon impact as much as the next person, but can’t it be done with some style?

The original pics of it was cooler; short back-end, slight edging on the door. I liked it then. Now it just looks like some new Honda. Bo-ring.

Of course, it wasn't all negative. Our own auto critic, Dan Neil, seemed satisfied with the design, and over at fan site GM-Volt.com, the 200-and-counting commenters, many of whom have undoubtedly signed up on the site's unofficial list of 35,000 people waiting to buy the Volt, the joy was palpable.

Amazing! It’s everything the Volt should be. Very aggressive, modern/futuristic, and expensive looking. Really like the confident expression on the “face” of the car. Also it’s got great detailing and really shows off its price.

Considering GM's liberal use of public relations employees' comments in blog post comment spaces, is it possible that the GM-volt.com boards are full of plants? (Well, perhaps not, since they typically identify themselves as such.)

Meanwhile, GM is revealing no further data on the Volt until Tuesday of next week, when the car will be unveiled and execs like Lutz and GM Chairman Rick Wagoner will be there to preach the gospel.

-- Ken Bensinger

Photo of production Volt from Edmunds.com; Photo of Volt prototype from General Motors

Comments

[Jonathan]

It's comments like this on the internet that make me upset. People are all happy to buy a Prius because it LOOKS different and shouts to the world that you're being green and friendly to the environment.

But apparently, saving the environment isn't worth it if no one knows about it. How self centered, people don't want to be green to save the planet, they want it for their own self rightousness.

[Steve]

Who cares how it looks? The American embrace of artifice over substance, and appearance over function is a cancer! Of course this comment is from an old fart who is made nauseous by American Idol and thought the Saab 96 was cool. Still, my boyhood dream of having an electric car will finally be fulfilled. Other electric fans might be amused by visiting alibaba.com and searching for electric cars, lots of interesting iterations there.

[Disappointed Volt fan]

The Volt looks just like every other generic sedan out there, from the Camry, to the Accord, Maxima and even the Malibu. I was looking forward to getting one, but by the looks of it, I'll just stick with my 95 Saturn.
Gone are the aggressive lines and muscle car looks of the Camaro, only to give way to the soft, wimpy lines of the aforementioned generic, pathetic looking cars.
And this wimpmobile's going to be in Transformers 2? God help poor Bumblebee. (At least Dreamworks got that right and made him an axe kicking car!)

[216-973-2671]

great ,like we need another $40,000 ugly car
way to go GM way to go

[Rev. Dave]

I really like the design released in the leaked photos. Chevy has a super super winner on their hands. Congrats!

[Deena]

I agree that it doesn't look much like the prototype but it's still pretty nifty! Looking forward to the launch.

[DD]

Maybe a car is just a car. It gets you from here to there...safely and economically. Maybe GM can come out with a convertible model to appease all the ego-centric whiners.

[Chet]

I will still buy it, because I think electric cars need to become the standard.

However, I'm disappointed with the looks of this car. If it does sell at all, the Japanese and Europeans will be able to mimic the tech, but wrap it in a better package. GM have really blown the strategy of being the first mover by delivering an uncool visual design.

[Ryan]

Blah, leave it to GM to mess it up again. The concept was so original and distinctive with bold lines and creases like those on GM Caddys. This toned-down production car looks more like a Civic. I don't care how much they price this thing now. I am no longer interested. But what's new with this company. They got in this mess because they always come up short.

[Paul]

From the two pictures you would never know that the production model came from the concept car. Now it's just another boring jelly bean on the road. No style, no pizazz. Sad.

[Hon. Timothy Gordon]

it looks like something a seafaring obot farted out.

[steveRB]

I think it looks nice. It also doesn't come with the castration option that the Prius and its Honda clone offer.

[H]

If I can plug it in and get 40 miles without using gasoline, it can look like an avocado green Pontiac Aztek for all I care.

[xgb]

Typical American reaction...people are focused on the STYLE of the Volt without considering its SUBSTANCE, or lack thereof (any resemblance to Sarah Palin here? (;-}= ). If done properly, this will be a significantly different car from the Prius and all the rest: a true SERIAL HYBRID whose motive power comes only from its electric motor. Because its gasoline engine only charges the batteries, it can be tuned to run at a mostly constant speed, thereby minimizing not only fuel consumption, but also CO2 and other emissions. Until we get a more efficient, less costly battery for pure electric cars, we need more of these serial hybrids.

[jojo]

is jeef still dating sheila at gm?

[don]

Lutz and the management of GM clearly don't get it. They are taking the company to bankruptcy. GM dealers are unable to move cars now. It will get worse over the next two years. This volt will not save the company. The profit margin will not offset the losses. The only thing that will save the US car companies will be govt bailouts like Fannie Mae. The greed in the SUV sales is equivalent to the problems of the subprime loans in the real estate market.

[PW]

GM will mess this up big time. They are plugging hole after whole. They are not like the Japanese, who die working on their cars- literally.

[Santos]

And GM wonders why they are in trouble?

From an incredibly cool concept car to same-o, same-o that looks like dozens of other cars on the road, GM obviously misses the basic point that styling is the "hook" that brings the potential customer into the showroom.

The Volt was but now ain't, and it won't....

[Eric Stefik]

If bland is grand, then perhaps this is the car. GM desperately needs an eye popper that combats the high cost of petrol and does so with style. Many car enthusiasts pinned their hopes on the Volt. It appears now that what they would get just looks like another common car. Given GM's financial status, this could be an extremely grave miscalculation.

[hdimig]

"a true SERIAL HYBRID whose motive power comes only from its electric motor."

Exactly. A step up in engineering from what the imports are offering. Who cares what it looks like. I own a Malibu Hybrid. I love the car overall, but the Hybrid system is lame. If the Volt has some of the same characteristics of the Malibu (great interior, excellent quality) with a true Hybrid system, it will be a winner.

[Bullgator]

If this is the vehicle GM is betting their future on, you'd better short the stock now. It is going to zero.

Unless of course, our government bails them out, like everybody else in this country that is a failure.

[Bruce J.]

GM should have designed the prototype for real world aerodynamics to avoid this kind of disappointment. Years ago I used to have a Mitsubishi Mirage that had an advertised Cd of 0.29 and got a consistent 30 mpg (as does my current Honda Civic Si). I think the Volt production design is OK, but should have had a design goal of a 0.2 Cd. I'll wait to see how badly Toyota or Honda roasts Lutz's nuts with a cheaper, next-gen, hybrid.

[Carl]

Puhhleeease -

The production version is terrible.
My guess is the second photo was leaked to get people interested in create a buzz. Then they give us this production crap.

[Svck_1T_Tr3b3c]

First off H, this is not a political blog so move your comment over to the appropriate forum.

Second, here's the deal, GM had 2 options:

1) GM makes a car that's pretty, but doesn't deliver the promised economy because the Aero is too poor, people cry it doesn't 'live up to expectations.'

2) GM makes a car that's not as pretty, delivers promised economy and requires Aerodynamic tailoring to get it there, people cry it isn't 'pretty enough.'

I think the 'ugliness' smirk some of you have will be whiped from your face when I'm paying the equivalent of $0.50/gal for my plug in electricity while you're paying $5+/gas in a year or two. Enjoy polluting and supporting terrorists at the same time...

[gv]

Thank God it looks nothing like the prototype. While the prototype had cool looks it was completely nonfunctional. Battery technology is not at the stage where they can design a non-aerodynamic, wide tired car. At this point they need the thing to go 40 miles on a charge, meaning skinny, low rolling resistance tires and a body style that will not create a lot of drag. Besides this car is far more practical and in the end the practical cars are the ones selling in high volume.