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Transformers Production Volt is a Skin Placed on a Malibu Chassis

September 3rd, 2008 | Posted in: Production, Sightings

Remember the production version of the Chevy Volt that was “leaked” last week?

Edmunds has found out a little more about that particular vehicle. Apparently it was indeed a production Volt fiberglass shell, only one of which was made for the movie, with restrictions that it be held under very tight security.

That shell was mounted on a standard Malibu chassis, dirvetrain, and interior by Saleen.

GM sources still insist that it isn’t a true production version.

The article rapidly loses credibility though on its insistence that the production Chevy Volt itself will be available in showroom next summer (2009) when the Transformers 2 movie debuts.

What we do expect to see by next summer are fleets of hundreds of near production Volt prototypes out gathering data.

Source (Edmunds)

Posted by: Lyle

48 Responses to “Transformers Production Volt is a Skin Placed on a Malibu Chassis”


  1. Bruce McIntire
    Vote -1 Vote +1Bruce McIntire     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 6:35 am

    A friend of mine just emailed me one of your articles from a while back. I read that one a few more. Really enjoy your blog. Thanks  

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  2. tBay
    Vote -1 Vote +1tBay     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 6:41 am

    haha. so much for ‘tight security’.  

    (Quote)


  3. Dave G
    Vote -1 Vote +1Dave G     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 6:45 am

    Thanks Lyle – Great site!  

    (Quote)


  4. Jean-Charles Jacquemin
    Vote -1 Vote +1Jean-Charles Jacquemin     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 6:45 am

    Thanks for the follow-up Lyle, I think we still have of good idea of what the production Volt will be;  

    (Quote)


  5. Jean-Charles Jacquemin
    Vote -1 Vote +1Jean-Charles Jacquemin     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 6:48 am

    Sorry, I forgot to add, what a good focus group we have been too.  

    (Quote)


  6. Rashiid Amul
    Vote -1 Vote +1Rashiid Amul     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 6:53 am

    Lyle, you run a very trustworthy site.

    The Edmund’s article says,
    The article rapidly loses credibility though on its insistence that the production Chevy Volt itself will be available in showroom next summer (2009) when the Transformers 2 movie debuts.

    –
    I will believe the above statement when I see it here.
    Thanks for doing a great job. Lyle.  

    (Quote)


  7. Jim I
    Vote -1 Vote +1Jim I     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 6:56 am

    Sorry to be a detail freak, but how does a “production Volt fiberglass shell” fit on a Malibu chassis?

    The Malibu is not a Delta platform vehicle, or am I mistaken???  

    (Quote)


  8. mitch
    Vote -1 Vote +1mitch     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 6:59 am

    I just read a story about an inventor that bought the Detroit Electric name and is planning a mass produced, 200 mile AER ell electric car that should do 0-60 in 5 seconds, and cost 24,000. targeting 30,000 units in first year, 270,000 by the 3rd. all based on a new electric motor he invented…

    here is the link, it is in forums too…

    http://technology.sympatico.msn.ca/Dutch+venture+plans+cheap+powerful+electric+cars/News/ContentPosting?isfa=1&newsitemid=102609042&feedname=CP-TECHNOLOGY&show=False&number=0&showbyline=True&subtitle=&detect=&abc=abc&date=True  

    (Quote)


  9. Lunoir
    Vote -1 Vote +1Lunoir     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 7:04 am

    Sigh, next time…

    Hope to have real data, photos (not shaky video extracts) and third party commented road tests. That will be better to get me into that car ;-)   

    (Quote)


  10. john1701a
    Vote -1 Vote +1john1701a     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 7:11 am

    Of course it will be available in the showroom then.

    Why wouldn’t it?

    GM is the master of hype, promoting vehicles years before they are actually available for purchase. Look at all the Volt advertising already. This is just another part of that to build excitement in advance of accepting orders. After all, look at how many times they presented fuel-cell vehicles like Hy-Wire and Sequel.  

    (Quote)


  11. Joe OBrien
    Vote -1 Vote +1Joe OBrien     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 7:12 am

    With an entire engineering staff, a malibu frame can simply be crudley modified to fit a volt shell on. If it is only a movie car, so safety requirements do not half to be met, and many items can be hand made jerry-rigged one off items.

    Doesn’t need to be anything remotley correct to have a rolling chassis for a movie prop. But it does eable them to get a prototype looking vehicle available for the movies without a working ev drivetrain.

    Gotta remember, “it is the movies”  

    (Quote)


  12. Statik
    Vote -1 Vote +1Statik     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 7:15 am

    I think as we talked about in the thread it was reasonable to assume this was a shell only…and not full production, but a true representation of the production Volt or very close to it, otherwise why do it at all?

    From a movie production stand point it makes no difference, image is all that is important. From GM’s point of view, they haven’t got a running production concept, so they aren’t going to built a early ‘one off’ just for the film, the shell the easy solution.

    ————–
    From the original thread (BREAKING: Production VOLT Spied!! The REAL DEAL!!):

    #216 Statik Says:
    August 29th, 2008 at 10:03 am

    “I would assume this is just a shell replica. If what we are lead to believe is true and this is in the next Transformers movie…we have to assume it is near identical (ala Camaro/Bumblebee in TF1)”

    http://gm-volt.com/2008/08/28/breaking-production-volt-spied-the-real-deal/#comments

    Photochop from autoblog..showing the front end of the Volt.

    http://www.autoblog.com/media/2008/08/voltfrontxg7_opt.jpg  

    (Quote)


  13. Gsned57
    Vote -1 Vote +1Gsned57     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 7:21 am

    WHAT??? SOMETHING IN HOLLYWOOD IS FAKE!!!!!!  

    (Quote)


  14. Dave B
    Vote -1 Vote +1Dave B     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 7:28 am

    I think it’s a concession from GM admitting that it was an actual production skin. There we go folks, that’s the final product. I’d bet we see some new pics in a couple of weeks, but I’m satisfied.

    …now back to the business of speculation.  

    (Quote)


  15. Statik
    Vote -1 Vote +1Statik     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 7:48 am

    Side note: I was just looking at the source link from that photochop of the front end of the Volt I posted.

    http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2008/09/gm-exec-volt-ba.html

    In it, Lutz says, “We’re being conservative on battery life. For our cost calculations we’re assuming each car will need a replacement during the warranty period.” The Volt will have a 10-year powertrain warranty.”

    Just thinking about that statement, what the heck kind of ‘warranty’ is it if they are costing out a full replacement on every car they sell? At one time the car was ‘under 30K,’ then quickly jumped up to ‘under 40K,’ is this what happened to cause the sudden jump? Did someone say, “let’s not get burned this time with the battery, we’ll price in a replacement?”

    And doesn’t this change the equation on GM’s statement of not making any money, if $10,000 of the cost is not a actual realized cost…or at the very least, it would be reasonable to assume for many cars would not a necessary replacement.

    Also, you have to assume they are costing a pack at today’s value, if they are also assuming a over-ambitious 100% failure rate…especially, not knowing when potential failures might occur. If a Volt did need a replacement pack, most I would think would come after 7-8 years, and one would have to assume the pack cost would be half to one-third of start up costs.  

    (Quote)


  16. RB
    Vote -1 Vote +1RB     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 7:50 am

    #6 Jim I — On the fit to a Malibu chassis

    As a technical point, you are right on in focusing on the fact that it could be made to fit to the Malibu internals. No doubt there were some one-off adjustments, but knowing that the shell can be made to fit on a Malibu drive-train gives us good information about to the Volts dimensions.  

    (Quote)


  17. Statik
    Vote -1 Vote +1Statik     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 7:51 am

    #14 Dave B

    I like your avatar, lol. It is kind of hard to tell, being so small, but if I was to hazard a guess…is that a 1 year chart of GM over a volume spread?

    Hehe.  

    (Quote)


  18. Jim in PA
    Vote -1 Vote +1Jim in PA     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 8:28 am

    #8 Mitch

    I followed your link on Detroit Electric. Based on the manufacturing plans, it sounds like they should rename it “Malaysia Electric” or “Amsterdam Electric”. And then there is the engineering: “It is great news that Detroit Electric is practically ready to produce a car that has zero emission,” said Jan Soer, the Netherlands’ deputy ambassador in Malaysia. “All the technology came from the Netherlands. We are very proud of our tulips, our windmills and our wooden shoes, but we are more than that.”

    I guess it’s good that the name Detroit is associated with it, as an American halo effect. But generally it ticks me off when foreign companies try to create the illusion of an American product for marketing purposes. American cities and states should copyright their names so they can collect royalties from stunts like this. Quite frankly, they should collect royalties from sports teams also. Let’s face it, any team with the words “Pittsburgh” or “Chicago” in their name are cashing in on an image of toughness, etc. But I digress.

    Thanks for the link, though. It’s always good to see progress like this on the technological end.  

    (Quote)


  19. Dave B
    Vote -1 Vote +1Dave B     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 8:33 am

    Statik @ 17,

    Yup, right on all counts.  

    (Quote)


  20. RB
    Vote -1 Vote +1RB     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 9:06 am

    Lyle says “The article rapidly loses credibility though on its insistence that the production Chevy Volt itself will be available in showroom next summer (2009) when the Transformers 2 movie debuts.”

    It sort of depends on how one reads the Edmunds article, which does not say “available in showrooms”. It just says that some Volts “will be coming to Chevrolet showrooms” which could mean as little as coming as models, samples, or even just as pictures. All GM-speak has lots of wiggle room.  

    (Quote)


  21. Jeff M
    Vote -1 Vote +1Jeff M     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 9:15 am

    Base post: “…. with restrictions that it be held under very tight security”

    when I first read that I read Light, not Tight… one one letter different of which in their lower case forms (at least in the font on this site) they look so much alike :)

    I must have missed the posts… did anyone really think it was a complete Volt? Obviously it was only the skin. Even other vehicles which do exist, often times they are prop versions with no engines, etc… they don’t go around crashing and/or blowing up $20-40k vehicles every minute and still stay in budget!  

    (Quote)


  22. RB
    Vote -1 Vote +1RB     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 9:29 am

    “will be coming” also can be that, yes, the Volt is coming, but it has not actually arrived at the present time, but it is coming because it is going to come sometime. Something like “check is in the mail” :)   

    (Quote)


  23. kent beuchert
    Vote -1 Vote +1kent beuchert     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 9:52 am

    You wonder where outlets like Edmunds get their unreliable info, like their claim that the Volt will be in showrooms next year. They obviously are complete amateurs when it comes to Volt info.  

    (Quote)


  24. CalgaryVolt
    Vote -1 Vote +1CalgaryVolt     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 9:55 am

    Speaking of fiberglass shells, do we know what sort of materials the body of the Volt will be made out of? Will it be traditional in the sense that body panels will be stamped metal or will the use fibreglass and various composites for the majority of the panels?  

    (Quote)


  25. ROBERT M. SPERRY
    Vote -1 Vote +1ROBERT M. SPERRY     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 9:55 am

    To heck with speculatioon – only 13 more days to unveiling. GO VOLT! GO GM! I checked out that Dutch article, but it sounds to me like just more talk. I’ve lost count of how many electric car companies are “just about to go into production” – only they never actually do. Only GM  

    (Quote)


  26. MetrologyFirst
    Vote -1 Vote +1MetrologyFirst     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 9:58 am

    Anyone not blinded by an agenda would have realized from the begining that this could not have been a production car. A fiberglass skin perhaps.

    Now, it also quite possibly had some styling concessions due to the chassis it was placed on, so I am still not passing judgement until I see a real Volt. Hopefully some of the styling we could distinguish from the overhead shots, like the fender flaring and side detail, were not “concessions”. I also thought the side profile was acceptable. and I have always thought the front end changes were quite nice.

    My biggest concerns remain the rear deck treatment, wheel and tire sizes, and the front roofline/roof details. I just don’t want the car to look like a Prius. Keep some of the curves, dont make it a wedge.

    Oh, and that big VOLT badge on the rear is gaudy. Keep it small like the official released photo a few weeks back.  

    (Quote)


  27. RB
    Vote -1 Vote +1RB     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 10:11 am

    #23 CalgaryVolt says “Also, I posted an article in the forum yesterday that quotes Lutz as saying that no consumers will get a Volt before November 2010.”

    And it is very unlikely we will get one then. There has so far been no reported activity on any step required for producing significant numbers. Maybe 2011, more likely 2012, or 2013.  

    (Quote)


  28. Gary
    Vote -1 Vote +1Gary     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 10:19 am

    I can believe how the article states that the brake discs are made out of cardboard. I was once involved in the production of a movie, and it’s amazing how a movie prop when up close and in person, looks cheesy… but on the big screen, it looks great!  

    (Quote)


  29. Jeff M
    Vote -1 Vote +1Jeff M     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 10:24 am

    unrelated to this thread but CNBC is reporting that GM has extended their “employee pricing for everyone” promotion another month til the end of September (until they extend it again :) ) as well as adding some more models to the list that qualifies.  

    (Quote)


  30. Rudi
    Vote -1 Vote +1Rudi     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 10:25 am

    Cheese ‘n rice :(   

    (Quote)


  31. noel park
    Vote -1 Vote +1noel park     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 10:32 am

    #4 & #5 Jean-Charles Jacquemin:

    Nice to see you commenting here again. Having the advantage of the European point of view adds a lot to the blog, IMHO. Thanks for your kind words the other day concerning “the usual suspects”.  

    (Quote)


  32. Tagamet
    Vote -1 Vote +1Tagamet     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 10:45 am

    noel re Jean-Charles Jacquemin

    DITTO!
    Welcome back!

    NOW LET’S JUST GET THE VOLT’S WHEELS IN THE SHOWROON, er no, ON THE ROAD!!”

    Be well,
    Tag  

    (Quote)


  33. vincent
    Vote -1 Vote +1vincent     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 10:45 am

    If GM didn’t want this tightly secured information leaked they would have forced it off the web days ago. They are fine with the exposure. They are masters at “Leaking” and “Teasing”  

    (Quote)


  34. Tagamet
    Vote -1 Vote +1Tagamet     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 10:46 am

    Argh, SHOWROOM.
    Where’d that edit feature go????
    Tag  

    (Quote)


  35. Rashiid Amul
    Vote -1 Vote +1Rashiid Amul     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 10:47 am

    Mitch #8,

    That was a great article. Thanks for posting it. I wish them success. I notice the purchase price for the car in Malaysia will be $24,000. I’m curious to know how much it will cost in the USA.  

    (Quote)


  36. Randy C.
    Vote -1 Vote +1Randy C.     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 11:16 am

    I knew it couldn’t have been the full deal. My thought was it was the Volt shell with a 4 cylinder drive train from another car. In the movies it only has to look good on the outside, it doesn’t necessarily have to work.  

    (Quote)


  37. George K
    Vote -1 Vote +1George K     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 12:11 pm

    That’s a real coincidence.

    Knowing that the Volt would be in Transformers 2 (thanks Lyle), last knight I rented Transformers 1. Now I know some of the characters, like the hero orange Camaro, and the red semi.

    If you’re looking for a deep intellectual movie, this ain’t it. But if you want some background for Transformers 2 (June 26, ‘09) , it’s worth the $3. Don’t bother to ask your wife to join you. Mine walked out after the 1st crash scene. Not sure why??!

    One thing that struck me, however, is that the movie was very pro GM, which is a refreshing change, if you visit some of the other green car sights.  

    (Quote)


  38. Jackson
    Vote -1 Vote +1Jackson     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 12:25 pm

    Next, you’ll be telling us that it doesn’t turn into a giant robot -! :-)   

    (Quote)


  39. George K
    Vote -1 Vote +1George K     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 12:41 pm

    #38 Jackson

    I would tell you that it does, but I wouldn’t want to reveal the plot! :)   

    (Quote)


  40. Jackson
    Vote -1 Vote +1Jackson     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 12:51 pm

    . . . it’s gonna have a plot?!!  

    (Quote)


  41. Koz
    Vote -1 Vote +1Koz     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 1:04 pm

    Statik #15,

    Yea, that struck me as pretty big news too. Upon further review, not so much however. They say 10 year powertrain warranty but I’ll bet the battery is a pro-rated warranty, so they are probably building in 1-2 years of value into the cost. It would be nice to have a 5 five year warranty option. $2500 or more savings and I’ld probably opt for it.  

    (Quote)


  42. K.DOS
    Vote -1 Vote +1K.DOS     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 2:08 pm

    @George K
    You never saw Transformers???? Holly hell what is wrong with people. next your going to tell me you never saw the 1986 animated movie  

    (Quote)


  43. George K
    Vote -1 Vote +1George K     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 2:33 pm

    #42 K.DOS

    Holy cow! The 1986 animated movie must be a classic! I’ll get the popper ready and look for it this weekend. :)   

    (Quote)


  44. Christopher Price
    Vote -1 Vote +1Christopher Price     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 3:36 pm

    Just to clarify the showroom issue, dealerships have told me that GM will supply them with a Volt showroom model, in the middle of next year.

    However, it will not be a finished unit. Currently, GM expects to ship showrooms a non-working model, without the battery array. This will let people sit in the car, get a feel for it… and more importantly, be comfortable with pre-ordering a car (at full sticker price).  

    (Quote)


  45. N Riley
    Vote -1 Vote +1N Riley     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 3:53 pm

    More and more speculation. On day we will see the real thing.  

    (Quote)


  46. Transformers 2 Volt's secret identity revealed! » Hybrid News
    Vote -1 Vote +1Transformers 2 Volt's secret identity revealed! » Hybrid News     Says:
    September 3rd, 2008 at 5:37 pm

  47. Transformers 2 Volt’s secret identity revealed! | greengrowthguys.com
    Vote -1 Vote +1Transformers 2 Volt’s secret identity revealed! | greengrowthguys.com     Says:
    September 4th, 2008 at 2:04 am

  48. K.DOS
    Vote -1 Vote +1K.DOS     Says:
    September 5th, 2008 at 10:10 pm

    get ready for some 1980s rock and the sweetest voice acting of all time.  

    (Quote)

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