Haven’t some of you been saying GM needs to badge a Volt as a Buick? It appears like you may get your wish, although details at the moment are scarce.
As noted in the GM-Volt forum, and by Inside EVs, a blog post by Jim Ellis Chevrolet in Georgia looks like it let the cat out of the bag calling the car the Ampere – not the Electra as we know was recently patented by GM also.
“Jim Ellis Chevrolet customers will be able to ‘plug into the sun’ and charge their Volts completely in three hours, says the dealer’s post about their new solar charger. “Initially, charging is complimentary for Jim Ellis Volt customers as it will be for Buick Ampere customers (Buick’s version of the Volt) when it arrives next year!”
And that’s it. Not surprisingly, GM will not comment on future product.
As Statik said via e-mail yesterday, the dealer has both a Chevy and Buick dealership; it looks like he believes what he is saying, having given a timeline and actual name of the Volt variant.
So what else can we surmise? Would it have a 2.0-liter generator as was also rumored for 2014? Would it look like the Opel/Vauxhall Ampera with a Buick badge as shown above?
Do you think this dealer’s report is a mistake? We’re not sure, but along with Inside EVs and GMInsideNews.com, we’re jumping on the bandwagon to share what little news we have.
And so now, let the speculation begin …
Volt Wash
But while you’re pondering the possible Voltec Buick, being ever practical, we here at GM-Volt have a guest video for you on more down to earth matters you will likely find useful: how to wash your Volt.
This video vaguely brings back memories from a scene from the 1967 classic film “Cool Hand Luke,” but we trust you are in a better place than Paul Newman and the chain gang, and in any case, our friend Mr. Energy Czar assures us it is for educational purposes only.
His Volt wash instructions are as follows:
Giving the Chevrolet Volt a car wash is easy. Just remember to wash the Volt in the shade. First, wet the Volt. Second, fill up a soap bucket and use a wool mitt soaping the Volt from the top down. Third, wash the wheels like the rest of the car, they have a clear coat finish. Fourth, rinse the Volt from the top down. Lastly, wet a chamois and wipe the entire Volt while wringing out the chamois.
This entry was posted on Thursday, August 9th, 2012 at 5:55 am and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
+9
Aug 9th, 2012 (6:57 am)The reference to the Buick Ampere sounds authentic. G.M. knows that they need more product at Cadillac and Buick. The “Flagship” version of the rear wheel drive Buick Park Avenue (Holden WM Caprice) could also be introduced in the U.S.
The Opel Ampera is manufactured in Hamtramck, so additional production costs are not a factor. The Ampera is the first car developed in the U.S. to win the European Car of the Year Award, and at a time when G.M. acknowledges that they need additional product, there is little disincentive to introducing it to the U.S. market.
Opel has also stated that it is considering selling the Ampera in Australia alongside the Volt when the brand is launched. Given that the Volt and Ampera are being marketed simultaneously in Europe, there is no reason to believe that G.M. has ruled this out for North America.
Aug 9th, 2012 (8:23 am)Hmmm
Volt = $40K
Ampere = $55K
ELR = $70K
????
+1
Aug 9th, 2012 (8:29 am)l’ll still miss Buick Electra……………
isn’t that a no-brainer ?
HaroldC
+8
Aug 9th, 2012 (8:32 am)While I would love to see Buick get a Voltec vehicle I don’t think it should be a rebadged Opel Ampera. As much as I like the look of the Ampera it is still too close in styling to the Volt. If GM were to do this they would need to come up with some unique styling and possibly a different body layout (4 door sedan?) like an EREV Verano?. A compact CUV would be nice but too much engineering would be required to have it out by next year.
GM in the 1990′s was blasted for “badge engineering”. I’m worried that if the Buick version is too close to the Volt it will only encourage the critics of GM more.
+8
Aug 9th, 2012 (8:39 am)Ever optimystic, I hope there is a substantial price reduction in the Volt, and the Ampera will take Volt’s price slot.
+1
Aug 9th, 2012 (8:48 am)Neromanceres,
I agree, and long ago this was discussed as a reason why Buick did not do this much earlier. So I would expect something to differentiate it more. I also think that the ELR will be more than new skin, as Cadillac is promoting itself as a high performance division.
“too much engineering to be out by next year” Who said they are only starting on this project now?
+5
Aug 9th, 2012 (9:12 am)Neromanceres,
I agree it needs to look different. I would love for them to re-badge the TRU 140S concept to a Buick, but I’m guessing it would be something closer to Regal or Verano.
Another thought, they may use some design elements of the Buick Excelle(Opel Astra) or even the XT Wagon version since that is such a hot seller in China. I don’t know what’s going on with the GM-SAIC EV car development, but maybe this will be GM’s way of getting Voltec into China on a large scale?
This is the TRU 140S
+1
Aug 9th, 2012 (9:42 am)Some more speculation by me (or what I’d like to see anyway), would be for an EREV version of the Buick Encore. The Chevy Equinox and I believe Buick Encore will become smaller in size and put on the Delta platform (same as the Cruze), so they could be setting it up for EREV.
Jeff – maybe you could find out whatever resulted from that electric Equinox testing GM did a year ago?
Here’s your article from 2011
http://www.hybridcars.com/news/magna-e-systems-and-gm-test-electric-crossovers-canada-32844.html
+2
Aug 9th, 2012 (9:44 am)I also agree with Neromanceres. The Volt should have been a Buick from the get-go – it’s too late to try this trick with the public. As the Ampera and Volt look almost like twins, it’s going to revive that old badge engineered image the new GM should be distancing itself from. It will be hard to justify much of a price difference to BMW and Lexus buyers and any other buyers with a sense of integrity and taste.
A substantial restyle would have to be done to make the separation from the Chevy brand work – e.g. the Buick Enclave and GMC versions of Chevrolet SUVs.
Perhaps the rumor is correct that there will be a Buick ‘Ampere’ or Electra. But rather than being a rebadged Volt, it could instead be a scaled back ELR. This would make more sense from an image point of view for Buick – during their great post-WWII years the upper level Buicks – the Roadmasters and Electras – shared their body shells with Cadillac. This augmented Buick’s image without taking away anything from Cadillac’s image.
It won’t work the other way around. Turning a Chevy into a Buick will cheapen Buick more than it will raise Chevrolet.
Aug 9th, 2012 (10:12 am)kdawg,
That’s what I’ve heard for ELR: $70K
+1
Aug 9th, 2012 (10:29 am)I’ll try to follow up with them and see whether they have any news …
Aug 9th, 2012 (10:36 am)Buick Electra / Buick Amera ? Electra may be a model S competitor and Ampera a Volt ?
I would like if they get 5 seats and midsize and make it look like the flextreme GT than another copy of volt. Some old news says Flextreme GT has a drag coff of .22 (compared to .28 of volt )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_Gps9uTjrM
+3
Aug 9th, 2012 (10:39 am)My thoughts are the Buick sells very well in china Chevy not so much so demand will be higher.
If it comes out after the election fox will not use it as a tool to try and put Obama in a bad light and in my opinion could be a massive hit.
At the least the more the merrier.
Tom
+4
Aug 9th, 2012 (10:49 am)Buick Ampere, I really like that name, because it has the French connotation of the name of the scientist Ampere. Very elegant. (Ohhh, A friend of mine would really like that! lol).
Although touched on several times in the past, the site has really not explored something that most readers would find rather bland, and that would be a really plain, unadorned, non infotainment-equipped fleet version of Volt CUV, with the cost down about 12 percent.
Less in more in many cases, and I think that to keep most readers attuned to the site, there hasn’t been, well, hardly any attention to what I see as a larger market for just plain transportation for business people. (Sorry, but we just do not want all that optional technology) .
(Put the money in the extending of the ER to 50 miles with the A/C blasting ice cubes, please.)
+2
Aug 9th, 2012 (11:37 am)#1
Awesome! +1
+2
Aug 9th, 2012 (11:43 am)#14
Amen. +1
I said that a lot at the beginning, as did our friend CaptJack, but I have sort of given up lately. Thanks for bringing it up again.
I could really use something like that for a parts runner for my shop if and when my old S10 finally gives up the ghost.
+4
Aug 9th, 2012 (11:46 am)I’m a Chevy guy, so I’m glad the Volt is a Chevy. I wouldn’t be interested in a Buick, but more power to GM if they can sell them. It’s all good.
+2
Aug 9th, 2012 (11:50 am)If the base ELR is $70K they won’t sell many. That’s simply too expensive for a personal luxury vehicle unless it has supercar performance. I also can’t see just taking the Ampera body and making it a Buick. I like the styling of the Ampera but it doesn’t look like a Buick. Maybe there is a CUV in the works.
In any event, looking forward to seeing what shows up. We should have a better idea by the Detroit auto show.
+1
Aug 9th, 2012 (11:56 am)Well, either confirmation of the rumor or of a mistake, the dealer blog has removed all reference to the Buick Ampere. (Too late in the age of the internet). Jeff, you may want to ask them why they removed it. The answer if you get one, or don’t, will be entertaining. LOL
As for rumor from statik that the 2.0L Turbo is going into the ELR, that doesn’t seem likely. Maybe a 1.8L.
Aug 9th, 2012 (12:13 pm)So, a Volt badged under Holden, and now an Ampera (sort of) badged under Buick…. I say, cool!
I want to know how they have the rings around the headlight lenses looking illuminated – those arent new DRLs, are they?
Aug 9th, 2012 (12:15 pm)Weird, I am still seeing the source link in this article as it was before w/ Buick Ampere reference (maybe I have a cache issue though? I’m not clearing it to check…way too much stuff in there):
http://www.imakenews.com/jechevy/e_article002491820.cfm?x=blpKq8p,bsVdgJkN
If it does go down, which I though it might as well at some point, I did screencap and host it as well. You can find the InsideEVs site link in Jeff’s article if it does/has disappeared…or you can grab it yourself Jeff and add it over here to your piece, whatevers, (=
+3
Aug 9th, 2012 (12:37 pm)GM needs an electric SUV FAST so many people are buying SUVs they just need the cargo space as well as room for people. 20-25 mile AER because of wind drag ? we will live with it. A pickup truck would be nice as well.
+1
Aug 9th, 2012 (12:52 pm)MrEnergyCzar,
Hey, you didn’t do your homework. Remarks to your YouTube Video: How To Wash Your Chevy Volt have all been spot on – basically, “thoughfully tasteless”…etc.
Obviously just a ruse to get higher viewership hits ( You would have been wiser to get a kitten or cat to do something cute in your Chevy Volt ( maybe next video? ). Kitten and cat videos often top 2 – 12 million hits on YouTube. Guess what? People remember the cute kitty, and not the Volt!
Here’s the truth: Car magazines, auto shops and hardware companies have been shamelessly exploiting good looking women with large breasts on their product advertisements and calenders for eons. Problem is, ad tracker data shows that these ads have been largely ineffective because men do not focus on the product, but the women. So the testosterone angle flops miserabley. One print advertisement for a famous exhaust header company ran large-breasted ladies for years until they hired an ad agency to poll readers of whom 90% remembered the ads, yet less then 5% remembered what the ads were for! Just look at MrEnergyCzar’s video comments. They’re all: “There’s a car in the video?!!!” Problem is the adage: “SEX SELLS!” has been imbedded into our culture and psyche – but truthfully, these blatant attempts at self promotion fail. Folks truly believe the “Solar Energy” logo over the boobs creates some kind of subliminal connection in male brains. Again, data shows it really doesn’t.
Appealing to our lower natures to sell stuff or promote ideas is silly at best. People will still do it – it’s like an urban legend that just never goes away. Doesn’t work, but the ObamaGirl syndrome will go on and on…. ( sigh )
My view isn’t that women are being objectified and sexism is male-focused ( although mostly true )….It’s more that I shake my head when folks believe that good advertising revolves around the mindset that men are motivated by one thing , thus assuming we’re all basically cavemen with a remote.
RECHARGE! ,
James
Aug 9th, 2012 (1:00 pm)My view isn’t that women are being objectified and sexism is male-focused ( although mostly true )….It’s more that I shake my head when folks believe that good advertising revolves around the mindset that men are motivated by one thing , thus assuming we’re all basically cavemen with a remote.
RECHARGE! ,
James
Aug 9th, 2012 (1:09 pm)statik,
It’s still there.
“Initially, charging is complimentary for Jim Ellis Volt customers as it will be for Buick Ampere customers (Buick’s version of the Volt) when it arrives next year!”
and also on the dealer’s website.
http://www.jimellischevrolet.com/dealership/e-newsletters.htm
Aug 9th, 2012 (1:49 pm)#19
How about the 1.4 turbo out of the Cruze/Sonic?
+2
Aug 9th, 2012 (1:54 pm)OMG, I forgot to thank Jeff for bringing back the car wash video. “Back by popular demand”, LOL. A lot more important than a Buick badged Ampera IMHO hehehe.
I was so sad to see the forum version fall off the main page so soon yesterday. No offense to anybody, but that’s my candidate for best forum post ever.
Somebody asked when the Volt waxing instructional video was coming out. Right on! Inquiring minds want to know.
You go EnergyCzar! And your car washing expert friend X 10.
Aug 9th, 2012 (1:59 pm)And hey, where’s CaptJack’s comment(s) on the video? Hooters ain’t in it IMHO. Come on Captain, I’m afraid you’re slipping. Whassamatter, is your Kahlua level too low?
+1
Aug 9th, 2012 (2:18 pm)Well, with how little some dealers know about the Volt, I wouldn’t be surprised if this is just word of mouth distorting the European Ampere’s being made at the same plant as the Volt being misunderstood as future Buick’s. I have a hard time believing this is how the information would leak.
+3
Aug 9th, 2012 (3:19 pm)Does anyone else find it odd that the Jim Ellis Dealership’s picture of their proposed new solar cell charger has 6 SUV’s under it that cannot be charged? Shouldn’t they have some Volts, and maybe a Spark EV under there? If you’re gonna photo-shop, at least do it right.
+2
Aug 9th, 2012 (4:52 pm)Jim Ellis Chevrolet said in an email to their customers that they messed up on the Buick Ampere story (otherwise, they are a good dealership!):
Good Afternoon
The August edition of our e-newsletter included information about our solar charging station and a possible Buick version of the Volt. The information on the Buick version was gleaned from the internet and we need to let our customers know that to our knowledge, there are no official plans for a Buick version let alone a name for it. The writer fell victim to “if it’s on the internet, it must be true” faulty thinking and sloppy, unverified research. We apologize for forwarding internet rumors to our customers. The solar charging station, however, is a fact and it should be ready to go in early September!
We would appreciate any posts you may have made to quote Jim Ellis on this story be modified or retracted.
Thank you
Mark Frost – General Manager
Jim Ellis Chevrolet
Jim Ellis Buick Gmc
Aug 9th, 2012 (5:05 pm)erewhon,
That was good they clarified. I did notice they pushed the date back on the solar charger from end of August to early September. Still, very cool that they are doing this. I wish more dealers would. Maybe put an American flag up with at sign that says, Free American Fueling Station.
(maybe I should photo-shop their photo-shop picture)
Aug 9th, 2012 (5:53 pm)Noel Park,
Hi Noel,
If you have an auto repair shop, you might be interested to see my
new website under development. It is
http://www.petit-tech.com
(I misspelled the word “is” and the spell check is not grammatical as it did not catch the
“in” when I meant to say “Less is More”. lol)
BTW, the one’s and zero’s under my logo are binary
code which spells out danpetit.
This effort is thanks to my brother, Chris.
(Thanks again Chris.)
Aug 9th, 2012 (6:05 pm)This whole thing is so funny. Not sure if he’s talking about your sloppy journalism or not statik! (Completely unfair BTW. Both you and Jeff tried to get confirmation but that wasn’t happening). Anyway, here is what it says today:
“The six bay solar charging station is under construction at Jim Ellis Chevrolet and should be completed by the end of August. This project is the only one of its kind at a dealership in Georgia, a first for the State.
Jim Ellis Chevrolet customers will be able to “plug into the sun” and charge their Volts completely in three hours.
Jim Ellis Chevrolet is the #1 retailer -by far- of Volts in Georgia and with the advent of the solar charging station, the epicenter of the viable electric vehicle trend in Georgia! Stop by and see it!”
No mention of the Ampere. I had seen the original yesterday so it struck me immediately. I also did see the original on your website. This is what prompted me to mention that in the age of the internet you can take things down but they never go away! LOL The adamant denial makes it seem more credible, no? Demanding a retraction of an article that reports what was on a web site seems over the top to me unless someone did a bad no-no and left something slip.
+1
Aug 9th, 2012 (7:22 pm)Really?
A more expensive version of the current $40,000.00 car?
FTW?!?!?!?
Well, so much for “economies of scale driving prices down”.
Sheeeeeeesh.
+1
Aug 9th, 2012 (7:38 pm)Aw man! I was hoping she would turn that spray hose on herself!!!
Damn, nice ( . y . )!!!!!!!!
H( . y . )TERS!!!!!!!
Aug 9th, 2012 (8:03 pm)Heeh, nature of the beast Don,
All you can do is report whats out there. Especially if it comes from a GM representative and you attempt to clear it first with GM. Many times these sorts of things don’t pan out, but fun while it lasts.
I don’t make stories ‘ninja-disappear’ unless I have accidently violated some sort of copyright, but certainly will update and get the dealer’s message out. Have to feel a little bad for him.
Mark (VP of operations) emailed me earlier today about the story (and posted on the site seperately) and you could tell he felt bad about reporting the error, and was excited about his new solar charging station.
Aug 9th, 2012 (8:25 pm)If Buick does an Ampere as a CUV model, I’ll be all over that and probably one of the early buyers.
Aug 9th, 2012 (8:30 pm)statik,
Link works but reference is no longer there about ampere…so you do have it in your cache still if you see it. Do a FILE SAVE AS to a temp folder and you can keep it forever. Theny can just open the html file as a local web page forever. This is what I saw on the site today.
“The six bay solar charging station is under construction at Jim Ellis Chevrolet and should be completed by the end of August. This project is the only one of its kind at a dealership in Georgia, a first for the State.
Jim Ellis Chevrolet customers will be able to “plug into the sun” and charge their Volts completely in three hours.
Jim Ellis Chevrolet is the #1 retailer -by far- of Volts in Georgia and with the advent of the solar charging station, the epicenter of the viable electric vehicle trend in Georgia! Stop by and see it!”
Aug 9th, 2012 (8:40 pm)GM could reshuffle the deck by discontinuing the Volt and renaming and restyling it Buick something, add the MPV 5 (which is about the size of an HHR) as a chevy, and come out with the Cadillac ELR (Electra?) as a sports car. Four years out I would look for a minivan, small and large trucks.
Aug 9th, 2012 (8:47 pm)Even more odd — the array is shown in the shade (sunlight can clearly be seen behind it)! Maybe so that the insides of the Volts won’t get too hot while they’re charging … hey wait – !
Yeah, I remember that I was the first to mention the dealership here …
Aug 9th, 2012 (8:59 pm)I,d love to get voltec in the buick brand. Best cars i,ve owned.
Aug 9th, 2012 (9:00 pm)Much better mechanics too
Aug 9th, 2012 (9:12 pm)I suspect it is not your mind that is doing the inquiring. I know how I felt about the video. WOW!
+1
Aug 9th, 2012 (10:48 pm)I disagree. It was the wrong message to send.
+1
Aug 10th, 2012 (12:40 am)Some of us would prefer the looks of Buick Ampere over the Chevy Volt.
GM – Bring the Opel Ampera to US as a Buick Ampere. Great marketing move!
Take it also to China and make a lot of money over there. They prefer Buicks in China.