Yesterday's news that GM will suspend all work at its High Performance Vehicle Operations will not threaten current performance vehicles or the upcoming 2010 Camaro SS.
"Camaro SS, Corvette ZR1 and Corvette Z06 are all regularly engineered cars," spokesperson Vince Muniga explained. "They did not go through HPVO. Most people did not realize that. They are safe."
More importantly, Muniga said that HPVO is on hiatus, not shutdown completely.
"Ford SVT did the same thing a few years ago and they are back," he said, holding out the prospect that HPVO may be revived at some point. "This is an indefinite hiatus."
Inside Line News: Despite Death of GM's HPVO, 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS is "Safe"
billt9 says:
01:54 PM, 02/19/09
Ya. High Performance workers reassigned to regular divisions. What's the diff other than the loss of ricer bodies. Still the same car underneath.
albook says:
03:15 PM, 02/19/09
Thank God. I think we all just let out a sigh of relief.
jederino says:
04:37 PM, 02/19/09
Still, I think a Cruze SS would have been welcome. I don't know if the Cobalt SS made any money, but it was getting really interesting!
ctpax says:
04:56 PM, 02/19/09
billt9, I'm pretty sure the term 'ricer' can be applied only to asian automakers' compact cars like civics, integras, etc.
cbrowder says:
04:29 AM, 02/20/09
Thank God. After reading that HPVO would be shut down. I thought that was the "beginning of the end". But don't breathe too easy, I think this is only "a pass", with increased government fuel economy and emission standards, a slumping economy, and higher gas prices. we WILL repeat the underachieving "muscle" cars of the late 70's and 80's before the industry can catch up again. The question is, will be around long enough for another performance comeback?(remember the Citation X-11, the Skyhawk T-type, and the mighty 175-190 hp Camaro V-8s?
cbrowder says:
04:29 AM, 02/20/09
Thank God. After reading that HPVO would be shut down. I thought that was the "beginning of the end". But don't breathe too easy, I think this is only "a pass", with increased government fuel economy and emission standards, a slumping economy, and higher gas prices. we WILL repeat the underachieving "muscle" cars of the late 70's and 80's before the industry can catch up again. The question is, will be around long enough for another performance comeback?(remember the Citation X-11, the Skyhawk T-type, and the mighty 175-190 hp Camaro V-8s?
greenpony says:
05:02 AM, 02/20/09
It took automakers about two decades to bring engine power back to the level it was at in the early '70s. Not that history is any indicator of the future, but it could give you a rough approximation of how long "weak performance cars" will be around, if that's the direction the industry takes.
estreka says:
12:52 PM, 02/21/09
My view of a "ricer" is any car (not just Japanese) that is modified in all the wrong areas. For instance, a Civic DX with a cheap muffler and a body kit, or a Neon with a cheap muffler and a body kit.
I've asked other folks what they thought, and the general consensus seems to be similar, though they state that the term generally applies to cars from Japan.
SVT is still on "hiatus" despite a couple concept vehicles.