[dirk1965]

Why is it that automakers love to design a sharp looking concept vehicle then totally disappoint you once its actually a reality. This car looks NOTHING like what they originally showed us.

What a disappointment GM!!!

I would rather drive the French made air-powered car that gets more that double the milage than the Volt. Plus the air-powered car will be available in several month compared to the Volt not being available until 2011.

Wake up GM!

 

[BigRedFed]

I have to disagree. I think the production version looks a lot like the concept. It's like one of the animations where they take the soft cuddly think, give it teeth and pump it up like it's on steroids, except in reverse. They took the concept and smoothed out all the lines and corners and made the damn thing aerodynamic. Many of the styling cues are the same, the difference is the smoothness of the lines.

 

[frankyB]

Why is it that automakers love to design a sharp looking concept vehicle then totally disappoint you once its actually a reality. This car looks NOTHING like what they originally showed us.

What a disappointment GM!!!

I would rather drive the French made air-powered car that gets more that double the milage than the Volt. Plus the air-powered car will be available in several month compared to the Volt not being available until 2011.

Wake up GM!

And this is the best you could say on your first post... why even botter to create an account...

Ask people in India how they like their Air powered cars? They will tell you the Autonomy is short...

Rule #1: If you don't know what you are talking about, just shut up.

 

[OPEC SUCKS]

Franky

To each his own. To me, the original looks totally stupid. Like some kid's weird transformer toy. To you, it's very appealing. Most modern cars are leaning towards a similar design. From Audi and Acura to Mazda to Impala to the new VOLT. The designs work that way. Just as most fish look quite similar. (silence Flounder !!) This BB caters to enthusiasts and forward thinkers. But the car also has to reach the masses. It has to sell or it's GM's last gasp. The new design most certainly has broader appeal. Look at other bizarre looking designs. Scion "B" for example. Even "good" "classic" designs like a Mazda Miata AKA MX-5. They become niche market cars.

 

[b_schmatt]

Squared off hood Indentation?

Can anyone explain why the hood is the way it is - squared off and dented in like that. Is it for aerodynamics? Does it help the wind to bump up a little - over the wipers straight to the front windshield and up? If there is just a little downslope to the entire hood, it still looks like rain or dirt will collect in the upper area -- then there goes your aerodynamcis...

 

[681tonburb]

Im sorry guys I know this is my first post but I have to agree its ugly. After seeing the concept car I thought finally an alternative fuel car with some style and what does GM do they sell out and make the same car every one else is making. If I wanted to by a Prius or Insight I would just go by one. I think it was a bad decision to stray so far from the original concept. Unfortunately I will not be buying one of those cars when they hit the market Ill just have to weight and hope that some one comes up with something better Until that time Ill just keep driving my Gigantic diesel powered truck at least I can burn home made bio diesel in it for now . IM sorry I just don’t believe I need to give up style to save the planet. If I didn’t have kids I would buy a Tesla but I need seating for 4.

 

[kingofl337]

Just put the fender flares back on the car! Please!

Also, I swear to god someone will have a cow if the windshield, top, and rear glass are all one piece and it gets cracked.

 

[Bicster]

I hope more people find it too ugly to own. I think it looks quite nice, and I need something to edge my way up the wait list

I'm more concerned about the interior, which I'll spend far more time looking at.

 

[ned23]

I'm kind of "bleh" on it. Not too bad, not great. The feeback I've seen so far on other forums I hang out in is really bad. These are comments from other users I've read about the production photos:

- " I think, of why GM is tanking: boring, ugly styling. The new Chevy Malibu, for example (which the Volt resembles strongly) gets great reviews in the press but is a sales disaster, and I think this is because of the styling."

- "Yeesh, it looks like an Oldsmobile. "

- "Not nearly as good as my Oldsmobile." (response to above post)

- "Not that there's anything wrong with an Olds;...someone who wants cutting-edge technology does not want their grandfather's design. "

- "There's an old Simpsons episode where Homer design(s) an "everyman" car, (that) bankrupts (his previously uknown half-brother's) company. The Volt looks like it was designed not by Homer, but by Ned Flanders. Maybe GM should call it the Volterino?"

- "I think GM wants to use the volt as a mobile billboard to promote their brand but who wants to drive a billboard?"

The citation for quotes is below. It's a discussion thread on a board where the Volt has been discussed quite a bit over the last year by enthusiasts in the Science-Technology section:

http://snarkish.com/cgi-bin/forums/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=12;t=10087

 

[ned23]

Why is it that automakers love to design a sharp looking concept vehicle then totally disappoint you once its actually a reality. This car looks NOTHING like what they originally showed us...

Well, for one, a lot of design conceps fail to take things like visibility into account and also fail to leave enough room for things like engines and transmissions...

Concepts are "what if?" cars. Manufacturers make "What sells" cars.

 

[681tonburb]

I think I would rather invest the 30 to 40 k in to converting my 68 firebird to electric then to waist it on that car. GM has went horribly wrong with that car.

 

[GearheadGeek]

I'm kind of "bleh" on it. Not too bad, not great. The feeback I've seen so far on other forums I hang out in is really bad. These are comments from other users I've read about the production photos:

- " I think, of why GM is tanking: boring, ugly styling. The new Chevy Malibu, for example (which the Volt resembles strongly) gets great reviews in the press but is a sales disaster, and I think this is because of the styling."

I realize you're quoting someone else... but there's no real point in heeding what people say when they don't know what they're talking about. The new Malibu is not selling in CamCord numbers, but it's been a long time since a single GM car model has... what the new Malibu *IS* doing is selling vastly better than the last one, selling well above GM's sales projections for the car, selling at much higher transaction prices than the last Malibu (in March the average was $4600 per unit more than the previous generation) and selling much better in traditionally import-loving markets like the west coast.

The Volt could do MUCH worse than remind people of the Malibu... it could remind people of the Toyota Echo or that lump Ford Focus.

 

[Altazi]

Ugly is as ugly does . . .

I think true beauty is driving past the service station without stopping. Less money sent to oil-producing countries that hate us, better for the environment and national security . . . Have you lost sight of what is truly important here?

The Coefficient of Style (Cs) must take the back-seat to the Coefficient of Drag (Cd). All hail the Chevy Voltus

 

[ned23]

The Volt could do MUCH worse than remind people of the Malibu... it could remind people of the Toyota Echo or that lump Ford Focus.

Good point. I'm not that negative on the design, myself. I'd still buy it. I was just sharing what others had written.

The main problem with the focus is that it's got a terrible recall record. Ford still can't seem to manufacture basic things like suspension springs and clamps that don't break in the first 50,000 miles.

The focus is a repeat of the escort line where they "make it up as they go along" They released a crappy car that gradually got better over time - then 10 years later when it finally is halfway decent, they'll get rid of the line.

 

[ned23]

To each his own. To me, the original looks totally stupid. Like some kid's weird transformer toy... Most modern cars are leaning towards a similar design...

I agree. I was disappointed not because the car is particularly ugly - it's not. It's just a little on the ordinary side. It doesn't say "look at me, I'm smarter than you!"

Amazon classifies me as an "early adopter" and "tech saavy" purchaser. Consumers like me want people to know that we're buying the latest, most advanced technolgy because we are smart about it.

I'm willing to bet most people on this forum are the same way. We've been posting here a year before the car is even for sale. We're the first to show interest and the first to let everyone know what we think. (as are most of the people on that other forum i cited are as well.)

 

[frankyB]

Im sorry guys I know this is my first post but I have to agree its ugly. After seeing the concept car I thought finally an alternative fuel car with some style and what does GM do they sell out and make the same car every one else is making. If I wanted to by a Prius or Insight I would just go by one. I think it was a bad decision to stray so far from the original concept. Unfortunately I will not be buying one of those cars when they hit the market Ill just have to weight and hope that some one comes up with something better Until that time Ill just keep driving my Gigantic diesel powered truck at least I can burn home made bio diesel in it for now . IM sorry I just don’t believe I need to give up style to save the planet. If I didn’t have kids I would buy a Tesla but I need seating for 4.

If you have the $$ for a Tesla, then you have the $$ for a Fisker... google it....

 

[[email protected]]

I does not matter what the car will look like

Boy I tell you - people really whine for nothing - The bottom line is - it does not matter how the final Volt will look like - there will always be people that will complain and find fault-

I think the production Volt takes a lot of cues from the concept and integrates them quite well into a synchronous aerodynamic shape.

GM has already stated that the final car would need to be modified for wind efficiency,

So for all you skeptics - I am sure there will be a lot of aftermarket crap out there that you can stick on the car to make it look the way that you think it should look. After all you must know a lot more than the engineering team that designed it! If you want flares take it to your local body shop - I am sure they can help you out. Just don't bitch about performance after!

 

[681tonburb]

If you have the $$ for a Tesla, then you have the $$ for a Fisker... google it....

I was hoping to go US made the Fisker is made in Finland. to tell you the truth any one that can afford a sports car from any manufacture can afford a Tesla I spend around 300 a month for fuel figure that cost of fuel with the 500 to 700 a month car payment and im not spending any more cash then I am already its just all going to the car instead of the car and fuel.

 

[oreomike]

Can I take the drive train and put it in a new camaro? Good looks AND green driving!

I agree with most folks. I love the idea, but all manufacturers are working on one. I picked the volt because it looked sharp too.

Which brings me to my next complaint, what is with the upward move of all designs? There are getting to be less and less cars that are wider than they are tall. And this change from concept to production follows that exactly.

To convince myself to keep interested, I've taken on the assumption that it is styled after the Acura TL. That distracts from the boring malibu and boring impala similarities.

 

[Roger881]

IMHO its not about style, its about getting this ground breaking technology on the market asap with as many units as possible. Rick Wagoner deserves his own national holiday for the Volt. I could care less that the first model doesn't look like a cross between the Corvette and the Camaro. Let’s eliminate the need for gasoline right now and worry about style in future models.