Chevrolet News:Good-Bye Mr.Oshawa - Next-Gen Camaro Production Moves Lansing

[William Maley]

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William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

December 19, 2012

General Motors is moving production of the next-generation Camaro from its current home of Oshawa, Ontario to Lansing Grand River Assembly Plant in Lansing, Michigan according to a statement released today.

GM cites “lower capital investment and improved production efficiencies” as the reason for the move.

The Camaro is the only RWD vehicle built at Oshawa, so the move the Lansing Grand River to join alongside the Cadillac ATS and CTS makes complete sense. Also, the next-generation Camaro and CTS will move onto the Alpha platform which currently underpins the ATS.

For the time-being, the current Camaro will still be built at Oshawa, alongside the Buick Regal and Cadillac XTS. Starting in 2013, GM will produce the new Impala.

Source: GM

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected]or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

Press Release is on Page 2

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Next-Generation Chevy Camaro to Be Built in the U.S.

2012-12-19

GM announced today the next-generation Chevrolet Camaro will be assembled at the Lansing Grand River (LGR) Assembly Plant in Lansing, Michigan. This decision is based on a comprehensive business case.

Lower capital investment and improved production efficiencies were key factors in the business case. The Camaro is the only rear-wheel drive (RWD) vehicle built at Oshawa. Assembling the next-generation Camaro at LGR consolidates the RWD assembly with the Cadillac CTS and ATS. As a result, GM will continue to deliver top-quality vehicles as efficiently as possible.

GM will continue to meet the production targets agreed to with the Canadian and Ontario governments during the 2009 restructuring.

Production of the current generation Chevrolet Camaro will continue on the flexible manufacturing line at Oshawa Assembly until the end of the current product lifecycle. The Buick Regal continues to be produced there, and GM recently invested $185 million to support the launch of two new products on the flex line as well: the all-new Cadillac XTS and the next-generation Chevrolet Impala scheduled to launch in 2013. In addition, GM recently announced it will add a third shift to support the launch of the new Impala there. The consolidated line at Oshawa Assembly will continue to produce the current generation Chevrolet Impala and Equinox until June 2014.

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[yougojay]

Yep - same platforms, same plant, glad the Camaro will be built in the States again -

From the Lansing State Journal -

General Motors Co.’s popular muscle car, the Camaro, is racing toward Lansing.

The Detroit carmaker said today it will move production of the retro sports car from Oshawa, Canada, to the Lansing Grand River assembly plant.

GM officials said in a statement the company decided to move production because of lower capital invesmtnet and better production. The Chevrolet Camaro will join the Cadillac ATS and CTS lines at the Lansing Grand River plant, which has roughly 1,500 workers.

The ATS and CTS, like the Camaro, are rear-wheel drive vehicles.

The Canadian Auto Workers union said the production shift will come in late 2015 or early 2016. GM officials would not discuss timing of the move or whether new jobs would be created. Local GM spokeswoman Erin Davis said the carmaker expects to save money because the Lansing Grand River plant is tooled for rear-wheel drive vehicels, while the Camaro is the Oshawa plant’s only rear-wheel drive model.

She said it was too early to determine if jobs would be created or how much GM will invest in the plant to prepare it for Camaro production. The Oshawa plant has 2,200 workers who make several vehicles, including the Camaro, Chevrolet Equinox and Impala, the Cadillac XTS and Buick Regal.

Lansing Mayor Virg Benero was predictably pleased with GM’s decision.

"Bringing the Camaro to the Lansing Grand River assembly plant is incredibly good news and another major leap forward for our city and for the entire Lansing region.” Bernero said in statement. “It is further proof that ... Lansing, Michigan, continues to be the best place in America to build cars, thanks to our world-class workforce and the strong partnership between the UAW, GM and the city of Lansing.”

The CAW blasted the decision.

“General Motors has once again shown a complete and utter disregard for its workers and also Canadians in general, whose tax dollars kept the company out of bankruptcy,” CAW President Ken Lewenza said in a statement. Later, during a conference call, he called the production shift “an assault on Canada.”

In addition to GM jobs, Lewenza said, moving Camaro production to Michigan could cause the closure of several auto suppliers in the Toronto area.

GM has sold 78,544 Camaros this year through November. That’s down 3.6 percent from a year earlier.

[Drew Dowdell]

The CAW needs to sit down and shut up. There is other production heading to Oshawa.

[hyperv6]

This is not a suprise to anyone including the CAW.

They just have to squawk to make the company look bad and that they are the victim.

Unions are always one to never an opritunity to go to waste.

[yougojay]

Thank you & Thank you - assault on Canada? What a horrible, horrible man -

[Drew Dowdell]

Oshawa is likely getting stuff that is more sales stable than Camaro will be long term.

[the_yellow_dart]

Then why not announce something other than just "We're taking a product away from you?"

If the CAW's goal was to make Canadians hate GM more, then with me they've succeeded.

[David]

Then why not announce something other than just "We're taking a product away from you?"

If the CAW's goal was to make Canadians hate GM more, then with me they've succeeded.

PLEASE, We have seen this before from all automakers. Could they use better communication? Sure, it would have been better to make the anouncement that they would pull out one car and put another in it's place but then if they are up for negotiations with the unions, then it also makes sense that they would pull production till a contract is signed to make sure no interruptions happen with a new model.

[Drew Dowdell]

Then why not announce something other than just "We're taking a product away from you?"

If the CAW's goal was to make Canadians hate GM more, then with me they've succeeded.

Because not all product has been announced yet. Omega looms large but it is highly secretive at this point. There are Regal and Lacrosse refreshes coming. Equinox and Terrain refreshes coming. Impala is getting ready to launch. That's just the stuff that we know. GM can't put the cards for 2016 on the table today.

I can't imagine that the CAW is at all surprised by the move of the Camaro. GM was not going to build it on the Alpha platform at Oshawa when LGR is currently underutilized and will be an all Alpha production line.

[the_yellow_dart]

They don't have to tell WHAT product is coming, just say that SOMETHING is coming to fill the hole. Right now, if you read it in the most negative way, it just looks like they want to reneg on the terms of the bailout given by the Canadian and Ontarian governments.

[Drew Dowdell]

They don't have to tell WHAT product is coming, just say that SOMETHING is coming to fill the hole. Right now, if you read it in the most negative way, it just looks like they want to reneg on the terms of the bailout given by the Canadian and Ontarian governments.

I don't see it.

"and GM recently invested $185 million to support the launch of two new products on the flex line as well:"

"The consolidated line at Oshawa Assembly will continue to produce the current generation Chevrolet Impala and Equinox until June 2014."

The next Equinox goes into production right after then and they didn't put $185 million into the place just to give it up.

[David]

They don't have to tell WHAT product is coming, just say that SOMETHING is coming to fill the hole. Right now, if you read it in the most negative way, it just looks like they want to reneg on the terms of the bailout given by the Canadian and Ontarian governments.

What you feel Entitled to know before they are ready to anounce the production locations?

[hyperv6]

Ok a reality check here.

#1 product that has not been anounced yet.

#2 This is the bargining chip for GM. If you pay attention to every new car intro they offer it up and deal with the primary plants union and if they are willing to accept the fair terms they get the car. If they are unwilling to accept fair terms the plant can be shopped around else where. The CAW has leverage so GM needs a little bargining chip of their own.

#3 The plant there is well liked and will get new product and the CAW already knows this. Even if they get a good raise they will complain GM is screwing them. When was the last time you ever saw the UAW or CAW say something positive about GM in anyway.

The whole deal comes down to the regular deal where GM does what any good buinsess would do and consolidate plants to be more efficent and the Union cries that they are getting screwed when they know they will be getting something else and they will have to bargin for it. This is only act one.

The Lordstown plant knew they were expendable and they fianlly woke up and started to work with GM on making things better between them. Today GM has a good relations ship with them and they have a good selling Cruze and a second gen on the way. They learned if you work with GM that you will be rewarded.