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Except for its celebrity appeal, the Volt is about as relevant to the survival of GM, much less the world, as Paris Hilton is to the future of Western civilization (http://money.cnn.com/2008/09/22/news/companies/taylor_volt.fortune/)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Production_Volt_Front_Corner.jpgAlex Taylor - Forture - Sept. 23, 2008

Reminds me of reviews years ago on the Honda Insight - Ed

NEW YORK (Fortune) -- Given the prolonged drum roll of publicity that accompanied the unveiling of the Chevrolet Volt electric vehicle last week, it isn't surprising that any number of onlookers got caught up in the enthusiasm. When people begin referring to it as a "game changer" and a "paradigm shift," it's time to inject a bracing dose of reality.

To put the Volt in perspective, it is an expensive, low-volume automobile that will have no visible impact on GM's market share, CAFÉ average or profitability. One cynic calls it "a Viper for tree huggers."
http://money.cnn.com/2008/09/22/news/companies/taylor_volt.fortune/

And yet people get all excited about the plug in Prius. I highly doubt GM would stab themselves by greatly pricing over the competition. $35,000 Volt plus the author's forgotten tax incentives doesn't seem so bad.

For instance, Ford's highly touted new small cars from Europe, the Fiesta and the Focus, may encounter resistance from consumers who are not used to paying premium prices for subcompact and compact cars.

Hello? MINI Cooper? Hello?

Chuck, an apt comparison -- I absolutely love my Insight and I suspect (if executed properly) I'd love a Volt for the same reasons.

You have to give this writer credit - he bashes the Volt so badly I actually feel for GM.

I hope he changes his medication.

What the hell is wrong with these people?! Yes, the Volt will be expensive, yes it will be more good press than good car, yes it will be a rich man's toy, but who the the F*** cares what the 0-60 times is! What is this fixation with 0-60 that everyone seems to be obsessed with? It's not a good measure for speed, power or sportiness, so why did this guy have to mention it at all? If you want 0-60 for a cheap price, go jump off a building! Sure as hell will see 60 quickly, wont ya?

Lol... I love this part and it says everything about his knowledge about the volt.

But it won't be economical for long trips after the batteries lose their charge, because it will be hauling around hundreds of pounds of excess weight in those non-productive batteries,

I still think the Volt is vaporware. Until I actually see it in dealer lots or better, on the road, that's my position.

It isn't quite vaporware if they have drivable prototypes/pre-production vehicles. I'm not going to guarantee it will hit the market, but as far as I can tell GM really believes it will.

Hi Auston:

___I know of at least three 2011 Volts prototypes on the road in and around Detroit right now. I know of only one 2010 Prius-III prototype in the country right now. The Prius-III is coming of course but GM is not messing around as we have reported from the day it was first shown to the public.

___Wrt the Volt, it will fly off the lots at anything under $45,000 if fuel is $10 per in 2011. Think about that one for a second. $10 per changes the entire game of cost analysis wrt a PHEV vs. HEV and/or conventional or diesel non-hybrid.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

"it's a viper for tree-huggers" - this is actually not a bad description. When it comes down to things that people will actually buy, it comes down to price. $40,000 is too much, especially when you can get a Prius for under $25,000. The reason the volt is an okay project is that when they make volt 2 they will know what they're doing.

"it's a viper for tree-huggers" - this is actually not a bad description. When it comes down to things that people will actually buy, it comes down to price. $40,000 is too much, especially when you can get a Prius for under $25,000. The reason the volt is an okay project is that when they make volt 2 they will know what they're doing.

GM must not have expected the price to be so high when they started out. If they're going to charge $35k-$40k for the thing, they probably should've made it a Cadillac instead of a Chevy, and aimed for a more upscale "luxury" sort of market (of the sort Lexus is going for whenever it releases its rebadged Prius (http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/02/26/lexus-to-get-its-own-prius-for-2009-detroit-show/).) It's probably easier in the minds of the unwashed masses to justify that kind of cash for a Caddy than a Chevy.....and they'd probably pick up more people who can afford $40k for a car with a Caddy than a Chevy in the first place.