Volt Photos

Pictures of the Volt leak out:

Production Chevy Volt photos leak out! - AutoblogGreen

Just days after we got a hint of what the production 2011 Chevrolet Volt would look like from some folks who spotted one during filming of Transformers 2, we now have official photos of the actual car.

Click to expand...

GM plans to "look into" leak:

GM to Look Into Leak Of Chevrolet Volt Photos - WSJ.com

Photos of the Volt were published by a handful of auto industry Web sites well in advance of their planned release later this month. The release was likely planned in coordination with the company's centennial celebration.

"We're looking into the situation," GM spokesman Terry Rhadigan said. He declined to say what GM thinks led to the mishap, but he said the company doesn't believe its computer system was hacked at this point.

Click to expand...

My Impression

It doesn't look all that much like the concept car. . . Which is fine with me, because I thought the concept car was ugly.

The nose looks cluttered. I think it would be better without the faux grille (can that be peeled off?), fog lights, and all the useless little creases or accent lines. Cleaner is better.

But, I can live with it. It's not ugly.

Finally, a non egg-shaped EV with a decent all electric range that is affordable. I think this car will be a hit and probably the one I end up with... assuming a competitor doesn't come out before hand.

I'm not thrilled with the 40 miles, but it's better than the alternatives...which is nothing.

I think it looks like GM redesigned a Prius, frankly. An ugly car made bland. But, I suppose if it comes in colors other than purple and 1950's bathroom tile Sea-Foam, I'd still be interested.

mt2 said:

I think it looks like GM redesigned a Prius, frankly. An ugly car made bland. But, I suppose if it comes in colors other than purple and 1950's bathroom tile Sea-Foam, I'd still be interested.

Click to expand...

I think it looks different than the Prius. The shape is getting close but still different (ie. the front end isn't continous and looks more standard with a break at the windshield, back end has a notch so it looks more like a normal sedan).
If you want to see a "redesigned" Prius I think the new Insight reflects that:



Notice the shape is exactly the same as the Prius, while the shape of the Volt is different from both. Not that bad of a design to me, but still want to see better pictures until I make a final judgement.

I'm not sure I like it... I think the hood is too tall. Or it might be that I think the windows are simply too small and that makes me blame the hood I think the car this way feels too short. Usually a decent hatchback has a "sporty" feel to it's lines and this one is too short or too tall to give that feel. It looks a bit too much like someone during the designprocess couldn't decide on a sedon or a hatchback and this is the compromise.
I really didn't like the concept though as a design so this is almost OK. It's just not anything I would buy for it's design...

Cobos

doug said:

I think it looks ok for what it is. This isn't the Tesla Roadster; the Volt is more of an appliance car.

Click to expand...

Exactly; it's a commuter car for practical families. This is a step forward for people here in the States. I think it will be a smash if it performs as promised.

I'm amused to see a hint of the Tesla "shark-mouth" in the front of this vehicle. Much better looks than the concept.

malcolm said:

I'm amused to see a hint of the Tesla "shark-mouth" in the front of this vehicle. Much better looks than the concept.

Click to expand...

I was going to say that!


By the way. I would look to all future energy saving cars looking similar. The wind tunnel keeps spitting back the same information. Loose this, add that, raise, lower, push, pull. After a few months sitting in the smoke stream, the four door car that emerges from maker B, looks just like the one that rolled out before it from maker A.

It's when makers like Tesla and Fisker say, "Style is more important than aerodynamics" is when the cars look interesting. Everything else is a Son-of-Impact.

vfx said:

By the way. I would look to all future energy saving cars looking similar. The wind tunnel keeps spitting back the same information. Loose this, add that, raise, lower, push, pull. After a few months sitting in the smoke stream, the four door car that emerges from maker B, looks just like the one that rolled out before it from maker A.

Click to expand...

I don't buy that argument. The same wind tunnel also gave us the radical Aptera and the beautiful automotive designs of Luigi Colani.

tonybelding said:

I don't buy that argument. The same wind tunnel also gave us the radical Aptera and the beautiful automotive designs of Luigi Colani.

Click to expand...

Since was arguing this over at the GM-Volt forums, I say this doesn't hold for all cars but for small 4-door cars it does seem to hold somewhat:
Most aerodynamic small 4-door cars (all ~180 inches in length):
(first one, an older mercedes, exception to rule it seems, doesn't look particularly aerodynamic but it is)
Cd: .27

Cd: .27

Cd: .26

Cd: .25


But as it gets lower in Cd it starts to become the same general shape as the Prius, notice the Civic Hybrid is not quite like the Prius in shape but it is getting there, in between the normal sedan look and the Prius look. The last one is the Audi A2. Notice the shape. So the it seems to hold at least for small 4-doors, esp with the 2010 Insight taking the Prius shape, and this Volt looking like it is taking the Civic Hybrid shape.

It's down to volume. GM were always going to go with a more conservative design since it has to be innoffensive/anonymous enough to sell in the hundreds of thousands. People have to like it rather than love it. I think it fits the bill.

Model S needs to be more of a car that people love.

Well said, Malcolm.

malcolm said:

It's down to volume. GM were always going to go with a more conservative design since it has to be innoffensive/anonymous enough to sell in the hundreds of thousands. People have to like it rather than love it. I think it fits the bill.

Model S needs to be more of a car that people love.

Click to expand...

So my 4 door "always an egg" observation holds.

I have always thought the Roadster did that, Eliminate anything "edgy" about the design. I say, think of a Lotus run through a Miata filter. They are sports cars for the most common denominator.

As for the Volt, I'm in wait and see mode. The Prius thrived on being a car that made a statement. Owners had a car that was different and screamed "Look at me, I'm driving a nerd-car but it shows I'm gas wise and planet friendly."

Lastly, I sent the pictures of the Volt to my wife. She rejected the design as too bland. She's keeping the down payment on the Fiskar and now waits for images of the Whitestar (she still calls it that).

Good things said by both malcolm and VFX here. I especially agree on the Model S statement Malcolm. The model S need to have a pretty distinct styling. It doesn't have to be as edgy (insectlike?) as the Lotus designs, but it has to establish Tesla's design brand. The Roadster will at least for a long time be the "modified Elise" regardless of what might actually be the truth, but the Model S will showcase what is specifically Tesla. Hence the need for a design many people can love, just not like

Cobos

vfx said:

She's keeping the down payment on the Fiskar and now waits for images of the Whitestar (she still calls it that).

Click to expand...

Need you remind her she could have two Volts for the price of one Fisker? Of course delivery is a big question too.