[kwhopper89]

Additional downtime at the Craft Centre:

http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041230/NEWS03/412300341/1001/news

GM cuts work at Craft Centre
Too many SSRs means work to halt for 5 weeks


LANSING TWP. - Citing an overstock of Chevrolet SSRs, General Motors Corp. is cutting five weeks of production at Lansing Craft Centre.

"We're bringing inventory levels in line with market demand," GM spokeswoman Kim Carpenter said Wednesday.

The plant's 500 employees make the $42,555 retro-style roadster.

Through the end of November, workers there had produced 15,055 SSRs this year, but only 8,538 had been sold, according to trade magazine Automotive News.

GM had a 301-day supply of the vehicles on hand at the end of November. Automakers strive to have a 60-day supply.

"GM remains committed to the Chevy SSR and our customers," read an undated plant memo from Lansing Craft Centre that announced the layoffs.

Production is cut for the weeks of Jan. 3, Jan. 10, Jan. 31, Feb. 7 and Feb. 28.

The plant's salaried workers will report to work during those weeks.

Laid-off workers will get unemployment and supplemental unemployment benefits totaling 95 percent of their net pay.

Except for a previously announced week of layoffs at Lansing Car Assembly during the week of Jan. 3, the Craft Centre furloughs are the only GM layoffs on the calendar at this time, Carpenter said.



By Barbara Wieland
Lansing State Journal

 

[kwhopper89]

And from Canada:

http://www.globemegawheels.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20041230/WHCLASSIC30/cars/

Too many tarnished 'halos'


...Car companies are still hard at work creating halo cars, but most of these cars cost too much to design and develop to ever be successful themselves. And while they may develop a small blip in positive sales, the public these days gets bored and moves on rather quickly.

Currently, there are a few examples of how a halo design can turn and bite its creators. General Motors has to live with its SSR Roadster Pickup. Disappointing sales and the fact that it has not generated much excitement are proving a bit of an embarrassment. Truth is, they should have asked truck guys what they want.

Non-truck-buying car guys like it, truck guys don't and most truck fanciers don't particularly care for the disappearing roof. Most I have spoken to would much rather have the cheaper and much more powerful Viper-powered Dodge Ram SRT 10 than the Chevy SSR.

GM would have been better off taking a stock pickup, dropping a hot-rodded 500-horsepower Corvette motor into it and creating a fancy body kit and graphics. That, perhaps, would have sold and persuaded buyers that all Chev trucks are cool...

 

[Flassh]

I guess I'm not the "normal" buyer - I'm a truck guy - many diesel crew cabs over the last 30 years, and my wife drives a truck, has not been interested in a car for years.

I bought the SSR because of the styling, the feel, the fact that it could replace the need to build a hot rod, and mostly, because of the roof.

Ray

 

[pherrley]

I guess I'm not the "normal" buyer - I'm a truck guy - many diesel crew cabs over the last 30 years, and my wife drives a truck, has not been interested in a car for years.

I bought the SSR because of the styling, the feel, the fact that it could replace the need to build a hot rod, and mostly, because of the roof.

Ray

Ditto...................................

 

[Buffy]

"GM remains committed to the Chevy SSR and our customers"

Oh, PLEASE be true!

 

[Scott 0168]

Got to make you wonder if this shut down will help with future sales? All we can do is Drive and Enjoy. :confused
Scott 0168

 

[Bill Bogert]

I guess I'm not the "normal" buyer - I'm a truck guy - many diesel crew cabs over the last 30 years, and my wife drives a truck, has not been interested in a car for years.

I bought the SSR because of the styling, the feel, the fact that it could replace the need to build a hot rod, and mostly, because of the roof.

Ray

DITTO Also... never owned a diesel, but have always owned and drove regularly a Chevy truck since 1975!

I think these writers just make stuff up so they have something to write... that is how they make money!

The truck is expensive... hence the slow sales and excitement, but other than that its assume... maybe a slowdown in production will help???