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January 5, 2009
Images of GM Heritage Cars at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale
By Jim Brennan
aka UDMan
It is amazing that when a car manufacturer is in deep financial trouble, one of the first things they try to raise money is selling off some of their assets. The General Motors Heritage Center seems to have excessive assets, and in the midst of one of the worst economic downturns in modern memory, they have decided to liquidate a great deal of their collection to raise capital. The problem that I can see is that most of this inventory should should never have been kept. Proper management would have dictated selling off some of these items a long time ago. Contine reading after the jump.
These are some of the “assets” that are now deemed excessive, and GM sent them off to the famous (or infamous) Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction that will be held from January 13th through the 18th of this year. Don’t get me wrong, there are some rather exciting cars that GM seems to be throwing out with the rest of the trash, and I will get to them with other postings. However, the cars featured in this post are anything but collector cars. So, step this way to the hall of questionable taste, and take a look at these offerings on the first day of the auction.
The first shot is a Green Chevy Aveo X-treme, and this is a portion of the catalog description: “The Aveo X-treme brings big attitude to a small car, with fun and practicality in an eye-catching, head-turning package. It is a tuner concept for the all-new 2004 Chevrolet Aveo, which itself brings style, roominess and fun-to-drive quality to the entry level buyer. Features custom wide-body ground effects including” …… and it goes on from there.
The next shot is a new 1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette Minivan, and for the life of me, I don’t know why they even bothered.
How about a Pontiac Aztek? Yea I felt the same way. Again, why did they even bother? This was suppose to be a pace car for the Daytona 500? I really have to look that up!
This next vehicle is a customized Geo Metro, and if Barrett-Jackson has a Metro included in this prestigious auction, then you know something isn’t quite right. This car is called the “Zonker”, and according to the listing: “A personal project for GM Design VP, Chuck Jordan. A hot little one-of-a-kind styling exercise.” If you say so….
One last image for the Tuesday sale, and this is a White Saturn Vue, and it was called the Saturn Vue Red Line Street Play. It is quite eye opening, and not all that good looking, but that’s only my opinion.
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dwp1981
Jan 18, 2009 at 7:09 pm
Don’t get me wrong here people, I don’t really care much for GM cars myself, but what people fell to care about is that WE are the people who got GM to make these cars. Like the little Geo, they more then likely made it to let people know you can hot rod a little GM car just like you can hot rod the little VW’s, Honda, and the rest of the oversea cars that we just have to have. Also what the rest of us forget is that there was some really nice cars thay sold there. A lot of corvettes, old GM cars from the past, and a few hot rods. At least they are trying to make money to hold them over for a while.
Jody
Jan 17, 2009 at 2:35 pm
More photos of the GM cars (and others) at Barrett-Jackson… http://www.theymightberacing.com/Shows/BarrettJacksonScottsdale2009.aspx
kris
Jan 7, 2009 at 2:12 pm
and you wonder why GM is in the shitter. LOL
i wonder if i can sell my old VW jetta there too
Don
Jan 7, 2009 at 9:55 am
Oh, and the Aztek paced the 2001 Daytona 500… probably the slowest pace lap in the race’s history…
Don
Jan 7, 2009 at 9:40 am
I’m still trying to come to terms with “Zonker”, the Geo Speck – er, Metro – being claimed as “A hot little one-of-a-kind styling exercise.”
One-of-a-kind generally doesn’t refer to styling that any 17 year old with a McDonald’s budget can beat with his/her eyes closed. I’d venture that there are more than a few 8 year olds that can do better with Legos.
But, I guess the scariest part, and the most telling in regards to GM’s troubles, is that this was “A personal project for GM Design VP, Chuck Jordan.” Sure hope they fired his sorry ass for his forward-thinking design he established here.
Eric
Jan 7, 2009 at 5:40 am
BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA AND TO THINK I LOVE GM
Yep
Jan 7, 2009 at 1:37 am
A Geo on Barrett Jackson. I’m sure the bids will be piling up for that one.
djez016
Jan 6, 2009 at 5:13 pm
the mini van is awesome lol never late to soccer
FuryPaul
Jan 6, 2009 at 3:11 pm
Once I was flying home from somewhere and had nothing to read, so I bought a copy of Automobile or some similar magazine at the airport. They had a regular feature where they’d critique a current car, and that month’s victim was the Aztek. They were unkind to the Aztek, to put it gently, and I could just picture the GM executives asking for all the design features the magazine was ripping on…
MIKE
Jan 6, 2009 at 7:31 am
The only two vehicles here that I would say that even have a chance at the Berrit-Jackson is the Aveo and the Vue Redline. Now, don’t get me wrong, these a cars that should have been sold by GM pretty much right after they were toured around the country and maybe overseas.
The other cars up here, especially that GEO… Why on this BEAUTIFUL Planet would a VP say they customized THAT!!!
joe
Jan 6, 2009 at 5:48 am
lol, I was on their website looking at the listings this year and I saw these and thought they were a typo……sadly i guess not
SB
Jan 6, 2009 at 2:00 am
they are all awesome and i would pay up to $100 for any of them!
Charlie
Jan 5, 2009 at 9:06 pm
I kind of like that Vue, but as for the “styling excersize” geo…
Alexander McKean
Jan 5, 2009 at 9:06 pm
does anyone know if the Malibu Cruiser is being sold off, or if it has been sold or scrapped! I’d love it track it down and buy it!
Kris
Jan 5, 2009 at 8:23 pm
The origional Aztek prototype was actually pretty cool looking in my opinion. It looked a lot sportier and tuner influenced much like the Aveo above. I’m not sure what the engine or drivetrain was but it did look cool.
Jack_Wallace
Jan 5, 2009 at 8:10 pm
I actually love that Aveo Xtreme. I wish they had actually made that car, then maybe the Aveo wouldn’t be such a dud for GM.
Jim Brennan
Jan 5, 2009 at 7:09 pm
Justin,
As the author of this particular piece, I feel your pain. However, these are vehicles created by GM (and other partners) and kept at the GM Heritage Center. Now I admit, these cars are not at all my taste, and I have expressed that opinion in this piece. In fact, I stated that the cars should have never been kept by GM, and should have been sold off after the exhibit, or contractual terms have expired. Show cars have a very short life as it is. What maybe hot today, is the laughing stock off tomorrow, but can also be the cool collectible 20 years from now.
Now, the Pontiac Aztek? That will always be referred to as the GM Edsel (you do remember the Edsel, right?). The Aztek styling has always been bizarre, and it was built off a Minivan chassis, and the engine and transmission combination was nothing special, so why keep the 6 or 7 Azteks that were built in the first place?
I won’t comment on what some of the readers have already stated. This is my opinion on these particular vehicles. Come back and read about other vehicles that the GM Heritage Collection authorized Barrett-Jackson to put out for bid. I have a posting on some magnificent GM Collectible Cars, a posting on the Trucks that are being offered, a posting on a few Rolling Chassis, a posting on some of the racing machinery being sold off, and another posting on some really way out customs.
nes!
Jan 5, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Justin is missing the point!
Justin
Jan 5, 2009 at 6:45 pm
wow cardomain, bitch much? who cares about the cars, to each their own, but i guess you forgot all about that. funny how a site dedicated to the respect of cars an their owners would be so god damned hypocritical. you people need to learn to respect or youll probibly be hearing from a lot of angered car owners. i almost feel the need to tell a few people youve had publicly humiliated an discriminated agasint, how you guys like to talk trash about them. sure theres the “right yo free speech” but wow you guys sure can be a dick taking that right way beyond its limits. how would you like it if people started trash talking your rides on some website using your pics without your consent? you people best watch what you put up an say about it from now on.
Kunal
Jan 5, 2009 at 6:34 pm
Vue isn’t that bad, but most of the other cars shown are just terrible.
nes!
Jan 5, 2009 at 6:15 pm
I guess I’m not going to be watching this years auction after what Jim said.
brivan
Jan 5, 2009 at 4:36 pm
I don’t know what I’d do without my CD blogs-I guess I’d have to go back to buying paperback mag’s!!!
oldscoob
Jan 5, 2009 at 4:35 pm
the aztek is bizarre enough, even sold as something to camp in.Even though the drivetrain sucks like everything else. Unique, and not often. The rest is strange to keep. The bright yellow geo, my jokes about lack of heterosexual cars…too coincidental.
Tony Cassa
Jan 5, 2009 at 2:53 pm
GM must have rocks in their heads to bother keeping such cars as these. Absolute rubbish, good luck at the auction boys, you might raise a few bucks if that.
retroman
Jan 5, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Unless that thing’s got a 454, why on earth did they save a minivan?
Jim Brennan
Jan 5, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Nes!, there are at least 5 Azteks, a dozen HHRs, and a lot more. Just wait until later this week to see some other hideous customs being offered.
Levi
Jan 5, 2009 at 1:12 pm
the best out of those would be a satunr but i agree with nes i was wacthing a auction a couple days ago they were selling like hot rods not something no one would be proud of
Matt
Jan 5, 2009 at 11:36 am
GM is stupid………that is why FORD RULES
Josh
Jan 5, 2009 at 11:08 am
You know its a bad deal when the Geo Metro is the coolest car in the bunch.
nes!
Jan 5, 2009 at 10:57 am
This brings the Barret-Jackson image down a lot I think! I mean a freaking Aztek???