Dec
20
GM tells suppliers it will drop two sports cars - General Motors Corp. to stop production of Pontiac Firebird and Chevrolet Camaro automobiles in 2000 - Brief Article - Statistical Data Included
Filed Under Chevy Cars
Although this is discouraging news to the plastics industry, whose applications in the Firebird and Camaro models include some major body components, it may prove to be a tougher blow to suppliers of iron foundry materials and steel for the ferrous parts in those cars. The total ferrous metal content is estimated to average about 2,160 pounds per vehicle.
Annual sales of the F-body cars have been declining through most of this decade, and GM sources have said on quite a few occasions in the past couple of years that the company was losing money on the once-popular cars.
The standard V-6 engines in the Firebirds and Camaros have iron Cylinder blocks, heads and crankshafts, and the crankshafts in the optional V-8 engines also are iron. Many other powertrain, driveline and suspension system components in the two car lines also are made of iron, while the cages, hoods, rear quarter panels, bumper backup beams and axles are steel.
Major plastic components of the Camaro/Firebird models include the outer door panels, roofs, interior trim components, bumper fascias and front fenders. While the demise of the two car lines will be disappointing to the plastics industry, there are some significant new applications for plastics between now and 2002 that will easily make up for the lost Camaro/Firebird applications.
