That would have been the ultimate expression of the value of GM's new architecture strategy as envisaged and engineered by the engineer/MBA from Canada who is the vehicle line executive for Malibu, Pontiac Grand Am and Saturn L-series, and the person most responsible for the creation of the Epsilon architecture design.
It didn't work out that way, since Stefanyshyn and his team will have to make some changes to the Vectra before it turns into Malibu and even more before it becomes the Grand Am and, maybe, the L-Series.
And heaven knows what's been done to the Epsilon platform by the other team that's responsible for turning it into the Saab 9.3 that will be revealed in mid-May.
Whatever it is, Stefanyshyn and everyone concerned with the Epsilon architecture are convinced that each and every model will be superior to the models they would have been under former GM methods.
The way it worked before, GM would budget, say, $2 billion to create each of five different models of a similar size for various markets around the world, thereby spending $10 billion in all for the development and engineering.
Compromises would be made for financial reasons, and the end products would suffer as a result, particularly as the basic structure -- the chassis -- of each model would likely be no better than average. At the same time, the money left over once the chassis was finished would have to be stretched, and it would therefore be hard to deliver great mechanicals or quality accommodations.