Chevrolet/GM Plans their cars 10 years in advance...?

[CamaroKid300]

I was in my Business Law class here at Auburn this morning and my Professor said something pretty interesting.

We were talking about the "Functions of Law" and all the subcategories in the functions.... well one of the functions is "Facilitating Planning."

He talked about all the stuff that goes on with Facilitative Planning, and then he started talking about Chevrolet...which I'm assuming he is talking about General Motors...not specifically Chevrolet.

He said that they plan/design cars 10 years in advance. Therefore, the 2011 Model year cars were being designed (roughly I assume) in 2001.

How accurate do you think this is? Do you think they starting planning the 2010 Camaro in 2000?

I don't want this to come up as a "your professor is a moron, doesn't know what he is talking about, ect ect..." I just thought that it was an interesting statement and was curious as to how far back do they actually start planning model years?

I would think it was maybe a 5-6 year plan on the 2010 Camaro. Start design in 2005 and produce the concept in 2006?

I dunno.... maybe someone can chime in with a cool/interesting response.

[esperman]

BS.
In 2000 GM had already made the internal decision to kill off the F-body. It was a miracle the 5Th Gen even happened.

[CamaroSkooter]

He probably just used Chevrolet as an example of the theory, and the 10 year number was just arbitrarily chosen to show a point.

I doubt he is privvy to the inner workings of the automotive industry...

[Kahdir]

In some cases 10 year planning is implemented, but not in the 5th gen's case.
I think the 10 year forecast is the perfect scenario without government regulations or direct competition changes effecting the time table.

[SlingShot]

I know when I was a millwright we started on tooling 1-3 years out, depending on the type of changes.

[GhostOutlaw]

I will say I remember seeing a camaro or similar chevy concept at the ny autoshow a LONG time ago. It was before 2005, prolly 2003 or 2004. I knew when I saw that car I loved it, but I can't recall if that was the labeled as a camaro

[ihaveacamaro]

The camaro concept came out in 2006.... so I would imagine that they started working on it for at least one year before that. So 2005. 2010 camaros came out in 2009, so that is four years of advance planning.

I don't think you can predict the future of a company in 10 years from now so I doubt they start 10 years from today. However, I would guess 5 years is pretty typical in the automotive industry.

[CamaroKid300]

Yeah I agree that 10 years is a little much, but I figured I'd ask.

[Bonanza7]

I, my father and grandfather worked for Chrysler, and my father for GM before Chrysler...Lead time was nowhere near 10 years...Maybe 3 or 4 back then. 10 years out, nobody can plan, other than a wish list.

[Bonanza7]

Originally Posted by SlingShot

I know when I was a millwright we started on tooling 1-3 years out, depending on the type of changes.

You were a millwright? I was a millwrignt apprentice, and then became a plumb-trician for Chrysler. (Fixed the spot weld guns, hence the name plumb-trician.. Water cooled electric monsters.)

[Cam2011]

Planning something in advance is prudent in business, actually realizing your plans, well that is the tough part. You know, the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.

[viasevenvai]

a long term plan is just as important as a short term plan.

To say the camaro is planned 10 years in advance is so vague. What part of it? I'm sure it's just the idea or the niche in their lineup.

Being able to react to societies needs as quick as possible has always been profitable. Once the MPG craze hit it took 1 or 2 years for MPG to be a focus. When the recession hit cars price points dropped the next year. If it took 10 years to adjust nothing would be appetizing.

[MY2012RS]

It's 5yrs...for GM or at least it use to be..I subscribe to a magazine called hemmings classic cars and they interview all the old time auto workers from back in the day.
One of the guys in the article who worked for GM worked in the design studio said they designed cars 5 years in advance..That was 50yrs ago..not sure if it stands true today

[FenwickHockey65]

It's not 10 years. GM may put tentative plans in place 10 years in advance but they definitely don't have anything definite established until 5 or 6 years before a new product launches.