LORDSTOWN As local plant gets ready, GM to debut Cobalt in LA

Lordstown workers will train next month to prepare for the new model.
By DON SHILLING
VINDICATOR BUSINESS EDITOR
LORDSTOWN -- The public's first glimpse of the new car to be built at the Lordstown Assembly Plant comes Dec. 29.
General Motors is unveiling the Chevrolet Cobalt that day at the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show and will release information about the car for the first time.
Mike Hollander, an auto show spokesman, said he expects the Cobalt to be a large part of GM's presentation because it replaces one of its best-selling cars, the Chevrolet Cavalier. GM will have five new models at the show.
Gary Cowger, president of GM North America, will present a keynote address to the press and industry analysts Dec. 29. GM officials also will hold a press conference that day to talk about its new models. The show opens to the public Jan. 2.
So far, GM has said released little about the Cobalt, other than a sketch and information on its engine.
GM has said the Cobalt will have a more powerful version of its Ecotec engine, which has been used in the Cavalier. Cowger said at an industry meeting last month that the new engine will deliver better performance and a more sophisticated feel.
Also to be shown
Other new GM models being shown in Los Angeles by GM are the Hummer H3T concept vehicle, Saab 9-2 and two minivans -- Buick Terazza and Saturn Relay.
New models often are unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, which opens to the press Jan. 4 and to the public Jan. 10.
Matt Banchek, a Chevrolet spokesman, said other models, including the 2005 Chevrolet Corvette, will be unveiled in Detroit. GM has so many new models to introduce that it wants to spread their debuts between the two shows, he said.
The Cobalt will be on display at the Detroit show.
While the car won't go on sale until next fall, assembly plant workers will train on new production methods for the Cobalt next month. Cavalier production will be shut down while the 3,900 hourly workers train for three weeks beginning Jan. 5.
Tom Mock, a plant spokesman, said some job duties are being changed and the line speed is being slowed for production of the Cobalt.
New equipment
He said installation of new equipment for the assembly line and body shop should be nearly completed by the time training is done. Much of the installation will be handled during the plant's shutdown over the holidays, he said.
Work will continue on the paint shop, which is a large structure built adjacent to the main building. The paint shop will be used until the fall of 2005 when the new one is to be ready.
The exterior of the new paint shop is nearly complete, and work started this week on an enclosed conveyor line to take cars between the main plant and paint shop.
GM is spending more than $500 million to upgrade the assembly plant and adjacent fabrication plant, which employs about 2,200 hourly workers.
shilling@vindy.com