LORDSTOWN Plant gets set to build test Cobalts
Advertising for the Cobalt probably will begin in November.
By DON SHILLING
VINDICATOR BUSINESS EDITOR
CLEVELAND -- The first Chevrolet Cobalts will roll off the line soon at the Lordstown Assembly Plant.
Don't look for them at area car dealers, however. These first cars will be used in durability and crash tests.
Officials from General Motors and United Auto Workers talked about the launch of the new model at a press conference Friday at the Cleveland Auto Show, which begins today. The new model has been at car shows since it was introduced in Los Angeles in December.
Walt Rokicki, Cobalt launch manager, said production of eight test cars will begin in the second week of March. These cars are designed to test the engineering of the model. Earlier test models were built at a testing center in Detroit.
Two of the eight Cobalts will be built in a training center at the plant, but four will be built on the assembly line along with the Chevrolet Cavaliers and Pontiac Sunfires now being built. Two others will be built partially in the training center and partially on the line.
The Cobalts on the line will be built in one day's time, just like the other cars, Rokicki said.
GM and UAW officials have designed a system that allows production of new and old models at the same time.
Manager's remarks
Maureen Midgley, assembly plant manager, said the plant will produce the Cavalier until one week before the official launch of Cobalt production. This commitment was a key part of persuading corporate officials to spend $1 billion on overhauling the assembly and fabrication plants, she said.
Some areas of the line have been designed for Cobalt-only work; others are prepared for work that is specific to the Cavalier and Sunfire. Cars that don't need work in certain areas simply pass through.
Much of the new machinery for the assembly plant was installed in December and January, when production was stopped for four weeks for the holidays and worker training. Rokicki said 500 trailer loads of equipment were brought in at that time.
The goal is to have the overhaul completed by June, when production of a new round of test cars is planned.
Workers will build 585 cars to test the manufacturing process. Midgley said GM wants to gain input from the workers to determine if any specifications or parts need changed.
GM wants the Cobalt to have world-class quality from the start, she said.
Sales schedule
The cars are expected to go on sale in October, though advertising for the car probably won't start until November, said Peter Langenhorst, Cobalt marketing director. Officials want to be sure enough cars are on dealer lots before beginning an ad campaign, he said.
The initial round of advertising probably will last until mid-December; another round would start after the first of the year, he said.
Marketing executives are working on the items they want to highlight in the advertising. That work should be complete in a couple of months, Langenhorst said.
They will then consider what type of media to use in the campaign, he said. In August and September, they will develop the ads.
Langenhorst said the Cobalt advertising will fit into Chevrolet's "American Revolution" advertising campaign, which began Dec. 31. Chevrolet is in the midst of introducing 10 new or redesigned vehicles.
GM hasn't released prices for the Cobalt, which it is calling a premium subcompact. It recently introduced the Chevrolet Aveo, which is designed for the economy market.
shilling@vindy.com