GM - Bit Of A Weight Problem

It took decades and a goverment bailout, but General Motors finally, finally, is offering products that are truly competitive in the marketplace.  Materials, build quality, and sophistication are much improved, and some of these new vehicles trounce the competition in style and refinement.  However, there is still one area that the General is trailing:  weight.  Like many Americans, the General's post-bankrupcty cars are a bit flabby.

Let's examine four new GM offerings and compare them to the competition.

Chevy Equinox 4-cyl AWD: 3,935 lbs.
Toyota Rav4 4-cly AWD:    3,494  lbs.
                                                441  lbs.

Chevy Camaro SS: 3,860 lbs.
Ford Mustang GT:  3,603 lbs.
                                  257 lbs.

Buick Lacrosse: 4,085 lbs.
Lexus ES 350:    3,605 lbs.
                              480 lbs.

Buick Regal: 3,681 lbs.
Acura TSX:  3,380 lbs.
                        301 lbs.

Needless to say, weight is the enemy of efficiency and performance.  There's no apparent culprit as to why this is happeneing.  It's possible GM is adding refinement and content, at the cost of added mass, to make their vehicles stand out. 

It seems to be working.  Despite the added pork, all these cars are selling well and/or have been well received by the public.

[Car & Driver, Edmunds.com]