GM's future lineup shows real promise

Coming to terms with the United Auto Workers and signing a labor contract good for both sides is an important first step for General Motors Corp.

But contracts don't save carmakers, excellent vehicles do.

And in the summary of the UAW contract obtained by The Detroit News, we caught a glimpse of some of GM's future products.

Now, I want GM to hurry up and build them. Build them all.

The Chevy Volt, a Cadillac CTS sports wagon, and the Chevy Traverse large crossover SUV are not pipe dreams that might compete with the imports. They are in the pipeline right now and will take on the best head-to-head.

Better yet, some of GM's less-than-stellar vehicles, it appears, will be either discontinued or replaced with, hopefully, better vehicles.

The Chevy Volt continues to grab headlines after debuting at the Detroit auto show in January. An electric car that can drive 40 miles before needing a drop of gasoline deserves that kind of praise.

The Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant will get the honor of assembling the Volt beginning in 2010, assuming GM has the required battery technology.

GM said it would build the Volt by the end of this decade, and it appears that wasn't an empty promise. The company is bench-testing different battery configurations and hopes to have test vehicles running on GM's fifth-generation electric powertrain by next year.

Maybe someone will make a movie titled "Who Revived the Electric Car?"

GM also is looking to build the next small Cadillac SUV, possibly taking the name BRX, to compete with the likes of BMW and Mercedes with a luxurious and efficient small sport utility.

Also on tap is a large Chevrolet crossover SUV, known as the Traverse, to be built in Spring Hill, Tenn. It will be based on the same platform as the successful Buick Enclave, Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia.Another Cadillac I am happy to see in GM's future plans is the CTS wagon. Detroit's three carmakers have long forsaken luxury wagons. Car segments are like the lottery; you've got to be in it to win it. Based on the marvelous 2008 CTS, a sports wagon would go head to head with European carmakers such as BMW and Audi.

Corvette fans need not worry, as it appears a new 'Vette will arrive in 2012, as well as new version of the Cadillac XLR.

For those in need of a different sort of pickup, Hummer will begin building the H3T, a smaller version of the H2T. A popular concept vehicle shown in 2004, the H3T will become a reality in the coming years.

Lordstown, Ohio, will continue building small cars, though it's uncertain what the fate of the Pontiac G5 and Chevy Cobalt will be. According to the list, they will be built until 2009. Then UAW members will begin building a subcompact sedan and a midsize rear-wheel-drive vehicle.

Other possible vehicles on the list include an American-built Saturn Astra, based on the European designed Opel Astra.

GM officials would not comment on future products. They like to play those cards close to the vest. No one wants to give away all of their plans because it could help the competition prepare instead of just react.But the list confirms what most of us knew. If GM continues to improve the quality of its vehicles -- the recently launched Cadillac CTS and the soon to be launched Chevy Malibu are good examples -- it will win back customers.

After all, consumers don't care about negotiations. They care about getting a good deal for a good car. And if that's the case, GM's future looks brighter than it has in a long time.