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Theta is General Motors' automobile platform for
''Note: Vehicles with "**" are
General Motors has created a premium version of Theta for
compact
Compact as used in politics may refer broadly to a pact or treaty; in more specific cases it may refer to:
* Interstate compact
* Blood compact, an ancient ritual of the Philippines
* Compact government, a type of colonial rule utilized in British ...
/mid-size crossover SUV
Mid-size crossover SUV is an automobile classification used mainly in North America to describe a segment of crossover SUV, a type of sport utility vehicle, between compact crossover SUV and full-size crossover SUV.
A mid-size crossover SU ...
s. The architecture debuted in 2002 with the Saturn Vue
The Saturn Vue is a compact SUV that was sold and built by Saturn, and it was Saturn's best-selling model. It was the first vehicle to use the GM Theta platform when it was introduced in 2001 for the 2002 model year. The Vue was later facelifte ...
and was later used for the Chevrolet Equinox
The Chevrolet Equinox is a series of crossover SUVs from Chevrolet introduced in 2004 for the 2005 model year. It replaces the North American Chevrolet Tracker and Chevrolet S-10 Blazer. The third-generation Equinox also replaced the first-g ...
and Captiva and similar models.
Development
The Theta uses a four-wheelindependent suspension
Independent suspension is any automobile suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically (i.e. reacting to a bump on the road) independently of the others. This is contrasted with a beam axle or deDion axle system i ...
. Engine choices include the Family II straight-4
A straight-four engine (also called an inline-four) is a four-cylinder piston engine where cylinders are arranged in a line along a common crankshaft.
The vast majority of automotive four-cylinder engines use a straight-four layout (with the ...
, Ecotec Ecotec (capitalized ECOTEC, from 'Emissions Control Optimization TEChnology') is a General Motors (GM) and Opel Automobile GmbH (Opel) trademark that refers to a series of emissions technologies that were implemented throughout a range of GM engines ...
straight-4
A straight-four engine (also called an inline-four) is a four-cylinder piston engine where cylinders are arranged in a line along a common crankshaft.
The vast majority of automotive four-cylinder engines use a straight-four layout (with the ...
, '' 3400'' V6, and even a Honda
is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.
Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, reaching a producti ...
V6, the L66. A 5-speed automatic
Automatic may refer to:
Music Bands
* Automatic (band), Australian rock band
* Automatic (American band), American rock band
* The Automatic, a Welsh alternative rock band
Albums
* ''Automatic'' (Jack Bruce album), a 1983 electronic rock ...
and two 5-speed manual transmission
A manual transmission (MT), also known as manual gearbox, standard transmission (in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States), or stick shift (in the United States), is a multi-speed motor vehicle transmission system, where gear chang ...
s are used.
The original Saturn Vue
The Saturn Vue is a compact SUV that was sold and built by Saturn, and it was Saturn's best-selling model. It was the first vehicle to use the GM Theta platform when it was introduced in 2001 for the 2002 model year. The Vue was later facelifte ...
used a short 106.6 in (2708 mm) wheelbase, with a 61 in (1549 mm) track. The Chevrolet Equinox
The Chevrolet Equinox is a series of crossover SUVs from Chevrolet introduced in 2004 for the 2005 model year. It replaces the North American Chevrolet Tracker and Chevrolet S-10 Blazer. The third-generation Equinox also replaced the first-g ...
and Pontiac Torrent
The Pontiac Torrent is a mid-size crossover SUV produced by General Motors for the 2006 to 2009 model years. A replacement for the Aztek, it was a mildly restyled version of the first-generation Chevrolet Equinox. The Torrent shared its basic b ...
use a stretched 112.5 in (2857 mm) wheelbase, but share much with the Saturn.
The Suzuki Grand Vitara
is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Minami-ku, Hamamatsu, Japan. Suzuki manufactures automobiles, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal com ...
, although similar in size and appearance to a Saturn Vue, was developed by Suzuki using some Theta components, but should not be considered a Theta derivative. The Grand Vitara front and rear suspensions are substantially different from the Theta vehicles. The 2007 Suzuki XL7
The Suzuki Ertiga is a car manufactured by the Japanese carmaker Suzuki since 2012. It is a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) with standard three-row seating. The first-generation model is heavily based on the Swift while the second-generation model in ...
is based on the Theta platform and is built alongside the Equinox and Torrent at CAMI Automotive
CAMI Assembly (formerly CAMI Automotive) is an assembly plant wholly owned by General Motors Canada. The plant occupies and has of floor space of which was added in 2016 as part of a $560 million investment.
CAMI uses the CAMI Production System ...
in Ingersoll, Ontario
Ingersoll is a town in Oxford County on the Thames River in southwestern Ontario, Canada. The nearest cities are Woodstock to the east and London to the west.
Ingersoll is situated north of and along Highway 401. Oxford County Road 119 (formerl ...
, Canada. It is the first non-GM branded vehicle to come off the Theta platform. Styled by Suzuki, the engineering was performed by GM engineers in the US and Canada.
Engineering for the Opel Antara, and Chevrolet Captiva was performed in large part in Korea by GM Daewoo Auto & Technology, and by Opel in Germany as well.
Hybrids
TheSaturn Vue
The Saturn Vue is a compact SUV that was sold and built by Saturn, and it was Saturn's best-selling model. It was the first vehicle to use the GM Theta platform when it was introduced in 2001 for the 2002 model year. The Vue was later facelifte ...
was one of the first of General Motors' vehicles to be offered with a hybrid
Hybrid may refer to:
Science
* Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding
** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species
** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two diff ...
powertrain, GM's belt alternator starter (BAS) system, in 2006.
Vehicles
* Short wheelbase ** 2002-2007Saturn Vue
The Saturn Vue is a compact SUV that was sold and built by Saturn, and it was Saturn's best-selling model. It was the first vehicle to use the GM Theta platform when it was introduced in 2001 for the 2002 model year. The Vue was later facelifte ...
** 2006–2015 Opel Antara
The Opel Antara is a compact crossover SUV which was marketed by Opel from 2006 to 2015. Based on the Theta platform, the Antara closely shared its underpinnings and powertrains with the Chevrolet Captiva. However, it only offered five seat ...
*** 2006-2011 Daewoo Winstorm MaXX*
*** 2006–2017 Chevrolet Captiva Sport*
*** 2008-2010 Saturn Vue
The Saturn Vue is a compact SUV that was sold and built by Saturn, and it was Saturn's best-selling model. It was the first vehicle to use the GM Theta platform when it was introduced in 2001 for the 2002 model year. The Vue was later facelifte ...
*
*** 2008-2010 GMC Terrain sold in Middle East*
*** 2006-2008 Holden Captiva Maxx*
*** 2009–2017 Holden Captiva 5*
** 2006–present Chevrolet Captiva
The Chevrolet Captiva is a compact crossover SUV marketed by General Motors under their Chevrolet marque. The first generation was developed by GM Korea, based on the GM Theta platform and derived from the S3X concept car revealed in 2004. Rel ...
*** 2006-2011 Daewoo Winstorm**
*** 2006–2017 Holden Captiva 7**
''Note: Vehicles with "*" are rebadged
In the automotive industry, rebadging is a form of market segmentation used by automobile manufacturers around the world. To allow for product differentiation without designing or engineering a new model or brand (at high cost or risk), a man ...
versions of the Opel Antara
The Opel Antara is a compact crossover SUV which was marketed by Opel from 2006 to 2015. Based on the Theta platform, the Antara closely shared its underpinnings and powertrains with the Chevrolet Captiva. However, it only offered five seat ...
''''Note: Vehicles with "**" are
rebadged
In the automotive industry, rebadging is a form of market segmentation used by automobile manufacturers around the world. To allow for product differentiation without designing or engineering a new model or brand (at high cost or risk), a man ...
versions of the Chevrolet Captiva
The Chevrolet Captiva is a compact crossover SUV marketed by General Motors under their Chevrolet marque. The first generation was developed by GM Korea, based on the GM Theta platform and derived from the S3X concept car revealed in 2004. Rel ...
''
* Long wheelbase
** 2005-2009 Chevrolet Equinox
The Chevrolet Equinox is a series of crossover SUVs from Chevrolet introduced in 2004 for the 2005 model year. It replaces the North American Chevrolet Tracker and Chevrolet S-10 Blazer. The third-generation Equinox also replaced the first-g ...
** 2006-2009 Pontiac Torrent
The Pontiac Torrent is a mid-size crossover SUV produced by General Motors for the 2006 to 2009 model years. A replacement for the Aztek, it was a mildly restyled version of the first-generation Chevrolet Equinox. The Torrent shared its basic b ...
** 2006-2009 Suzuki XL7
The Suzuki Ertiga is a car manufactured by the Japanese carmaker Suzuki since 2012. It is a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) with standard three-row seating. The first-generation model is heavily based on the Swift while the second-generation model in ...
** 2010–2017 Chevrolet Equinox
The Chevrolet Equinox is a series of crossover SUVs from Chevrolet introduced in 2004 for the 2005 model year. It replaces the North American Chevrolet Tracker and Chevrolet S-10 Blazer. The third-generation Equinox also replaced the first-g ...
** 2010–2017 GMC Terrain
The GMC Terrain is a crossover SUV by American manufacturer General Motors under its GMC marque. Sharing its platform with the Chevrolet Equinox, the first-generation Terrain was built on GM's Theta platform, while the second-generation model ...
Concepts
* Chevrolet S3X/T2X
Theta Premium
General Motors has created a premium version of Theta for luxury
Luxury may refer to:
*Luxury goods, an economic good or service for which demand increases more than proportionally as income rises
* Luxury tax, tax on products not considered essential, such as expensive cars
** Luxury tax (sports), surcharge p ...
applications. Reports differ, but the consensus is that it is a combination of the current Theta and elements of the new Epsilon 2
Epsilon (, ; uppercase , lowercase or #Glyph variants, lunate ; el, έψιλον) is the fifth letter of the Greek alphabet, corresponding phonetically to a mid front unrounded vowel or . In the system of Greek numerals it also has the value ...
architecture. Thus this platform is sometimes also referred to as Theta-Epsilon (GMT166). Theta Premium supports larger models than the standard platform.
Vehicles using Theta Premium:
* 2010-2016 Cadillac SRX
The Cadillac SRX is a mid-size luxury SUV and compact luxury crossover SUV (CUV) manufactured and marketed by Cadillac over two generations: the first generation as a five-door, three-row, seven-passenger CUV (2003–2009), and the second gene ...
* 2011 Saab 9-4X
References
Theta
Theta (, ; uppercase: Θ or ; lowercase: θ or ; grc, ''thē̂ta'' ; Modern: ''thī́ta'' ) is the eighth letter of the Greek alphabet, derived from the Phoenician letter Teth . In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of 9.
...