GM Says They Cut Routinely Corners On Interior Quality Because It Was Easy To Do

If most vehicles are going to share technology and offer the same functionality, then styling will be the differentiator, General Motors global design chief Ed Welburn says.

Welburn, speaking at the WardsAuto Interiors Conference today in suburban Detroit, said GM management in recent years has come to view vehicle interiors as hallowed real estate.

He showed a photo of a Chevrolet Malibu from the mid-2000s with a monotone gray interior.

“A few years ago, GM was well behind the competition,” Welburn said. “We checked all the boxes. Interiors were well equipped and functional. They had everything but charm. The interior was not a warm, inviting environment.”