Opinion ID: 1795931
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Changes in the Second-Generation H-Car

Text: Automobile manufacturers use a capital letter to designate body platforms. The GM H platform included the Oldsmobile Delta 88, Pontiac Bonneville, and Buick LeSabre automobiles. The first-generation H-car included the model years 1986-1991; the second-generation H-car included the model years 1992-1999. The GM C platform was similar to the H platform, and some documents introduced into evidence refer to the C/H platform. The Oldsmobile involved in this litigation is a second-generation H-car. Jernigan offered into evidence a GM document indicating a decline in GM's share of the luxury market from 41% in 1976 to 31% in 1985. Jernigan also offered into evidence a document indicating that GM concluded that one of the reasons for the decline was the similarity between its large luxury models and its less expensive H-cars. To make the luxury models look different from the H-car, GM made the H-car longer and used plastic fenders to give an expressive and dynamic appearance. GM changed the upper rail from high-strength steel to mild steel to better accommodate the plastic fenders, and also made the lower rails narrower and shorter under the passenger compartment. At the same time it was making the design changes, GM engaged in a cost-reduction program for the H-car. Other changes made in the second-generation H-car included replacement of the thick stamped-metal door-guard beam with a smaller and lighter tubular door-guard beam with shaved-back ends, [8] thereby reducing the mass of the door-guard beam and costs. According to a GM document, this change resulted in a net mass savings of 46% in the door-guard beam. According to Jernigan's automotive-design engineering expert, James Mundo, the change also resulted in a reduction in strength of 90% in the door-guard beam. Mundo had over 30 years' experience as an automotive-design engineer. He was employed by Ford Motor Company for 12 years in automotive-body engineering, where he was responsible for crashworthiness and energy-management design. He was ultimately assigned as a technical specialist in the area of crashworthiness of all Ford product lines worldwide. He taught Ford engineering groups worldwide how to design crashworthy vehicles. After retiring from Ford, he started an independent engineering firm. Between 1986 and 1998, his firm did contract work in the area of product design and crashworthiness for various automobile manufacturers, including Ford, Volvo, BMW, Lombardi (a Canadian company), and divisions of GM.