New cars you LIKE...

[LosAngeles]

If you don't like cars of today, keep it movin'.

I find a lot of new cars interesting looking, and you do too....but they're damned by puny powertrains and suspensions tuned for Grandma instead of the key 18-34 demographic.

Later for the fuel economy question

Later for your drive wheels issues....SIXTY8!

What new cars would be on your list if only they had more punch to them? You get a maximum of 15, so let's be quality with them. Go.

Kia Optima (the car this topic was made for)

Ford Fusion and Lincoln Zephyr

Chevy Aveo hatch (how about a Z16 Aveo?)

Ford Taurus 500, whatever the hell they want to call it (Big cars need a V-8 option, period.)

Hyundai Accent hatch (would make a nice MINI fighter, as the Aveo would)

Chrysler Sebring (a 350 bhp SRT6 would be killer...turbo up the V-6)

Buick Lucerne (why is the upcoming Super still packing 8 less horses than the LaCrosse version? Defeats the purpose.)

Mazda6 fastback (THAT should be the Mazdaspeed car)

Kia Spectra 5

Chevy HHR (The 2.4 four is cool, but a 3.5 or 3.9 V-6 option would take this car to another level)

Suzuki Forenza (The Lacetti R exists, why is it not in this market?)

[Flybrian]

Buick Lucerne as said.

HHR is getting a turbo'd 2.0l Ecotec, so that solves my issues.

DTS needs a bump, too.

[gm4life]

DTS Performance Package

Lucerne all models...

Aveo

Impala

Solstice (base)

Taurus

[A Horse With No Name]

DTS for sure. I like small cars but can't see the Kia optima etc as anything worth owning.

HHR could also use a slight bump.

Chris

[LosAngeles]

How could I forget the Ford Freestyle (don't know what they call it now)? Just like the Taurus, could use a V-8.

[pow]

Audi Q7

BMW X5 3.0si

Buick Enclave

Ford Fusion

Honda S2000

Jaguar XK8

Jaguar XJ8

Jeep Wrangler

Land Rover LR3

Mazda RX-8

Mercedes C350

Saturn ASTRA

Volkswagen Rabbit

Volkswagen Touareg

[regfootball]

my 500 is a nice commuter car...but my next taurus i would like to have the direct injection duratec 3.7 i think it is, with like 320hp, with paddle shifters, and wider rubber and quicker steering and better suspension.

Edited May 20, 2007 by regfootball

[Clownzilla]

G5

Aveo

Lacrosse(fixed with Super)

Focus

Vibe

[AxelTheRed]

Ford 500. God its almost embarassing that it doesn't have a V8 option.

[grandmarquis]

Fusion/Milan/MKZ... bump the 3.5 up a bit and give us a damn STICK with it already!!!

Taurus/X/Sable... see above and tighten up the supension a bit.

and give me a damn Crown Vic/Grand Marquis with the 300hp Mustang GT motor!!!

[Intrepidation]

Ford Fusion..get the new 3.5L in it ASAP

Chrysler Sebring...give all Sebrings the Avenger R/T's suspension and make an SRT version that puts out 370 hp.

Make all Avengers have the R/T suspension tuning and make the SRT's even more aggressive with a 270-280 hp powertrain.

Make an Aura Red Line

Give the Focus something with guts under the hood that makes 200-230 hp

Mazdaspeed3 sedan

[LosAngeles]

Chrysler Sebring...give all Sebrings the Avenger R/T's suspension and make an SRT version that puts out 370 hp.

Make all Avengers have the R/T suspension tuning and make the SRT's even more aggressive with a 270-280 hp powertrain.

Interesting. You want Avenger SRT-6es to have 90-100 less horses than the Sebring version. What gives there?

Make an Aura Red Line

Isn't that on the way already?

Mazdaspeed3 sedan

I think the hatch is the better car, and deserves the premium exposure. Mazda obviously felt that way too, which is why it's only available with the 2.3 fours.

Anyway, I have one car left, and while there is already a CTS-V and a new CTS is on the way, there should a non-V-series CTS with a V-8 and DOD. The V-series can stay 400 and higher in the horse department (and stick only!), but the regular one should get into at least 310.

Edited May 28, 2007 by LosAngeles

[Sixty8panther]

For me power is not lacking today so bad as quality,

styling, craftsmenship, attentiom to detail, materials

& originality. FWD & lack of manual trans. play into

these complaints for me.

Cars that "lack" power:

Ford Crown Victoria

BMW 3-series 4-cylinder

Cadillac CTS

Infiniti G35 coupe

Cars I'd like if they were RWD:

Cadillac DTS

Buick Lucerne

Dodge Avenger

Chevy Impala 5.3

Lincoln MKX (love the styling of this little bugger)

Pontiac G6

[LosAngeles]

For me power is not lacking today so bad as quality,

styling, craftsmenship, attentiom to detail, materials

& originality. FWD & lack of manual trans. play into

these complaints for me.

Cars I'd like if they were RWD:

Later for your drive wheels issues....SIXTY8!

Come on, bruh....

Though quickly about the originality thing, cars of every era seem to copy one another. While I agree with how you feel there, it's just the nature of the beast with the standards of a time.

I'll touch on the rest in an edit or another post, I better step.

[Robert Hall]

I'd love to have a Town Car with the GT500 engine option...

[Drew Dowdell]

Cars that "lack" power:

Cadillac CTS

Infiniti G35 coupe

uh... what? :blink:

[91z4me]

Mazda RX8. How nice of a ride that would be w/ more power.

[NOS2006]

uh... what? :blink:

x2.

Mustang GT

[Eric77TA]

Cars that "lack" power:

BMW 3-series 4-cylinder

They don't sell a 4-cylinder BMW in the U.S. anymore - all current U.S. 3 series have at least a 3 liter 6 regardless of model.

[gm4life]

Who needs more than a 300hp Mustang GT? If you do go for the Shelby. The CTS has a 260hp 3.6 standard and an optional DI version cranking out over 300hp and with a new 2009ish CTS-V on the way who really needs more? If so call up Corsa run an exhaust and then do a computer re-program add a performance intake and cams if you wish with headers... I mean come on now. The new G coupe with 330hp is hardly what I would consider under-powered that is more than the last generation LS1 F-Body cars and they weren't exactly slow.

[Robert Hall]

Who needs more than a 300hp Mustang GT? If you do go for the Shelby.

I think there is room for a Mustang in the $15k gap between the GT and the Shelby...maybe a 350 or 400 hp Mach 1.

[LosAngeles]

Jeep Wrangler

Co-sign on the Wrangler. When I heard that it had that big monster of a pushrod V-6 with only 200 horses, I wondered if that was really the best they could do. I'm not asking for an SRT8 or anything, but come on now....

and give me a damn Crown Vic/Grand Marquis with the 300hp Mustang GT motor!!!

Ship already sailed...it was called a Marauder and no one bought it in droves.

The bad decision was waiting until 2003 and using such a car to shore up the Mercury brand

(getting all my boating references in)

Should have been a Ford badged car called the LTD 500 or Victoria 500 or something. Ford didn't have the greatest naming convention for their standards. Also should have hit showrooms in '98, when the redesign first hit.

Edited July 9, 2007 by LosAngeles

[CMG]

How about some of the higher powered better performing cars made available for LESS MONEY!

I wouldn't think the Caddy CTS-V should be in any list of this kind, it moves pretty good already.

A car I likeD that should HAVE had more power.... it's been out of production for a couple years now.... the Prowler.

250hpV6 was OK, but it coulda been a statement car.

[Diehard GrandPrix Fan]

This one.

that is, if I have $70,000 and only if they sell these things in US. Probably the only Korean car I like that is hand-made.

[LosAngeles]

How about some of the higher powered better performing cars made available for LESS MONEY!

I wouldn't think the Caddy CTS-V should be in any list of this kind, it moves pretty good already.

A car I likeD that should HAVE had more power.... it's been out of production for a couple years now.... the Prowler.

250hpV6 was OK, but it coulda been a statement car.

Co-sign on the rest of your take, but no one said the CTS-V needed more power....it's the more bread-and-buttery model trims. CTS-V was like that line's SRT8.

[ponchoman49]

I have driven most new cars and for the most part few of them really lacked power for there intended purpose and lets remember that 3.20-3.50 per gallon of gas. The Honda Fit stands out in my mind as downright slow just like an 80's car with a 0-60 time of 11.9 seconds from one of the rags. The Automatic equipped econo buckets like the Yaris, Kia Rio/Hyundai Accent, Chevy Aveo etc are too slow to easily keep up with traffic. Most mid to full sized cars had plenty of performance. A new Taurus surprised me with a 0-60 time of 6.4 seconds, my Buddys 2006 Impala LT3 3900 fleet car consistently clocks a 6.2-6.3 second time with it's so called ancient pushrod V6 and 4 speed automatic trans, the Camry and Avalon V6 will knock your socks off(when the tranny is operating correctly), the new Malibu V6 and Saturn Aura 3.6 are very frisky and never did I feel that I needed more in a front drive setup. The new Silverado offers plenty of scoot with the 5.3 and 6.0 liter mills but I think a 6 speed automatic would just add more driving fun and mileage to these vehicles. The Chrysler minivans with the base 3.3 V6 and 4 speed automatic are pretty slow, especially the new 2008 versions which gained some weight. Plan on taking some extra time to exit that off ramp and merge into fast moving traffic with one of those.

[Diehard GrandPrix Fan]

Maybe you need one of these. LOL.

If you have $70,000 to spend on a hand-made, limited production cars, if you want speed. LOL

Just kidding, since it is only for Korea, nowhere else, well, for now.

Edited December 18, 2007 by Diehard GrandPrix Fan

[LosAngeles]

my Buddys 2006 Impala LT3 3900 fleet car consistently clocks a 6.2-6.3 second time with it's so called ancient pushrod V6 and 4 speed automatic trans

The family has a 3.9 Impala, so I agree that it takes off demonically. Makes me wonder how the SS does.

[Drew Dowdell]

I'd like a CTS with a 5.3 litre V8 putting out somewhere around 350hp. I don't need or want CTS-V like performance, but 350hp and AFM would be pretty sweet.

[A Horse With No Name]

Just owning a CTS would be enough for me. You were lucky enough to own one, I probably will never be able to own one.

Chris