LosAngeles

Looks like we have a Japanese Lancia Delta Integrale on our hands...this is good. The front overhang is inexcusably long (OK, actually the engine is a good excuse) but so is the Impala. You get over it at other angles.

Been seein' U-Boat T-Birds around lately. Also, while seeing a black Charger with black 20s isn't unusual, a black LS400 on black 20s--DROPPED--is. And it looked darn sexy. I love when people customize cars that aren't the usual suspects.

But it's like any good hobby like comics or being into sneakers or records...or building a Chevy! Gotta moderate yourself. You might not get the first print of Marvel Comics #1 or the Honus Wagner card, or every colorway of deadstock original issue Jordan XIIs or own a best in show cover queen turbocharged 454 63 Corvette, but you can enjoy a hobby in your lane on a budget. Moderation is key.

Hobby cars are where it's at because you can actually fix them and because there's an aftermarket for when one does want to go a little wilder. When a toy car breaks or goes bad, it's time to throw it away. Unlike hobby cars, they're basically molds and glue. Not meant to be tuned and tweaked. About the only toy brand I could appreciate was Nikko because of the 1/10 scale cars they had. As long as you had a 540 motor (as opposed to the skinnier 380), you could play like one of the big boys....to an extent.

If I'm gonna advocate RC cars at all, I have to go with hobby-grade models over any toy kind. I'll return to it when I have kids. I haven't gotten down with them since I was 16 (when I moved on to full-scale cars). BTW, I still hate Associated to this day.

Oh, and as far as what I would use as a demo derby car, I'm sure some bulls--t ex-police/hack Crown Vic of the last 10 years would suffice. Then again maybe not...the gas tanks explode on those things. "Never mind!"--Emily Litella

Man, f--k the driveway, that thing would be on SoCal roads with me at the wheel and a chick to my right TODAY...and us getting on action similar to the avatar TONIGHT. I would too, because throwing a fairly together looking car like that in a damn derby or monster truck crush off is that bulls--t. The least one of us could do is tell the guy the significance of the car and for him to take all that derby language out of his ad. Save the good classics one car at a time.

This looks like a car one should be Holden Nova a fire: One of Australia's many Button Plan tragedies.

This week: -white Audi R8 -2009 Maxima -Datsun 610 sedan I forgot the last one.

Am I the only one who would rather see Mopar captive import a car from a brand not in this market? Say Fiat or PSA, or if they have to work with Nissan, at least a Renault? Taking something from a Japanese brand not named Mitsubishi hurts more than helps IMO (as the consumers have shown they perceive Japanese-badged cars to be superior no matter what, even all things being equal)

That worked about as well as asking people to be objective.

You mean like all those iconic beasts of the 50s? Of course people like to speak very hyperbolically on the web...you'd think every car company not named Toyota is doomed and that everything Apple touches turns to gold. I agree that those designs can't be rescued...I think that ill-becomes this TL, however. Yes. Please. Stop. I find the roofline goofy, reminds me of 50s cars ...gee, I came full circle with a connection in one post. In any event, I prefer the previous generation of Accords all the way (esp. the 06-07 styling, which is on my list) Thanks for giving me a place to get around to that. Internet message boards in general seem to beg the views of people who froth at the mouth to spew their unbalanced personal tastes. Pragmatists and objective types generally are ignored. How about a TSX or A4? Don't answer that. Speaking of Acura and Audi, to piggyback siegen's comment, Acura could be a real Japanese Audi if they were to push SH-AWD more often.

Uhhhhh no...that would be a rolling cartoon.

You know the fame and fortune types will eat it up just because it's European and expensive.

Would have to be a multibillionaire interested in wasting his money. Those types are more likely to see a sports franchise as a better investment, or are more happy about buying a Lamborghini or some car at a Barrett Jackson auction. Any car efforts not from an existing established company will likely not be all-American. Might be best for their survival. All that stuff was crap to me. And as far as Chinese products, they don't have to be built in China. If the U.S. installed a rule similar to Brazil or Australia, that could do wonders.

The LX cars could use a restyling and weight shaving, so as to get more fuel efficient and not become stale.

I look at it as their Chinese or Indian money buys such an Asian car company some credibility and inspiration, and the American or Brit (or other) who controls the brand (and design and engineering) some R&D cash to make something like a mainstream-worthy car worthy of being a Packard or Studebaker or MG or whatever as opposed to something looking like a coachbuilt kit car. I'd rather buy a Studebaker made responsible by new Asian money than a damn Dongfeng (what the hell is that, some sort of sex toy?) I have a bigger vision about how such relationships could work, but I won't wax too nerdy about them in this reply. I simply feel both parties could do one another a favor with open minds and shrewd shots being called.

And I don't even think there was more "there" there with those particular imports, so much as consumers wanted to try something different after getting burned Pintos, Vegas, Volares and the like.

Yeah, regardless of decade, I like AC feeling stuff too.

My tastes are funky soul, boom-bap/soulful-leaning Hip-Hop (basically stuff with a groove), and new wave feel rock. That generally came out of the 80s. Some metal, some house, some electronica, some R&B/soul of today is cool. I don't care for tinny throwaway flavor of the month ringtone rappers, death metal, overly angsty rock, gospel/Christian, and especially not that vile concoction known as techno....prety much anything your daughter listens to.

Well, I have one called Jam School where I throw all the soul and funk from the 70s and 80s. I have my make-love music in a list called BCD (for Behind Closed Doors) Hip-Hop before 2000 goes in one called Slam School. And I got a Workout mix for the stuff that would pump me up, aggressive or heroic stuff.

QUOTE(!!!TED!!! @ Aug 7 2008, 04:06 AM) [snapback]417737[/snapback]I have yet to see a facelifted Oldsmobile Firenza (not many Jbod Firenza's around, but I did see a mid 80's one not long ago). I didn't even know these got a Ciera-style facelift!? Neither did I. I also can't remember the last time I've seen a Syclone or Typhoon.

The bumpers are quite clearly from a Bonneville. And for a real return of brands like Packard or Studebaker, it's going to take the Chinese startups who don't have anything to lose unlike the American, Euro, Japanese and Korean companies that all have their core brands to continue to pump.

When thinking on it, I went with engineering that cut corners. I would think far more inspired engineering would have trickled over into the styling, performance, and quality. Completely different North American cars wouldn't have mattered as much, and the suspension, drivetrains, engines and such would have fallen in line. Might have kept them excited enough to not BS around with cars. They've basically figured that part out today, but they do have catching up to do. If they paid Toyota, Volvo, BMW, et al more attention, it would have done wonders.

All this hybrid hype, when's the last time you saw an Insight? And Supras are falling off the face of the regular earth also, esp. the last generation. It's like they all got eaten by the dragstrip crowd Nor can I remember the last time I've seen a 90s RX-7.