Variance

Are they going to have webcams up before the show like last year? (Is this the show that had it last year?)

My dealbreakers: Ugly. Slow. Crappy interior design. (Depending on the car, I don't care that much about the materials.) Marshmallow/wallowy suspension. I cannot deal with a bouncy suspension. It's why I don't like driving or riding in older Buicks. Mushy brakes or long brake pedal travel. Not the least-bit confidence inspiring.

Like I said.... ...nothing alike.

What is up with all of the just plain off comparisons? In what way does the Nissan look anything like this?:

Does anyone think it would be a good idea to relocate the forum information section (which encompasses "Site News/Updates" and "Forum Feedback") to the top of the forums. I think it would make the member concerns and staff members' announcements more visible and people may pay more attention to them. Just a thought.

Happy New Year from the east coast! And I actually got the first post this year: http://www.cheersandgears.com/forums/index...view=getnewpost

-Variance January 1, 2007 Greetings and happy new year to all of the Cheers and Gears members! This is sure to be a fresh new year with fresh new cars and fresh new trademarks to be posted up for us to speculate on the future offerings of many automotive brands. And what better way is there to celebrate a new year than with a new Feature Article? Welcome to C&G’s Registry Rundown, a new monthly Feature Article rife with information and speculation. Here, yours truly will be reporting on the goings on within the records of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, bringing you the newest trademark applications made by auto manufacturers. Newly filed applications, ones published for opposition, finalized/fully registered and killed trademarks will all be covered. Here’s a quick explanation of each level of trademark registry, from the least to most likely to be seen used on a production product or concept car: Dead: This is the official USPTO term for a trademark that will not go through (or any further through) the registration process. Trademarks can die because an automaker gives up and/or just decides not to use it or because the trademark is opposed by another party. It is unlikely these will see use on any final product. Filed: These are applications that have just been filed with the USPTO and have otherwise not been published for opposition (the next step in the registry process). Most filed trademarks stay at this level and are sometimes made just so other companies cannot use them. What this means is just because an automaker has filed a trademark does not mean they will necessarily use it. Published for Opposition: This is the next step in the registry process in which the applicant makes the trademark available for other companies to object to or, oppose. There is a published of opposition date given (the date I’ll be providing). If no one opposes within 30 days or opposition of the trademark fails, the application goes to the final stage of the registration process. Publishing an application for opposition speaks well to an applicant’s intent of using the name or symbol. Registered: Applications/names here have been finalized and approved for a manufacturer to do with as they will. These are the trademarks you will most likely see publicly used. Now with all that said, let’s see what new trademark developments have been occurring as of late. Not much is happening on the strictly filed applications this time around. Toyota Motor is the only one with recent files. Toyota newly filed the name “Venza” on December the 21st, 2006. Personally, I’m stumped as to what this could be. There are no Toyotas with that name currently sold in the world. The word “venza” means “win” in Spanish. So apparently if Toyota fully registers this name, it feels whatever vehicle they’re going to use it on is going to be a winner. Uh-huh. Also from Toyota, “Triple Tech” was filed on December 7, 2006. The description reads: body frames for trucks. My guess is Toyota plans on using this in marketing the new Tundra. We’ll see. The Germans are dominating the PO section this month. Well, the Germans and semi-Germans, anyway. Daimler-Chrysler has quite a few. Strangest of all is “Hurricane” which will be published on January 16. Curious, as of course most know that “Hurricane” is the name of the Jeep concept that Chrysler Group claimed would not be seeing production because a business case could not be made for it. Might they be reconsidering? Maybe but I wouldn’t get any hopes up yet. Maybe if it sees the registered stage... Sticking with the Chrysler Group, we have “Hemisfear” being pubbed on the 23rd of the month. It’s described only as an “automobile” trademark but I question whether a vehicle is going to be named this. On the other side of DCX, Mercedes-Benz has published for the 16th of this month “GLK63” and “GLK65”. It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to know that any new MB whose name ends in “63” is going to have an “AMG” following it. I assume “65” still stands for their twin turbo 6.0L V12 engine. BMW published the name “7H” back in Dec. 19. You may or may not have known this is what BMW’s hydrogen-powered 7-Series is going to probably be badge as. If you didn’t, you do now. There are two newly fully registered trademarks via GM and DCX. Both were registered on Dec. 19th, 2006. First, from GM we have “Firebird”. Is Pontiac’s Camaro counterpart coming back?? Well, many people have expressed to low likelihood of a Firebird revival and it looks like they still have a point for now. As the USPTO describes it, the name has been registered for use with “automobile hoods, door panels for land vehicles, fitted covers for vehicles [and] vehicle seat covers.” There’s nothing that explicitly mentions an entire vehicle. Looks like fans of the flaming chicken are still SOL for the foreseeable future. The other registry by way of DCX is the “AMC” name and logo. Could the American Motors Corporation be coming back? You bet they are...! In clothing form. Sorry, you raving Pacer fan, but the application only applies to “t-shirts” and nothing more. Dang, I was so looking forward to the return of the Gremlin. Okay, I ended on two teases. Sorry. I promise not to jerk you around like that again...until the next installment. Thanks for reading and tune in next month for the next Registry Rundown.

On my list-o-attractiveness (top being most): Altima Legacy Mazda6 Passat Aura Fusion Camry Sonata Malibu G6 Milan Accord Lacrosse Forenza Optima Galant Avenger Disease-infected crack whore Sebring

It just occured to me to put a question mark on the thing on the off chance that these are only renderings.

Revealed?: New BMW M3 Coupe Courtesy of the UK's Car magazine and the forum M3 Post. M3 Post

Chevrolet Returns to NYC as Timekeeper of Times Square DETROIT – Chevrolet will return to New York City with a permanent presence in Times Square. Representing Chevy’s first long-standing presence in Times Square since the 1950s, Chevrolet is installing an iconic clock on the One Times Square building, just below the “Ball Lowering” location on New Year’s Eve that will mark the time in the “crossroads of the world.” The timepiece will alternate between a series of animated clock faces…a signal of things to come. “ Times Square, like Chevrolet, holds an iconic place in American popular culture,” said Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager. “It’s a global town square where people come together to commemorate important moments and Chevrolet is proud to become the timekeeper in Times Square.” Chevrolet is the “Official Ride of New Year’s Eve in Times Square” as part of its marketing partnership with Countdown Entertainment, the Times Square Alliance and the City of New York. For the second straight year, Chevrolet will provide tens of thousands of festive hats for revelers. And in addition to co-branding on the Mayor's Stage and media riser, Chevy branding will appear on the crystal podium used by Mayor Bloomberg to begin the midnight “Ball Lowering” from the top of the One Times Square building. Chevrolet will culminate a year marked by major truck launches, including the Avalanche, Suburban and Tahoe, with new creative for the all-new Silverado under the “Our Country. Our Truck.” campaign. Chevrolet also confirmed it is again sponsoring the network New Year’s Eve broadcasts on ABC, Fox and NBC, during which the automaker will debut two new Silverado spots, including one focusing on Silverado’s prestigious honor of being named MotorTrend’s “Truck of the Year.” “We launched our ‘American Revolution’ campaign in Times Square on December 31, 2004 to signal that big changes were in the works at Chevrolet,” said Peper . “Three years later, the ‘Revolution’ has taken hold. We’re thrilled that the 2007 Silverado was named ‘Truck of the Year’ and what better way to celebrate than on New Year’s Eve in Times Square – the biggest party of the year.” [source: General Motors]

Honda to Sell General Market Fuel Cell Cars by 2018 Honda Motor Co. expects to sell fuel-cell vehicles in the general market by 2018, a news report said today. Honda President Takeo Fukui disclosed the forecast in a recent interview, Kyodo News agency said. In September, Japan’s third-largest automaker unveiled its FCX Concept fuel-cell car, which is planned for limited marketing in Japan and the United States in 2008. Honda declined to say what the vehicle will cost. Detroit Free Press

They mean a hybrid only vehicle with no available gasoline-only powered versions.

Chrysler/Chery Small Car Partnership All But Confirmed The Chrysler Group has signed a letter of intent to import to the United States subcompact cars built in China by Chery Automobile, the first such deal between U.S. and Chinese automakers. Chrysler spokesman Jason Vines said the letter was signed a couple of weeks ago, and would be presented to DaimlerChrysler AG’s supervisory board for approval next month. Detroit Free Press

You're not serious are you? I see exactly zero Equinox in the Rogue interior. BTW, I know I pictured the old Equinox interior. It's impossible to rip off an interior that was released around the same time (new Equinox interior). Plus, the Rogue doesn't look like that one, either.

Inside Info: BMW X6 German magazine Auto Zeitung has spilled more information on BMW’s upcoming X6 Coupe, a sporty version of the hugely successful X5. Scheduled for release in the beginning of 2008, the X6 will share the same four-door coupe styling made so popular by the CLS, but will do so on the same platform as the X5. Being a “fun SUV,” the X6 will come with a more driver-oriented interior and range of powerful engines. The relationship between the X5 and X6 will be the same as the 5 and 6-series – more sporting and upscale. BMW’s goal is to target the Porsche Cayenne by having a vehicle that is both more fun to drive and cheaper to boot. The X6 will get engines from the cream of the crop, including the following already found in BMW’s other offerings: Twin-turbo 3.0L diesel with 286hp Twin-turbo 3.0L petrol with 300hp 4.8L petrol V8 with 367hp Motor Authority

It's kind of hard to lose money on a platform you've been using for almost three decades. They wouldn't lose money on the Town Car if it was a three-decade-old unibody, either. BTW GM, do not bother with a CTS wagon. Mark my words, it will not sell. Not even BMW can sell wagons. Audi and Subaru pretty much have a lock on the low and high ends of that market.

Dec. 22: Mike Evans ("Lionel Jefferson") -- http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/TV/12/22/o...s.ap/index.html Dec. 25: James Brown -- http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Music/12/2...n.ap/index.html Dec. 26 (today): Fmr. President Gerald Ford -- http://cbs4boston.com/topstories/topstorie..._227195601.html R.I.P. to all three.

Total non sequitur here: I was just reading over some of my old work and patting myself on the back. I think I should have some new stuff up by new year's.

Bribery Exposed in DCX Investigation DaimlerChrysler AG has hired former FBI director Louis Freeh to serve as an outside monitor as it nears the end of a two-year internal investigation that has uncovered multiple instances of bribery by company employees, according to people familiar with the situation. The massive internal investigation found employees at the automaker's Mercedes division bribed officials in Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe, the people said. The bribery allegations, brought to light in 2004 by company whistle-blowers, also are the focus of a civil investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission and a criminal probe by the Justice Department. Company officials would not comment on the findings of the internal probe. "The company is very determined to operate our business with the highest ethical standards. We take these matters very seriously," DaimlerChrysler spokesman Han Tjan said. "We're still conducting our investigation." The Detroit News

Lutz Not Happy with Changing Fuel Economy Rules A proposal to increase the U.S. fuel economy standards would force Detroit-based automakers market to "hand over" the market for trucks and sport utility vehicles to Japanese manufacturers, a senior General Motors Corp.(NYSE:GM - news) executive said. Bob Lutz, GM's vice-chairman and the head of the company's global product development team, said the proposed changes to the government's Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards would represent an unfair burden on the traditional Big Three automakers. "For one thing, it puts us, the domestic manufacturers, at odds with the desires of most of our customers, namely larger vehicles," Lutz said in a year-end posting on a Web site maintained by GM. He added: "That effectively hands the truck and SUV market over to the imports, particularly the Japanese, who have earned years of accumulated credits from their fleets of formerly very small cars." Lutz, a long-time critic of government fuel economy regulations, compared the attempt to force carmakers to sell smaller vehicles to "fighting the nation's obesity problem by forcing clothing manufacturers to sell garments only in small sizes." Yahoo Original GM Fastlane blog entry

It's the new corporate grille. What would you have them use? It's within an inch of its competitors'.

Edmunds Evaluation: 2007 Nissan Altima 3.5SE Remember the '80s? You know — leg warmers, the Cold War, Punky Brewster? At the tail end of that let's-just-forget-it-ever-happened decade, Nissan introduced a revamped Maxima, the ads for which bore the well-known tagline: "The four-door sports car." Fast-forward 18 years. Driving the 2007 Nissan Altima 3.5 SE, that old tagline keeps popping into the brain. And while real sports cars don't have automatic transmissions or front-wheel drive or even a backseat, it's obvious that Nissan has quietly made the Altima the spiritual successor of that tagline's underlying philosophy: Just because a car has four doors doesn't mean it has to drive like a dumpster. Edmunds

Seriously, I can respect your reasons for not wanting an import but you have to realize how difficult that makes things especially in this instance with minivans where the domestics don't have particularly strong offerings. But this all seems to be moot right now, anyway.

http://www.cheersandgears.com/forums/index...showtopic=14308