Variance

What are you talking about? The 3rd-generation Altima is very popular vehicle. Sales are only slowing on the tail end of the current generation and the pending release of the much-improved 2007. In fact, I can't recall the Altima ever being a slow-selling car.

Nissans by Marc Ecko Yesterday, the Nissan division of Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) and lifestyle fashion visionary Marc Ecko, announced a unique strategic partnership blending the world of fashion and automotive design. The announcement was made at the MAGIC men's apparel and accessories trade show in Las Vegas and the partnership will allow each brand to retain their individuality while expanding their audience and reach. Read "Nissan and Marc Ecko Drive into Future Together" @ World Car Fans

...of the Honda Civic coupe. http://automobiles.honda.com/images/2006/c...en/panorama.swf I think Honda had this up well before Caddy started their campaign, however.

New photos but nothing new really revealed. The interesting thing is it was spotted testing on the Autobahn. http://www.thecarconnection.com/Enthusiast...178.A10793.html

For China, I assume? :AH-HA_wink:

TCC Test: 2007 Lexus LS460 There's little doubt Lexus has come a long, long way since it debuted in 1989, and the LS460 is the sum of that evolution. The new sedan is a technological marvel to the point even Lexus engineers can't recall all the gadgets available. The '07 LS460 is certain to raise interest levels, even among the most dedicated Euro-philes. And well it should. Lexus raised the bar with the original LS sedan's pricing. Now it is back with a car that challenges the competition at their own game. Read "2007 Lexus LS460: Breakthrough or near-miss?" @ The Car Connection

Bam! http://autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?...D=7325515080530

Long story short: -Let sister borrow car today. -Doors already unlocked when she goes to open it. I think nothing of it at the time. -Used the car later in the day and upon coming home notice that my CD case is missing. -Tear apart the interior to no avail. -Conclusion: Someone entered my car the previous night and stole my $h!. I could've sworn I locked the damn thing when I parked it for the previous night. Result: ~$150 worth of CDs gone. So goddamn pissed right now...

Probably the same. Nowadays, most manufacturers have a color LCD display with or without navigation in their luxury cars.

Hope you can find the strength to make it through this difficult time, Camino.

New Nissan North America Plant Planning Pending? Nissan Motor Co. is considering building a factory in North America in 2008/09 or later, Japanese business daily Nihon Keizai reported on Friday, citing an interview with the automaker's co-chairman Itaru Koeda. Koeda told the paper that Nissan, Japan's second-biggest auto maker, had not decided if it would set up a plant in the United States or Mexico. Read "Nissan may build plant in N.America in 08/09" @ Yahoo

Toyota: Moving Forward Slower Remember how Toyota said they are delaying the launch of the Tundra amid quality concerns? Well, that ain't the only one they're going to take their time with. The next Sienna, Solara and Avalon are models that could be subject to longer development time in order for Toyota to ensure they get it right the first time. The extra development time could delay the launches of these products by two to three years. Do you think Toyota decided to take heed of my words? (See "Toyota: Moving Forward...Entirely Too Fast" for elaboration.) Read "Toyota may delay launch of new models" @ Yahoo

Exposed: Hyundai Veracruz See the face of Hyundai's newest SUV and competitior to the Acadia and Outlook, the Veracruz at the link below. Read "Hyundai Veracruz shows its face" @ Edmunds Straightline *Update at post 17.

Judge for yourself: http://www3.stream.co.jp/web06/nissan/pres...ine/skyline.asx

Spied: Maserati GT Coupe The Italian sports car maker is preparing a new Maserati GT to replace the current Maserati Coupe/Spider . These prototype shots are showing the latest pictures of the upcoming 2+2 GT Coupe during some testing at Nürburgring. Read "SPY PHOTOS: Maserati GT Coupe" @ World Car Fans *Update at post #6.

Scientists Harvest Stem Cells Without Destroying Embryo -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Breakthrough technique might get around moral issues, experts say By Amanda Gardner, HealthDay Reporter WEDNESDAY, Aug. 23 (HealthDay News) -- In what could prove to be a medical milestone, researchers have succeeded in generating new lines of human embryonic stem cells without destroying the embryo. The breakthrough may enable scientists to circumvent the ban on federal funding of stem cell research, paving the way for gains in treating or curing diseases such as diabetes, spinal injury and Alzheimer's disease. "The whole goal of this is to increase the number of stem cell lines available for federal funding and give the field a badly needed jump-start," said Dr. Robert Lanza, senior author of a paper appearing in the Aug. 24 issue of Nature and medical director of Advanced Cell Technology in Worcester, Mass. Lanza was cautiously optimistic, although he said the final say on whether this strategy could widen U.S. embryonic stem cell research depends on politicians, not scientists. "The approach described here does not involve the destruction of an embryo, nor does the biopsied cell ever develop into an embryo at any point. Therefore, we hope this method can be used to increase the number of stem cell lines available for federal funding - and thus give the field a badly needed jump-start," Lanza said. "But I guess we'll have to see what the President and Congress have to say about it all." The promise of embryonic stem cells lies in their ability to be "pluripotent," and develop into any cell type in the body. Experts envision a future where stem cells might help replace diseased or injured tissue, thereby treating a host of ailments. However, many object to the destruction of embryos inherent in this research. For that reason, embryonic stem cell research in the United States has been severely restricted since Aug. 9, 2001, when President Bush placed limits on federal funding of the field. As of that date, federal funds could only be used to study stem cell lines derived from embryos that had been already been destroyed before the limit was set. This has turned out to be fewer lines than originally thought, and even fewer high-quality lines. And while some state and private money has emerged to fill the gap in research funding, experts say it's not been nearly enough. Most scientists agree that federal resources are needed if any credible research gains are to take place. So far, scientists have obtained embryonic stem cells by taking groups of cells from early embryos before they implant in the uterus. However, this process involves the destruction of the embryo. Lanza's new paper improves on research his team did last year. In that study, the Massachusetts group succeeded in cultivating mouse embryonic stem cell lines by removing just one cell from the mouse embryo. The procedure is similar to that used for pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, used to check for genetic disorders during in vitro fertilization (IVF). In this case, the mouse embryos survived. But then, a roadblock. "We tried to apply that to a human system and found that it does not work," Lanza said. "We had to work out a different technique and initially we weren't sure that it was going to work. It was pretty tough. Eventually it worked like a charm." Here's how. According to Lanza, the new research involved 16 human embryos left over from IVF. "We used a single-cell biopsy technique to pluck out one cell when the embryo was at the 8-to-10-cell stage," Lanza explained. This is the same stage used for pre-implantation genetic diagnosis. Excising a cell at this point doesn't interfere with the embryo's development, the scientist explained. However, the cells apparently do not like being co-cultured alone, so they were put into a dish with other cells. This technique worked to keep them alive. Using this method, Lanza and his team managed to get two stable human embryonic stem cell lines that behaved like conventional embryonic stem cell lines. "They've now been growing for over eight months, are entirely normal genetically and they were able to generate all of the cell types of the body," Lanza said. "The real importance of this is the potential that you could have embryonic stem cell lines that are pluripotent from embryos that aren't destroyed," said Paul Sanberg, director of the Center for Aging and Brain Repair at the University of South Florida College of Medicine in Tampa. "If these cell lines were allowed, it could help enhance embryonic stem cell research." Lanza's company will be working with the scientific community to make the stem cell lines widely available. "With the right resources, we could recreate as many lines as the scientific community needs without harming the embryos and help other researchers develop the technique," Lanza said. "We could move very quickly." Next year, he said, Advanced Cell Technology will be filing an investigational new drug application aimed at the eye condition known as macular degeneration. http://health.msn.com/healthnews/articlepa...143549&GT1=8404 --- This is fantastic news. I've always been for stem cell research and now it can possibly advance without getting the whiny fundamentalists all pissy.

It isn't quite that cut-and-dry...

I noticed that you left out any mention of the Solstice in your writing. That car is a big leap forward in Pontiac's perfromance brand image: It is light, nimble and RWD. Plus, it has pretty sporty styling to boot (though I prefer the Sky, personally). The upcoming turbocharged GXP version will push Pontiac's performance rep up even more. As to what you did mention: There's no hard evidence that the GTO would've been a better seller had it been retro-styled. The SSR was retro-styled and that didn't exactly fly off of the lots, did it? While I can't say why exactly the GTO didn't sell better, I (and others) can hazard a few guesses: -Greedy dealer markup when first released. -Not enough of an advertising effort on GM's part. -The (then) new Mustang stole some of the thunder. Pontiac these days is actually becoming more healthy, IMO. IIRC, year-over-year sales have increased and I believe there's a potential for more exciting new product to be coming our way (Commodore VE, anyone?). I don't think axing Pontiac would be a wise move. Pontiacs appeal to those who don't want a (compartively) stodgy Chevy or Buick and want a more performance-oriented vehicle. Think an American Nissan. If you get rid of Pontiac, a greal deal of those customers will likely defect to Nissan or Dodge (possibly Ford as well). The last thing GM needs right now is to lose any more customers.

Now THIS is a Cadillac... [sixty8]Not with FWD, it isn't![/sixty8] Seriously, I woudn't mind owning even a regular used DTS with their deliciously bad depreciation.

But wasn't the SSR the same way (terrific response to concept that would likely be niche product if produced)? We know what happened with that (although a Gladiator certainly be cheaper).

No argument here. I'm just saying those two are supposed to appeal to a wider demographic. Wider demographic -> more potential sales -> greater profit opportunity. Besides, how many people are there clamoring for a Jeep pickup?

Well, compact vehicles aren't what one would consider a low-production/narrow-market vehicle.

No Production Gladiator in Our Future Why? Because Chrysler Group CEO Tom LaSorda said so. His decision hinged on a desire to see a high-profit margin gained from the likely niche product. But hey, at least we got the Compass, right? Read "Thumbs Down on Jeep Gladiator Production" @ Ward's Auto

I hope, I hope, I hope...