cp-the-nerd

That's not quite accurate. The Malibu and Regal were designed and engineered separately, which is why they share no hardpoints in the interiors and the cargo capacities are different. The Regal is even smaller than the Malibu in back and has a smaller trunk, a sign of the european Opel development. The MKZ has significant Fusion roots that you can see when you look at them side by side, so your comparison is ironic in that sense. I'm not arguing the Regal's failed marketing position, though. That's obvious from the sales alone. However, I've been in pre and post refresh Regals and I was impressed by the interior. Moreso than $40-50k Acuras, which is really the segment Buick is going for. I don't fault CSpec for his reaction with the high-end expectations he had.

The only thing keeping the Challenger even with the afformentioned 4072 lb CTS was the gearing advantage of the nice ZF 8-speed auto. You can see the horsepower advantage in the trap speed, if the Challenger was making the same power, with a 100 lb weight advantage, plus the better gearing down low, it would be ahead of the pudgy Cadillac, but it's not, it's down 1 mph in the trap speed. The math works out just like it should. And then there's the current gen CTS V6 weighing in at 3840 with an 8-speed: 0-60: 6.0 sec 1/4 mi: 14.6 @ 99 mph http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2014-cadillac-cts-36l-v-6-sedan-test-review I also found this archived comparo of automatic pony cars from Motor Trend. Camaro Automatic (pre-LFX, 312 hp) 14.5 @ 98 5-speed Chally 3.6L 14.8 @ 95 http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/coupes/1102_2011_chevrolet_camaro_vs_dodge_challenger_vs_ford_mustang_vs_hyundai_genesis_coupe_v_6_comparison/specs.html

They're both perfectly good engines, but I'm not going to ignore bad "facts" skewed in both directions. The CTS somehow takes 7 seconds to reach 60 mph, but V6 Challengers are supposedly running mid 14s? Not happening.

Your performance figures are a little off. The best the Challenger has ever done is high 14s and the Camaro V6 has always been faster with the exception of the much heavier convertible. 2010 Camaro V6 6-speed manual 0-60: 5.9 sec 1/4 mi: 14.5 @ 99 http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/2010-camaro-v6-vs-genesis-coupe-v6-comparison-tests 2012 CTS LFX V6 6-speed auto (4072 lbs) 0-60: 6.2 sec 1/4 mi: 14.7 @ 98 mph http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2012-cadillac-cts-36-sedan-test-review 2015 Challenger V6 8-speed auto (3946 lbs) 0-60: 6.2 sec 1/4 mi: 14.7 @ 97 http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2015-dodge-challenger-v-6-8-speed-test-review Slowest possible Camaro: 2012 Camaro V6 Vert 6-speed auto (4105 lbs) 0-60: 6.6 sec 1/4 mi: 14.9 @ 95 http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/convertibles/1109_2012_chevorlet_camaro_rs_45th_anniversary_convertible_first_test/

The Impala has two listings, one is rated 19/29 mpg, which is the one I've typically seen posted in mag reviews. I'm not sure why it makes a difference, but the 19/29 rating says it's the flex fuel capable version. I've never been a fan of "power without direct injection" arguments. Engines are either making power and efficiency or they aren't. The LFX version of the GM 3.6L was released at roughly the same time as the Pentastar 3.6L and it makes more power. Max output versions compared (Camaro vs Challenger) the Camaro makes 18 more horsepower and 10 more lb-ft of torque from 3564 cc (LFX) compared to 3604. We can talk all day about what might be coming out in a couple years, but it's not under the hood so you might as well be arguing horsepower per liter with a Corvette Stingray owner that just smoked a Boss 302 at the strip. It's not some unfair advantage that GM engineers embraced DI. It has it's drawbacks. Ford has advanced Ti-VCT to make more power in its N/A performance engines, Fiat has multi-air variable lift.

I've read several reviews saying forward visibility is noticeably improved, which gives the feel of overall better viewing since 90% of the time you're facing forward anyway. Camaros and Corvettes have frameless rear view mirrors too, which are really nice.

Yeah I missed that post where he said he finally drove it, and a Verano.

Stew, man, we're not trying to troll Chrysler here, the LFX vs pentastar debate is getting off track. The issue here is that Chrysler is developing powertrain and platforms too slowly and suddenly they're delaying products amidst Sergio's quest for a merger. Let's just say it looks bad, I mean you have to at least see that, or see why other people get that impression.

The 8 speed trans is outsourced too. ZF doesn't need to work on the 9-speed, Chrysler still needs to tune it properly. Platform-wise, their full size RWD cars are ancient and overweight, their high-volume compact car is floundering and overweight, their new midsize car is quite nice, but also overweight at a time when everyone else is in the process of shedding pounds. And the worst hurdle for Chrysler right now is that they DESPERATELY need some competitive 4-cylinder engines, which you mentioned. I thought they were in a better position financially because Jeep is basically printing money. I hope that the Fiat side of operations isn't becoming a leach. I have to disagree on a number of points. First, the 9 speed is having issues in basically every vehicle it is in, including the TLX and RR Evoque. Second, look at other actual fullsize platforms and you will see the weight is similar or even heavier compared to the LXs. They could improve this issue immensely anyways simply by going aluminum blocks on the Hemi. in any case sales are up, the cars, especially the Charger Hellcat and Scat Pack, are getting excellent reviews on not only power, but handling too. Remember, demand is so high for the Hellcat, which is a VERY profitable product, they had to stop taking orders. The 200 is selling like gangbusters, never thought I would see them selling over 20k units a month. Also under MT's real MPG the 200 beats nearly all comers including a lot of cars that "claim" superior FE. Weight is not an issue here since it is not a sportscar and still gets that FE and drives quite nice. I also don't think weight is a major issue for the dart, but rather I do agree they need a new family of 4 cylinders, the world engines despite updates , are nealy a decade old. New 4 cylinders are coming and no delay was mentioned for those, so about 1-1.5 years out. Also, the 8 speed, at least most iterations for FCA, are built at Chrysler plants under conract from ZF. It seems like the 9 speed was rushed to markets and I know the 8 spent quite a few years in developement and is wonderful in every application it is in. My brother's A5 wih the 2.0T matches up beautifull with it. The 9 speed seems half baked. Ram and Jeep are certainly the cash cows, but Chrysler and Dodge are also profitable. Fiat just isn't a good fit here and they have been hit hard by the financial crisis in Europe which sucks. If Sergio wants a partner, I think Mazda would be great. They could use skyactive and Mazda could use the Pentastar V6 with their own touches ie, my biggest fault with the 6 has been it's lack of a more lusty engine option. Heck, they are already going to be making a Miata based roadster. The problem is from an R&D perspective. Besides the Hellcat, what have they been doing? They released the 3.2L Pentastar in the Cherokee last year and haven't used it in anything else, so it's seeing incredibly limited production. They don't design the transmissions in house was my point about that, which isn't a problem in itself until you look at the lagging engine development. They are far behind the product momentum of the industry, and this latest announcement in combination with merger talks makes it look like Sergio is running blind. Their engine lineup isn't particularly that old. The 5.7 hemi was completely redone in 09, 6.4 was brand new in 11 along with the 3.6 pentastar. The 2.4 4 was just redone last year. New Hemis and updated Pentastars with DI are coming, but they are hardly old. GM's DI 3.6, Ford's 3.5 V6, and Nissans VQ have all been around far longer than any of these and GM's basic V8 architecture which appeared in 1996 in the 97 Vette was only replaced in 2013 on the 2014 Vette. Your definition of "redone" is way too flexible. The 5.7L hemi was "completely redone" in 2009 (major exaggeration) but the GM 3.6L is somehow much older? The 3.6L came out in the early/mid 2000s, then was upgraded with VVT in the mid 2000s, then received direct injection in 2007-2008 for 300 hp/270 lb-ft and was overhauled again in 2011 and dubbed the LFX with up to 320 hp/275 lb-ft. Now GM is releasing a brand new 3.6L engine--not a rehash of the last one despite similar displacement--with 335 hp/284 lb-ft. As for V8s, since the 5.7L hemi, GM has had the 6.2L LS3 and L99, the supercharged LS9 and LSA, and now the Gen 5 V8s: 5.3L, the 6.2L LT1, and the supercharged LT4. The '97 LS1 has almost as little in common with the LS3 as that engine does with the LT1. Let's look at GM's other new engines since 2012: the 2.5L 4-cylinder with 196 hp, the 2.0T (again, not a rehash of the first gen, despite displacement) with 270 hp/295 lb-ft, the 3.6T V6 in two flavors LF3/LF4 with up to 465 hp/445 lb-ft, and next year debuts a 3.0T in the CT6, a 1.5T and new hybrid system in the Malibu, and a new 1.4T (again, no relation) in the upcoming Cruze. Chrysler's 2.4L engine might be new-ish and warmed over by Fiat, but it's still one of the worst 4-cylinders on the market, same goes for the 2.0L. The world engines were a failure, adding "multi-air" was putting a bandaid on a broken bone.

The 8 speed trans is outsourced too. ZF doesn't need to work on the 9-speed, Chrysler still needs to tune it properly. Platform-wise, their full size RWD cars are ancient and overweight, their high-volume compact car is floundering and overweight, their new midsize car is quite nice, but also overweight at a time when everyone else is in the process of shedding pounds. And the worst hurdle for Chrysler right now is that they DESPERATELY need some competitive 4-cylinder engines, which you mentioned. I thought they were in a better position financially because Jeep is basically printing money. I hope that the Fiat side of operations isn't becoming a leach. I have to disagree on a number of points. First, the 9 speed is having issues in basically every vehicle it is in, including the TLX and RR Evoque. Second, look at other actual fullsize platforms and you will see the weight is similar or even heavier compared to the LXs. They could improve this issue immensely anyways simply by going aluminum blocks on the Hemi. in any case sales are up, the cars, especially the Charger Hellcat and Scat Pack, are getting excellent reviews on not only power, but handling too. Remember, demand is so high for the Hellcat, which is a VERY profitable product, they had to stop taking orders. The 200 is selling like gangbusters, never thought I would see them selling over 20k units a month. Also under MT's real MPG the 200 beats nearly all comers including a lot of cars that "claim" superior FE. Weight is not an issue here since it is not a sportscar and still gets that FE and drives quite nice. I also don't think weight is a major issue for the dart, but rather I do agree they need a new family of 4 cylinders, the world engines despite updates , are nealy a decade old. New 4 cylinders are coming and no delay was mentioned for those, so about 1-1.5 years out. Also, the 8 speed, at least most iterations for FCA, are built at Chrysler plants under conract from ZF. It seems like the 9 speed was rushed to markets and I know the 8 spent quite a few years in developement and is wonderful in every application it is in. My brother's A5 wih the 2.0T matches up beautifull with it. The 9 speed seems half baked. Ram and Jeep are certainly the cash cows, but Chrysler and Dodge are also profitable. Fiat just isn't a good fit here and they have been hit hard by the financial crisis in Europe which sucks. If Sergio wants a partner, I think Mazda would be great. They could use skyactive and Mazda could use the Pentastar V6 with their own touches ie, my biggest fault with the 6 has been it's lack of a more lusty engine option. Heck, they are already going to be making a Miata based roadster. The problem is from an R&D perspective. Besides the Hellcat, what have they been doing? They released the 3.2L Pentastar in the Cherokee last year and haven't used it in anything else, so it's seeing incredibly limited production. They don't design the transmissions in house was my point about that, which isn't a problem in itself until you look at the lagging engine development. They are far behind the product momentum of the industry, and this latest announcement in combination with merger talks makes it look like Sergio is running blind.

The 8 speed trans is outsourced too. ZF doesn't need to work on the 9-speed, Chrysler still needs to tune it properly. Platform-wise, their full size RWD cars are ancient and overweight, their high-volume compact car is floundering and overweight, their new midsize car is quite nice, but also overweight at a time when everyone else is in the process of shedding pounds. And the worst hurdle for Chrysler right now is that they DESPERATELY need some competitive 4-cylinder engines, which you mentioned. I thought they were in a better position financially because Jeep is basically printing money. I hope that the Fiat side of operations isn't becoming a leach.

This is a sucky situation. Chrysler was already in a position where most of its releases are refreshes (and a few Jeep branded Fiats), and the only major powertrain developments are the hellcat and outsourced 9-speed transmissions that haven't been particularly well received. While other automakers are debuting new cars, new platforms, and new engines, are we seeing Chrysler dead in the water for the next 18 months? I do not like Marchionne's current approach for "industry consolidation" whatsoever.

Oh and front Brembos.

The Regal GS is nicer than you guys give it credit for. You can option a Fusion or Optima close to $40,000 now, at least the Regal GS has advanced AWD, selectable sport suspension, and runs high 14s with a performance tuned drivetrain. Not that many new luxury cars give you as much for the money. You'd only be looking at stripper models of smaller cars like the 3 series.

I could probably forgive the design if not for the beaver teeth and mouth design of the front end. It makes Acura's worst beak designs look tame. Also, CVT.

Two very different cars. Really depends on what you want them for. A Mustang has DD capability, and you could always go 2.3EB perf pkg to get lower weight, lower price, and more FE as a step toward the MX-5's qualities. The real answer will follow some in-depth test drives. If you go Miata, you'll be kicking yourself if you don't get the Club. The base is for chicks with purse dogs.

Everyone I know with a crossover wont give the damn things up. It's the rear hatch that makes things so convenient for loading. Keep in mind, these new crossovers at any size are faster and drive better than sedans did 10 years ago. Most people don't even realize they're missing out on "driving dynamics" compared to newer sedans (much less performance cars).

It's crazy how good the Lambdas and the Equinox/Terrain are selling this late into the models' lifespans. I know they're all recently refreshed, but it's mostly cosmetic. Hoping for strong Equinox/Terrain LFX V6 sales in case I need a good low-cost family vehicle in the future. I've always liked the design and interiors, the refreshed Terrain really sparked my interest. Cadillac rebounded a bit this month, but I really hope things improve further with the roll out of the improved 2016 line up (8-speed autos across the board, new engines, ATS-V, CT6). I'm surprised the Camaro sold over 9,000 units, but the rest of the auto industry is probably more surprised that Chevy is crushing the compact/subcompact market.

Ugh that sucks! That's gotta be frustrating not being able to detach from the job on your time off. I've found as an adult that I find less enjoyment in travelling to a destination than just having time off at home to enjoy my hobbies. I'm uncomfortable enough just spending hundreds frivolously to have "fun" on vacation, and then I have limited internet access, can't play music (piano/keyboard), and lose all the privacy and amenities of my sweet "man cave" at home in exchange for the constant forced shared space. I guess I'm weird in that way. Man, I feel the same exact way! No, you're not weird at all. I feel the same way about vacations.. Thank you!! I felt like I was losing my mind while away last year. Sitting poolside or on the beach, my girlfriend was fully content reading or laying down from 10am to 3pm. Maybe 30 minutes swimming, maybe a break to throw a ball/frisbee or take a walk. I was going stir crazy, and what else did I have to do? Just some sh*t I brought from home to fill the void of being away: car magazines and a PSP loaded with old playstation classics. So I have a beach backdrop just to enjoy the "diet" version of my favorite pastimes. Awesome... and I paid for that?

What made you narrow it down to that specific model handgun? (Nice choice by the way.) I'll be looking into shotguns soon, personally. Pump action and American made, I was thinking winchester 12 gauge, but I'm not well versed in fire arms. I would love some input.

Ugh that sucks! That's gotta be frustrating not being able to detach from the job on your time off. I've found as an adult that I find less enjoyment in travelling to a destination than just having time off at home to enjoy my hobbies. I'm uncomfortable enough just spending hundreds frivolously to have "fun" on vacation, and then I have limited internet access, can't play music (piano/keyboard), and lose all the privacy and amenities of my sweet "man cave" at home in exchange for the constant forced shared space. I guess I'm weird in that way.

My buddy has a Ford Escape 1.6T and he likes it a lot. Says the engine is reasonably peppy and he's getting solid FE with it. Feeds the engine with nothing but premium gas and synthetic oil. His previous vehicle was a used Nissan Rogue 3.5L. He loved the engine but nothing else about the car, and he was constantly fixing problems with it. Before that was a 450(?) horsepower 2008 Mustang GT with the Ford supercharger kit.

Journalists are jaded. They tested a 15.5 second 1/4 mile, I don't call that "relaxed", that's impressive. As far as I know, only the Honda Accord Sport 6M is faster.

The Mazda 3 and 6 are two of the quickest models in their segments, why so lukewarm toward the skyactiv engines? Maybe jaded by 300 hp offerings everywhere? I do wish they'd design a new performance engine to go head to head with V6s and turbo 4s within the class, but volume engine against volume engine, the 2.0L and 2.5L are some of the best. The Fusion in particular is almost a full second slower from 0-60 with the 1.5T, and the turbo lag of these small displacement turbos leaves a lot to be desired off the line.

My first car was a five-speed Chevette. You guys have nothing to feel bad about. Now I feel really babied by my '95 Maxima. Btw, Kristin Bell played some really for lack of better words: horny, daddy issues, looking to get down with the first guy that winks at her kind of girl in Heroes. She played that role well enough. Acting wise okay, but I thought she's pretty. Any other comments would require me going into the pretty women thread. Oh wait, that one's gone... Yeah, I remember her in heroes. She was awesome. The writing on that show fizzled out really rapidly though. Massive plot holes, entire characters written out of the show, story arcs that dragged for an entire season that should have been wrapped up in 2 episodes... big mess.