regfootball

Ford seems to like making a big showing in Chicago it seems so I hope this is the case. Current G6 has been on the uptick and I think GM will milk it for awhile. GM needs to get an all new interior in that car.

when will we see pre releases in the press?

FUSION? GMI reports that traverse will have DI available on the 3.6. BON reports that Fusion gets a revised 2.5, 2.0 ecoboost, 3.5 and all new interior and revised front and rear.

exactly. the cute little engine that could BS is amusing but its childish to think they could put out a safe, reliable car like the big dogs can. start ups are usually to promote an idea or product to the point where the ground in people can sell out and cash in. it looks like here they couldn't even get enough momentum without gutting a bunch of staff. building cars is different than say, writing email software or some other cute little job like that.

GM got crucified a few short years ago for not having RWD to combat the then popular 300. the point to all this is that GM should always have some RWD entries, even in times when they are not selling hot. because when they do, then you have the platform there. and some will always want it regardless. the point is to always update it, keep it fresh, and redesign it on a planned schedule. in this regard GM fails. same thing with small cars. 5 years ago, no one wanted small cars so GM didn't invest in them. Now look at the mess they are in being behind the curve. GM's problem is being reactive and not proactive. 7-8 years ago the press and pundits told every automaker to buy many brands and chase every niche. Now, GM Ford etc are criticized for doing exactly that and are forcing themselves to trim models to get out of that mess. How did we get the solstice? Niche car craze, that's how. GM would not build that car now, I bet. RWD is always a core product, or has been, in many regions for GM. For them to abandon it or delay it or deplete it shows piss poor management really, they should be able to pull it off in spite of CAFE and europe and all that other BS. If they cannot manage the heat, then get out of the kitchen. Minivans, another example. So you're telling me the worlds largest automaker cannot figure out how to steal a platform and make one example of a minivan that would sell 60-70k a year? Incompetence is what that is. How f@#king tough is it to design seats that fold into the floor and to make it look nice enough and get good crash test ratings? Chrysler can figure out how to build it at a decent price, and GM cannot? Moronic, if you ask me. They are putting ALL their eggs in lambda crossovers and i think to use that as an excuse to completely ignore vans is again reactionary and short sighted. But that is how GM works. Here's a market segment in dire need of update that GM and Ford are ignoring. They need to update their full size / cargo vans for better mpg and handling etc. and such before toyota gets in on that also.

give chrysler props for attemtping to fix something that customers take contention with, and not letting the beancounters have the means to say 'no'.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/chrysler-to-ov...-interiors.html

auto news has a new story up Compass and Patriot to get new revised interiors this fall. Caliber soon after that.

auto news says TSX is to be first US Honda with diesel. i am not a subscriber so I can't post it, it was on their front page today.........

Toyota has some major marketing muscle right now and knows exactly how to push the buttons of all the clueless simple minded, non critical thinkers out there. And those, sadly, are the folks with money these days. The sins are that toyota simply does not have either good styling or anything for the performance minded (aside from the Lexus AS-IF). Toyota has done nothing more in this country than to tap into the mood and culture of the people with money. This is just more than cars, people -mediocre products that yes, admittedly have a history of being not broken down much or have had decent resale in the past -tapped into the green movement (which was a farce created by lefties and lefties are the most gullible car purchasers out there) -exploited journalism and internet better than anyone -marketing taps into people's fears and taps into women's thinking too -use that history more than the actual products today as a marketing ploy (i.e. brand image more than anything sells anything) -styling that is not cohesive but instead has characiturized traits of agreed to popular styling features -commercials and advertisements that really only seek to give individuals affirmation and make decisions for them so they do not have to think ("well, it's the best car") -incentives up the yang to buy market share at any cost chickens will come home to roost, but toyota has firmly got their foot in the ground in the US now and will always be a major player. In the process we send our money to Japan and they can just spit out anything and people will buy that and put us out of business. sad thing is so many vehicles are competitive now, its painful to see toyota get rewarded for their general mediocrity. I see a few things happening. -the barrage of incentives and cheap leases and increased sales have got to erode their resale here soon. imagine 300k camrys hitting the auction every year. Plus people will simply get bored with them because there are so many. -recalls and quality problems will break down the invincibility myth. Overpromise+underdeliver= mad customers. Many of these are on their first toyota and i think now these people will be less clannish next time they buy. -Arrogant dealers will upset people -everyone across the board will demand better styling and performance which toyota has not yet stepped up to the plate for. -prius will get lost in the shuffle of everyone else's green advances+toyotas fuel sucking trucks will give them backlash. -people will see that all other carmakers make reliable cars too They toyota myth is so strong though, i don't see their sales in the US dropping for at least 5 years.

that's part of it. (in bold). I still think CAFE is the biggest reason. An unfair blanket generalization, but still. RWD longitudinal chassis lose efficiency in the power robbing 90 degree transfer from longitudinal to transverse. Then, some more added weight and frictiony extra driveline components FWD does not have. But in the end, I don't think it's maybe a 1 mpg diff in the real world when considered with most engines. The part you don't hear is how FWD is cheaper to build. Build the unibody, set the engine on a cradle and drop it up / in from below. I think RWD adds a bit of $$ and fussiness on the assembly line, which is probably a big reason GM won't do it. Beancounters. The take rate on the Ford Chicago products for AWD is good. GM apparently is not wanting to deal with that, much. No AWD Zeta and only Saabs and Caddies otherwise with AWD for sedans. I was amazed Chevy allowed AWD on the Equinox, usually they fight things like that. When GM does offer AWD, they stick it to you. I think Chevy needs a RWD biased Caprice or Impala and its there for the taking, however, GM is spooked right now and my guess is they are planning to move Impala to a large stretched out Epsilon 2 chassis. What Chevy needs to do with Impala in the interim is simple......ditch the 3.9. Keep the 3.5 for the base models, put the 3.6/6 speed in the mid levels, and do some fixing on the SS. Put the GP GXP suspension specs in the Impala SS, give it some decent sport seats and put a 6 speed automatic with paddle shifters in it and spruce up the interior. At least make the Impala SS that is there now, an engaging car. That's the biggest trasngression right now, is they are not putting a fair effort into the SS they have right now until the next model is available.

vista=sucks

i've kinda thought recently of getting a fusion w/ stick when my 500 lease is up. 28 mpg is good for a mid size, and not far off what the better compacts actually get. blu, there is bound to be a bunch of supercharged SS cobalts left in the pipeline. Ion redlines too. with BIG discounts.

you'd hope we could get that here..........500 posts HOORAY!

i see no reason pontiac cannot sell 10k each of the wagon and sport truck beancounters suck.

'dumpy'

seems like maybe they could budge a bit more on price. these things may sell hot at first, but cars all over will be stockpiled on lots in 2008 begging to have offers on them. get the stick. get the ss. another caution....don't expect much more than 20mpg. I know its a big improvement over the p/u but nonetheless not a lot of compacts with pumped up engines get major mpg benefits. plus, camaro is on the horizon.

the hard drive in the mac air is a much smaller form factor, which means it may not have the same tech as a 3.5" drive. i believe it has a 1.8" drive like an ipod. optional is 'solid state memory', like a flash drive, i.e. no moving parts like in a hard drive and that also conserves power.

venza. venza. vulva. sounds the same kinda. toyota vulva.

that review was like reading a car and driver review of a japanese sedan.

the aztek accomodates the sex part just fine.

fast....new interiors due NEXT MONTH my guess is new leathers and plastics only maybe some gauge faces. http://www.leftlanenews.com/chrysler-to-re...ng-the-axe.html

charger styling=yuk..magnum not as bad, but yes, was limited.

subliminally we want to see people who have 'succeeded' fail because it makes us feel better about our own pathetic lives.

me also, about 5 times now