z28luvr01

That decal on over the rear wheel really accentuates how the wheel arches just do not go well with this truck. That scoop looks like one of those stick-ons you buy at Autozone. It's ugly, but it has a HEMI, so people will be fooled into buying it.

And four cupholders in a two-seater?

YES!!!!!! Finally, a center stack that flows gracefully into the console. Very nice car, all around. This'll be timed well with the supposed Cobalt refresh in '08. My only gripe (if it's legitimate) is that the 2.2 and 2.4 should probably see some sort of hp/torque upgrades by then, just to keep them ahead of the pack.

I hope everything works out with you, Sly. Especially with Marcia....cars come and go, but nothing makes life worth living more than the special people in your life. That CDV is awesome. It's the quintessential pimpmobile!!! :lol: The body is in excellent shape, especially for a 79. It looks like they did a pretty good job painting it too. And aside from the driver's seat, that interior looks to be pristine.

I saw it after-the-fact on newsday.com. A ton of credit goes to the pilots for not touching down on the nose gear until the last possible moment. That took skill and confidence. Luck does nothing when you're traveling at those speeds. One question though - why would they have to burn off the fuel before landing the plane? To make it lighter?

If what I saw during last nights Isles-Rangers game last night is any indication, the game IS going to be a lot more entertaining to watch. Lots of pretty plays. Here's hoping they enforce the changes.

It's largely due to the abnormally warm summer we had. RIta seriously jumped two hurricane categories overnight. When I went to bed she was a Cat-2 (barely), now she's a Cat-4. Youch.

It's in Arizona, I believe on the western edge of the state. That's cool that you're going there, AAS. My parents went there during early August a couple of years ago. I can't wait to see your pics.

My laptop, in all its WUXGA+ glory:

This 1988 Cutty Supreme Classic is pretty sweet.

Wow. They weren't kidding when they said Ford didn't go far enough with the F150 interior.

Beautiful. That color really fits the car well, and the black scoops really set it off. I wonder if that sunroof will find its way into the GTO.

Here's my work one...I have one of those dual-monitor setups, so I had to take a digipic of it. Sorry for the bad quality.

*smiles* Happy Birthday to Cort, our resident Monte Carlo maven. Hope you had a good one!

1. Vette 2. Ion 3. the new Impala

The European cars will be getting the increased overhang, so that now both US and European Epsilons will have the same front overhang length. So for the US, there'll be a minimal increase if any.

The SS/SC's wing is available from Chevy Accessories, so in theory you could even have it put on a sedan. I had read somewhere that in 2008 the Cobalt gets a refresh. I think the coupe's design has some staying power, moreso than the sedan's....not that I want Chevy to push that envelope.

So I spent my allotted coffee break (I don't drink coffee) shipping a package out at the nearby post office. A guy who's delivering several packages stops what he's doing and asks me, "Excuse me, but do you drive a blue Cobalt?" I reply, "Yes." He then says, "I saw you driving it this morning. Man, that car looks awesome! I had never seen them except in the papers. I never knew they looked this good. Nice car!" I thanked him and haven't stopped grinning since. Boy am I glad I didn't get that Monte!

The van will proabably follow in due time.

Age: 27 Corvette GTO Cutlass Regal Eldorado Mustang Charger Maxima Beetle

I know it's not listed here, but I want to see the Silverado, especially the SS version. It's probably the only F/S truck I'd realistically buy.

Food for thought: the I6 now has 291hp without any increase in displacement. MT is at least partially wrong.

C&G Member Article – “Grading the Revolution” By z28luvr01 Many of us remember the now infamous car-carrier ad for Chevrolet that debuted during the New Years Eve 2004 festivities. That ad represented the start of the “An American Revolution” campaign for the bowtie brand, retiring the lamented “We’ll Be There” campaign for cars and the stalwart “Like a Rock” campaign for trucks. At the heart of “An American Revolution” was the release of 10 new or significantly redesigned vehicles over the next 20 months starting January 2004. With that time just about completed, and the 10 new cars and trucks are either at dealerships now or arriving soon, now is an opportune time to take a look at the results of the “An American Revolution” campaign, examining each of the ten new vehicles and their relevance in today’s marketplace while giving some thoughts as to the overall success of the program. Aveo Grade: A- The Aveo is based off the Daewoo Kalos, which also is the foundation for the Canada-only Pontiac Wave. The Aveo is currently available in two bodystyles: a four-door sedan and a five-door hatchback. Power comes from an Opel-sourced 1.6L four-cylinder that makes 103hp at 6000rpm, and to get that power to the ground buyers have a choice of a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic. Pricing starts at $9,995 for both the sedan and the hatch, and loaded with options each can reach the mid-teens. Many, including myself, balked at the idea of a subcompact, Korean built Chevrolet. I questioned GM’s belief that it needed two cars to handle the small-car segment. Well, not only was I wrong, I could never have predicted that GM’s small-car strategy would begin playing out at other manufacturers, namely Honda, Ford, and Nissan, all of whom have committed to releasing vehicles lower in price than the Civic, Focus, and Sentra, respectively. The Aveo has sold very well since its introduction, becoming one of the best selling subcompacts out there. That honor is pretty well deserved, too, as the car offers buyers a lot for this price range, including lost of cargo space, a fairly roomy (and well-put-together) interior, power that matches the competition, and fuel economy that leads the competition. Exterior styling is rather quirky (especially the front fascia), but nothing that won’t grow on you after a couple of days of ownership. Colorado Grade: B Chevrolet replaced the long-in-the-tooth S10 with an all-new Colorado that was co-developed with Isuzu. It is available in numerous cab configuration (standard, extended, crew) and suspension packages (ZQ8 sport, Z85 standard, Z71 off road). Similar in size to the S10, the Colorado is powered by four or five cylinder engines derived from the highly successful Vortec 4200 I6 in the Trailblazer – the 175hp Vortec 2800 I4 and the 220hp Vortec 3500 I5. Either of these engines can be coupled to both a five speed manual and a four speed automatic. Pricing for the Colorado begins at $15,990 for a base 2WD standard cab model, and well equipped versions can approach $30,000. The Colorado is a good truck that needed to be great. Given that the S10 languished in Chevy’s lineup for 11 years having received little more than a new nose and a new interior, just about anything Chevrolet could have released would have been an improvement. Unfortunately, the Colorado was barely competitive when it was first released, and now that almost all small truck manufacturers have since released new or redesigned competitors, it is now behind the pack, especially given the price Chevy is asking for one. The Colorado kept the S10’s tidy compact truck dimensions while the competition got bigger and more powerful. Chevy also has an uphill battle of a task trying to explain why five cylinders are better than six. However, take the competition out of the equation, and the Colorado is a wonderful, capable truck, and the sales numbers indicate that it resonates well with some buyers. Both engine choices suit the truck well and give decent fuel economy. The exterior styling enjoys the same smooth, timeless quality that adorned many Chevy trucks in the past. Corvette Grade: A The sixth generation Corvette was first shown to the public in January 2004. Using an evolved version of the Y-body (which is now shared with the Cadillac XLR), the new Corvette is smaller, lighter, more powerful, and more agile than its predecessor. This is reflected in the car’s exterior design, which can best be described as a tauter, leaner, more aggressive version of the outgoing fifth-generation. As with previous Corvettes, both coupe and convertible bodystyles are available. The Corvette also receives an all-new interior that does away with the cheapness that plagued previous Corvettes. In its place is a cockpit that features soft-touch materials, tight fitting panels, and contrasting colors. Power comes from a 400hp LS2 V8, which represents the most standard horsepower ever offered in a Corvette. Available transmissions include a six speed manual and a four speed automatic. Pricing begins at $44,600, in actuality a few hundred dollars cheaper than the outgoing base Corvette. However, fully loaded convertibles can approach $60,000. While the fifth generation put Corvette back on the map as a relevant high performance sports car, the sixth generation establishes it as a full-fledged supercar ready to take on, and beat, some of best the world has to offer. Once a straight line-only bruiser, Corvette now a sophisticated, refined, precise handling machine that outdoes cars costing several times more. Dollar for dollar, the Corvette is the best sports car out there. Corvette Z06 Grade: A+ After a one year hiatus, the Z06 moniker returns to the Corvette lineup for model year 2006. A beneficiary of Chevrolet’s highly successful Corvette racing program, the Z06 ups the ante over the base Corvette via a hand-built 505hp, 7.0 liter LS7 engine. Carbon fiber body panels and extensive use of aluminum in the suspension helped shave even more weight off the already svelte base car. The end result: a street legal race car. The performance numbers speak for themselves: 0-60 in 3.7 seconds. 198mph top speed. A Nurburgring lap time of 7:43 . Couple all of that the fact that the Z06 can be had for a “paltry” $65,000, and it appears that Chevrolet has redefined the exotic supercar. In Chevy’s push to turn itself into a serious global auto manufacturer, the credibility of the Z06 provides a huge image boost. Cobalt Grade: A- Late 2004 saw the arrival of Chevy’s replacement for the Cavalier, the Cobalt. Built off the global Delta chassis that debuted underneath the 2003 Saturn Ion, the Cobalt enjoys an excellent basis for a premium compact car, far superior to the 23 year old J body in every way. Cobalts come in two body styles, coupe and sedan. Both have a crisp, clean exterior that encases one of the best small car interiors. Chevrolet initially offered two engines in the Cobalt – a 2.2L Ecotec that makes 145hp and, for the top-of-the-line SS Supercharged, a 2.0L supercharged Ecotec that makes 205hp. For 2006 Chevy added a 171hp 2.4L Ecotec available in Cobalt SS coupes and sedans. The 2.2 and the 2.4 can be mated to either a five speed manual or a four speed automatic, while the 2.0 is only available with the five speed manual. Cobalts start at $14,190 and top out at around $23,000 for a fully loaded SS Supercharged. The Cobalt has proved to the pundits that GM can build a competent small car. The greatest shortcoming of the Cobalt would have to be the hard plastics that make up some of the interior. However, unlike many Chevrolets before it, they are substantial and do not have that hollow feeling when you touch them. Indications of Chevrolet's progress in the compact car segment can be found in many reviews found in auto magazines. While the Cavalier was frequently mentioned in compact car comparisons solely for comic relief, the Cobalt is now viewed as a serious threat to the category once dominated by imports. Some even go so far as to say that the Cobalt is the best small car available. Furthermore, the SS Supercharged is getting positive attention both the street and the track, gaining serious credibility in the sport compact segment. Sales totals for the Cobalt are on pace to eclipse those of the Cavalier, which despite being uncompetitive still sold pretty well. All in all, early indications are that the Cobalt will be a success for Chevrolet. Equinox Grade: B- Arriving in spring 2004, the Equinox was billed as a replacement for the Suzuki-based Tracker. Chevrolet’s new small SUV is in actuality similar in size to the now departed Blazer. Built off the Theta architecture shared with the Saturn Vue, the Equinox comes with just one powertrain option: a 185hp 3.4L V6 mated to a five speed automatic. Buyers do have their choice of FWD-only or AWD, though. Equinoxes start at $22,345 and can top out near $30,000. The Equinox has sold rather well since its introduction, and with good cause. It is a handsome looking SUV with a lot of room and a wealth of features. The interior is highly configurable, featuring fold-flat rear seating and a sliding rear seat. Several things prevent the Equinox from being the segment leader, however. Not the least of which is the engine. While few owners have actually complained about a lack of power in the Equinox, on paper the engine lags far behind similarly priced competition, in many cases eliminating the Chevy from many buyers’ shopping lists before they have the chance to experience it in person. In addition, much of the interior looks and feels cheap, something that should not happen in an SUV whose transaction prices are typically in the mid $20,000s. As if these problems were not enough, GM may have very well stymied whatever sales success the Equinox had by deciding to rebadge it as the Pontiac Torrent; only the front fascia, taillights, wheels, interior bits, and some suspension and steering tweaks differentiate the two. Malibu/Malibu Maxx Grade: B+ An all-new Malibu sedan bowed for the 2004 model year on the new Epsilon architecture shared globally with the Pontiac G6, Saab 9-3, and Opel Vectra. Alongside it (albeit a few months afterward) came a five door “wagon” variant, dubbed Malibu Maxx, that rides on an extended version of Epsilon. Both wore what at the time was to be Chevy’s new corporate look: a dominating crossbar on the front of the grille with scallops on the sides that evoke lines from Chevy’s past. Each also received an interior that vastly improved on the previous Malibu. Powertrain choices include a 145hp 2.2L 4cyl and a 200hp 3.5L V6, both of which can be had solely with a four speed automatic transmission. People looking for a Maxx will only find one with the V6; there are no plans to give it the 4cyl. Malibus start at around $17,990, and a fully loaded Maxx can reach the low $30,000s. Initially, the new Malibus started off selling very slowly before picking up a lot of steam. In a segment where pleasing the many is a must, the Malibu’s exterior styling was a turnoff for quite a few, seeing it as a combination of bland and awkward. Some referred to the front fascia as being “truck-like” or “pug-nosed”. The interior, while improved over the previous Malibu, contains some cheap bits, an ugly steering wheel, and the same overall quirkiness that the exterior possesses. Despite these negatives, the Malibus have a lot going for them. The Malibu provides a nice value for customers, in many cases buyers can get a V6 Malibu for the price of a competitor’s 4cyl model. Both engine options deliver excellent gas mileage, with the V6 being exceptionally fuel efficient. The interior is rather utilitarian and in some cases innovative. The Maxx, like the Equinox, features a rear seat that has fore and aft adjustment, and also has a fixed rear skylight so rear-seat passengers can take in the view overhead. Chevy deserves credit for showing a commitment to the Malibu twins, giving them incremental updates each model year since their debut. The 2006 model year features restyled, more attractive front fascias, and a seriously upgraded interior appearance that includes contrasting color combinations and a much nicer steerng wheel. Uplander Grade: C- For 2005, Chevy performed minor cosmetic surgery on the Venture minivan and renamed it Uplander. The higher noseline is meant to give it an SUV-like stance that GM believes will shake off some of the negative image associated with minivans. The Uplander also receives a new engine (the same 3.5L V6 found in the Malibu) and an upgraded interior. Uplanders start out at $21,990 but can top out well into the mid $30,000s. Simply put, the Uplander is an example of GM at its worst. It is well behind the pack in terms of size, available power, features, looks, and refinement. Even Kia, a newcomer to the segment, offers a better minivan for the money than GM. And to top things off, there are three other minivans just like it in GM’s portfolio, each mainly differentiated by front fascias and interior trim. The Uplander is by no means a bad vehicle, but it doesn’t take too much research to find a minivan that offers more to customers. Impala Grade: A- A restyled Impala bowed for the 2006 model year, featuring an all new exterior, interior, and engine options. Outside, the Impala gains a cleaned up, more upscale, albeit more anonymous and less "Impala-ish" exterior. The redone interior is vastly improved over the previous generation Impala. Gone is the mishmash of various colored hard cheap plastics, replaced by a simple, clean layout that is more inviting for both driver and passengers. Three engines are available in the Impala: a 3.5L V6 that produces 211hp, a 3.9L V6 that produces 242hp, and, for the SS version, a 303hp 5.3L V8. All three engines are controlled by a four-speed automatic. The starting MSRP for an Impala is $21,990, and fully loaded SS versions can reach the low $30,000s. The 2000-2005 Impala wound up becoming a surprise hit for Chevrolet, eventually becoming the fourth best selling car in the country. Chevy has fixed the previous car’s shortcomings and added more advantages. The new Impala is a tremendous value, offering a lot to customers for their dollar, particularly in the power department. To put things in perspective, the 2006 Impala’s base engine outpowers the top-of-the-line engine in the Impala of just three model years ago. The new V8-powered SS should make its mark as one of the best performing Impalas of all time. For all the added power, the new engines do not bring with them the penalty of poor fuel economy. These engines, even the V8, all equal or surpass the MPG ratings of engines offered by competing models. While the 2006 Impala has only been available for a couple of months, it has all the makings of a sales success for Chevrolet. HHR Grade: B+ The HHR (short for “Heritage High Roof”) is a new-for-2006 vehicle. It shares the Delta chassis currently with the Cobalt and Ion. Instead of a traditional wagon based off the Cobalt, Chevy decided to create a retro body that’s based heavily on the 1949 Suburban. The end result is a different looking vehicle that offers compact car buyers an option if they need cargo space that cannot be had in a Cobalt. The HHR features the same 2.2L and 2.4L Ecotecs that are in its platform mates, and both engines can be had with either a five speed manual or a four speed automatic. Pricing for the HHR begins ar $15,990 and tops out at just over $23,000. The HHR has the unenviable task of overcoming all the negative press it received before pictures of it were even released to the public. Despite being written off as a PT Cruise clone, sales are off to a very brisk start and reviews have been mostly positive. The HHR in person is quite a pleasant surprise. Its appearance in pictures is deceiving, as its dimensions are in reality very tidy. It’s obviously retro, which may turn off some buyers who want a contemporarily styled car, but it gets credit for being a unique wagon alternative. The comments about the Cobalt’s interior also apply to the HHR’s, tight fitting panels, attractive design, and hard but substantial plastic are all present in the HHR. Performance and fuel ecomony for the HHR are both slightly lower than in the Cobalt, due to the HHR’s larger, less aerodynamic body. Monte Carlo Grade: C+ The Monte Carlo received modest exterior upgrades for the 2006 model year, not nearly as comprehensive an upgrade as the one the Impala received. A new nose, revised tail lamps, and half of an upgraded dashboard are the Monte’s main appearance upgrades. Engine and transmission options are identical to those offered in the Impala. Monte Carlos start at $21,990, and a fully loaded SS can reach the low $30,000s. The retouched exterior and interior do give the Monte a slightly more refined look, but the car needs more, and given its status as the best selling large coupe, it deserves more as well. The exterior desperately needs a clean-up similar to the one the Impala received, so that it doesn’t need “NASCAR inspired” ground effects and spoilers to be a good looking car. By the time the model cycle is over, this basic body style will have been in existence for over 10 years. This is not to say that the Monte is terrible, as it is still a roomy, well equipped, decent (if unspectacular) handling coupe, and the additional power does make things interesting, especially in the V8 powered SS, which could very well be the fastest Monte Carlo to date. Commercials, Advertisements, etc. Grade: B+ The “car carrier” commercial got people talking about a Chevrolet commercial for the first time in a very long time. Other memorable ads followed, including the ads accompanying the Cobalt launch and a Corvette ad that ended up being more controversial than it should have been. Chevrolet was giving viewers and readers some product-based advertising that ceased to be a part of GM’s marketing strategy over a decade ago. During this time Chevrolet also began an aggressive sponsorship effort, earning spots on major league baseball games and popular reality TV shows. While it is true that the “stock footage with voiceover” ads have returned and the campaign has lost a lot of its initial luster, it has done its job in bringing positive attention to Chevrolet products. Conclusion It is easy to tell that Chevrolet is in a much better position now than it was before “An American Revolution” began. No longer is Chevrolet the laughingstock in the compact and midsized car segments. Its flagship vehicle is arguably the standard bearer for exotic sports cars. During the campaign Chevrolet reached its goal of selling three million vehicles, becoming the best selling passenger car brand in the US, no small feat for a brand that not too long ago had no identity and was perceived as a maker of behind-the-pack, “me-too” vehicles. Despite these advances, Chevy still has a lot of work to do. It still lacks a buzz-generating “wow” vehicle in the midsized market that turns the segment upside down. The trucks and SUVs are competent but losing some steam in the sales race to newer competing models, putting a lot of pressure on the forthcoming redesigned full-sized trucks to be nothing short of fantastic. At this point, with the “10 Vehicles in 20 Months” push now complete, the question comes to mind as to whether or not to continue the “An American Revolution” campaign. My suggestion is to keep it, only if GM Marketing can recreate the initial buzz that accompanied the first ads in the campaign. Using “An American Revolution” would still be appropriate, as the new full-sized trucks are just some of the new products in the pipeline for Chevy.

*smacks Sixty8 upside the head* That's for not mentioning the Cobalt as a nice FWDer. Don't let it happen again. :P

With the execption of the soon-to-be-phased-out GenIII engines currently in use in the trucks, all of GM's V8s are aluminum. Honda admitted they had a need when they asked for diesels in exchange for the V6 that's in the Vue. Their engine portfolio still has holes in it. The LS2 in the GTO gets 17/25 for the manual tranny. Not too much of a dropoff there, considering the nearly 700lb difference between the two cars.