pow

My post disappeared...?

Yes, Presidents Day sale

Faulty side airbag deployment. The '05 LaCrosse without side airbags got three stars; the '07 with standard side airbags got one star.

Lots of bling today... black Mercedes-McLaren SLR, grey BMW Z8, and a purplish Murcielago Spyder.

It doesn't have anything to do with the platform or structure... it's a wiring defect instead. The Impala did quite well.

Agreed. The Torrent has some nice interior color combinations and better trim, overall.

The Equinox Sport has hydraulic power steering. I wouldn't get the regular Equinox (made-in-China 185 hp 3.4, cheap touches like Aveo seats, etc.), but the Sport version (263 hp 3.6 + 6-speed auto) sounds very compelling. The Sport, however, won't arrive until third quarter 2007, about the same time the new VUE (US Antara) arrives. If I were in the market for a midsized two-row crossover now, I'd look at the Ford Edge or Mazda CX-7. My uncle is leasing a CX-7 for $249/mo, 24 mo, $0 down, 10.5K mi/yr... really an amazing deal for an all-new Ford.

Looks like an updated Prius to me... considering that the current version came out MY 2004, hmmm...

Find the torrent at www.finalgear.com

More recent Frenchie cars are rather safe. Wasn't the Renault Espace the first car tested to get a 5-star E-NCAP rating?

Glad to see the car designers, not the accountants, are having their way. Cool keys, felt-lined gloveboxes, damped hinges, rubberized controls, tactile steering wheels, ambient interior lighting, refined turn signal sounds, door slam thunks, and polished trunk/hood struts alone sell VW/Audis.

FWIW, the actual designer of the Solstice is this guy, Franz von Holzhausen... Interview of him re: Kabura concept (he has since moved onto Mazda)... http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?se...rticle_id=10554

It's hilarious. It's like a more scripted version of Borat.

Dealers around here are selling new 2006s for $21,990. Let's hope there are "normal" G8 buyers (those who bought the Grand Prix new, perhaps) in addition to enthusiasts.

The Venture's replacement, the Uplander, is quite a bit studier... ... although its side protection could still be better.

I really like the G8, but it does remind me of this.... ... the Mazda Mazdaspeed Mazda6. It's an enthusiast's dream with AWD, six-speed manual, excellent chassis, direct injection turbo, cool technology, AND four midsized doors, yet dealers around here are offering $9,000 off. It's an excellent car in every way, but no one's buying it, not even at $21,990. The lack of brand distinction and name recognition is killing its chances.

The Focus looks surprisingly decent. Malibu looks like a $65K Phaeton/$165K Flying Spur.

I agree. The sheetmetal surfacing on the new CTS, while less creased than the old version, is nevertheless elegant and fresh.

I wonder if anyone has named their computer... ... the Vamos Hobio Travel Dog... ...or the Wonderful Open Hearted Wagon? Mom's Personal Wagon?

That was my gut impression when I first laid my eyes on the actual pics of the interior, so it's more of an unaltered regfootball-style reaction. AFAIK, all my other comments on the 'bu have been positive. But, yeah, I still find the interior way too Fisher-Price and econo-grade for the segment. The AURA door panels are especially vomit-inducing. And I can't stand the shiny leather and thick orange piping...

They "got it" with the Silverado, Outlook, Tahoe, Enclave, CTS, Escalade, Acadia, SRX, Sierra, Yukon, DTS, Lucerne, Avalanche, G8, Suburban... The Malibu's (and the AURA's) just doesn't float my boat. I'm in love with the exterior, though.

2005 Chevrolet Astro 2005 Chevrolet Blazer 2005 Chevrolet Venture "Extreme steering wheel movement violently snapped the dummy's head backward (see arrow)." edit: Oops, dart beat me to it... I hate imageshack.

The G8 is a Pontiac in the same way an Escalade is a Cadillac.

It's also heavier and more fuel-efficient.

At least the Honda interiors have some form to them. The Highlander interior is a mishmash of weird shapes, bulges, and randomly scattered buttons.