Flybrian

Damn. It would've been so much wittier if I were right...

Ecotec with VVT and DI. No 1.8ls. Only one company makes a 4cyl 1.8l engine and they suck balls at doing it.

GM Revises Third-Quarter Numbers Link to Article @ TheCarConnection.com General Motors Corp. has revised its third-quarter earnings report, boosting its net income and reducing its loss by $24 million to $91 million or 16 cents per share. Last month, the automaker reported it had lost $115 million in the third quarter but in a new filing with the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission, GM added new revenue from its finance arm, General Motors Acceptance Corp. The changes bolstered chairman and chief executive officer Richard Wagoner's argument that GM's recovery continues to pick up momentum. Last year, GM lost $1.664 billion, or $2.94 a share, during the third quarter. GM is benefiting from significant cost reductions imposed a year ago and expects to reduce to reduce its structural costs by $9 billion this year, according to chief financial officer Fritz Henderson. -Joseph Szczesny

Yup. Chance-Vought F4U Corsair.

Someone hasn't been to Avon Park, Florida.

Is it just me, or does 'Yes Essentials' sound like a brand of tampons?

Z and Bim, nope. Actually, taking it to my shop of my choosing next Monday. It should only be in for two days since they have the bumper cover and fender pre-painted, though I'm getting a full week on my rental since with my coupons, it turned out to be like another $40. Long story short, I'm coming out about $1500 ahead with the settlement and such. I'm satisfied. Progressive should've just fixed the car themselves because it costs them more since I decided to keep it. Oh well. My 'total' loss is their loss. BV, heh, mine are an inch bigger. Sorry.

Heh, well, I'll clarify by saying I love the old Imperials. Heck, I even dig the K-car Imperial, but this thing needs to be lower and wider to give it the same bold, domineering impression the Imperials of yore gave. Compare. I also hope that - if produced - its marketed simply as Imperial, not Chrysler Imperial. Chrysler doesn't have the dignity and finesse that Imperial always had.

OMG ITZ TOTALLY GONNA LOOK PIMPA@@ ALL YELLO +25HP!!11 Nah, just kidding. Actually, I'm going for the silver look. Some of you my remember us painting the calipers on my father's Bonneville red... We finished doing his rear calipers red and now its time for mine. I'm going for an elegant silver look to match the general shade of the car. Before... And after... Its now 1:03PM and I'm all done, just to give you an idea on how long this takes, including setup and cleanup. Approx. 1:30.

Welcome to the Choppin' Competition #30 Voting thread! Remember, artists who entered must vote for someone other than themselves. Those that do not vote or vote for themselves will be asessed a two (2) point penalty. Voters, please nominate three (3) entries in this format: 1st place 2nd place 3rd place Each first place vote earns 3 points, each second place vote 2 points, and each third place vote 1 point. Voting begins now and will end Wednesday, November 15, 2006 @ 11:59PM. Only those votes cast during that time will be counted. Remember, the 1st place winner will recieve a special Pontiac-related prize from Cheers and Gears! 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 VOTE----------------VOTE----VOTEVOTE----VOTEVOTEVOTE--VOTEVOTEVOTE-- -VOTE--------------VOTE---VOTE----VOTE--------VOTE--------VOTEVOTEVOTE--- --VOTE------------VOTE----VOTE----VOTE--------VOTE--------VOTE---------------- ---VOTE----------VOTE-----VOTE----VOTE--------VOTE--------VOTE---------------- ----VOTE--------VOTE------VOTE----VOTE--------VOTE--------VOTEVOTEVOTE---- -----VOTE------VOTE-------VOTE----VOTE--------VOTE--------VOTEVOTEVOTE---- ------VOTE----VOTE--------VOTE----VOTE--------VOTE--------VOTE---------------- -------VOTE--VOTE---------VOTE----VOTE--------VOTE--------VOTE---------------- --------VOTEVOTE----------VOTE----VOTE--------VOTE--------VOTEVOTEVOTE--- -----------VOTE----------------VOTEVOTE----------VOTE---------VOTEVOTEVOTE-- Good luck to all who entered!

I did. And it apparently worked.

Good to see BMW bringing HUD to the masses in a $60,000 vehicle. Sure wish I could get it in a $27,000 car...

Ditto! When were you there?

I'm pleased to announce that C&G's own GM Economy and Efficiency Guide has been updated to reflect the latest federal information for the 2007 model year. While the vast majority of models are included, a few (such as the Acadia and OUTLOOK) are pending at this time. We will add the data as soon as it becomes available. New to the guide are Marque Averages, which tells how economical and efficient the division is as a whole. The number is derived from simply adding the city, highway, average, and emissions figures and dividing those respective totals by the number of vehicle engine choices. Enjoy, as we hope this - along with our updated GM Vehicle Safety Guide - will provide you with the information you desire. Please share any comments, suggestions, or criticisms in this thread or via PM. Thanks!

I can picture Nixon shaking his jowls in the backseat already. Far classier (once restored) than today's prom night special Town Cars.

I bet it'll have a chrome-plated hood prop.

Imperial Decision Chrysler is close to deciding luxury sedan's fate By BRADFORD WERNLE | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS AutoWeek | Published 11/06/06, 8:28 am et Link to Original Article @ AutoWeek Chrysler is nearing a decision on whether to produce a vehicle based on the Imperial concept shown at the Detroit auto show in January. "The development teams have gotten us all the information we need to make a decision," Frank Klegon, Chrysler group product development chief, said in an interview. Klegon said a decision could come before the end of 2006 or the first quarter of 2007. He declined to say which way Chrysler is leaning. John Wolkonowicz, analyst for Global Insight in Lexington, Mass., said production of the vehicle, code-named CY41, should begin in early 2009 as a 2010 model. The Imperial was conceived as a luxury rear-wheel-drive vehicle built on the same platform as the Chrysler 300. But the big Imperial was nearly a foot-and-a-half longer than the 300 and six inches taller. The concept was powered by a Hemi engine.

New Step, Same Direction No way GM will kill the electric car says Lutz By JAMIE LAREAU | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS AutoWeek | Published 11/06/06, 12:37 pm et Link to Original Article @ Autoweek DETROIT -- General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner will reveal a new step in GM's alternative-fuel vehicle programs at the Los Angeles auto show this month. While not saying which direction GM will take, Vice Chairman Bob Lutz says GM executives believe electric vehicles are the future. GM's work on fuel cell vehicles may first bear fruit as a "series hybrid" vehicle, he says. A series hybrid could run primarily on electricity from lithium-ion batteries, with an engine as backup to replenish batteries, Lutz says. The backup engine could be a diesel or gasoline internal combustion engine. Backup energy also could come from a fuel cell. "Tom Stephens (group vice president of GM Powertrain), Rick Wagoner and I believe in the ultimate electrification of the automobile," Lutz said in an interview with Automotive News. "We believe that's where it's going." Such a vehicle would require "a much smaller fuel cell stack" than a vehicle in which the fuel cell powers an electric engine, Lutz said. It would be less complex than a parallel hybrid system, which constantly shifts between an electric and gasoline engine to power a vehicle. Lutz said lithium-ion batteries must be improved to hold a bigger charge and deliver the charge gradually. Lutz believes there will be rapid battery development over the next three to four years that will provide more energy storage. But, he said, for GM, "what started as a fuel cell project is now an electric vehicle project."

GM ready for Toyota trucks Tundra will claim some of the pickup market, but Detroit automaker is confident in its products. David Shepardson / Detroit News Washington Bureau Link to Original Article @ DetNews WASHINGTON -- General Motors Corp. Vice Chairman Robert Lutz said Toyota's redesigned Tundra pickup, hitting showrooms in February, is likely to be a strong seller, but GM doesn't expect to cede much market share to the Asian automaker. "They'll do well," Lutz said in a brief interview with reporters Monday in Washington, but he doesn't think the Tundra will steal much from GM's full-size truck sales, which add up to about 1 million units annually. Toyota Motor Corp. will open an $850 million, 2.2-million-square-foot manufacturing facility next week in San Antonio, where the Japanese automaker will begin building the pickups, which are bigger than previous versions of the Tundra and more competitive with GM, Ford and Dodge trucks.With the new Tundra, Toyota is taking on Detroit's Big Three in one of the most profitable vehicle segments, one they have long dominated. GM, Ford Motor Co. and Dodge parent DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group accounted for about 90 percent of the 2.5 million vehicle full-size pickup truck market last year, led by GM's 935,000 unit sales and Ford's 901,000. That pecking order is not likely to change even as sales projections vary. Analysts -- and Ford -- estimate sales of full-size trucks will be down as much as 8 percent to 2.3 million units this year. GM sales chief Mark LaNeve expects sales to "be up slightly next year." Demand has wavered this year amid volatile gas prices. Ford's F-series sales -- 901,000 in 2005 -- rose 3 percent in October but are off 10.2 percent for the year. Chevy's big pickup sales are down 10.8 percent through October. In September, Don Esmond, senior vice president of automotive operations at Toyota Motor Sales USA, told The Detroit News the automaker wants to double Tundra volume with the 2007 model. Sales of the current Tundra rose 17.1 percent in October, to just over 10,000 units. Lutz said Toyota was relying on heavy incentives to sell the pickup. GM's new 2007 Silverado, meanwhile, got off to a strong start with sales up 104 percent last month. The vehicle debuted in mid-October. "The customers will decide," LaNeve said Monday. "I do know that we have done a sensational job of listening to our customers." Toyota spokeswoman Denise Morrissey agreed the market will decide, but said the automaker expects to sell 200,000 Tundras next year, up from about 126,000 in 2005. Through October, Toyota has sold about 100,000 Tundras. Morrissey noted that when Dodge launched a redesigned Ram in 1994, sales tripled as 215,000 buyers switched to Dodge. "We've been competing with Ford, GM and Dodge for 50 years," Morrissey said. "We know the full-size market is very loyal and smart. Once they get familiar with the Tundra, get to know it, I think they will consider it. Loyalty is definitely key in this market, but it will only get you so far." Jim Quinlin, a Knoxville, Tenn., Chevrolet dealer, expects the Toyota truck to be a tough competitor. "They are going to take some share," he said. "But the new Chevy truck is great, so I don't think they'll take too much from us." David Healy, an auto analyst with Burnham Securities, said Toyota will be a formidable rival, but it won't be easy. "Toyota is not going to get a lot of the good ol' boys out of the Silverados and F-150s," Healy said. "The idea is mostly these are going to be sold to people who already own Toyotas and are looking to upgrade into that area." Lutz said when Japanese automakers grabbed significant share in the U.S. car market between 1979 and 1981, Toyota and Honda Motor Co. were building better quality vehicles. In the truck market, Detroit's Big Three build vehicles of comparable quality to Japanese models, he said, which makes it less likely loyal GM buyers will shift to a foreign nameplate.

Chrysler: $1,000 for your sedan Bonus is designed to lure drivers who lease midsize cars from Ford, Toyota, Honda, Nissan. Josee Valcourt / The Detroit News Link to Original Article @ DetNews DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group is so sure its redesigned Chrysler Sebring sedan can hold its own in the tough midsize sedan market that it will give $1,000 in cash to any shopper who trades in a Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima or Ford Fusion for a 2007 Sebring. The offer is available through Nov. 30 to customers who are currently leasing the rival sedans, according to several Chrysler dealers. Chrysler is counting on the made-over Sebring to attract new buyers as the automaker tries to bolster sales and restore profits. But the sedan is rolling into a midsize segment that has been dominated by foreign models -- the Camry is the best-selling car in America -- and also faces competition from the Fusion, which has been a hit for Ford Motor Co. Separately, Chrysler also extended five-year, zero-percent financing offers until the end of the month for 2006 cars and trucks and is increasing rebates as much as $1,000 on most 2006 vehicles. Chrysler is trying to shrink its stockpile of unsold models after sluggish summer sales resulted in big inventories that are dragging down profits. Chrysler lost $1.5 billion in the third quarter. Chrysler is also offering rebates of up to $4,000 on certain 2007 models, including the Chrysler 300C sedan, the Dodge Magnum wagon, Charger sedan, minivans and the Dodge Ram pickup. "We're moving into the end of the year's selling season and what we like to do is really close out the year strong," said Chrysler spokesman Kevin McCormick. McCormick confirmed Chrysler's plan for the Sebring promotion. Analysts say an incentive program that targets specific competing models is not unprecedented, but it is rare. And they're not sure it will work. "It's really difficult to get people from their Camrys or Accord back to the Big Three because there's a reason why they shifted into those vehicles in the first place," said Erich Merkel, an automotive analyst with Grand Rapids-based IRN Inc. It may be easier for Chrysler to grab buyers from Ford's Fusion than the Camry and Accord -- which are perennial top sellers, said Jesse Toprak, an analyst with Edmunds.com, a research Web site for car buyers. "In other words, it'll be easier to get people from the Ford Fusion than the Camry because of brand loyalty and brand perception," Toprak said. Not so fast, said Ford spokesman Jim Cain. "All I can say is good luck because they're going to need it," Cain said. "Fusion customers are very satisfied with their product in terms of performance and quality. And then there are improvements on the 2007 Fusion, like all-wheel-drive, that they can't get on a Sebring. They remain a step behind." Last week at a Sebring marketing event, Chrysler executives said the redesigned car will attract buyers in the intensely competitive segment because of its contemporary design and such high-tech features as cupholders that heat and cool beverages. The Sebring, which arrived on the market in 1995, hit an all-time sales high of 118,459 units in 2001 for the convertible, coupe and sedan versions combined. By 2005, sales had dropped 24 percent to about 90,000 units. Brian Ackerman, sales manager at Mike Riehl's Roseville Chrysler Jeep, said he thinks the cash offer could attract some lease owners away from the competition. "We usually don't see that type of competitive rebate," he said. Dealer Alan Helfman of River Oaks Chrysler Jeep in Houston was happy when he learned of the Sebring offering and the discounts on 2006 and 2007 models. "They're sweet," Helfman said. "We'll take all we can get."

See Edmunds re: Pontiac for yet another example of this mysterious turncoatedness.

From the sound of a 200-miles daily commute, I bet the majority of that is highway driving. For that, I'd immediately recommend a LaCrosse over a G6 or Aura. The Epsilons are great cars, but the LaCrosse is likely to be much more comfortable over the distance. I'll put it this way - a 210-mile trip from here to Orlando and back in my Aurora is a pleasure; in a Corolla, its torture. A fellow I work makes that same 210-miles round trip daily in a Ford Focus and it just kills him. We had a '98 Regal GS also for a time and that car was exceedingly quiet, smooth, and very comfortable to stretch out and cruise in. Very stable ride. From all I've heard combined with the limited time I've spend with a LaCrosse (CXL), the LaCrosse is just as good of a car, if not better in overall quietness and smoothness. I'll reiterate the feeling of many that the 3800 is pretty much bulletproof. We have over 110k on my father's 2000 Bonneville and he currently drives an average of 40-90 miles a day for work with heavy a/c use and lots of idling. The car has always yielded respectable mileage (19-26) and has given us extrodinary dependability. Even naturally-aspirated, the 3800 gives you great power and - of course - excellent fuel-efficient highway cruising.

Like I said, traditionally, as in -1993. Plus, the Ram seemed to lack some of the more thoughtful engineering of the Ford and GM trucks in favor of brute force and domineering looks. The MegaCab is one example of that Dodge correcting that shortfall.

Dodge has traditionally been an also-ran in the market, think MB, BMW...then Audi or Cadillac, Lincoln...then Imperial (when it was there).