Flybrian

Welcome to the Choppin' Competition #25 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 Tuesday, August 22, 2006 @ 11:59PM. Only those votes cast during that time will be counted. Remember, the 1st place winner will recieve a special HUMMER-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!

Welcome to Choppin' Competition #26! Those who use cars and truck seriously need serious cars and trucks, and for decades, General Motors has stepped up to the plate. For durability, reliability, strength, and value, GM has long been the choice of professionals. In honor of the service and protection those professionals provide, we dedicate this competition to them, those who protect our streets, save our lives, and defend our nation. Your task, should you choose to accept it, is to turn a current or near-future GM product into a service vehicle. A service vehicle would include those used by the police, fire department, paramedics, and any branch of the military. Above are just a few examples. You can use schemes of your local agency or a famous one, such as New York City or California Highway Patrol; this is completely up to you. Also, if you'd like to make your entry a September 11th tribute, you're free to do so. Size guidelines remain at 800x600, so please size your entry accordingly. Also, please use a current or near-future GM vehicle (B4C Camaro fans, yes, you may :AH-HA_wink:) and that's it. The winner will recieve a GM-related prize from C&G! Deadline is Wednesday, August 30th @ 11:59PM your local time.

And the winners are... 1st - C.H.U.D. (62pts) 2nd - American_Revolution_2005 (51pts) 3rd - Burns (26pts) 4th{t} - American_Revolution_2005, Burns (22pts) 5th - 04monteintimidator - (12pts) 6th - RJBartrop - (11pts) 7th - YellowJacket - (9pts) 8th - Network Engineer - (7pts) 9th - Zulehan - (6pts) 10th - Network Engineer - (5pts) 11th - NOS2006 - (4pts) 12th - Network Engineer - (2pts) 13th - MRDETROITMETAL - (-2pts) 13th - MRDETROITMETAL - (-2pts) Congratulations to C.H.U.D. for his first 1st place finish! Lots of great entries this go around with strong showings for newcomers RJBartrop and Zulehan. Buick should keep an eye on some of these designs. Congratulations to all and thank you to all who entered. I hope everyone (and more) will check out the GM & NAIAS 2037 competition. You've drawn future vehicles already, so try your hand at something a little further out than next model year. Still plenty of time to enter, so let your imagination go wild! The 1st-place winner receives a Buick-related prize as well as having their concept featured on the Cheers and Gears homepage and Design Showcase! Check out the Showcase for all out past winners. Congrats and thanks again!

Suburban Escalade ESV GMC Sierra Buick Enclave GMC Acadia Pontiac Torrent You can keep the rest.

Exposed black rubber and plastic slapped on the sides of the vehicle. Cheap as hell. Anyway, I'd take any Jag (sans X-Type) over any Bimmer any day of any week. They're rarer, far classier, and something not everyone W.A.C. has.

Saab Enthusiasts Head for the Adirondacks 24th Owner's Convention in Lake George, NY Detroit, Mich. – Saab owners and enthusiasts will gather to celebrate their passion for their cars and the Saab brand at the 24 th annual North American Saab Owners Convention. One owner will journey from the land down under – Australia that is. This year’s event will be held August 24-27, 2006 in Lake George, New York at the Roaring Brook Resort and Conference Center. This all-inclusive family resort is situated in the beautiful scenery of the famous Adirondack region. Go to www.saabconvention.org for more information. More than 200 vehicles are expected to be displayed and join the weekend activities such as the Concours d’Saab, the People’s Choice Contest and technical seminars. Saab Automobile USA will also bring a array of vehicles, ranging from the award-winning Aero X concept car introduced at the Geneva Motor Show, a collectible 9-3 Aero Convertible “20 Year Anniversary Edition”, as well as a number of vehicles from the Saab USA Heritage Collection. Among them a freshly restored 1970 Saab 99, a 1973 Sonett III as well as a 1991 900 Turbo SPG – all considered milestones in Saab’s nearly 60-year history as an auto manufacturer. “Saab owners are unique in terms of their affection for their vehicles and the brand,” said Jay Spenchian, Saab Automobile USA General Manager. “This annual convention provides a unique opportunity for passionate Saab supporters to come together, sharing experiences and stories centered around their cars.” Spenchian will be the keynote speaker at the Saturday night banquet, updating participants on the “State of Saab 2006.” Saab is a division of General Motors Corp. Saab Automobile USA is the importer and distributor of Saab 9-2X, 9-3, 9-5 cars and the 9-7X SUV for Saab Automobile AB, Sweden. For more information, please visit www.saabusa.com.

1983 C4 Corvette (Yes, there were actually a few) 1996 C4 Corvette

GM's XM Satellite Radio Option Now $199 XM Satellite Radio is One of the Fastest Technology Rollouts in GM History DETROIT - General Motors has lowered the option price of factory-installed XM Satellite Radio (NASDAQ: XMSR) by 39 percent to $199, from $325, beginning with most model-year 2007 vehicles. More than 90 percent of GM's model-year 2006 and 2007 U.S. retail vehicles offer factory-installed XM Satellite Radios as either an option or as standard equipment. "The economies of scale and engineering efficiencies brought by the rapid pace of XM Radio installations across GM's product lineup allow us to pass along cost savings to our customers," said Mark LaNeve, vice president of GMNA Sales, Service and Marketing. "XM Radio has become a must-have feature for many customers and demand just continues to grow. Chevrolet alone has produced over two million XM-equipped vehicles." Consumer acceptance has made factory installation of XM Satellite Radio one of the most rapid technology rollouts in GM history. More than 60 percent of current GM customers with XM-equipped vehicles say they will prefer their next vehicle be equipped with XM Radio and 80 percent say they will recommend it to friends and family. General Motors, the industry leader in offering factory-installed satellite radio equipped vehicles, has built over 4 million XM-equipped vehicles since 2001 -- more than all other vehicle manufacturers combined. "The strong support of General Motors and its customers has been a key factor in establishing and maintaining XM's leadership position in satellite radio and in-car entertainment," said Steve Cook, Executive Vice President, Automotive, XM Satellite Radio. XM is the exclusive satellite radio partner of GM, which offers more than 50 vehicle models that feature XM Satellite Radio -- the most extensive model line up of satellite-equipped vehicles in the industry. GM was the first vehicle manufacturer to introduce satellite radio in 2001 as a factory-installed option on 2002 Cadillac DeVille and Seville models. XM Satellite Radio is standard on all Cadillac models. All GM retail vehicle sales with factory-installed XM radios include a three-month trial service period.

That doesn't even make sense. RWD two-modes are also being made. "Mercedes" and "reliability" aren't interchangable anymore. You're actually saying motor vehicles are not the biggest contributors to fuel consumption?

Wish my car had lots of rubber and plastic like an 80s Bimmer...

One picture would've sufficed. I didn't need to see a bunch of chintzy, dime-a-dozen German cars in a thread about luxury vehicles.

Good luck!

The pre-2007 Durangos are unmitigated $h! and the marketplace reflects that. If the changes are that significant for this model year, I'll acknowledge that, but the looks are still woeful. As for as making determinations, I'm basing them on Durangos I've been in and the general state of Chryslers as a whole. I'd be surprised if the Aspen blows away my preconceptions and sadly for Chrysler, I don't see the Aspen being around for more than one model cycle. The market is not there to support it.

Again, this ignores the fact that the GMT-900s are excellent vehicles to begin with, ditto with the Expedition; the Durango never was a good sport utility in any capacity. The first generation had the looks, but godawful safety. The current one is horrifyingly ugly, poorly built, and sucks gas like a bitch. The 2007 Tahoe/Yukon are further differentiated from each other than the Durango/Aspen. I'm not going to rehash this debate because I believe it has no foundation. I will say that the latest GM and Ford SUVs are standard-bearers while these DCX ones will (still) be also-rans. If Chrysler was trying to upgrade the interior, they failed. As I said, not only are most of the tangible parts (door handles, column shifter, console) still shared, they're still cheap as hell. The 300's waffle grille and gobs of chrome does nothing to restrain the gastropodical bloatedness of the entire rig either. Also, I sure hope they tinkered with the suspension because the Durango pitches, floats, and wallows like a fishing skiff in a gale. You can go ahead and pull the "well, GM does this!" line all you want, it doesn't save the Aspen. I think the market will bear this out as sales plummet on a grand level after the first few months and Chrysler resorts to fleeting the living Christ out of these things as it has (and still is) the Durango and Commander.

No one is going to buy the Aspen. The Durango its based on its pretty inferior in many regards, not the least of which are pretty lackluster build quality and pathetic fuel economy; I've heard of Hemis averaging 9-10mpg in mixed driving. A different dashboard cover and some trim changes. Great. Where's the real luxury? It isn't there. I'll bet you can get exactly the same features on a Durango. Look at the HVAC outlets - clanky and cheaply-cut. Look at the glovebox latch - possibly the most flimsy part of any Chrysler product. Same monchromatic interior, too. As for exterior differentiation, at least the old Yukon Denali was a handsome product. Chrysler styling cues are horribly grafted onto an already unattractive and bloated body. It doesn't even look like a proper Chrysler. For what it is, its still pretty lousy. In comparison to the other quality SUVs out there, its at a loss. And as for what it brings to Chrysler, I don't see what exactly.

Spending Green To Go Green BMW, GM, DCX to spend $1 billion on hybrid transmissions By RICHARD TRUETT | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS AutoWeek | Published 08/11/06, 10:17 am et Link to Original Article @ AutoWeek Going green isn’t cheap. Andreas Truckenbrodt, executive director of hybrid powertrains for DaimlerChrysler, revealed General Motors, BMW and DaimlerChrysler will spend at least $1 billion to develop a pair of "Two Mode" hybrid transmissions to be used in full-sized SUVs, luxury vehicles and front-wheel-drive cars. The $1 billion is not equally divided among the automakers, said Larry Nitz, executive director of hybrid powertrain engineering for GM. That's because the costs for each automaker go up based on the number of vehicles in which the Two Mode transmission is used. Each model with the Two Mode must have its own software calibrations, Nitz explained. BMW, which, except for the Mini Cooper makes rear-wheel-drive cars, is not taking part in the development of the front-wheel-drive version of the transmission but might at a later date. None of the automakers have ever commented on the cost of the project, nor have they given volume projections. Truckenbrodt said core development of the transmission's internal workings cost $300 million. About 500 engineers from the three automakers are working on the Two Mode under a single roof in an office complex in Troy, Michigan. GM is scheduled to launch the transmission first, late next summer in the Chevrolet Tahoe. The Two Mode is also slated for the GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade, both due in 2008. Dodge will use the transmission in the Durango for the 2009 model year. BMW and Mercedes-Benz vehicles will get the Two Mode. But neither automaker will say what cars or SUVs will get the transmission and when those cars will be marketed. The Two Mode transmission, when used with cylinder-cutoff technology, is expected to increase the fuel economy of a full-sized V8-powered SUV by at least 25 percent. That means a 5000-pound Tahoe could get highway fuel economy of about 26 mpg. GM will build the rear-wheel Two Mode in a plant near Baltimore and sell it to BMW and DaimlerChrysler. The front-wheel-drive version, which uses many of the same parts as the rear-drive Two Mode, will likely be built by DaimlerChrysler.

GM Considers Selling West Mifflin Plant Aug 15, 2006 10:42 am US/Eastern Link to Original Article @ KDKA.com (AP) WEST MIFFLIN, Pa. A union official at the General Motors auto parts stamping plant in West Mifflin say the company wants to sell the plant instead of closing it down as was announced last year. If the plant is sold, it could save nearly 400 jobs there, according to Rick Mismas, shop chairman of the United Auto Workers local at the plant just east of Pittsburgh. Mismas told the Pittsburgh Tribune Review that workers were advised of a possible sale in a union newsletter last week. General Motors announced in November that it was cutting 30,000 jobs to save $7 billion by closing the West Mifflin plant and 11 others nationwide by 2008. A General Motors spokeswoman at the plant said the company has not notified workers of a possible sale, but GM corporate spokesman Dan Flores says a sale is one option being explored at the plant.

HUMMER TV Ads Aim To Unveil "Surprising Truths" About The Midsize HUMMER H3 DETROIT -- HUMMER next week introduces a series of new television ads intended to continue the momentum of the H3 launch and convey some “surprising truths” about that vehicle. The ads play up the H3’s fun factor, while also touting its smaller size, maneuverability, low price and fuel efficiency. “Escape” tells the story of three office friends who go to great lengths to escape the daily grind of their cubicle-filled office on a quest for fun outdoors in their HUMMER H3. The spot was inspired by the epic 1963 adventure film "The Great Escape," featuring the legendary Steve McQueen. Movie aficionados will recognize tributes to the film, including the use of the movie’s original music score and an appearance by McQueen's son. “The goal of ‘Escape’ was to show how the H3 inspires people to break free from their hectic and confined daily routine,” explains Megan Stooke, HUMMER marketing director. “Anyone who works in an office environment can see themselves in these characters’ shoes, and may aspire to be more adventurous from time to time. The H3 owner knows how much more is out there in life and is compelled to explore beyond everyday horizons – they can’t be confined by physical and mental boundaries.” Those with a keen eye will be amused by details in the ad which show the desk jockeys’ resourcefulness – their escape tools were fashioned from everyday office supplies. A dummy made of envelopes with a box for a head and staplers for hands sits at a desk, so as not to draw attention to one worker’s absence. The three covertly exit their office through the ceiling, on a ladder made only of pencils, paper clips and rubber bands. They slither through the overhead air vents on creepers (the type used by auto mechanics) made of folding chairs on roller wheels, using packs of pencils as oars to propel themselves along. In the end, the trio flees the oppression of their office building and makes a desperate sprint for a black H3. Fred McQueen plays a guard at a security booth who witnesses the escape. The tagline “Escape Greatly” plays off the movie’s title. “Escape” begins airing on premium network and cable programs across the U.S. on August 14. “It’s Not Magic” uses humor to illustrate some “surprising truths” about the H3. This campaign will consist of several TV spots and broadband streaming video. The first four spots “Parking Garage,” “Home,” “Briefcase” and “Gas Station” air nationwide on August 17. The broadband video aspect of the campaign will launch later this month. “It’s Not Magic” seeks to dispel myths surrounding the H3 – reinforcing that it is smaller, more affordable, easy to maneuver and is better than or comparable to other midsize SUV’s in its fuel efficiency. All of the TV ads feature an illusionist who tries to make the ordinary acts of parking a truck and passing a gas station into impressive feats of magic. The viewing audience is let in on the joke as the title cards reveal, “It’s not magic. It’s the midsize H3.” The magician featured in the spots is Daniel Chesterfield, a character created by Chris Van den Durpel, a celebrated Belgian comedian. The character of Chesterfield pokes fun at the overtly dramatic performances of professional magicians. He is frequently featured on Van den Durpel’s TV show “Chris & co.” in Belgium. More information on the comedian is available at www.chrisenco.be. “Parking Garage” and “Home” show off the H3’s smaller size, as it easily maneuvers into a low-clearance parking structure and small home garage. Chesterfield wildly gestures as the H3 parks, as if he is working his magic to allow the H3 to fit into these limited spaces. In reality, the truck is simply an efficient size that allows it to manage these “feats” without difficulty. “Briefcase” shows Chesterfield magically transforming a briefcase full of (not so much) money into a Victory Red H3. “Gas Station” demonstrates the H3’s surprising fuel efficiency, showing it bypass a gas station without stopping for fuel, again with the feigned assistance of Chesterfield ’s magic. The H3 gets up to 20 miles per gallon on the highway. All of the new HUMMER TV spots were created by Modernista! of Boston. Modernista has been HUMMER’s agency since 2001.

I was over the MINI about six months after it came out. I could never, ever drive a car that miniscule.

Winner!

Allright, let's back this off social issues since thread is supposed to be about the car.

One thing I will readily give to Honda is - besides abborant models like the Ridgeline, Pilot, and Passport (which wasn't even theirs) - their fuel economy and emissions standards are largely impeccable. Toyota plays both sides and does it often and in a ludicrous manner; Honda stays on focus - for Honda, to success, for Acura, not so much.

I'm not slagging it because its a chintzy rebadge (its is), but because its awful-looking and not based on a real good vehicle in the first place, certainly not one that's Chrysler worthy in performance, luxury, quality, or ride.

A convoy of three SWB SV6s with Ontario plates. They looked sooooooo cute!

Polymer panels are one of those feautres you grow to love and part of what made Saturns such 'friendly' cars. A cute little wagon, a cute little coupe, and a cute little sedan - all cheap, all made in the same cute little plant in Tenneessee, with cute little styling and cute little plastic bodies that went 'ouch!' instead of 'DENT!'I hope Saturn doesn't 'mature' beyond that customer base.