Flybrian

I'm sure people bought the ForTwo because it was RWD. The key factor in making any car succeed is giving it appeal. RWD in and of itself isn't enough to overcome a completely mediocre car. Ask Ford why it doesn't retail Crown Vics anymore.

Totally agree in the spiritual and esoteric sense, but practically, I'm not sure how good it would be for anyone. Removing emotions from the picture, there is almost complete duplication of plants, employees, offices, etc. Take all the overcapacity issues that exist in each company now and multiply it several fold. The job losses would be staggering. And I don't see any benefits that a simple technology/assembly partnership wouldn't itself allow. This seems really pie-in-the-sky and just another "what if?" being thrown out there for fun. You may as well ask if GM and Hyundai should merge. Or GM and VW. Or GM and Mexico. Or GM and a raccoon.

If I were GM, I'd be offended that the press thinks I'd merge with just anyone, like some cheap hooker.

Heh. Give the guy some credit, he's a Seville pilot with class! Welcome, Speedy. Glad you liked what you see and I hope you'll be back here often! We have a pretty nice community here and we love new members.

Its real good luck. Trust me. Its like a four-leaf clover from hell.

Fine. $98.00.

GM fleet sales to drop at least 60,000 units in 2006 Link to original article @ AutoWeek By JAMIE LAREAU | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS AutoWeek | Published 07/17/06, 8:37 am et DETROIT -- General Motors' fleet sales for 2006 in the United States will be down by 60,000 to 70,000 units compared with last year, says a GM executive. The automaker is also getting better pricing on units sold to fleets this year and is optimistic about the direction of retail sales. GM's fleet sales are in "the mid-20" percent range as a portion of total sales through June, Mark LaNeve, GM's vice president of vehicle sales, service and marketing, said in an interview with Automotive News. GM's fleet sales fell by about 50,000 units in 2005 compared with 2004, LaNeve says. He predicts they will drop by 60,000 to 70,000 this year. GM intends to cut fleet sales by 5 to 10 percent annually going forward, he adds. A GM spokesman said fleets represented 25.9 percent of 2005 U.S. sales. "I'm not locked into a share target in terms of fleet as a percent of our business," LaNeve says. "But we're going to take it down." In 2005, GM sold 1.14 million units into fleets, including Saab, Morgan Stanley's auto analyst, Jonathan Steinmetz, says in research notes. A 60,000- to 70,000-unit decrease would mean a drop of 5.3 to 6.1 percent. GM's first-quarter fleet-to-retail mix was 30 percent, up from 26.9 percent during the same period a year ago, Steinmetz says. LaNeve says GM's profits from fleets are the best they have been in two years. That's because products are garnering better prices under GM's pricing strategy, which lowers sticker prices in hopes of cutting incentives. "We really believe the strategy has started to take hold in terms of lower incentives," LaNeve said. "Sales are up from a standpoint of share and running rate over the past three quarters." -------------------------------------- So, that shows fleet sales are not as bad as some would like to claim. I can imagine GM reaching a point where its still likely one of the leaders in overall sales to fleets (by sheer volume), but does so while making a healthy profit from it.

Gotta be in it to win it...

Following our tradition of bringing you the latest in General Motors news, rumors, and exclusive content, Cheers and Gears is proud to present our vision of the 2008 Cadillac CTS sport sedan. We know you've seen a few rear-angle renderings before, but we feel ours is rather accurate. From a variety of sources, including spy shots, the infamous 60 Minutes glimpse, and his own imagination, C&G member and Photoshop artist Frank Budzyn (NOS2006) created his own detailed rendition of what is arguably the most anticipated product debut this season. From what we've seen, the CTS' successor will reamin chiseled and taut, continuing the side detailing trend set by the 2003 CTS with a grooved character line jutting upwards into the taillamp pod, which are slimmer and house arrays of ultrabright LEDs, a Cadillac signature. A spoiler designed with integration in mind caps off a shortened rear deck; combined with a rear-wheel drive-proportioned hood, this gives the car a drawn-back and aggressive stance. We predict a wide-wedge third brake lamp inset into the deck's aft edge, creasing the decklid itself, much like the XLR. Wide, round dual exhaust tips will trumpet the vocals of its V6 or V-Series V8 powerplant. Inset rear 'grille' mimics the bold lower grille from the front of the car. Note also the wider look of the car. Our sources have confirmed that the overall track of the 2008 CTS has been widened by about 2 inches to equal the STS' track so it can accomodate all-wheel drive without compromising its stance or looks. So AWD lovers, your CTS is on the horizon at last. Also, we expect an increase of $1500-3500 in MSRP from current levels to make room for the rumored next-generation BLS to slot underneath the CTS as Cadillac's new price leader. Transmissions will include GM's new 6-speed shiftable automatic along with a six-speed manual. If you think this is it, it isn't. Be sure to join us later this week when we unveil a second artist rendering of the 2008 CTS as well as some additional details on the most-awaited CTS-V!

Ohhhhh...I get what the comment was now!

Those stores sound like they would have an overabundance of mouthwash, soap, and other hygenie supplies.

Merging BV's and Sixty8's posts would result in the largest pictorial encyclopedia of cars ever. And also end the world.

Actually, you're not. My argument is focused on fullsize family sedans where one would expect more trunk space. A sport sedan is more compromised in terms of overall space, trading it for handling, performance, etc. Obviously, trunk space is less of a factor. And I wouldn't start bitching about those cars in this thread anyway... There is no excuse for the Avalon's lack of cargo volume based on two reasons - its overall size and its rear design. Again, its a rather hefty and large car for such meager room. My car is even bigger and - yes - has only 16 and change cu.ft. of trunk space, but anyone can see that its tapered and more streamlined. Also, I don't have "intrusive luggage-crushing trunk hinges" that people love to bitch about, so all of that 16.x is usable. And, yes, I will criticize the Avalon because when the '05 debuted, even lauded over what a remarkable car it was, how it was a better Buick than Buick can build, how its incredible 280hp V6 puts the family car market on its ears, how Toyota finally managed to build a credible Avalon, one that is unique in the lineup between the Camry and ES. Well, here we are two model years later to see a 268hp Avalon being outclassed and far outengineered again by the Camry and ES, not to mention its competitiors who deliver more value, more performance, more room, more luxury, or any combination thereof. Three strikes, and its out.

My daily visuals show a good number of base 300s, followed by Tourings, and 300Cs in that order. You can rent anything around here, so I'd assume a fairly even mix of rentals. And, yes, I have seen Hemi rentals.

I think Moltar is speaking more to this apparent concern some have expressed about weight savings by choosing manual vs. powered windows in a modern car as if a difference of 30lbs either way would make a significant difference in the handling and drivability of a modern non-racing road car. Pardon the bluntness, but downing a box of ExLax and a quart of prune juice every day for a solid week would probably allow you to crap out two or three power windows.

Pics!

Costco is my choice, but I know for a fact Croc and Satty like giving BJs their business.

Heh. I sorta lied. The readout is no lie, but I drove home from work, errands, etc. for about an hour, parked in my hot driveway, and this is the temp after the car was sitting for like 20 min.

Flux capacitor

Exactly. As your preferences grow farther and farther apart for what the rest of the market wants, the cost to manufacture a car to your specs becomes higher. You can certainly could've gotten a well well-crafted K-body Eldorado, but it would cost you nearly twice as much as a 1970s Eldorado convertible because the demand isn't there, so you have to purachse it as a specialty.

That's cool, but this is cooler... That's a Russian Sukhoi Su-30 flying level at approximately 1 meter off the deck at a Chinese air show. Not photoshopped, not doctored, its legit. The pilot, Anatoliy Kvochur, is the same one who ejected from a MiG-29 milliseconds before it hit the ground in that infamous video clip. Great skill, great planes, just awesome. Can't make fun of the Russians after seeing that.

Albertsons is all over Florida as well and they generally suck. Their discount prices are based off having a Preferred Card and I simply don't want one. Publix is superior in virtually every single aspect.

Instead of 'yet' I should've used 'until pretty much just now.'

That's just retarded. Chevrolet's Zeta would go up against the Avalon that whatever Hyundai is kidding themselves with in terms of a RWD car. Saturn shouldn't go larger than Aura as far as cars go. There will be plenty of saturation with a Zeta Impala/MC(?), G8, and Invicta/Riviera(?). Its the same reason Chevrolet was never given a G-body - there's a lack of prestige and need for such a car in their lineups.