Flybrian

Body-on-frame SUVs. Suburban/Tahoe will survive always. Everything else from Pathfinder to Durango to Navigator to Sequoia is questionable.

Bulbous headlamp clusters. Radio antennas from Nikko R/C cars. It doesn't look 'sporty'; it looks like you broke your regular antenna and bought this at PepBoys. Either stick on a mast or integrate into the glass. Obnoxious fender repeaters. Bulbous hoods to meet EUROCAP pedestrian regs. Not only is the mandate hillarious ignorant and stupid, but the cars that meet it are looking similar. Enormous rear license plate cutouts designed to accomodate both American and incorrectly-sized foreign plates. Huge asses that make 17" and 18" wheels look undersized (see M3/45, Passat, Avalon) Whatever this color is... ...it needs to DIE.

SPIED! Pontiac G8 Samantha Stevens | 08/28/2007 | Link to Original Article @ Wheels Wheels reader Jesse White has snapped up some shots of a Pontiac G8 out for a Sunday drive in the south-eastern suburbs of Victoria. According to our spy snapper, this nostrilled model looked quite the production-ready American car - but with 17-inch Holden-spec wheels. Thanks Jesse!

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I will re-up my vote for standard auto headlamps on all vehicles as the foolish douche driving the RAV4 on an unlit access road around Tampa International tonight didn't have any headlamps on at all. I flashed my high-beams at him, he flashed his back in a 'f@#k you' fashion. I'll probably see that thing in a ditch tomorrow. Automatic lamps are must-haves if your interior gauges are constantly backlit like Toyota's are.

Link to any follow-up article that provides further evidence of this less-than-resiliant frame?

I still cannot look at the Accord and see a car worth over $24,000.

On our cars at least, it chimes once only when locking activating using the driver's door. Hit it twice in succession, and it'll power lock. The purpose of that is as a reminder, "You sure you want to lock the door? Got your keys?" I admit it saved me once or twice when my fob was dead and needed a new battery. Not sure how it is on certain other cars. Of course, to me things like bi-xenons and GPS are completely useless. I'd rather spend the navigation money on chrome wheels and a moonroof, but to each their own. That's why its good that automakers should include the basics along with the extras.

I will also say this - the GXPs do not look nearly as bad as those original studio photos GM released made them out to be. Even with the Street Pack gaudiness (scoops and hammerhead spoiler), its not terrible. Without those, I'd say attractive even. The illustration in the brochure is much better.

Where's the Crocodile Dundee in L.A. desktop? Where's the shortcut to GMI? I'm disappointed... Mine: Wanna trade desktop icons for a day? A few hours?

2008 Pontiac full-line brochure. Its thick, like 100+ pages.

Not all IIHS tests are real legit in that sense. The bumper bash is specious, for example.

Why does that site not open for me? Thanks for the direct link, BigPontiac. Also...wtf is with the 6.0l V8 discrepency?

G-body = strongest fullsizer eva.

New rules for cars to take effect Saturday Automakers must post crash-test ratings and realistic gas mileage, among other regulations David Shepardson | Detroit News Washington Bureau | Link to Original Article @ DetNews WASHINGTON -- Automakers face several new safety and environmental requirements that take effect Saturday -- most notably posting government crash-test ratings on window stickers and installing a system to monitor tires on all 2008 vehicles. In 2005, Congress ordered automakers to place frontal and side crash tests and rollover ratings on vehicle window stickers starting Sept. 1, 2007. About 85 percent of vehicles sold are tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for their performance in front, side and rollover crashes, said NHTSA spokesman Rae Tyson. Those that aren't tested are higher-end or low-volume models, he said. NHTSA also will conduct additional vehicle tests if automakers want to pay for them, which General Motors Corp. decided to do. GM paid NHTSA to conduct 24 additional tests on 14 models so GM could have crash-test ratings on all of its 2007 vehicles. "Customers are more leery of unrated vehicles than a lower-rated vehicle," GM spokesman Alan Adler said. "We don't want people to think we're hiding something." Ford Motor Co. spokesman Dan Jarvis said 23 of the automaker's 25 nameplates, or 92 percent, have been tested by NHTSA. He didn't know which two models weren't included, but said those vehicles will have the results posted once they are tested. Chrysler LLC spokesman Max Gates declined to say how many vehicles would have the crash-test ratings on window stickers, but said the company would post them as they receive them. NHTSA has sped up its crash testing to get ratings on vehicles earlier. Automakers have 30 days after they receive test results to put them on vehicle stickers. NHTSA Administrator Nicole Nason has argued the stickers will force automakers to improve the safety of their vehicles. Consumers will see the stickers "and demand the safest car possible," she said at an event last year. Critics, however, argue that NHTSA's tests aren't tough enough in the first place, noting that nearly all vehicles get a four- or five-star rating. More realistic gas mileage Also on the stickers, auto shoppers will see significantly lower fuel economy estimates for 2008 vehicles, because the Environmental Protection Agency introduced new testing procedures last December that more closely reflect real-world driving conditions. The new tests drop city driving mileage an average 12 percent on most models and highway mileage 8 percent. Gasoline-electric hybrids take the biggest hits, down around 20 percent. Automakers are quick to point out that the efficiency hasn't changed, just the tests. At fueleconomy.gov, the EPA has posted a car-by-car comparison of 2008 model mileage compared to 2007. The 2008 model year also marks the first of three transition years for a new system regulating corporate average fuel economy for light duty trucks. Automakers will be able to meet a slightly higher overall fuel economy requirement -- 22.5 miles per gallon up from 22.2 miles per gallon in the 2008 model year -- or they can meet a series of attribute- or footprint-based targets. In 2011, they must begin operating under the new system. The Bush administration wants the authority to reform the passenger car system, while the Senate in June adopted a bill that would require automakers to increase fuel economy 40 percent by 2020 to 35 mpg for cars and trucks combined. Automakers have backed a less aggressive increase in the House. Also beginning Saturday, automakers must have tire pressure monitoring systems in all vehicles. The system activates a warning signal on the dash when a tire is significantly underinflated -- and must do so with 20 minutes of detection. Automakers go beyond the requirement in many vehicles, displaying the air pressure of all four tires on the dashboard. The devices were required by Congress in 2000 in the wake of more than 280 deaths linked to recalled Firestone tires, mostly on Ford Explorers. New side air bag rules Saturday also marks the first requirement for automakers to install side air bags. Under a voluntary agreement reached in 2003, all automakers must have side air bags in 50 percent of their vehicles 8,500 pounds or smaller for the 2008 model year. And by Sept. 1, 2009, automakers must make them standard in all vehicles. NHTSA will announce a final regulation requiring side air bags next month that may also require automakers to upgrade the structural integrity of vehicles to meet new crash tests.

Saab: GM Starting “To Get It” on Niche Brand Status August 30, 2007 | By Bill Visnic | [/b]Link to Original Article @ Edmunds[/b] Saying a planned new compact car coming in a few years is a “terrific opportunity for us,” Saab Automobile USA executives also claim owner General Motors is beginning to understand how to manage the niche brand -– just as the future of small-volume, premium brands such as Saab appears to be reaching a crucial juncture. At a media event for the redesigned 2008 9-3, Knut Simonsson, executive director, Saab Global Sales and Marketing, tells AutoObserver that because of the increasing “globalization” of virtually everything –- common talk now is dominated by terms such as “global business” and even “global warming” –- consumers will increasingly gravitate toward brands that evoke strong images of heritage or national origin as a way to satisfy their desire for more “context” for their purchases. That, says Simonsson, is an opportunity for Saab. Coveting Niche Brands Simonsson says this expected new desire for purchase context also is what has entities as varied as U.S. hedge funds and Indian automakers lining up for a chance to buy Ford’s Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo brands. Each enjoys powerful perceptions of national flavor and heritage similar to Saab’s unique reputation for quirky but sensible Swedish design. Saab expects this kind of strong identifier will become increasingly important in a consumer future that is moving towards dispassionate products and anonymous brands, Simonsson says. “I am convinced of this,” he says. GM "Getting" Saab Niche Meanwhile, Saab plans to take full advantage of the predicted power of niche brands, saying GM –- which took full ownership of Saab in 2000 -– is starting to “get it” in terms of leveraging Saab’s brand qualities. Last year, Saab sold about 133,500 vehicles worldwide. “It’s not easy when you [GM] make 9 million cars a year to figure out how to be a steward,” says Steve Shannon, Saab Automobile USA’s general manager. “We are getting to be a very good steward of the brand.” GM Expands Saab's Product Line Shannon says Saab’s got to get more models on the showroom floor. Currently, it has the 9-3, redesigned for ’08, the 9-5 midsize sedan and the 9-7X SUV, a craftily reskinned Chevrolet Trailblazer that never has been right for the brand. The first priority, says Shannon: “To replace the 9-5 with a very strong successor.” The flagship 9-5 was introduced in 1997 as a ’98 model, yet Simonsson says the 9-5 is the ideal example of the power of the Saab brand, noting the absurdly old car set a sales record last year. Then the product range will be expanded with an all-new crossover vehicle. Saab executives say crossovers are the fastest-growing market segment, both in the U.S. (Saab’s largest market) and in Europe. That model almost assuredly will be placed on a GM front-wheel-drive platform, likely a “premium” version of the General’s global midsize architecture. Although past speculation has lined up a Saab crossover with a variant of Cadillac’s SRX, that seems unlikely, as the SRX is based on GM’s rear-drive Sigma platform, and Simonsson asserts Saab “will never skip front-wheel drive” as a base drivetrain layout. Like rival Audi AG, Saab also plans to increase the use of all-wheel drive as an enhancement to front-wheel drive, however. Saab’s history and reputation for front-drive, Simonsson says, demands its future vehicles use that configuration. Shannon says the all-new 9-5 and the Saab crossover will come to the U.S. at about the same time, probably around 2009-'10. Following those two crucial models will be a vehicle smaller than the 9-3, currently Saab’s entry-level model. Shannon says Saab and GM will not repeat the exercise of the 9-2, a hastily reengineered Subaru Impreza WRX that bombed in the U.S. market and was dropped in 2006. The new subcompact Saab, says Shannon, will key on three elements: “breakthrough” design, sporty driving characteristics and strong functionality and utility. Saab executives will not provide a time frame for when the new entry-level Saab –- a competitor for BMW’s Mini Cooper, Audi’s A3, Volvo’s C30 and the coming BMW 1 Series –- will be launched, saying only that it will arrive after the next-generation 9-5 and all-new crossover model.

Agreed on both. I can surely see Toyota quietly boosting fleet sales in an attempt to maintain 'best-seller' status. The Fusion is fine, but too small; Taurus is a great car on paper, but less appealing. Chrysler is lucky to match Hyundai at this point, sadly. And more on my edited comments, GM and Honda working together would surely not be a bad thing. Sometimes I think they're the only two automakers who are acutally dedicated to superior engineering made affordable for the masses.

In my opinion, if the Malibu manages to sway enough Camry sales to allow Accord to earn 'best-seller,' I'm happy. Accord deserves it; Camry certainly doesn't and hasn't for nearly a decade. Combine this undoubtedly attractive Chevy with GM's other midsizers, factor in the G6 coupe/'vert which are both more attractive and better-built than the Solara (which apparently won't have a successor...my eyes thank Toyota for that) and the attractive Accord two-door, and it can happen. GM and Honda working in semi-concert. Hmmm......not bad.

LaCrosse Lucerne '07 Acadia F-in' huge Pontiac '08 brochures with G8 teasers in the front. These all seem extra nice this year. K.C., check out the back of the Buick brochures - headrest DVD screens for Lucerne/LaCrosse are an accessory now!

Just wanted to remind everyone that this was here! And back on the front page, too!

The automotive verison of 'your mom'...

GM Announces 2008 Malibu Pricing All-New 2008 Chevrolet Malibu Delivers A Lot Of Value Starting At $19,995 CHICAGO – Chevrolet today announced pricing for its all-new 2008 Malibu midsize sedan lineup, with MSRPs starting at $19,995 for the base LS and for the first time, a hybrid for $22,790. The Malibu continues to drive home Chevy’s commitment to dependable, fun-to-drive cars packed with value. “When we debuted Malibu at the North American International Auto show in January, we promised that its $40,000 looks would cost half as much,” said Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager. “Well, we’ve kept our word. Customers will see everything we’ve packed into a sedan starting under $20 grand and think there’s a typo on the sticker.” Malibu is built to be the best midsize car in the market, having been benchmarked against the top names in the class and loaded with standard features that many competitors don’t offer at any price. The design team focused on the attributes that mattered most to midsize car buyers such as families and commuters. All Malibus are equipped with a long list of standard features, including six air bags (dual-stage frontal, seat-mounted side-impact thorax and head-curtain side air bags); four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes with all-speed traction control; OnStar Gen 7 safety and security system with Turn-by-Turn Navigation; air conditioning; and XM Satellite Radio. Along with the LS and Hybrid, the Malibu lineup includes the 1LT and 2LT trim levels and the top-of-the-line LTZ. MSRP for the 1LT is $20,955; 2LT, $22,635 and the LTZ, $26,995. All include the $650 destination charge. Malibu, arriving in dealerships in November, combines fuel efficiency, performance and a long list of standard amenities wrapped in a design that carries the new face of Chevrolet. It features a strong body structure, precise build quality and refined driving dynamics. It is more than three inches longer than its predecessor, with a six-inch-longer (112.3 in / 2,852 mm) wheelbase. GM’s StabiliTrak electronic stability control system is standard on LT, LTZ and Hybrid models. A number of equipment packages also are available and include features such as power-adjustable pedals, premium seating, uplevel interiors; power equipment groups and a deluxe audio system. Malibu performance comes from two powerful yet fuel-efficient dual-overhead cam four- and six-cylinder engines, including a standard 169-horsepower (126 kW) 2.4L Ecotec DOHC four-cylinder engine that delivers 30 mpg highway, 22 city (’08 EPA); and an available 252-horsepower (188 kW) 3.6L DOHC V-6 with variable valve timing, rated at 26 mpg highway and 17 city. The Malibu Hybrid, featuring the affordable GM Hybrid System, also goes on sale in November. Powered by a hybrid version of the 2.4L Ecotec, it is rated at 32 mpg highway and 24 city. Four-cylinder-equipped models come with a four-speed transmission with overdrive. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard with the 3.6L V-6 and will be available next spring on the four-cylinder-equipped LTZ – the first four-cylinder engine/six-speed transmission combination in the segment. Other highlights of the redesigned 2008 Chevy Malibu include: All-new refined and contemporary exterior with a new grille design and heritage-inspired twin round taillamps Upscale interior design with a choice of cloth, suede and leather inside; available two-tone cockpit in a number of color combinations; gauges with Chevrolet blue LED backlighting Ambient lighting in areas such as the overhead console and door-pull pockets for a more inviting cabin Standard four-wheel independent suspension for a more controlled and confident driving experience One of the segment’s quietest, most refined driving experiences, thanks to noise-reducing materials such as a liquid spray-on sound deadener, laminated steel, laminated “quiet glass” and composite wheel liners Standard theft-deterrent system for vehicle and contents Remote vehicle starting (standard on 2LT and LTZ; available on 1LT) and standard universal home remote on 2LT and LTZ TAPshift manual shift control, available on 2LT and standard on LTZ Sixteen-inch standard wheels on LS and an available family of large wheels, including 18-inch ultra-bright aluminum polished wheels available on 2LT and standard on LTZ Available rear power center includes 110-volt AC adapter with three-prong outlet on 1LT, 2LT and LTZ (included and available only with Rear Power Package) Available sunroof on LT and LTZ models Premium eight-speaker, 210-watt sound system standard on LTZ and available on 2LT. Standard tire-pressure monitoring system “We strive to offer the best value in every segment where we compete, and midsize cars are not different,” Peper said. “For example, the Chevy Impala has been one of the biggest success stories in this industry during the past two years, gaining more than two points of market share. Now, combined with Malibu, this gives us a solid one-two punch in midsize cars and puts Chevy back into the car game in a big way.” The Malibu is built at the GM Fairfax Assembly Plant in Kansas City, Kan. The dependability of the 2008 Malibu is backed by GM’s five-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, the best protection package in the industry, providing customers with added peace of mind and value during their ownership experience. Pricing Comparison/size] Malibu LT ($19,995 vs. $17,865) 6-speakers vs. 4 speakers MP3 playback, aux jack OnStar w/Turn-By-Turn Seatback map pockets Driver seat manual lumbar control Color-keyed rocker moldings 16" alloy wheels vs. 15" steel w/covers 4-wheel anti-lock discs 164hp/156lb-ft vs. 144hp/155lb-ft Standard traction control Malibu 1LT ($20,955 vs. $19,085) MP3 playback, aux jack OnStar w/Turn-By-Turn 17" wheels vs. 16" wheels 164hp/156lb-ft vs. 144hp/155lb-ft Chrome exhaust tip Stabilitrak Malibu 2LT ($22,635 vs $20,795) Opt. 8-speakers vs. 6-speakers MP3 playback, aux jack OnStar w/Turn-By-Turn Opt. Auto Up windows 17" wheels vs. 16" wheels Opt. 252hp/251lb-ft 3.6l V6 w/6spd auto Opt. TAPshift Chrome exhaust tip Malibu LTZ ($26,995 vs. $24,325) 8-speaker Premium Sound System Premium floormats Trunk mat Accent-lit gauge cluster 8-way power driver's seat 6-way power passenger seat Auto up/down windows vs. auto down windows Chrome door handles LED Taillamps 18" aluminum wheels vs. 17" aluminum wheels 252hp/251lb-ft 3.6l V6 w/6spd auto vs. 217hp/217lb-ft 3.6l V6 w/4spd auto Stabilitrak TAPshift Dual chrome exhaust tips

What a stupid statement, and one that ignores the flawless existence of a massive number of two-mode cylinder deactivation systems in a multitude of vehicles. Seriously. That's horrendously lame for a car that can leave the lot with GPS, heated seats, leather, moonroof, and a $32,000 pricetag.