Flybrian

From the beginning, I always thought the G6 had an overall design much more in tune with latter-day Oldsmobile concepts than contemporary Pontiac models.

Good to see you understood the deeper subtext of that movie.

I watched An Inconvenient Truth last night on whatever cable channel it was on and its worth the watch regardless of your personal viewpoints. Yes, for the record, he makes mis-statements about the US auto industry. For one, he mentions that China is beginning to impose higher fuel economy standards than the United States and makes the comment that (paraphrasing) "We can't sell our cars in China" despite the facts that GM is performing above-admirably in that market. He also contrasts Toyota/Honda with Ford/GM in terms of market capitalization as a function of environmental efficiency, inferring that the former are doing well because of their fuel-efficient vehicles while the latter are suffering for lack of them. While such is true, it is only a small factor of why there is success/failure on their parts. It obviously ignores the exponential growth in Toyota's truck fleet and what must be a fall in their corporate fuel economy while ignoring exchange rates, legacy costs, and other contrasting factors between the Japanese and American manufacturers. However, that said, instead of nitpicking, one needs to understand the overall portrait Gore is painting - that we as a society and as a nation need to cognizent of our affect on nature and our world. And whether the clarion call is for global warming or something else, we need to realize that we make our national leaders, not the other way around, and if we realize and understand the ramifications of our actions, we will be better prepared to face and counter them in the future. As for the partianship, remember that George Bush pretty much summed up his allegiencies with the domestic auto industry by saying, "Build better cars."

No, no, and no. Drive one lately? When one drive a real car, its hard to accept something like a present-day Corolla with its tippy stance, uncomfortable low-padded seats, noisy donut tires, and horrible bodyroll. A mid-90s Civic handles better.

Not the base 300, though. I'm not sure about the Touring, but its still pretty unacceptable for a car with a hood that large. Niss...Infiniti finally put lifters on the G35 this year. After seeing more rent-a-vengers lately with chromed grilles and Chargers outfitted likewise, I wonder why anyone would buy a 300 or Sebring. The Dodges look so much better.

Nah, its cool. Go ahead!

Thanks for reminding me how chintzy the Santa Fe still looks.

Airbags are a federally-mandated safety feature; OnStar is not a federally-mandated safety feature. OnStar units shut down are not receiving service and are not being paid for. There is no contract. If my airbags go off in an OnStar-equipped car with no service connected to it, no one is notified, and I die, I do not have a valid case for a lawsuit regardless if it uses an antiquated network or I just don't mail in my check. Period. Bad press? Sure. The right thing to do? Debatable. Will their be lawsuits? Yeah, but lawsuits are filed for everything. Is there valid legal foundation for a lawsuit? No. Now, a used car dealer that sells a vehicle and purposely lies to the customer about an activated, working OnStar unit may be liable in some degree. But that's it.

:rotflmao:

Ironic since this also affects older models with LexusLink as well as Subarus, Audis, and VWs with OnStar.

Oh, I meant real-world and its the 3800. One of the cleanest V6s on the market, too. Look it up.

One of the most real-word efficient GM engines goes away very, very soon.

I've never liked how this car looks (especially the ass), nor how it sounds. I still don't like it. Call me stupid, strange, weird, whatever. It just looks a bit funny to me.

Imported by a serviceman? I remember seeing a RHD Saturn SL wagon in Virginia Beach years ago.

That would've made the funniest YouTube movie this week.

At this point, I think I can just put pics up of my actual car that I actually have... This one got hit twice... Funny...

Lesson #1: Yellow things add horsepower. Doesn't matter what it is - decals, calipers, lemons, cheese, urine - if its yellow, +10hp. The yellower the better. Even something that has it in the name, say, a Yellowcard CD adds +3hp. This is also why hardcore ricers never race school buses because they're infinitely fast.

You can only get the Altima Hybrid in like six states, so its a meaningless car for many people.

Aura XE - $20,995 Aura GL - $22,695 (-$1300 credit) = $21,395 Factoring in the tax credit, its a $400 premium over the XE (if its equally-equipped).

Saturn Aura Green Line The Lowest Priced Hybrid; starts at $22,695 Certified for $1,300 Tax Credit Receives official EPA ratings of 28 mpg city/35 mpg highway Detroit -- Saturn announced today that the new 2007 Aura Green Line hybrid’s MSRP will start at $22,695 (including destination charge), making it the lowest-priced hybrid on the market for 2007. In addition to its value-focused price, the Internal Revenue Service has certified that Aura Green Line buyers will qualify for a tax credit of $1,300. “The Aura Green Line is a great value among the hybrids in the mid-size car segment,” said Saturn General Manager Jill Lajdziak. “With a starting sticker price over $2,000 less than any mid-sized hybrid sedan and a $1,300 tax credit, it makes true hybrid fuel savings available to more people than ever before.” The Aura Green Line’s EPA fuel economy rating of 28 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway represents up to a 30 percent improvement in EPA combined fuel economy compared to the non-hybrid Aura XE model (depending on driving conditions). The Aura is assembled at the General Motors Fairfax Plant in Kansas City , Kan. , and Green Line hybrid models are beginning to arrive at Saturn retail facilities. The hybrid system in the Aura combines sophisticated controls with a precise electric motor/generator mated to a 2.4-liter engine. The system delivers fuel economy gains by providing electric power assist during acceleration, through early fuel cut-off during deceleration with torque smoothing and by shutting the engine off at idle. The system also captures electrical energy through regenerative braking. The vehicle’s hybrid powertrain produces 164 horsepower (122 kW) at 6400 rpm and 159 lb.-ft. (215 Nm) of peak torque at 5000 rpm. Saturn’s new hybrid sedan is based on the all-new Aura midsize sedan, which garnered the 2007 North American Car of the Year award. The Green Line features the same comprehensive safety package that earned Aura a full five stars in government frontal and side-impact crash tests, placing it among the safest vehicles available. (Visit safercar.gov for details.) Key standard features include dual-stage front, side head-curtain and front-seat thorax protection air bags; StabiliTrak electronic stability control; four-wheel disc brakes with ABS; and GM’s OnStar safety and security system. The Aura Green Line is one of four hybrids that Saturn has announced. The 2007 Vue Green Line, which debuted last summer using the same hybrid technology as the Aura Green Line, provides the highest EPA estimated highway fuel economy of any SUV at 32 mpg. In 2008, Saturn will offer the Vue Green Line with the first front-wheel-drive application of GM’s new, 2-mode hybrid system that is expected to deliver up to a 45-percent improvement in combined city and highway fuel economy compared with the non-hybrid Vue. A plug-in hybrid that has the potential to achieve double the fuel efficiency of any current SUV, is also in development for the Vue. This hybrid SUV will use a modified version of GM’s 2-mode hybrid system and plug-in technology. A Lithium-ion battery pack, when ready, along with highly efficient electronics and powerful electric motors, will achieve even greater increases in fuel economy. Complete information on the Aura Green Line and the rest of Saturn’s lineup can be found on the Web at www.saturn.com.

My first Help-Me-Rondo. Also, a brand-new bright blue Lexus ES350 with...a beige canvas top.

I want to know exactly how much GMC Trucks bothers you, Reg. If its alot, I'm totally leaving it up.

As many have said before, introducing the Phaeton as a premium fullsize sedan with V6 and V8 selections slotting above the Passat in price ($40-55k) means they get to compete head to head with the S80 and RL as well as managing to keep grown-ups who don't want to drive the car their daughter's 16 year-old friend drives in the VW family.

J30s are nice...until you realize the glovebox is as big as the trunk.