Chicagoland

Accord Hybird are down since they have V6's and were aimed at 'enthusiasts' who wanted some power. But, they want power only. One can't base the entire Hybrid car market on 1 product. Pruis sales are up for example. Honda can only go so far, though. The CRV seems to be their huge seller now.

"We may all be flipping burgers..." Since 1979, the UAW has been cut in half. So how come 1/2 of 'we all' are NOT 'flipping burgers' now?? To some, UAW is THE most important job in the world. But, now, you can't drop out of HS, get a job at a plant through "family connections", and screw lightbulbs for $50/hr. However, it is not as if the only jobs now available are fast food. One has to do more door knocking and skill selling, now, instead of just asking daddy for a job. Anyway, Toyota is down, now that they are #1, they have to play 'King of the Hill'.

Most compact cars' sales dropped, also. Civic, Corolla, Focus, Cobalt... I think it looks fine, its like a replacement for the old Infiniti G20. It looks better then the Civic and Corolla inside. When the 2000-06 Sentra was new, it was called 'ugly' too. Then of course, people 'got used to it'. Seems like some expected the 1991 Sentra body to last forever. And if anything, the 1995-99 Sentra was 'geeky' for sure. Sentras now cost more and Versa, which also isn't boring looking, is taking the 'cheap car' sales. ld Sentras had $2500 rebates, so there is some expectaions of 'where's the deal?' too.

Lets look at GM in the 80's again, when they started the steep decline: J body, was heavy and slow and not as good as Civic, provided the much maligned cookie cutter Cimarron and the other badged cars, nobody misses these A body, slow seller at first, and again 'cookie cutter boxes'. Only Pontiac 6000 was memorable. Then the Taurus turned them into old lady/rental car for years to come. Anyone who thinks these were 'great cars' must be over 80 y/o G body at time was on the way out in favor of the W's. The cult car GN was not enough to keep the whole line going. B body, was fine until Orca styled 91 Only die hard GM loyalists think some of the above were 'great', [and even love old Chevettes and Vegas]. To anyone else, they are forgotten. Anyway, on topic, 2010 is not 'the far future' as some think. Some 08's are on the street, and MY 2007 officially ends in 5 months. So, 2.5 years away til MY 2010. Remember it isn't 'the early 2000's' anymore!

Yaris? That is just an Echo with new looks. Aveo is still selling well, and there are plenty of ads for it. No, TV commericals are not they ONLY form anymore. No one sits in front of TV watching 'Bonanza' with 5 minute Chevy commercials like 1964.

To me it is the Loch Ness Monster or Big Foot. Anyone can dream of all RWD cars coming out, but they forget about high gas prices and CAFE. No, we are not going to see new Yenko Novas and Chevelles.

Isn't Aveo still the #1 selling B class car? Also, is Chevy really keeping the old Malibu body? Is the new Malibu shwon at the Auto Shows going to be a 2008 1/2 or 2009??

People say "i only buy RWD", and get a 1998 Crown Vic, 96 Caprice, or any Fox era Stang. Used car buyers have no say in waht gets made brand new.

1979 was the last 400ci [6.6L] "Pontiac" engine, the 301 ci motor lasted through 1981. Argue all day, but since 1926, [yes Pontiac existed before 1964] Pontiac has been a division of GM, not a 'special car company'. It started out as an Oakland model. Before Bunkie Knudsen, the brand was called "old ladies car". [1926-57, 30+ years as a non performance brand! ] It has shared the Chevy body since it was an Oakland car, too. The old so called 'real' Ponchos still share numerous parts with other GM divisions. That 1964 GTO still has many "64 Chevelle" parts under it. In fact, some in the old car hobby now are saying "GM A body" for the classic mid-sizers, instead of thinking of them as separate cars. Some are putting "GM Corporate" V8's in old ones. It was all the marketing in the 60's that made car fans back then think of GM's makes as 'special car companies'.

To clarify about selling more 'trucks'. GM could sell more mid size and comapct crossovers to people who want the room, even if CAFE for trucks goes up. They would just have to sell less BOF ones. With a 34MPG car CAFE, there is no way they can offer a 'full line' of RWD sedans, with 16-20 mpg ratings. Only the Caddys and Camaro could survive, and the rest would have to be hybrid-ized or FWD compacts. And no way is E85 going to sell for "50 cents"!!!

If The 'govment' raises CAFE, people will just buy whatever is classifed as a 'truck'. And say bye bye to any large RWD sedan. Camaro will still come, but no 'New Chevelle" or "Roadmasters". Anyone who really thought GM was 'switching back to all RWD' was living in a fantasy world.

Police SUV's moslty make sense if it snows. Local suburbs here fire them up in winter, but then drive the cars other seasons. Of course the SUVs also are good for carrying police dogs.

Thanks, as much as I love old cars, the world has moved on from the 1960's. And, no, not all RWD cars are 'muscle cars'. Wheil some think all GM has to do os 'go back to all RWD', the #1 selling car is still a FWD unibody, with no signs of fading. And, the so called 'comeback of RWD sedans' is stalled, Chrysler 300 slaes are flat, and the Magnum/Charger are disapointments.

The media says 'Honda increased sales due to offering fuel efficient cars'. But, they don't look at the numbers, Honda increased from more SUV and van sales, and Civic was down 28%! Imagine if Focus or Cobalt dropped that much, media would say "They cant sell small cars"

Some have huge, unattainable expectations. And these are just fans who go to auto shows or read mags, not buyers. Just wait and see the real car.

GM will not make factory Pontiac police packages anymore, per their brand 'policies'. Also, no police agency wll pay more for the G8's importation fees. The Canadian made Zeta Camaro and Impala will most likely be offered as cop cars. OTOH: The 1976 LeMans police car above is way cool. I think Pontiac was looking to be like Dodge, and to get some Chevy sales. But, inter-divisional rivalry hurt in the long run. BTW, how did Jackie Gleason fit in the cop car LeMans? It was not too big inside.

I'm sure most of the people on that poll will talk about some 1984 Citation they got used in 1990 that had a motor die, so of course GM 'still makes crap'. Or the usual, "I dont like the interiors" thinking that GM is still making Chevettes or Corsicas. So many 'mainstream' writers add 'soon to overtake GM.." whenever they mention Toyota. But, when is this supposed to happen? not in 2005 or '06, maybe 2222?

The Flintstones pic is reversed, so it looks like a RHD car. Anyone who remembers the show knows it was LHD. The "press" essentially thinks Toyota is making all Hybrids now, and that they are 99% electric powered. Which of course they make with 'old Japanese magic tricks.' Not to mention the propaganda flick 'death of the electic car', as if GM is the only company that "should make alll electric cars" and there is no complaining about the fact taht there was never any Asian make electric car at all in the 1990s!

All these rich know it alls are going 'increase the gas tax' to get the 'fly overs' to drive smaller cars. While they are in limos, taxicabs, or planes. As if they think middle class working people don't have enough money problems!

In today's Automotive News, there is a story that the new MPG laws [34MPG CAFE] have stopped the "all RWD line up" plans. I can only see the headline and teaser. Anyone read the whole article? Reality is that gas prices and current political climate will not more 'high performance' cars.

Getting rid of money losing rental car sales is a good thing. The SUV profits covered up this fact for years, but now they cant cover it up any more [same for GM]. So, no tears for the old Taurus. The new Taurus [500's new name] my not sell like the mid 1980's, but it won't lose $$ and clog up used car lots after a year on the road.

Profit is better then quantity. Toyo dealers sell Camrys for small profit, just so they push up the sales #'s. Sounds like GM and Ford tactics. Toyota gets its profits from Lexus and trucks. Again, I say let Toyota sell to the penny pinching nerds biege Camrys with plastic wheel covers. BTW: Only 32,000 Camrys sold in Feb, not "40K".

Dodge is 'damaged' also. Has the of 'yeee hahh'/"Dukes of Hazzard" image. Some think they only make trucks. And some think of 'Dodge' when they really mean all of Mopar. While Jeep still has an image of being a 'separate entity' then Mopar. GM is doing fine now, no need for Chrysler other than Jeep.

Altima was never intended to 'overtake' the Camry. Let Toyota sell to the average dweebs.

I totally agree that Pontiac and Buick should no longer be just Chevys with more 'trim'. Also, the sight of all the Buicks in rental fleets years ago was a blot on its proud history. Used fleet cars are usually the first to get 'beatered out' and then sent to crushers. Buick and Pontiac should be step up brands for buyers, not "just another GM car".