tama z71

FamilyCar.com ALWAYS has the best pictures. I swear to God, GM should just hire their photographer to do new vehicle press shots. No more photoshopped Avalanches driving through fields of baby corn.

link is wrong. shouldnt this be the 900 msrp article?

Feel Good About GM It’s about time An Explicative Automotive Commentary by Tama September 25, 2006 If the recent slew of good news coming out about General Motors from the company and its critics isn’t enough to make you sport an ear-to-ear grin, promptly see yourself away from this article, because it wasn’t written for you. This one is for all those faithful who have waited the months and the years and the decades since GM was last the juggernaut of the auto industry, through every broken promise and half-assed CEO, through the seemingly unending bureaucracy, and through every damned Cavalier, Aztek and CSV. To those faithful, forget the past and look to the future, a future filled with giggle-inducing good cars, competent leadership and too many other good things to list. Yes, right about now, things are looking quite damn good. Leadership CEO Rick Wagoner's plodding, methodical plan to revitalize GM is starting to bear fruit, and the key to it all is the Bob Lutz-led product blitz that's taking shape right now and over the next 24 months. Peter DeLorenzo, autoextremist.com Good leadership has been decidedly lacking at Renaissance Tower for the past forty or so years, and that is something that sticks in the minds of most when considering GM’s past ails. This should have come as insulting decades ago, as the fourteenth floor used to be the domain of great leaders, legendary names such as Alfred P. Sloan and John Z. DeLorean, Engine Charlie Wilson and Bill “Bunky” Knudsen, whose attitudes and personalities mirrored perfectly the maverick attitude of the cars they produced. Leaders like these continue to stand on even greater pedestals as the corporate heads of the present continue to expertly fill the stereotype of self-serving, soulless money-mongers who seem better fit to crunch numbers in a stock exchange than run a company with any measure of charisma or character. With thanks to the Good Lord almighty, GM has made a very respectable run of rebuilding the image of the maverick corporate leader, and no better way to start that process than by reaching back and grabbing a piece of that history while its still around and kicking. CEO Rick Wagoner knew this well enough, and also knew that his number-crunching background would not fly making product decisions, hence the arrival of the charismatic and memorable Bob Lutz. So far, each man has filled his role in ways far beyond the expectations of recent GM leaders. Wagoner has proven very competent, if not completely effective. His cost-cutting measures have made noticeable gains, and done so without adversely affecting new product quality (a factor which has been markedly improving despite marked cuts). He has also decreased the amount of redundant plants, worked cooperatively with the United Auto Workers labor union, and began the process of turning GM into a truly global company, a task that has been very successful if GMs overseas sales and product plans are to be any gauge. However, the true measure of his success at GM will come between now and 2010, after which he will have dealt with the essential round of UAW negotiations in 2007 and come to terms with ailing supplier Delphi Corp. Everybody’s favorite GM guy has undeniably been Bob Lutz, whose no-bull$h! personality and absolute confidence in his cars and his company is becoming the stuff of legend. Maximum Bob’s first strides came with eliminating the redundant departments of GM middle management, a white-collar bureaucratic orgy comparable in scale only to the federal government. Eliminating the infamous “beancounters” was a tremendous and painfully necessary first step in reviving General Motors cars to a level of impulsive purchase, just the deed Bob was hired to perform. Now that the grunt work is done, Bob has gotten to doing what he does best, and that is build cars people want to buy. Bob’s current product run is one of the most profound changes in GM in the past five years. His pet-project Kappa coupes have been sold out for the better part of two months. The much-anticipated and highly-regarded 900 series SUV’s have been a striking success, stealing market share in a segment that is steadily declining and garnering more media praise than any Detroit carmaker is used to seeing. The 900 series trucks are already looking best in class. The Corvette is absolutely unstoppable. Retail sales are up across the board. Media favors are starting to shift, if slightly. All that is just what’s going on right now – the future product portfolio is said to be even more outstanding. To quote Peter DeLorenzo of AutoExtremist.com, “I've seen GM's product plan out to 2009, and it is indeed extremely impressive. Stunning, tasteful and in some respects avant-garde designs, fuel-efficient, responsive and technically advanced powertrains, artful interior packaging and sumptuous materials, GM's future product lineup will be ultra-competitive and most important, desirable on its own merits…" Technology Few people will mention General Motors as a knee-jerk response to who they perceive as being the most technologically advanced car company. Often times, it is the likes of the Germans and their crazily senseless computer works that are getting the credit, or the Japanese and the advancements that they borrow from others, improve upon, and claim. Or something like that. Whatever. However, Big Blue is coming on strong in several key areas that its former self would have likely ignored. By far the most notable of these changes is the Chevrolet Sequel fuel cell vehicle. It will be the first hydrogen vehicle available for mass consumption, and is a huge step for GM and the auto industry as a whole (if BMW wants that distinction, they ought to claim it quietly – their hydrogen7 is still supplanted by a gas engine). In addition to its water-vapor emitting engine, the clean green Sequel also rides atop the GM patented skateboard platform – a by-wire chassis with no moving parts that can underpin any one of a number of body styles. Imagine for a second that every GM plant in the world builds its car around the same skateboard chassis - changes in the industry could be addressed in months, very well beyond the capabilities of the competition. That’s huge. Delving further into the field of fuel reduction and hippie-pleasing vehicles, GM will offer 13 hybrid vehicles in the coming years, more projected models than any other automaker, including Toyota, the current and well publicized leader of that market. The General’s hybrid bus lines save hundreds of thousands of gallons of fuel annually over comparable non-hybrid models, and orders for these buses have increased sharply in response. GM is also the far-away leader in the E-85 market, with over a million such models on the road already and more applications for the technology in the works. If the market for the fuel ever warms up to a more sustainable level, GM has placed itself in a commanding position. If not, its good press. Win-win. General Motors is also pioneering a few other sensible applications as we speak. They introduced their first direct-injection motor at the same time as BMW(!). OnStar has been a constant and exclusive success to GM, though it remains to be seen how the OnStar navigation system will fare compared to traditional touch-screen nav setups. The Bose suspension is an absolute wonder of automotive engineering, and though the system was developed by Bose engineers, the company’s work with GM audio should let us expect to see the system to break cover in a Cadillac or Buick. Don’t forget the recent patenting of the 8-speed logo. Whether the necessity of the product is really justified remains to be seen, but that GM is quick to challenge Lexus and Mercedes in what will surely be a lauded innovation, for the sake of keeping up, speaks volumes about the change of mindset in GM production. General Motors innovation is very prevalent. As long as the cars continue to avoid sporting commercial airliner-like dashboards and five-pound owner’s manuals, GM technology will be in the right place. Cars …if this business is all about the product - which it well and truly is - then GM has a real shot at serious, sustained momentum… Peter DeLorenzo, autoextremist.com CAMARO There, I said it. Nothing else needs to be said. For the rest of GM’s future line-up, much remains to be said. For starters, GM’s brands are falling nicely into line and they are finally, finally developing their own identities as the era of corporate rebadging meets its mercifully necessary end. Those in the media who have seen the future products have sung their praises far and wide. Since 2002, Cadillac has been the barometer for GM’s comeback success. The highly successful Art & Science renaissance turned the entire brand around, the V-series is placing serious competition to the likes of M and AMG, and the second phase of the renaissance is set to get underway. The new SRX interior is just a teaser, and the Escalade name has never really worked in conjunction with the rest of the brand. The 2008 CTS will be the true test of the brands staying power, and spy photos have revealed a deliciously good car, limited as its exposure has been. The Buick-Pontiac-GMC channel is getting their act together as well. The new Sierra looks like a knockout, and the Acadia appears to be strikingly competent in the newly ordained “most competitive segment in the industry,” crossover sport-utility vehicles. All kinds of vehicles are flooding the segment that is defined by vehicles that have no real definition, but the Acadia appears to be a vehicle that will sell strongly of its own merit. The Solstice needs no word of mine to sing its praises, the G6 line is increasingly selling more and improving upon itself, and GXP badge is starting to turn the Pontiac name into something of a performance line (imagine that!). Buick is getting its share – the Lucerne is a retail winner, outselling the near-luxury sedan competition by the thousands. The Enclave looks like a real winner, and one of the most striking and accurate assessments of American design essence since, well hell, the 1950s! With the introduction of the Zeta platform and Holden’s wonderful new Commodore line, both brands stand to rake in the benefits of a viable and well-built rear-drive platform. Chevrolet is now the number one selling brand in America. The Saturn line has undergone an overnight and staggeringly good revitalization, the basis for which was relatively inexpensive and too plainly sensible to have ignored. HUMMER is quietly doing a good job of filling in the proud market niche that Jeep is abandoning with each new product. All the brands are putting out better advertisements. Overlap is being reduced. Rebadging is (hopefully) done for. Future cars like the 2008 Malibu and CTS are already said to be benchmarks. Things are going damn well, indeed. All parties involved are benefiting from the new GM corporate culture, a job that began with the management and a job whose effects will ultimately be the spoils of us, the consumers. General Motors is already one of the oldest automakers around, and they are drawing on that advantage while becoming a completely new company. It’s an awkward dance, but one that GM is currently playing to perfection. It’s a good time to be a General Motors fan, and it’s about damn time.

I'd have an easier time tryin to pilot a commercial airliner than finding the volume knob in that clusterf*cked dash.

Really? Damn. What the hell is that thing beneath the taillight then?

I dont think the photos are an official GM release -- they look more like the site made some renderings of the Sequel and 'shopped into in Chevy form to supplant the release.

AAAAH!! Typo on the ticker says 400 billion. I just $h! my pants a little.

another thing i like about C&G - prompt response. thanks man

I actually started a similar thread some time ago. I would definitely like to see the news updated more regularly, as the membership at GMi is consistently pushing me more and more towards spending my time at C&G. GMi has the super-ticker, but it often gets cluttered with toyo-talk. I like that the news sidebar here is seperate from the competition, but it definitely needs to see some more regular feed (as someone said, once daily would be appropriate) And I know this would take a considerably longer time, but it would be great to see C&G get a new design language. The blue is kind of like the old-style GM -- time to take it up a notch.

The Spoof in Advertising “What the hell was that?” A Tama Article September 4, 2006 To most folks, advertising is an accepted, albeit annoying, part of everyday life. In fact, we Americans are so heavily bombarded by the advertising juggernaut that we now subconsciously filter it all out. What would be considered an offensive amount in other countries, we consider normal. But to a company, advertising is vital. It is the face of your business that is broadcast to the entire buying public. If played correctly, it can shape your corporate image contrary to any shred of reality. If done poorly, the effects are the same. Knowing that perception is 90 percent of reality and one-hundred times more vital, it would be logical to assume that advertising should be produced with the same quality as the cars being advertised, no? Why is it then that automotive ads have become so damn laughable? I give you my five candidates for Worst Displays of Automotive Advertising 2006. Mr. Opportunity Mr. Opportunity was the first car commercial that made me scratch my head some years ago when he debuted, and when Honda brought the little guy back a few days ago, he again made me pause and ponder. If you’re not familiar, Mr. Opportunity is the cartoonish (literally) figure who annually reminds you that now is the best time to buy your new Honda. Like Punxawtaney Phil, he’s the goofy little bastard that pops up at about the same time each year to answer a question you never asked. This isn’t the Japanese automaker’s first attempt to sell cars with cartoon characters. Who could forget when Yosemite Sam got together with the naked-silver-silhouette girl for the Ridgeline spot during Superbowl XL? I certainly won’t – it was the first time I ever envied a cartoon. The point I make is Honda has been a professional, multi-billion dollar global company for years now. The aim with the ads certainly seems to be to tug the nostalgic heartstrings of those who remember the time when anvil-dropping was good clean cartoon fun, but Mr. Opportunity should be efficiently removed at the first opportunity – say this time next year? Just Dumb Thankfully, General Motors’ Chevrolet Avalanche and fellow GMT-900 platform-mates have been a critical and sales success, snapping up more of the full-size SUV market that is already 60 percent GM’s and earning praise from critics who seem notoriously anti-domestic at times. Where the new trucks picked up in build quality and overall competence, Chevrolet advertising certainly did not. When the Avalanche was still a preproduction vehicle, GM placed an early-release photo of the Avalanche on their website, driving through a field of baby cornstalks, heavily enough photoshopped to have passed for The Daily Show. Such photography raises several important questions. 1. Who the hell drives their truck through a cornfield? 2. The Avalanche is every bit as long and heavy as a Chevy Suburban, one of the largest vehicles available for purchase. Even though it is inexplicably driving through a field of baby cornstalks, would it not at least leave some tire marks? Anywhere? They weren’t there. 3. Who the hell drives their truck through a cornfield?!! The photo, featured on GM’s website, was likely rendered to further implant the idea that the new trucks are e-85 capable and that GM is at the top of this important new technology. However, the photo was poorly executed and built on a premise that was questionable at best. A small detail, but photos are often the first thing a buyer will seek out on a website. Therefore, bad advertising. Bobbleheads What better way to promote the head-scratching-good Jeep Compass than with a slew of commercials that raise as many questions as the vehicle itself? The Compass has already been bludgeoned by the media for the questionable niche it is trying to carve out, while simultaneously diluting the vaunted Jeep off-road persona. While it is true that no brand can survive as solely a niche nameplate in today’s crowded market (a good debate always), many have questioned Jeep’s 180-degree spin from outdoor-conquest to urban doll-chucking. Either way, the commercials raise more questions than they answer, and not in the way a company would like. Whatever the fate of the Compass, let’s hope that a new round of advertising can come to bear before the car sees its end. Dr. Z So far, Chrysler’s run of “Ask Dr. Z” ads have been something of a mixed bag. On one hand, my first reaction to the ad was “hey, not bad.” But, after having read a few articles about the series on the interweb, I found that almost every auto journalist saw the ads as knocking Dieter Zetchse’s credibility rating from “aspirational” to “laughable.” But on the other hand, a recent study shows that 14% of polled consumers would consider a DCX vehicle after having seen the ads. But on the other hand, many consumers have also been noted as believing that Dr. Z was actually a fictional character and not really the CEO of Daimler-Chrysler. So where does Dr. Z really fall? Somewhere between overly-critical auto analysts and passive television viewers, Dr. Z has really fallen in the middle of the field as a “standard” series of ads – kind of like playing a game of poker in which you win back your buy-in and go home with as much as you started. Toyota’s Americanization Perhaps no company in the world levies its success on the domination of its PR department as Toyota does. From a series of billboard ads that display their economic contributions to America to producing the most politically correct vehicle ever in the Prius, Toyota has built a public image that is unquestionably polished. There is no wrong in displaying your achievements in the country in which you are operating, but there is a point where respectable contributions become over-spoken flag-waving. In fact, some auto analysts are now questioning the validity of Toyota’s unending campaign of Americanization, and how well it will endure in the Texas truck market, quite possibly the most die-hard, buy-American, brand-loyal group of buyers in the market. This concern was offered most bluntly by Peter DeLorenzo of Autoextremist.com – “…I can hardly wait for the Toyota advertising campaign that will attempt to convince everyone down in Texas - the largest pickup truck market in the world - that Toyota somehow has become "Native Texan" through a miracle of osmosis… …Make no mistake, Toyota's "aw shucks, we're just regular folks trying to be good citizens making a living" hat-in-hand approach will be severely tested with the marketing of the new Tundra.” Toyota’s record of domesticity-inducing advertising is lengthy and far too numerous to pull out any one quote for this article. But for every cry of “they’re creating American jobs!” it must be remembered that profits are not, not, they are NOT staying in America. If you need some real proof of this, consider the country of England and their domestic auto producers who no longer exist. When a foreign company makes a home elsewhere, the profits, the engineering, and the aspirational positions within the company will stay in the home market, in Japan, where they always have. Remember, Toyota’s Japanese headquarters resides in Toyota City, Japan. There is no Toyota City, Michigan, but if Toyota’s PR juggernaut continues its near-fictional roll, there may soon be.

Can I get this added to the C&G Drives test fleet? My initial review is already there i believe.

The voice in the wilderness? You know what, completely revamping one of the largest global companies in the history of modern humanity, while simultaneously changing a decades-old internal train of thought, and STILL having to put out product that is consistently up to par in the most competitive market in the country, is a tough enough job for any one man to handle. If you don't think Wagoner is the man, then wait until the new products fail. As of 2006, they haven't. But if you are so damn sure of yourself and your convictions that you assign yourself the nickname (which takes balls as it is) "the voice in the wilderness", then go join TTAC so people will understand to automatically ignore your pompous bull$h!.

Cool man. Didn't know you were a fellow 355 owner. The wheels are 16" American Racing Fuel Series. I couldn't tell you the offset, though I'm sure its not stock anymore. They're mounted on 32" Bridgestone Dueler Revo's and they stick out a lot. I had to cut out the front mud flaps completely due to rubbing, and the tires stick out a good inch, even past the huge Z71 flares! But yeah dude, definitely a solid little truck. While the mileage figures are purely estimates, you can definitely see the difference between stop and go in the hills of Pittsburgh and the mileage you'll get on the turnpike.

2004 GMC CANYON 2-year Update A Tama Review September 2, 2006 Happy Anniversary!! That's pushing it, but I've had my truck for two years now. How's it holding up? Well, contrary to media contentions, the truck is solid and I still get the grins when it's parked in that picture perfect stance (you know the one I'm talking about). Overview After two years, the Canyon has done everything I've asked of it. It hasn't gotten stuck (despite ski-lift duties), it hasn't run out of gas on the highway (city streets a different story, though), and it has always been a reliable work truck. Mechanical Mechanically the truck is solid. The four-wheel drive is unstoppable, and has not had a problem since the disengagement fiasco I reported on in my review a year ago. The engine has always had enough to get me around, and lacks only in high-speed acceleration maneuvers (those can get scary on the Baltimore Beltway). Other than the engineering nitpicks, there hasn't been a single mechanical problem, small or otherwise. Interior Well, what else would you expect here? It sucks. The hard-plastic dashboard has proven to be a non-issue, as it makes no noise and I tend to drive with my hands on the wheel. The super-gray color scheme drove me nuts, so I took it upon myself to paint the door-handle bezels, center stack and vent covers to match the body (which should be a factory option all the way). The seats are unbearable, and the manual lumbar-support knob will not stay at the desired setting. Best option? Get rid of the seats for the redesign. On the other hand, the truck is still terribly roomy. At 6'3, I can still stretch out all the way. Nice. Where comfort is lacking, ease is packing (what?). The ergonomics continue to be some of the best I've ever experienced. Every button is intuitively placed, the gauges are at-a-glance easy to read, and since I painted it white, the lights from the buttons cast a cool glow across the center stack at night (remember that one). It could use a few more neat touches, though (better center console or an overhead head). That much is just bitch-mode, however. The layout is superb. Style We all know that style is subjective, but I'm going to tell you about it anyway. With just bigger tires and a new grille, I've managed to make my truck stand out. It's not a sports car, but I still receive compliments on it. Remember the grins I spoke of earlier? While smaller than the competition, I still feel the Canyon to be the best-styled of the bunch. One great accomplishment of the 355 platform is the ability to look good as an off-roader and good as a street rod. While the Z71 package continues to be an owner favorite (reference www.coloradofans.com), the xtreme package has created a super clean street option, a look that will be flawless with the larger wheel packages available for 2007. Try to imagine a Frontier or Dakota lowered to the ground. While handsome up high, it's a look that even the inflatable-bodied Tacoma cannot pull off. Final Thoughts After two years, I've haven't felt the longing for a new vehicle. Realistically, two years is not long to own a car, but as enthusiasts we all know what it's like to just dream about that new model (married guys can relate, too, I bet.) Two-years strong and I can't complain. I'll have another review out about this time next year, and I'll let you guys know how the truck handles the Appalachian Avalanche (I'm in Johnstown till summer). Until then, keep an open mind -- the Canyon is still one hell of a truck. Other Notes Avg Fuel Mileage (est.) 16 city / 25 hwy Costs Regular Maintenance (about $200) Mileage 19,000 as of 9/02/2006 Aftermarket Changes All mechanicals stock Year 2004 Trim z71 LSE Other Extended Cab Engine Atlas i5 3.5L Transmission 4L60E 4-speed auto Gearing 3.73 w/ 4wd & G80 Diff. Options Power Everything, XM Other No performance-altering changes General Happiness 10/10 Dependability 9/10 Interior Comfort 5/10 Interior Usefulness 9/10 Parkability 8/10 Grin-factor 10/10 Fun to Drive 8/10 (for a truck) Powertrain 9/10 Work capabilities 10/10 Overall 9/10

Dammit, that guy pulls punches for no one. I agree with him, though, Lexus took the German philosophy of technology for the hell of it and forgot to borrow the style or driving dynamics.

Sounds like the rant of an upset dealer, because we all knew the incentives would still be there, just not in the great quantities they used to.

www.coloradofans.com the Colorado Bible

I think it's funny how you can so precisely use my comments regarding one author to accurately paint the picture of my life and my thought-processes. Good call on that one. Okay, so let's say that TTAC can print whatever they want and regardless of my sheltered, uninformed and incoherent rants, they are justified in calling things as they see them. Let's say they aren't trying to be accurate, or truthful. Let's say they are being true to their opinions, and dashing some humor in there for the hell of it. 1. they aren't funny. as far as i can tell, farago wants to be the american jeremy clarkson and that type of deadpan humor falls deaf on most american ears. so even if a few think he's funny, to most he comes off as a writer who's portraying his personal views in a bombastic and uninformed way while thinking that he is truthful. but thats just one theory. 2. i think its great that TTAC can print whatever they want, and i think its great that we both have the opportunity to call each other an uninformed asshole in a public forum. but there is such a thing as responsibility of speech. the daily show has millions of loyal viewers as compared to the few thousand that TTAC has. The Daily Show is far more ridiculous, opinionated and outspoken than TTAC. But guess what? The Daily Show advertises their fakeness. They tell people that they are a joke. People understand that watching the Daily Show entails laughter. TTAC? When your broadcasted-to-the-public mission statement uses the phrase "unbiased" and carries the air of something you would expect from a respected automotive news source, guess what, most readers are going to take you seriously! Now I'll respond to your personal assumptions of my character. Warning sticker? My favorite TV show is Mind of Mencia, I wrote an article in the school newspaper that predicted 6 of my close friends would end up drunk or dead in the next ten years and Im in the process of writing a satirical accoustic album that sings songs of "the abortion clinic", "my first blowjob" and "the ballad of tibbles the cat (dad hit him with the lawnmower when i was five)." So no, I'm not the teflon-helmeted sheltered pussy that you seem to think i am. I have one hell of a sense of humor. I've been working in a warehouse and family business since I was 9, perhaps even longer than you've been talking down on people from the comfortable safety of your computer monitor. I'm mature enough to tell you that condescending to people via internet does not make you a real adult, and I share enough of Farago's no-nonsense persona to tell you to f@#k off. With that, someone lock this damn thread. It's dead now.

If you can point out one instance in this thread or in my initial letter, where I explicitly attacked Farago or TTAC for being unfair to or biased against GM alone, I will give you eleven dollars and consider myself defeated. I didn't criticize him to defend GM. I did it because he's a poor writer who misleads his readers and is twofaced in his intent. If the site mission statement is "providing candid, unbiased automobile reviews and the latest in auto industry news," then you goddamn well better not write inflammatory and agenda-driven pieces, then duck under the shade of "but its just entertainment!" when somebody calls out your bull$h!! He didn't even respond to my criticisms! I was told to f@#k off! That either means the man is too lazy to respond, found truth in my letter or simply holds himself above the views of others. Either way, the man is full of $h!! And don't even begin to talk about freedom of speech. If you're not even responsible enough to tell your readers that what you do is humor-based and not to be taken seriously, then dont write at all. If it were truly a humor site, as you have argued, then the mission statement would be "providing laughible, detrimental automobile reviews and the latest in auto industry fake-news." If you want to talk about your perceived lack of quality regarding GM products, start another thread. If you're going to continue to defend bull$h! with bull$h!, just stop now.

Oh wow. And enzl, if you're website is plain and simple humor, but has tens of thousands of readers (as Sajeev pointed out), then you better be responsible enough to tell them that a "GM Death Watch" is either humorous or don't print the $h! at all. Because I've read the segment a few times, and he sounds pretty sincere.

what happened there?

sorry dude :AH-HA_wink:

Quit posting stupid $h! in the articles section! All this nonsense could have gone into one doomed thread, three is a waste!!

Do some spellchecking and re-read your arguments. Also, when you're arguing to dissolve an entire brand, which will undoubtedly cost thousands of people their jobs, send dealers into a $h!-slinging frenzy, and cost GM billions of dollars in the apex of the greatest company-wide renaissance in corporate american history, you may wish to consider future product plans and a few other minor things as well.