tama z71

I don't know about that. They have a staff of about seven writers. They're bombastic enough to establish a weekly "GM Death Watch" segment, as pompous and inaccurate as that is anymore. Reading their work, you get the impression that they carry themselves with an air that says "f@#k you, im a journaliast, and a badass one at that." C&G is a blog, too, but if Flybrian and Variance continually chanted of Toyota's imminent death and told those with differing opinions to f@#k off, then we would laugh at them too. But I guarantee you look to C&G for credible auto information, and expect the front page news to be accurate and somewhat balanced, much as I do. Blogs are as much a source of news for us yungin's today as CNN or ABC news, so if we don't hold self-important bastards like Farago accountable, then we are only breeding the next generation of journalists to be blameless, unaccountable self-important douche bags.

I thought it was funny because it was written well and structured properly. Maybe the cut about him being on the outside of the auto media got to him. Either way, you can't help but laugh at $h! like that. Especially when it's supposed to be a credible news source and that guy is the editor in chief.

HYSTERICAL!!! I wrote TTAC about their disgustingly poor journalism. Here's my letter and the immediate response. Mr. Farago, My name is James Conley. I'm heading into my first year of college this weekend, and I am an aspiring author and admitted car nut. As such, I have made a career of scouring the net for automotive news, articles, reviews and anything else I can get my hands on. While it isn't my aim to lash your work with name-calling and finger-pointing, I will say that TTAC is undoubtedly the most self-fulfilling, disconnected and irrelevant source of car news I have ever come across. Reading the work of yourself and your co-workers leads me to believe that each piece is meant only to contain more uselessly complex vocabulary than the last, aiming more to bolster the writers' own esteem rather than entertain or truthfully inform the reader. There is much fuss from the enthusiast when a publication puts down his beloved car (or brand), and this is probably why many of us consider the automotive media biased. Some of it is warranted -- much isn't. If there is any definitional moment of auto-media shenaniganry, however, it must be your "GM Death Watch." The honest belief that one of the largest corporations in the world will fold, be bought, or otherwise diminish is ridiculous and the lonely result of having the power to broadcast whatever pie-in-the-sky garbage you wish to publish on your website. Again, my aim isn't to insult you -- I'm here to offer you the same flavor of "truthful" advice that you so readily offer General Motors, and more recently, Ford. This is how I honestly feel about your website and your work. And when I'm studying to enter the same field that you can only longingly look in on from the outside, I'll continue to read your work and understand what constitutes poor journalism. Thank you. Sincerely Disgusted, James Conley the response is funny as hell. exactly the type of professionalism you would expect from TTAC Thank you for your email. I appreciate all the time and effort you've put into arranging your thoughts on our behalf. Perhaps you're right. Perhaps I and my writers have been too verbose and obtuse. Let me begin to rectify that right now. f@#k off. RF

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/11471...nout-kings.html Cadillac XLR-V Under all those aggressive, creased body lines is a Corvette chassis married to a supercharged and intercooled 4.4-liter Northstar V-8 producing 443 horsepower to motivate the quickest Cadillac ever. That huge number connects with not-particularly-wide 255mm rear tires, making for rubber hazed more readily than a fat boy in boot camp. We suggest you torch the tires with the hardtop down. Chevrolet Corvette With the wimpiest example making 400 horsepower, any Corvette has little trouble incinerating the inevitable Goodyears strapped to the back. Coupe, convertible, automatic, standard, Z06, base model, whatever — any Vette smokes meats better than a Texas BBQ. Pontiac GTO Rental-car looks only encourage you to lay waste to the GTO’s rear tires as if Avis would be replacing them. The 400-hp Corvette-sourced LS2 turns tarmac into a cheese grater once you disable the traction control. Despite a published base price of $32K, a lukewarm reception by buyers means you can get a GTO for significantly less. Cadillac DTS The only front-wheel-drive vehicle on this list is powered by a 291-hp Northstar V-8. This is sufficient to leave two smoldering piles of redistributed silica and carbon just aft of the DTS’s Grandpa-hauling rollers. One of our editors got pulled over doing just that, and the cop couldn’t help laughing. No ticket! Pontiac Solstice GXP One of the cheapest paths here to destroying a perfectly good set of gummies is the turbocharged 260 horsepower found in the Pontiac Solstice GXP for about $25K. Burnouts might, in fact, be a required part of the ownership experience, necessary each time a neighbor asks if you borrowed your hairdresser’s car. 5 out of 10! Sweet!!

That's just a stupid idea.

Good article, good points made. I think if you wanted to substitute every mention of Daimler-Chrysler with Ford, you could write the same article and it would make just as much sense.

ooooh, aaaah. looks like a big yaris mixed with a little camry. whoop-de-$h!.

The fact that they didn't test it doesn't amount to half the bull$h! of the potshots they consistently take at GM, like I pointed out in my letter.

Motor Trend has recently bounded the line from bias into pure stupidity, and one of their latest comparisons takes that line even further. In their recent Road Test, comparing the Toyota Avalon, Hyundai Azera and Volkswagen Passat, one thing was glaringly absent -- the Buick Lucerne. For a car that is comparable in every single point of analysis, I can think the desire to match that cool throwback photo from the 1970's the only reason they left it out. But they didn't completely ignore it. When the Azera placed third in the comparion, MT was quick to point out that this car - outsold by the Lucerne nearly 5x over - "was eating Buick's lunch." Friends, this type of journalism isn't biased -- it's stupid. MT has recently made several ankle-biting undercuts at GM, and they amount to poor, unprofessional writing. I couldn't let this last one slip away, so I sent another letter to MT, hoping that maybe this one will garner a response. I have a really hard time questioning the validity of your magazine lately, and your recent Azera/Avalon/Passat comparison is one of the reasons why. Number one, why isn't the Buick Lucerne, a car comparable to those tested in nearly every category, not included? Was it just so you could capture that cool throwback photo? Also, when the Lucerene outsells ALL THREE of the cars tested, quotes such as "Don't look now, Buick and others, but the Azera's eating your lunch," can't even be called biased. That's just childish.

and put it in the forums. this is for member-written articles. sheesh

this isnt an article, post it in the forums somewhere.

taken care of

This is getting ridiculous, and it is thanks only to the requisite punditry that followed the initial proposal. I have a feeling GM wants no part of any of this.

Heh, good stuff man. I just hope that your article draws more intelligent responses than the usual "f*ck toyota!!" that tends to follow the mere mention of their name.

The Great GM Drama A Tama Editorial/Fictionalization July 19, 2006 Well, it has been quite the eventful few weeks around here, hasn't it? What with the recent attempts by Japan Inc. to plant their flag in GM before each other, and the requisite media sheepery that follows, I thought I would do my part and offer my own view of the Great GM Drama, in typical smartass style. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Letter, from Nissan-Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn to General Motors CEO Richard Wagoner. June 30, 2006 Dear Richard, Hello! I was just on my way back to Japan after single-handedly rescuing the entire third grade of a burning elementary school in France, and I thought I'd get in touch. So, how are things at GM? I understand you’re in the midst of a company-wide turn-around. How's that going? I did one of those myself, you know. Two, in fact. Things are going well here. Since authoring "The Greatest Corporate Turn-Around in Automotive History" (I still get the giggles when I say that to myself), I've been keeping myself quite busy. I've got two companies to run, you know! A lot of people have praised me since "The Greatest Corporate Turn-Around in Automotive History" (hehe!), but I try not to let it go to my head. In fact, I think I'm ready to take on a third company. Not to talk down on your work thus far, but I think I can pull your company together where you have previously failed to. With that said, I'm afraid I cannot accept "a passive merger." Well, I should be going. I'm due to break ground on a Vietnamese Orphanage/AIDS Research Center in an hour, and I certainly wouldn't want to keep Mr. Kerkorian waiting! Cheers, Carlos Ghosn. P.S. - If you need tips on how to tighten up your company, consult my autobiography. I wrote it while housing displaced victims of Hurricane Katrina. It's a real page-turner! -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Private teleconference between Tracinda Chairman Kirk Kerkorian and henchman Jerome York. June 29, 2006 York: Good morning, Mr. Kerkorian. Kerkorian: Good money! York: Sir, I must first say that I've grown tired of waiting on the GM board to make a move. They don't have the balls to move that damn company anywhere! Kerkorian: mmm, money! York: Yes, sir. But they still have faith in Jowly McDrawls, and he will absolutely refuse to cut any of the brands. I've become very impatient with the whole situation, frankly. Kerkorian: MONEY! MONEY!! York: Indeed, sir. At the current rate, they will sacrifice no more than a few models, never mind whole brands. Your investment may not show a return if things continue as they are. Kerkorian: money? York: No, sir. We cannot continue at this pace. I recommend that you use your sizable stake to call in a ringer. Perhaps the Ghosn boy? Kerkorian: MONEY! MONEEEY! York: Excellent plan, sir. I will contact Ghosn immediately, put out a press release, and let “Dick” Wagoner know what we intend to do. Kerkorian: (chuckles raggedly)… money!! moneymoneymoneymoneymoney!!! York: Yes sir, it was a clever play on words, wasn’t it? Kerkorian: money. York: Understood, sir. We are all set. I will call you again tomorrow morning. Kerkorian: (mumbles inaudibly) York: Yes, sir. Goodbye, sir. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14th Floor meeting, GM Renaissance Center, Michigan. July 1st, 2006 Wagoner: Well gentlemen, we appear to have a few potential partners on our hands. Until I can fully investigate the situation, I prefer to remain neutral in my speculation on the proposed partnership. While the benefits of such a merger may deem an undertaking of this size acceptable, I must first weigh the possible negatives in light of our current transition plan. Given a month to think on the situation, I will meet with Mr. Ghosn on the matter, so as to be sure that all parties share the same goals, the same ideas, and the same paths. Until then, I will keep an open mind and open arms to all ideas that will ultimately make GM a stronger, better American company. Bob? Lutz: This is bulls**t! Wagoner: Thank you, Bob. See you gentlemen at lunch. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Toyota internal memo, from CEO Katsuaki Watanabe to NA President Jim Press. July 17th, 2006 Attn: Jim Press Subj: World Domination It seems that our lesser rivals wish to claim a piece of the American company. To maintain superiority, Toyota will propose interest in a 50 percent stock assumption. I do not wish to let the spoils of the giant fall into the hands of others. You know what to do. Attn: Katsuaki Watanabe Resp: World Domination Toyota will continue it’s investment into the American landscape by proposing an equal cooperation of resources and products with General Motors. The merger is just one piece in Toyota’s effort to continue creating jobs for Americans while preserving those that already exist. It’s just another way that we are moving forward. Will that press release prove satisfactory to you, sir? -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well, that’s how one smartass views this debacle. If anyone really cares about preserving what little pride American manufacturing has left, then we all ought to be thoroughly embarrassed at the garage sale that Japan Inc. has made of GM. If this mess continues in true fashion, we can expect Honda to make a proposal three years from now that is built on a minivan platform and has an in-bed trunk. Ford will mention interest in a merger by 2010, once someone offers to buy part of them. Also, look for the sub-standard media-debauchery to follow these shenanigans to their apex. Sit back, relax, and put yourself in a mood to laugh. We’re all in for one hell of a show.

See how many more times you can slot the term "ancient architecture" into the write-up before my head f@#king explodes.

I sent a letter to the editor of that pissant website... I just read Eric Peters’ editorial on the new Chevrolet Camaro. Good lord. If I may, that was the most self-fulfilling, masturbatory new-car analysis I’ve read in a long time. Every point he makes is based on the assumption that the production Camaro will match the concept bolt for bolt, the assumption that gas will continue to climb in price, and the assumption that everyone who wants a V-8 powered American muscle car has already broken down and bought a 1998 Honda Civic. While those of us who retain possession of our testicles hope the new Camaro replicates its concept self, nothing is guaranteed. If you want your fledgling publication taken seriously in the future, see to it that writers such as Mr. Peters spend less time scanning their pocket dictionaries for uselessly big words and more time understanding what they are bitching about.

Definitely enjoyed the letter. Proofread it before you send it to NY Times, though. Lot of grammar errors, and I can see those jagoffs ignoring your argument and responding that fact instead.

heh. and by 2010, Toyota will have half as many hybrids as GM. I love it.

Are you $h!ting me? This is a serious inquiry? no

yeesh. the vents are too low, the radio is too high, and the hvac knobs might as well sit on the floor and be activated by foot.

Sorry. The visceral effect of knowing that you have a V8 is greater than saying "my six cylinder makes more horsepower with two less cylinders!" I could actually write a counter-article to this notion. Friendly competition.

Are there any plans for a second underground project?

its nice, definitely an improvement, but the greenhouse looks like it could belong to any (and every) carmaker in the world. I wish GM could do something, different.