Northstar

That's good news about the Cobalt and H3 attracting a lot of non-GM buyers. Anyone notice the Solstice made the sales sheet (did it last month)? The 06 Impala and HHR seem to be doing great, and I'm guessing the percentage of 06 Impalas to fleets is much lower than that of the 05 model. Some of the numbers are actually pretty good considering the low inventory, but October should have normal inventory levels and thus big losses won't be acceptable. The G6 really needs to be at 20k/month; if the Malibu can be at 20k/month, then the G6 can too. It would appear trucks were hurt worse than cars with the low inventory, hopefully they'll be back up next month. The VUE did pretty good actually, I think the update is helping. One final note: Chevy is now ahead of Ford by 30k units for the year with 3 months to go. The HHR sales will certainly give Chevy a boost that it didn't have last year, though the GMT800s might be hurt and Ford has the Fusion. It should be an interesting race.

Damn, that's pretty funny. Thanks for the laugh.

By Jason Stein Automotive News / October 03, 2005 DETROIT -- General Motors is confident that its Saturn Vue Green Line will save fuel -- at a price that makes it easier for buyers to swallow the extra cost of a hybrid. Mark LaNeve, GM North America vice president of vehicle sales, service and marketing, says a premium of $1,000 to $1,500 is "in the neighborhood" of what GM will charge for the gasoline-electric hybrid scheduled to arrive next summer. Other automakers, such as Ford, Honda and Toyota, charge a premium of $3,000 to $5,000 for their hybrids. A front-wheel-drive, four-cylinder version of the 2006 Saturn Vue has a sticker price of $17,990, including shipping. When it comes to fuel economy, LaNeve says, the Vue Green Line will be a reasonably priced hybrid alternative. "Because of the price point we will charge for it, the Vue will pay for itself over a three-year period on fuel economy," LaNeve says. "You'll save about a tank a month." More: http://www.autonews.com/article.cms?articleId=54729

I've seen an unusual amount of GTOs lately. Three 04s in the past two days, and 2 today.

That's totally unacceptable. And GM wonders why it can't get a gain in market share out west, maybe it's because it doesn't even TRY.

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Welcome to voting for Sketch Competition 1! If you entered the competition, you MUST vote. Artists should also not vote for themselves. Artists who do not vote or vote for themsleves will be assessed a 4 point penalty. You get 3 votes, 1st place receives 3 points, 2nd place gets 2 points, and 3rd place gets 1 point. Here are the entries: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Forgot to close it last night, but the competition is now closed. I'll start voting soon as well as a new comp.

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Welcome to Choppin' Competition 7! Your task is to chop the photo provided below in any way you want. Change the wheels, background, etc. Please resize your chop to 768 pixles wide. Contestants that do so will recieve a bonus point as it takes me a long time to resize all of the entries that are not the specified size for the voting thread. The deadline for entries is Saturday, October 8th, at 11:59 PM EST. Here is the pic to chop (click thumbnail for larger image):

The Competition is now closed. Voting will begin shortly.

Welcome to voting for Choppin' Competition 6! If you entered the competition, you MUST vote. Artists should also not vote for themselves. Artists who do not vote or vote for themsleves will be assessed a 4 point penalty. You get two votes, 1st place votes receive 2 points and 2nd place votes receive 1 point. Voting will end when I get home from school on Wedensday. Here are the chops: 1 2 3 4 5 6

Well, this week was really busy and I probably won't be submitting an entry. The contest is scheduled to close in 15 minutes, so get your entries in everyone!

Sorry it took me so long to get the results posted, it was a very busy week. Anyways, here are the results: The winner, with 21 points, was Allen K: In second place, with 15 points, was HereComesDaJudge: In third place, with 13 points, was BuddyP: Congrats to everyone who entered and especially the winners!

I have an old Dell with 550MHz. It was top of the line when it was new, and while it's not really slow since I have cable, it's pretty old. I'd say at least 6 years old. My sister got a cool laptop for college. It's a Dell 8500 with 2.4 GHz I think, it's pretty fast but the internet is actually slower since it's on wireless.

Wow, the rear is terrible. As for the truck as a whole: I don't think Mitsu will have 48% market share after they release this.

I highly doubt the Northstar will fit because it is wider and taller. If it's hard to get a smallblock V8 to fit, it will be next to impossible to get a Northstar to fit.

Forgot to post this earlier, but I saw an M Coupe today. I only ever saw it from the rear, but it was really weird with the fender flares sticking way out. It was hella fast though.

DETROIT – HUMMER has announced a major milestone with the sale of its100,000 th H2 today. Since the H2’s launch in 2002, HUMMER has grown its model portfolio to include the H1 Alpha, H2 SUT and H3, and has expanded its dealer network to 167 dealer points. “The sale of the 100,000 th H2 is symbolic of its success in the marketplace,” said Susan Docherty, HUMMER general manager. “This milestone represents the H2’s ability to attract new customers to the brand by showcasing its unique combination of off-road capability and refined styling.” The HUMMER H2 was introduced as a concept in January 2000 at the North American International Auto Show and officially went on sale July 10, 2002, with the ringing of the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. The H2 made its debut as the more “civilized” HUMMER, adding creature comforts and premium amenities while maintaining the brand’s off-road leadership. These capabilities include fording 20 inches of water, climbing 16-inch steps and rocks and maneuvering through sand. The H2 lineup has recently expanded to include a limited edition “Pacific Blue” H2. The special edition comes in SUV and SUT versions and includes all the standard features of the H2, plus a unique Pacific Blue exterior paint and an up-level premium appearance package. In addition, the special edition has a heated windshield wiper system with warm fluid that removes snow, ice and debris and a rear-seat DVD system with dual headrest-mounted viewing screens and wireless headphones.

POPULAR MECHANICS Awards GM 3.9 V-6 For Breakthrough Technology New York - General Motors' new 3.9-liter V-6 has been recognized for ground-breaking technology by the editors of POPULAR MECHANICS in the publication's first "POPULAR MECHANICS Breakthrough Awards." The announcement was made today at the American Museum of Natural History and will be featured in the October issue of POPULAR MECHANICS, on newsstands nationwide October 11, 2005. The POPULAR MECHANICS Breakthrough Awards recognize ten individuals and teams, including one winner of the Breakthrough Leadership Award, that are helping to improve lives and expand possibilities in the realms of science, technology and exploration. Additionally, POPULAR MECHANICS highlighted a separate group of ten consumer products that represent milestones in design and engineering. The 3.9 V-6 has been awarded for the innovative adaptation of variable valve timing, an industry first for overhead valve engines. "General Motors keeps finding ways to advance overhead valve engines and the 3.9-liter V-6 used in the Impala reaches new levels," said James Meigs, editor-in-chief, POPULAR MECHANICS. "For their continued success and innovation, we're proud to recognize GM with a 2006 Breakthrough Award." The 3.9 is part of an all-new family of advanced overhead valve, 60-degree V-6 engines. The engine is designed new from the block up and in addition to variable valve timing, incorporates a host of advanced, premium features, including a variable intake manifold, piston-cooling oil squirters, and an advanced 32-bit engine controller. "The breakthrough development of variable valve timing for the 3.9 demonstrates the continued relevance of the elegant overhead valve engine design," said Dr. Gary Horvat, assistant chief engineer, V-6 engines. "We're honored that the editorial team at POPULAR MECHANICS recognize the significance of this technology." The variable valve timing system incorporates a vane-type camshaft phaser that changes the angular orientation of the camshaft, thereby adjusting the timing of the intake and exhaust valves to optimize performance and economy, and helping lower emissions. Within its range of operation, it offers infinitely variable valve timing in relation to the crankshaft. The cam phasing creates "dual equal" valve timing adjustments. In other words, the intake valves and exhaust valves are varied at the same time and at the same rate. The award-winning, 240-horsepower 3.9 V-6 is available in the 2006 Chevrolet Impala, Monte Carlo, Malibu SS, Malibu Maxx SS and Uplander; Pontiac G6 GTP and SV6; Buick Terraza; and Saturn Relay. POPULAR MECHANICS is published by Hearst Magazines, a unit of The Hearst Corporation (www.hearst.com) and one of the world's largest publishers of monthly magazines, with a total of 19 U.S. titles and 142 international editions. Hearst reaches more adults than any other publisher of monthly magazines (76.3 million according to MRI, spring 2005). The company also publishes 19 magazines in the United Kingdom through its wholly owned subsidiary, The National Magazine Company Limited.

DETROIT – This fall Cadillac delivers several innovative new technologies to consumers, as the brand continues its renaissance of new vehicles with dramatic designs and useful, intuitive new features. These new technologies range from important safety innovations to the pure enjoyment of enhanced in-vehicle entertainment and driving performance. “Cadillac has a long heritage as a technology flagship for GM and the entire industry,” said Jim Taylor, Cadillac general manager. “Our philosophy is to continue to deliver purposeful technology in a way that adds safety and pleasure, not complexity, to the experience of driving a luxury vehicle.” Safety: Smarter airbags and headlamps The all-new Cadillac DTS full-size luxury sedan features a new technology taking air bags to a new level of precision, the industry’s first Dual Depth Air Bags. This GM co-patented technology enables an air bag to deploy in either of two sizes, depending upon the severity of the crash, seat belt usage and occupant seat position. When small air bag deployment is necessary, a tether is used to hold the air bag back to the smaller size, and gas is vented from the inflation canister. For large air bag deployment, the tether is released, the canister vent is shut off and the air bag is allowed to expand to its full size. The new DTS is in dealerships now. Cadillac’s XLR roadster is a high-performance machine enabling drivers to carve up twisty roads, day or night. The 2006 XLR includes Adaptive Forward Lighting, a system allowing the headlamps to better illuminate the car’s path. This advanced technology moves the lighting pattern in synch with vehicle steering, enhancing driver visibility in corners and on twisty road sections. The system allows an industry-best maximum of 15 degrees of movement. The new DTS and the STS luxury sport sedan employ another form of “smart” headlamps, called IntelliBeam. This system automatically switches high-beam headlamps back to the normal low-beam setting when a vehicle’s headlamps or taillamps appear in front of the car. It also will switch the high-beams back on again automatically when the road is clear in front of the car. The system operates via a light-sensing metal oxide semiconductor, mounted onto a tiny camera that peers through the windshield searching for light sources in front of the car. Entertainment: Stealth antennae, digital tunes Most 2006 Cadillacs include the acclaimed XM Satellite Radio service (NASDAQ:XMSR) as standard equipment (not including subscription fees). The rapid expansion of satellite radio has made the plastic roof antennae a fixture on top of millions of vehicles on U.S. roads today. Cadillac is changing that with the industry-first “stealth” antennae for XM Radio on the XLR. The tiny antennae are cleverly concealed within the outside rear view mirrors, an industry-first. XLR includes a network of more than one dozen antennae throughout the car, all concealed under its striking exterior. These antennae power features such as the car’s AM/FM/XM radio, OnStar communication, GPS-powered navigation system, Keyless Access system for entry and exit, push-button start and tire pressure monitoring. In the new STS and DTS sedans, Cadillac drivers can effortlessly add their digital music player to their vehicle’s entertainment system. The standard audio system of the DTS includes an audio input jack in the radio system expressly for digital music (mp3) players such as the Apple IPod. The all-new 2007 Escalade, in dealerships in early-2006, will also include an input for digital music players. Convenience: The demise of the windshield ice scraper Drivers of the all-new DTS have a reason to look forward to winter snow and ice. DTS includes a new heated windshield wash system. The system heats washer fluid to approximately 176 degrees in 40 seconds, then applies the hot fluid to the windshield in four shots over a span of 90 seconds. Working with the wipers, the system clears snow, ice and just about anything else, off the windshield – with the driver comfortably seated inside. Even in warmer weather the system is helpful, as the heated fluid more effectively clears debris such as bugs from the windshield.

By Greg Migliore Automotive News / September 29, 2005 http://www.autonews.com/news.cms?newsId=13448 DETROIT -- Industry experts are forecasting a brutal hangover for the Big 3 in the final month of their employee discount incentive programs as inventories dry up and the popularity of SUVs wanes in the wake of the hurricane-inflated gasoline prices. But propped up by gains at import automakers, September U.S. sales are expected to increase 11 percent over the year-ago month, to 1.27 million vehicles. The seasonally adjusted annualized sales rate is pegged to range between 16 million and 16.8 million units. General Motors, which posted the most spectacular summer gains, is bearing the brunt of the slowdown. Analysts predict its September sales will be off between 16.7 percent and 30 percent, compared with September 2004. Automakers report their September sales on Monday, Oct. 3. Merrill Lynch analyst John Casesa says in his monthly sales outlook that GM's sales have "completely reversed course," and notes that its inventory will be about 17 percent below average for this time of year. Ford Motor Co. also will likely take a sales hit, with forecasts for a drop ranging from a 12.6 percent to 20 percent. The Chrysler group's sales are expected to range between flat to down 7 percent. Burnham Securities analyst David Healy says in his monthly preview that SUVs are in a "near state of collapse" and predicts their sales will be off 25 percent to 40 percent year-over-year. While the domestics appear to have pulled ahead sales with their employee-discount incentive programs, import automakers are in better shape. Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. sales are predicted to be up between 7 percent and 15 percent for September. American Honda could see a gain of 12 percent to 13 percent for the month. Casesa says the automaker has been helped by a solid performance from the Civic, as 2005 models moved during the year-end clearance and the 2006 version arrived in showrooms on Sept. 9. Nissan North America Inc. sales are expected to jump by 6 percent to 16 percent.

Reuters / September 29, 2005 MILFORD, Mich. -- General Motors sees value in unprofitable hybrid vehicles and is boosting efforts in their development, the Vice Chairman Robert Lutz said on Thursday. Lutz acknowledged the world's largest automaker has lagged in the development of hybrids, which twin a gasoline engine to an electric motor and batteries to boost fuel economy. "That will change very quickly as we roll out our various categories of hybrids, but right now we're not where we ought to be," he told reporters at a GM event here. Chairman Rick Wagoner has said in the past GM will not make unprofitable vehicles. However, Lutz said there is now an appreciation at GM for hybrids as a form of corporate advertising to show a company is technologically and environmentally advanced. "If you have to do some and lose money on them, we have to consider it as another form of communications expense and I think Rick accepts that and the board of directors accepts it," Lutz said. Ford Motor Co. said last week it was planning to boost global production of hybrid vehicles tenfold to 250,000 annually by 2010. Toyota Motor Corp., seen as a leader in hybrid technology along with Honda Motor Co. Ltd., plans to boost hybrid sales to 1 million units by the early part of next decade. Lutz declined to address GM's U.S. auto sales in September, but said the automaker will no longer offer employee pricing plans and instead shift to value pricing as a way to emphasize a vehicle and its attributes as opposed to the deal itself.

Today I saw a red CTS-V. Yesterday I saw a yellow xB TAXI :lol:

It's just some sort of vents, FOG. There was a press release I posted in the Cadillac forum about it (entitle "Escalade tidbits" I believe) and it made a mention of them, and it sounded fine.