Northstar

Or a Malibu, Accord, Altima, etc. Prius only makes sense if you have money to burn, really and want to be a greenie.

Yeah, there are 28 left on lots somewhere. Big deal. The GTO was not a flop like many people like to say. It sold better than the Trans Am or Camaro SS, for example. Better than the Bullitt, Mach1, Cobra, and other non-GT V8 Mustangs as well. For the price and segment, it sold quite well. GTO was one of the least-fleeted GM cars ever. Less than the Vette, less than the Solstice. Even less than any Porsche. If it had as many fleet sales as a certain unnamed, outdated car, it would have been a HUGE success! I like how the Solstice, with an average transaction price of probably ~$25k is considered a huge success when it doesn't sell much better than the GTO did, which was considered a huge flop.

I realize you were not directing it at me. Do you care to answer my question?

My family has never bought anything non-GM to my knowledge. Perhaps you would listen to me then, or are you just blind on the issue all together?

GME's method may be successful in terms of being the largest automaker in the world, but GME's method also means selling cars for people who view cars as appliances, like Toyota does. There's nothing wrong with using GME's method for mainstream cars, but GME can stay the f@#k out of dealing with the approval/canning of performance vehicles. They have no idea WTF they're doing on that front. GME's way: let's be the biggest automaker in the world, even if the cars (appliances) we make are for losers. The way it should be: Let's make appliances for losers and also be the coolest car maker in the world at the same time by also building kick-ass performance vehicles that are fun to drive at an affordable price. GME is missing one key ingredient, and it's going to bite all of GM in the ass. If it's a Mustang or a Malibu/Aura/FWD EPII, I'll gladly take the Mustang.

According to you it's not as good-looking. I would take this over the cars you mentioned. It's much more modern looking than the Camaro or Mustang. And who says it will be more expensive? The G8 is only $30k with a V8 and that includes dual-zone climate, premium sound system, 18" inch wheels, and 361HP. A Mustang with premium sound, 18" wheels, and 300HP is $28.5k. Not much of a difference and the G8 has a better interior and dual-zone climate that the Mustang does not have (there are probably other small differences as well). So you really think the G8 coupe would be that much more expensive than the sedan? I doubt it.

Would you buy it over the Challenger? While the Camaro is an awesome design, it still has a lot of retro cues for my tastes. This has no retro cues, obviously. It's fresh and modern. Challenger is the same as Camaro, though it's far too retro for me.

Escalade Hybrid will be plenty fast. Should be 0-60 under 6 seconds like the regular one. The CX-9 only wins the awards because it handles better. As a family hauler, the Lambdas do a better job, hence the sales results (even compared to the Outlook). The interior of the CX-9 is quite good, but I felt the Lambdas were better. Astra offers leather, FYI. You seem to be saying it's not premium because it has only 140HP. So if it had a 200HP it would be premium? I don't see how that works, but whateva. Sales of the Lambdas were better than the Odyssey in December. Enclave wasn't on sale until later than the others and the Outlook's and Acadia's were just arriving in January last year. They also beat it in January 2008 by a ratio of ~2:3. On top of that, the Lambdas start a few grand higher than the Odyssey. Sales of GM, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Chrysler, and Ford were down 158k units in 2007 vs. 2006. The minivan market is shrinking at a huge rate.

The new M5 isn't here yet, so GM is beating them currently. See what GM answers with, if they do, before saying that they don't beat them. Is the M5 you talk of a 2009 or 2010 model? If it's a 2010, the 2009 CTS-V will beat the 2009 M5. The 2010 M5 will then probably beat a 2010 CTS-V. The 2011 CTS-V could have the Blue Devil engine and carbon fiber for you to gush over and beat the 2011 M5. Wait and see before you assume. The diesel CTS will get 30MPG. Happy now? Umm, so then why are you comparing it to the 335i and G37? You conveniently forgot the Escalade Hybrid. Nice job. CX-9 is not better than the Lambdas unless you want something that's more fun to drive. Lambdas have better interiors and someone who's not less than 6 years old can fit in the 3rd row comfortably. I'll let sales results speak for themselves, as well. CTS is on C&D's 10Best list. Guess which cars are not? BMW 5 or G35/G37. Accord and Malibu both made the 10Best, I'd say they're pretty comparable. The Accord may have won their review, but somehow the Malibu didn't outscore it in exterior styling, which is BS, and when you discount the two categories that are either dumb (gotta-have it) and repetitive (fun-to-drive, which would be a combination of acceleration and handling, which are already taken into account), the Malibu only loses by 7 points, and again somehow doesn't beat the Accord in the exterior styling category. Not very many when both score over 200 points. As for the G8, what car beats it in the class? BMW 5? Ok, keep comparing cars that aren't even close in price range and bitch that the cheaper one isn't as good. Makes perfect sense. Premium small cars? You forgot the Astra. GM has decided to move into the exploding crossover segment rather than the shrinking minivan market. Seems like a good move to me.

2 cars in that price range? The G8 coupe is ~$30k, the 335i bases for $41k. Not exactly the same price. The G8 coupe would destroy the 328i. GM can give the CTS-V 650HP if it wants to and add carbon fiber to cut weight as well. The M5 isn't something that GM can't match with the CTS-V. For $30k less the CTS-V will be an amazing vehicle. It will beat the current M5 most likely. GM can beat the Germans if it wants to, but not for $30k less.

Actually, you named 1 German car it couldn't run with. G37 is Japanese. The CTS-V has a pushrod and is heavy. It will beat the Germans. Sorry, you're wrong. As for looks, I have the profile view as my wallpaper, and my 15-year old borther got on the computer and asked if it was a BMW and said it looked sweet.

This car is not the size of a G37 or 335i, so why are you comparing it to them? It would be able to run with a 6er just fine, which is of a similar size.

It would be best not to post pics. I'm surprised they kept the center-exit exhaust. I didn't think that'd make production. It looks like they're keeping it pretty true to the concept.

I'm sorry if the truth hurts. Here's a chop of a Pontiac version I found:

Build it! Oh wait, I forgot about 3 letters: GME. Not gonna happen. GME sucks.

At the dealership, I've driven more cars than you can imagine. Basically the whole Chevy lineup and the whole Cadillac lineup except the XLR. Drove an SSR even. From Pontiac, I've driven: 04 GTO A lot of used ones at the dealership Buick: Again, lots of used ones at the dealership, don't think I've driven one otherwise Saturn: Same GMC: Same Hummer: none Saab: none Olds: 01 Alero, LSS, 98 Silhoutte

The cars at the auto show did have some poor quality, mainly the center console. At the auto show they said the manual would be available "later in the model year."

G8 1, PCS 0 The G8 sounds like a spectacular piece, can't wait to drive one.

Who says an Alpha car would not sell as well or better? BMW sells tons of 3er's. Probably more than Pontiac sells G6s to retail customers. Obviously Alpha could be high volume if the price is kept in check and the vehicle is executed properly. Who doesn't want a 3er for $24k-35k?

It's totally possible that his computer died or something, though I would assume they have computers where he works, too. Hopefully he is alright, but you would think that he could find 5 minutes at some point in the last month to post something. Perhaps he got shipped off to sell cars in Timbuktu.

The front overhang is not that long. It's not ridiculously short like a Mini, but it's not long, either. The distance from the front wheel to the door is much longer, by comparison. This thing has RWD proportions.

The 1-Series looked like what it is at the auto show: a subcompact car. It doesn't look very good in person. Looks scrunched, poor proportions. It may look better than many cars it's size, but it costs 3-4 times more than most cars its size, so it better look better. Still, for the ~$5k difference to a 3er, I'd pay an extra ~$5k for sure.

I don't know if you remember, but the new Malibu was talked about as just a stop-gap product until the NG arrived. The NG LaCrosse is due on EPII in Jan-Feb 09, so the Malibu being ~2 years behind seems plausible, if you think about it that way.

The NG Malibu is less than 3 years away if it is still on its original schedule. Even if its a few months behind by now that's only a little over 3 years away. It has been confirmed that EPII is wider than EPI, which is really the only dimension the Malibu lacks when comparing interior room to the Impala.

Impala, as it is. It will offer no extra space compared to the next-gen Malibu. No need to make two very similarly sized cars in the same lineup, IMO.