Drew Dowdell

Globalized corporations are inefficient in terms of energy usage. The quote was referring to that rather than dollar efficiency. What has changed is the cost of the oil which was previously being artificially held down in the Asian countries. It's a longer term phase out, but in some places the price doubled.

FOG, the 3.6 is a really nice 6. You may very well like it.

The subsidies are being phased out. What I'm saying is the true costs were not there when the Chinese and Indian governments were picking up part of the tab. When I worked at the textile company. We would source fabric from Vietnam, ship it to Pittsburgh for cutting, ship the cut pieces to El Salvador for sewing and packaging, and then shipped back to Pittsburgh for warehousing and distribution. At $2.00 a gallon in the US and 50 cents a gallon in Asia and 75 cents per gallon in S. America, that trip might make sense. But now we're in the era of $4.00 a gallon gas in the US. Asia and S. America are easing back on their fuel subsidies. At what point does it no longer make sense???

It's ..... it's like I thought about it.... or something.....

NY Times The Truth about Cars Biz-Info India Borrowing $3 billion to pay for a $2.3 billion acquisition of companies that have lost money for years and fund development of a car you've already said you'd build while using 9 different banks to do it...... nope, doesn't sound like being financed to the hilt at all......

OOOOOOrrrr...... the cost in dollars did not previously match the cost in barrels of oil. Remember that China, India and a few others massively subsidized fuel. Back when we were paying 2.00 per gallon the Chinese were paying 50 cents <aprox> per gallon with the government picking up the tab for the rest.

This thread is for a lively debate on what is likely the biggest issue we face today. I keep very up to date on the economy especially in the housing/mortgage market. Today I found this gem:

an old old Ford Ranger There is a CTS Sport with 3 diamond shaped porthole per side. a previous gen GP with them on the hood just along the hood creases.... didn't look too bad and actually was kinda original. followed up nicely by the final gen GP with 8 portholes on the fender....... that is... 8 per side... two rows of 4 each. A Cutlass-Malibu with two per side. A Chrysler 300 who just didn't know when to stop.... he had a row of 4 Buick style port holes and then a row of 4 Cadillac Escalade type square ones below it. and strangely, I've also seen a Honda Fit with them

I'd say you're wrong. People in the U.S. buy the Accord because they think it is entirely a Japanese car.

For the U.S., I agree with you, but the Germans seem to be very conscious of where vehicles are developed. Apathy towards development location seems to be a particularly US trait.

Furthermore, if out handling your neighbor in the Squirrel Hill tunnels were such a high priority for you, why are you driving an Aurora?

Most people who drive a BMW don't know why, other then that tingly sensation they get when someone says, "You drive a BMW?".

I'm just saying that BMW could repaint old Trabant's, slap the rondel on them, and people would buy them. SMK would come in here suddenly mad that Cadillac is so far behind BMW in "composite" body panels and had nothing like BMW's "direct cylinder lubrication system". SMK's reaction to the new CTS is just proof of my statement that GM could produce a fully working model of Christ and people will still complain that the water to wine function only dispenses Merlot. The badge matters.

It's a new concept. It's called "Starving a division of quality product for success" published by the makers of "How to run a company into the ground for dummies" written by Carl Peter Foster.

QUOTE(66Stang @ Jul 12 2008, 05:01 PM) [snapback]411367[/snapback] I'd drive it in a minute and I'm strait... Chris yet you can't even spell "straight"

Tata is financed to the hilt. I wouldn't count on them to turn Jaguar around. Tata is like those people who got a 1.2 million, zero down, negative amortization loan on a 2,200 sq foot, 15 year old McMansion in Southern California and then couldn't afford to furnish it. The development of the XF was done by Ford as a last gasp effort to avoid having to sell the brand. It didn't arrive in time.

I thought we were done with your idiotic comments. You seriously think a Hyundai Genesis handles just as well as a CTS? From Edmunds: The CTS is world class.

All of Europe or just the UK? I could see there being an issue making the car RHD for what would be a small number of CTS-Vs

not driving *that* car you're not

I own apartment buildings and you've already seen my handywork on cars with the ToadSmasher..... just about the only thing I know I can't do is solder copper pipe.... but that's what compression fittings are for... right?

I've always been intrigued by those that answered Hetero-Flexible. I wouldn't have thought there would have been that many.

... it isn't half good either... I'll agree that Buick should do a premium small car.... The Excelle ain't it.

While it's a bit small for me, I see the market for it. Malibu wagon for me please.

size does matter. It needs to be larger..like Malibu or Impala sized.... and I'm guessing the wagon will just be the HHR replacement.

Best month EVAR in terms of reducing production line electricity usage!