ZL-1

I'd like to see a baby-XLR, but it's better to wait for a NG small RWD platform so the development costs can be spread over more variants (sedans, coupes and wagons), brands and markets.

tongue in cheek

aha, clever! answer to thread: pound

Shelling

As it should be.I was leaning toward a '5' in the poll, but I ended up voting '4' because I'd love to see a manual option to go with the V6. There's a V6+6sp combination availabe in Australia (click here), so why not make it available in the US even if the manual becomes the extra-cost option?

So it seems the Commodore SV6 = G8 and the Commodore SS = G8 GT. The V6 makes the $25K price doable (although IIRC that would be well below what the SV6 sells for in Australia). I'm also thinking that US$25K-to-US$27K might overlap a little with the 'Bugs Bunny Edition' G6 GXP, no?

Priest that coffin thing reminded me of 'last rites' but that's too morbid

It's not one of my virtues either but getting paid every month helps me control my impatience, heheI'm sure all will go well with the pacemaker surgery.

I like the way they morphed the SS into a Pontiac! I think this makes a good top-of-the-line Pontiac, but there's no way in Hell I believe this will be US$25K with a 6.0L V8 engine! Maybe the US$25K number was a typo?

You're right. And you're right too.The two of you are looking at the same reality from two different perspectives. VenSeattle is looking at what the European Union is now: a number of different nation-states, with different and sometimes conflicting tastes, economic policies, and so on. But he also notes that the EU is following a path of integration in several aspects: the common market is slowly but steadily leveling regulations and to some extent consumer tastes, which leads to evok's point, which is the ultimate goal of the EU experience: a truly single or common market, where differences between Portuguese and Swedish consumer preferences can be thought of as the differences between consumer preferences in Florida and New York (differences in a single market instead of several individual/compartmented markets). What is dominant today is still the national side, but there is a trend towards harmonization in consumer preferences. I'd even argue that this harmonization of consumer preferences is much broader than a US vs. Europe discussion: it includes the whole developed world and growing parts of the developing countries (see China or India or Indonesia/Malaysia/Singapore 25 years ago, and compare with today). But that's another interesting discussion :AH-HA_wink:

It is only a refresh. Saab must be busier with the NG 9-5 these days.

My mantra these days is: "the salary he pays me is putting me through school, so don't hit him in the face just yet". A more civilised version (which also happens to be a line in a Tool song) is "be patient".

The number is correct: the car is 2033mm wide (80 in.), including the side mirrors.

I wish the new 1.6L turbo (180hp) was offered, but maybe the US will get the OPC as the RedLine.

masonry

movie

That's why I'll be very disappointed if the export CTS doesn't get a DI 2.8L.

Chevrolet Spark

Well, there's always the Commodore SV6: that would be a nice entry-level G8!

It's a cool little car and the doors are very useful in tight parking spaces.

QFTThe Commodore-to-G8 nose job seems tastefully done, so I'm wondering what happened at the rear: a slightly different bumper just to meet US regulations, or tail lights and trunk cover changes as well?

Crap! If i had seen this I would have answered 'Pulling Teeth' for all metal-inclined members :AH-HA_wink:Reply to thread: crater (spelling?)

I think the main change in Europe has been that the Asians started designing and building cars in Europe: that helped reduce consumer's home town bias.I think Cadillac has always had a chance: people here equal American cars with 'excess', but that can be useful at the top-end of the market for people who want to stand out from the MB/BMW/Audi crowd. What Cadillac has lacked is quality product and diesel engines. The '08 CTS seems to fix those shortcomings and will be the pivotal car for Cadillac's international aspirations: the '03 CTS was the big splash in terms of styling, but the '08 CTS and the NG STS/DTS will determine if Cadillac can run with MB and BMW. A 2nd-gen RWD BLS can play a part too, but I'm taking a 'seeing-is-believeing' stance with regard to that.

Happy birthday!

With Toyota being the percieved leader of the auto industry (even without having overtaken GM), then it's only natural that the heat is turned on them: news about a leader's (or percieved leader's) failures are far 'juicier'. It's a variant of the 'sex sells' thing.