thegriffon

Unfortunately most consumers value tight panel gaps more highly, perhaps because in their experience door and fender dings are not "inevitable".

GM does have a North American manual transmission plant—Manual Transmissions of Muncie (MTM), the other part of the former New Venture Gear joint venture that GM regained when NVG was split up again. Although they now primarily make transmissions for trucks (Dodge mostly), some of you may remember when "Muncie" transmissions were more widely known. If you read through GM's material on the DCT you'll see that prototypes were being tested in GMT 800s, so MTM is a possibility if GM actually proceeds. Dave Hill was cautiously interested in the DCT for the Corvette.

Getrag and Ford have a JV for manual transmissions (Getrag Ford Transmissions GmbH), including the Powershift dual-clutch transmission, so it's doubtful GM would use them.

Hino has not "been majority owned by Toyota for over 30 years" as you say. Although long-associated, only recently did Toyota increase their stake in each company enough to consolidate sales.

Your total number of brands is incorrect. Toyota's Total includes: Toyota Daihatsu Hino Scion Lexus Perodua and Xiali Not including the Japanese sales channels of: Toyopet (the first Toyota brand in the US) Corolla and Netz, which starting with the new bB gets its own badging (after absorbing the Vista channel). That's 10 channels to GM's 11: Opel Vauxhall Holden Daewoo Chevrolet GMC Buick Pontiac Cadillac Saturn Saab Of course many of these different brands are the same vehicles with different badges for different markets (Daewoo in Korea, Holden in Australasia, Vauxhall in Britain and Ireland). On the other hand Scion, Perodua and Xiali are now much less rebadged Toyotas or Daihatsus, but unique products, as are the vehicles sold through each of the Japanese channels.

So what you're saying is if Toyota starts making airplanes then they should be included as well, or perhaps we should be including Hyundai Motor Group's locomotives in their total vehicles. While we're at it we'll lump in FHI's garbage buses, trucks, rail vehicles and aircraft with Subaru. Wait now we can also juice Fiat's figures by lumping in Iveco and CaseNewHolland. It's too bad that like GM and DCX they've sold their rail transport business. Of course this is all moot, as there is no way either Toyota or GM can catch Honda's 2005 sales of 15.85 million units (naturally we must include motocycles as well as heavy trucks, especially since the former are more commonly classed as automobiles). While we're changing the rankings we have to adjust DCX and Suzuki, and guess what, Suzuki is an even bigger vehicle producer than DCX, despite the latter's multitude of heavy vehicle brands. Motorcycles should help PSA boost it's global sales too.

There are at least two Japanese-market specific telematics systems totally unrelated to Onstar and non-transferable outside Japan—Nissan's CarWings and Toyota's G-book. There are also European systems again unconnected with Onstar, although GM still uses the Onstar name on the system they use in Europe. None really have the same breadth and depth of services available with Onstar. BTW, who can even remember what the major rival system championed by Ford was?

Airline passengers also expect that they probably won't be left stranded if their carrier stops flying. There's always plenty of extra capacity and someone else may honor their ticket out of goodwill. Even closing a brand would worry potential GM buyers. Even if they're away of the relationship they may not like the idea (for different reasons) of being forced to take their Pontiac or Buick to a Chevrolet or Cadillac dealer if it needs service.

figners etc is a common mistake since the g and n are on opposite sides of the keyboard and one hand gets ahead of the other. Tying " " instead of "n" (the space bar is a lot easier to hit when you are not looking), hitting i instead of o (or vice versa-never happens with u), missing the n altogether in and (missing the d is simply getting ahead of written standards) Other common errors- hitting two keys instead of one resulting in -oin instead of -on or -in, and po instead of p (simpoly etc.). Those are the risks of typing as fast as you think. Typing tests will also pick up other erros beside typos and spelling mistakes- such as editing errors (typing what we expect the text to say instead of what it actually says).

Wait—this law firm is still touting for a lead plaintiff? More opportunistic bottom-feeders.

The new bB is closer in size to the Cube. The version Nissan will sell in America will be much bigger, closer in size to the xB but with a much longer wheelbase.

I get a combined 34 mpg from my Opel Corsa 1.4 L Family 1, and the new Family 0 TwinPort does even better. GM Daewoo's next step is 6-speed autos to replace the current 4-speed ZF units built under licence. Like the rest of GM most will never offer a 5-speed auto. Europe will probably get the new 1.5 L GM/VM Motori diesel (essentially a new version of the unit Mercedes uses in the A-class), but GM Daewoo also needs to adopt GM Powertrain Europe's range of new-generatioin Family 0 and Family 1 engines.

The US has no DRL requirements, just whatever the manufacturers (many European as well as GM) decide is best - usually a highbeam at low intensity (25%) to maximize visibility without glare (usually determined by countries such as Canada or Sweden that do require DRLs). For all the complaints about glare from DRLs—how do you know they just haven't left the full-power high-beams on? In many rural areas out west, with long empty roads and heat haze it's common practice to drive with the lights on during the day even without DRLs. If you want to argue then debate what intensity would be best.

What that doesn't say is that the bB is now built by Daihatsu with Daihatsu engines in most versions. Previously it was made by either Toyota or the Central Motor Co.. It also has a new code—C2, separating it from the P-series vehicles such as the Vitz/Yaris and Ractis.

This is a myth based entirely on the historical situation in the US. For many years Toyota's production has outstripped actual sales, will do so again in 2005 and is forecast, by Toyota no less, to do the same in 2006. In some regions where Toyota is building new plants there is no evidence upon which to gauge what actual sales will be. In others Toyota is either making a brilliant move that no-one else is smart enough to do, or is making a disastrous mistake by building plants in a product segment for which there is relatively little demand.

Hey Car Magazine in the UK had GM developing a new rwd platform for their new Dodge Challenger concept, a shirter version of the LX to be shared with the Camaro. The reason I got into this business was because of all the BS you read in the so-called "expert" media.

The XV8 was a direct-injection dual-cam 3V pushrod engine.

They may want to clear out the 2006 models, which may take some time, and they may be waiting for an improved powertrain needed in North America. The simplest solution would be the Astra's 2.0 L turbo with a new 6-speed auto. That would give it a more competitive 200+ hp without re-engineering it for a new GM V6. A more powerful engine may not be available until the new large Daewoo (think Hyundai Azera) arrives.

Despite the constant calls for GM to cut models and divisions, GM sells more vehicles per model than Toyota does. Thanks to 5 seperate sales channels in Japan and regional variations Toyota (including Daihatsu) has just as many models as GM with fewer sales, and they've been cutting models and entire sales channels in recent years (as are Honda and Nissan) in order to save money. US-centric analysts need to open their eye and look at the bigger picture. Even Toyota makes stupid mistakes (first two generations of T100/Tundra, first two Avalons etc.) and the only thing holding GM back these days is the incredible growing healthcare ogre and defined benefits for people who don't even work for the company anymore. Demographics (a population skewed towards the retired) is as big a factor as increased competition here and a dramatic solution is required such as national, compulsory pension contributions with subsidies supported by a broad sales tax (given the impending crisis in Social Security, not too big a stretch). This is what the UAW should be mobilizing for, not putting Delphi and GM out of business. Get your union buddies and go picket Washington Gettelfinger.

Since no-one buys coal retail anymore, BV just gets gasoline instead.

The LZ9 is 3880 cc, (237 ci) and uses a completely different 60deg block.

It's not even Toyota PR. It's media and analysts who don't realise or believe than GM can increase sales enough outside NA to stay ahead, but will believe Toyota's forecasts without question. Basically they assume that GM will not be around the whole year. If you watched the X-files late in the series you may know the sentiment: the best way to predict the future is to make it happen.

Keep trying, I beat 12000 Caddy.

http://www.yetisports.org/

323.5 is the maximum possible without cheating in the original version. A new version sponsored by ebay gives you more control, and you can go a lot farther (I've gotten close to 700 ft easily).