Opinion
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My Ideal GM by Justin Brock The following hopes, wishes, assumptions are all based upon information and speculation from some of C&Gs insider sources, as well as my own hopes for the future of General Motors. This is purely speculative and is almost entirely my opinion. From what has been told from sources here at this site, Croc and evok, there are no plans currently for a future G6. What this can possibly mean is that GM may be moving Pontiac away from directly competing with the Japanese Big 3. I'm hoping that it may possibly mean a future Pontiac division riding entirely on RWD architectures, though thats purely speculative and maybe a bit too hopeful on my …
Last reply by Sixty8panther, -
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The Land of the Rising Sun Readies New Auto's. Autonews has been running a series on Japan Future Product and even built the following timeline. As the five year product pipeline based on Autonews compilation of rumors and facts they have come up with these nine that are to be their exciting products to look forward too. Do you agree or do you think there is something missing? #9 2017 Nissan Maxima #8 2016 Toyota Prius (Spy shots courtesy Autoblog) #7 2017 Honda Ridgeline #6 2015 Honda HR-V #5 2016 Lexus GS-F (Spy shots courtesy MotorAuthority) #4 2015 Lexus RC #3 2017 Honda Civic #2 2018 Toyota Supra #1 201…
Last reply by smk4565, -
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Cort Stevens Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com March 21, 2012 Toyota Camry. Honda Accord. Since 1982 and 1976 respectively, these two models have evolved and changed with the times, without enduring a name change. Similar history can be traced for such entries as the Honda Odyssey. The first one wasn't much about which to write, but Honda persevered with the name and developed it into a top seller in its segment. While some examples of continuous monickers don't celebrate similar history, the names have stuck. For instance, the Nissan Quest, first available in 1993 (with a re-badge model sold as the Mercury Villager), is today in its fourth generation even though …
Last reply by knightfan26917, -
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G. David Felt Alternative Fuels & Propulsion writer www.CheersandGears.com Elio Motors Ultra High Mileage Auto / Trike? Elio Motors is promising to have on the market next year an 84mpg $6800 2 person auto / Trike. This 3 wheel transportation has a configuration like most 3 wheel modern motorcycles with 2 steering wheels in front and a single drive wheel in back. Unlike Can-Am bikes where you still get wet, the Elio is fully enclosed auto. So what do you get for $6800? Exterior measurements are as follows: Overall Length: 160.5″ Overall Height: 54.2″ Front Wheel Track: 66.8″ (center rim to center rim) Wheelbase: 110″ (center of front wheels to center…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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Saturn was orginally intended to be an All-American can-do brand. Remember back to the 80s when some American thought wejust couldn't build cars as well as the Japanese. So, GM developed a project brand of how to build an American Japanese car. It succeeded to the extent that it proved Americans can build great quality cars. This problably saved GM and Detriot from ruin. Bob Lutz said recently that Saturn will be an American version of Opel like England's Vauxhall or Australia's Holden. Well, Opel is VW's main German Competition. VW out prices all other non-luxury brands, including Toyota. This would likely mean Saturn's prices will sky-rocket to match those of VW. If …
Last reply by MyerShift, -
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Thanks, Mercedes-Benz. You created a car that literally no one asked for. What did they do? Well, in the early 2000s, they went to their E-Class, removed the hideous body, and replaced it with a different body. The new body looked like a coupe, but it had…four doors. With this, Mercedes-Benz created the “four-door coupe.” Let’s be honest—this vehicle, called the CLS, was beautiful. AMG created powerful versions that made the CLS even more appealing. Mercedes-Benz created a segment that nobody really asked for, but it worked. Granted, it cost more than the E-Class and was less practical. Both cars have been redesigned within the last few years, but these vehicles pose a qu…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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It's time to roll back the clocks, and one of Cher's most famous songs, "If I Could Turn Back Time" debuted in 1989. That same year, automakers introduced at least 51 new models to the public. Each week for the next four weeks, we'll take a look at some of those cars, and you vote for which car would make you wish you could turn back time. The categories will be Family Car, Sports Car, Luxury Car, and Exotic. 1989 was a good year for people who liked sports cars as many fun new options hit the market. Mitsubishi Eclipse / Eagle Talon / Plymouth Laser – This trio from Mitsubishi was a product of the Diamond-Star Motors partnership with Chrylser. While …
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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In response to this on autoextremist.com http://blogs.edmunds.com/karl/345 The "Anti-Detroit Go-To Guy" Talks Back First, to really understand this post you must read a short paragraph at autoextremist.com. Just follow the link and read the second paragraph (hint: it starts out saying "Edmunds.com"). Now, the various points Peter DeLorenzo is attempting to make really boil down to this: A. He thinks Edmunds should have picked more domestics for the 2007 Most Wanted winnners B. He thinks the list of winners is a clear reflection of my personal "anti-Detroit" bias Let's examine these points, shall we? 1. On the question of how we pick our winners, the process is a…
Last reply by aaaantoine, -
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The Solstice GXP Will Add Volume
by Guest Josh- 7 replies
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When General Motors revealed the 2006 Solstice GXP to the world shortly after midnight and into a hopefully better year than ‘05 it garnered the utmost of attention from enthusiasts around the Internet. The sleek, sporty, most successful GM launch since the “Lutz-era” began has sparked a firestorm of Solstii’s since it’s first initial build in August of ‘05. Since then, deliveries have reached as far up to V.I.N. 9,000 and above. While others report that the Solstice is still projected to build “only 20k units per year” I’d kindly like to argue that point. Considering the fact that the 2006 Pontiac Solstice was projected at 20k units per year before the GXP is one glarin…
Last reply by Teh Ricer Civic!, -
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For the past week, I have been driving an Infiniti Q50 and for the most part, I have liked it. The model has the makings of an excellent compact luxury car with a powerful V6, expressive exterior, and a nice balance of sport and comfort for the ride. I don't even mind the direct-steer system which replaces many of the mechanical parts for an electrical system that turns the wheel based signals from the input on the wheel. But as I driving the Q50, I felt something was missing. It was only when I writing some notes on it that I figured out what was missing, an identity. Not only for the car, but for Infiniti itself. In psychology, identity is used to describe the items…
Last reply by ocnblu, -
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Jerome Flint Strikes Back--Booing the Home Team There you have it folks.
Last reply by Sixty8panther, -
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SECTION 3: DIVISIONAL BREAKDOWN: This section is meant to kind of segment the vehicles on a size and status basis and breakdown why specific vehicles are on specific platforms. Chevrolet: is the volume division and as a result needs to remain relatively neutral in its offerings, for the most part. By that I mean, user friendly and value based, not boring and de-contented. The meat of the line up needs to be attractive basic transportation for anyone. 1) Beat & Groove: Basic transportation with no extravagance. No performance models, those belong at Pontiac. 2) Cruze, HHR & Orlando: Cruze and Orlando need to be best quality and value in the class. HHR; sam…
Last reply by dwightlooi, -
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G.Noble Editor/Reporter CheersandGears.com 27th February, 2012 Fabulous Flops is a monthly series profiling some of the spectacular failures in the automotive industry. The automotive industry is by nature an innovator, but sometimes those innovative ideas are taken out of the oven before they are done cooking, others fall victim to poor timing. Today, we’re going to go after one of those rare flops where the idea was half-baked and still somehow managed to be popular. Since the dawn of the automobile, mankind has found himself thinking of new ways to brave and drive in the elements. After all, driving isn’t the easiest thing to do when it’s pouring an inch of rain e…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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How I would structure General Motors North America. (Broken down into 5 sections) DISCLAIMER: I decided to sit down the other day and try to come up with a pretty cohesive plan for the future of GM given the market and their tough financial situation. My plan is probably a little on the heavy side and might need better focus. But keep in mind; although I put A LOT of thought into it, I didn’t directly research anything. So feel free to post whatever you want about the plan; criticisms, acclaims, adjustments, anything. But just remember, I’m an amateur and it’s a work in progress. SECTION 1: COMPANY & DIVISIONAL GOALS AND NOTES. General Motors: Times are tough r…
Last reply by Argen, -
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The grand plan was a separate new service to the house of 200 amps so that the garage would have plenty of power for charging multiple EVs and I would have a separate bill each cycle for knowing what I was spending for EV driving. Waking up in the morning to a full charge of power and never having to stop at a gas station due to having a Level 2, 240-volt home charger is a luxury everyone should have allowing you to smile as you drive by a gas station with folks outside dealing with their fueling. The ultimate perk of EV ownership. I started with reaching out to my local utility and inquiring of the process for a new service. My local utility was more than acco…
Last reply by ccap41, -
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GM's E85 efforts are clearly being noticed, so much that even my biology teacher, who's this uber-liberal granola woman in her sixties, started talking about an Avalanche ad excitedly: "Wow, have you seen it?! I've always wanted a cute little truck; gosh, I'm going to buy one right away when we get an ethanol station. Are Chevy cars any good? They are? Good, as long as they're not Fords. I once nearly burned in a Ford...." and so on. I refrained from breaking the news to her, that the Avalanche is hardly "cute" or "little", and that it gets 11 MPG city on E85. I can only imagine the disappointment when she and millions of other consumers find out. At the moment, the ads…
Last reply by PurdueGuy, -
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SECTION 5: PERFORMANCE & SPECIALTY MODELS: Gone are the days of slapping a performance logo on a product simply because you made improvements to the product that bring it UP TO PAR with the class (Equinox Sport, G6 GXP, Lucerne Super, etc.) Each division, except Chevrolet, will have a more focused line up of ‘specialty models’ This will elevate the desire to own the products and give the divisions more individual identity to market. As for Chevrolet, well, they are the volume division so they’ll get more specialty vehicles than any other division to simply cover the market and better establish their branding (Just in case the divisional structure implodes some day…
Last reply by Aura XR, -
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What phrase chaps the hide of anyone looking to buy a used car? "Ran when parked" Who was the offender that inspired this rant? This guy: http://stcloud.craig...2831238108.html Or more specifically, this: For those not versed in the dark arts of car repair, here's five things I can tell just looking at the picture: 1. Supposedly rebuilt cylinder head that obviously hasn't seen a machine shop or the paint would be gone in order to better check for cracks. 2. Water pump with a mounting bolt hole broken off. 3. No rag stuffed into the coolant hole in the head, so who knows what has fallen in there. 4. Carb is missing. 5. No oil filter, so probably no oil either…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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to read the preamble and analysis click here. http://www.christonium.com/automotive/ItemID=12363409028356 to get right to the point, just read the following. I continue to believe consolidation is necessary to improve the viability of the industry and that includes the terminations of brands and companies. It is time for governments to coordinate a restructuring of the business model prior to recapitalizing the industry. For example does it really make sense for the US government to aid both GM and Chrysler and end up with three weak companies including Ford or for France to bailout both Renault and PSA? Does the market need both Opel and VW or BMW and Mercedes-Benz?…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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Posted 02 August 2016 - 12:08 PM G. David Felt Staff Writer Alternative Energy - www.CheersandGears.com Rip Off or Compliment? Today MSN Auto asked and posted the following pictures on what people thought about one OEM auto company copying another OEM Auto company. This is very common in China where independent Chinese auto companies pretty much buy and clone every part in a established brand and sell it with no recourse or intellectual protection from the government for the name brands in comparison to markets like Europe and the US. 69 Mustang versus 73 Toyota Celica Bentley versus Lincoln Hummer Versus Dongfeng who still makes this Hummer rip…
Last reply by balthazar, -
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The Subtleties of Car Magazines By Mystik Intro For the better part of these past few years, GM and its domestic counterparts have been at the forefront of media attack. They’re vehicles have been deemed underwhelming, and paling in comparison to those from import manufacturers. From the lowly Cobalt, to the muscular H3 to the sporty Solstice, each one of these vehicles, although a great improvement over previous iterations, were all reduced to a failure in comparison to they’re Asian counterparts. So it does seem that these Asian cars are the darlings of the automotive media, and should bear the right to put at the forefront of car news…right? Magazine Buyers Luck…
Last reply by knightfan26917, -
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By Cory Wolfe As another year falls into the grasps of history, a new one lands filled with drinks, dreams, and the Detroit auto show. With all its shiny cars, crazy automotive espionage, and endless cappuccino, Cobo might just be my yearly heaven. Or is it my own personal hell, taunting me with sore feet, pushy journalists, and a severe lack of sleep? This year may just pin it towards the latter... This show sure can make someone relatively young feel frighteningly old rather quickly. Then again, a smart and well-prepared individual likely wouldn't have this problem, nor would that individual attempt to lug a 20-pound camera bag on his back for two days straight. Yea…
Last reply by Cory Wolfe, -
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Lighten Up Guys November 8, 2007 Let’s say you’re an upstart car company. You’ve got all the financial, production and distribution portions of your business taken care of. You decide to make a splash in a market that seems to sell a thousand variations of what is essentially the same product. How do you stand out? You stand for fun. You put on a successful and overwhelming media blitz that says, “Hey, drive our cars, because you’ll enjoy it.” And how do you deliver on the promise of fun? Give your car a three speed automatic transmission, source a Briggs & Stratton for your powerplant, and, citing safety and structural concerns, have your project tip the scal…
Last reply by tama z71, -
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It was a night like any-other an uneventful stroll around town and I saw it my first Turd up close. It was sitting in a driveway next to a Buick LaX... Intresting I thought. Anyways as I am snopping the owner walks out the front door and says so you like my truck. I say well I am in the market (lie) and just wanted to see one up close. The guy then being a 30 something macho man goes on to say that it'll out tow a Ford SD or Silverado HD. I soon find myself at a loss for words... I said oh really, he said yeah on youtube you see Tundra's (Turds) all the time strapped to a Chevy and each truck trys to pull the other damaging the drive-shaft and so on. I said sir could it r…
Last reply by gm4life, -
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2004 GMC CANYON 2-year Update A Tama Review September 2, 2006 Happy Anniversary!! That's pushing it, but I've had my truck for two years now. How's it holding up? Well, contrary to media contentions, the truck is solid and I still get the grins when it's parked in that picture perfect stance (you know the one I'm talking about). Overview After two years, the Canyon has done everything I've asked of it. It hasn't gotten stuck (despite ski-lift duties), it hasn't run out of gas on the highway (city streets a different story, though), and it has always been a reliable work truck. Mechanical Mechanically the truck is solid. The four-wheel drive is unstoppable, and h…
Last reply by tama z71, -
GM to UAW: Deal or No Deal?
by Guest Josh- 7 replies
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Is The Buy-Out That Big Of An Offer? On paper, the buy-out that General Motors is offering to it’s 113,000 U.S. workforce looks pretty attractive. Workers with nearly 30 or 30 year or more are being offered a buy-out settlement of $35,000 plus full pension payout including benefits. Sounds like a tantalizing offer, does it not? Just think of what you could do with that $35,000. Where you could go? What you could buy? Imagine what college your child or daughter could go to with $35,000 sitting in the bank. Sounds good, no great doesn’t it? General Motors and the UAW want you to think so. However, I say not so fast. Lets take a look at this $35,000. First thing’…
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I propose a plan to revive our Domestic Automakers home field advantage as well as give our Automakers a strategic advantage in other markets. 1) Restrict sales of foreign automakers to the sales of American automakers in that nation. Ex. If Detroit sells 1,000,000 cars in Germany, German automakers can only sell 1,000,000 vehicles in the US. Since we have the largest auto market of any of the homelands of the major automakers, we will have a major advantage in global sales. If other nations try to counter our restrictions by lowering the number of vehicles we can sell there, it will just hurt their own automakers here. This will encourage stubborn mark…
Last reply by CMG, -
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Guys, check this out. What a great read. Article by Ed Wallace. http://www.businessweek.com/autos/content/...paign_id=search
Last reply by 76ChevyTrucker, -
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1975 Chevrolet Silverado K1500 MowerTruck Necessity breeds a monster. A Tama Article This is your land. Your domain is a backyard of which every man in America could be proud. You stand atop your kingdom, savoring your creation and challenging all those who look upon it to do better. All is as it should be in your world – until that son of a bitch next door does the one-up dance. Everybody has one. He is the guy across the property line whose accomplishments are always just beyond your reach. Your lawn is green – his is greener. Your sidewalk is clean – his is cleaner. Your shrubs look good – his look shrubbier. Every single inch of real estate you claim as your own …
Last reply by Charger4U, -
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Hyperautoenthusia -Variance January 25, 2005 The 2005+ Pontiac GTO. The 2002+ Infiniti Q45. The 2006+ BMW M6. The 1996 Chevy Impala SS. The 2007 Saturn Sky. The 1997 Kia Sephia. What do you suppose all of these cars have in common? They are all cars that I’d like to own one day. (Ok, not the Kia. That was just a sick joke.) There are many more cars I’d like to have, too. I have what is known as “hyperautoenthusia” (HA). Those infected ail from a distinct love of various automobiles and the desire to own them all. Symptoms include perusing automobile forums, car manufacturer web sites, eBay Motors and the like all day; taking note of the make and model of every car y…
Last reply by Sixty8panther, -
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Phase Out Pontiac to save Buick and GM: Can Pontiac adjust? Or more importantly, can the public adjust to the new image of Pontiac? Pontiac has called itself the brand that drives excitement, but truthfully, it lacks any such excitement. I mean:the Grand Prix as a performance car? Come On! It is a masked vehicle most youths would never want, the stodgy, yet elegant in my opinion, Buick LaCrosse. These days the brand uses hyperbole to sell,and not in a limited amount, I mean calling a V6 a powerful engine is normal, but saying sleek styling, performance bred engines, is over the top! The main reason Pontiacs arent selling is the fact that they are no longer performance…
Last reply by Chicagoland, -
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-Variance February 16, 2007 I don’t know who I’m irritated at more: Advocacy groups that whine about automotive commercials that are meant to be entertaining because it might hurt the feelings of their little constituencies or the automakers that turn to pansies and pull the ads to avoid hurting their feelings. Here’s a message to both sides: Grow a pair. Goodbye Cruel Commercials The recent crybabies have been suicide prevention groups. Just today, Volkswagen announced that they would pull a recent new ad featuring a guy preparing to leap off of a tall building to his demise until he hears the announcement that you can get three VW’s for under $17,000. The group Sui…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
C&G @ The 2nd Annual Gratiot Cruise
by Guest Josh- 0 replies
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G. David Felt Alternative Fuels & Propulsion writer www.CheersandGears.com Can Cadillac ATS, CTS and SRX European Roadshow Win over the Public GMs Cadillac division has gone on a European Roadshow. The tour will be visiting 3 countries, 12 cities, and 22 different locations with the goal of connecting with 10,000 existing and potential customers as well as European Media. The idea is to get these people behind the wheel and check out the 21st century versions of Cadillac and to change the perception that Cadillac is a Land barge V8 powered float machine. To quote FastLane's own write up; "Above all, luxury car buyers on both sides of the pond have…
Last reply by balthazar, -
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Whenever someone finds out that I'm an automotive writer, sooner or later I will get asked "I'm looking for 'x' vehicle and I was wondering if you could help me out," or some other variation. These are the times where I wish I could make a smoke cloud appear, allowing me to make an escape. But alas, that is only a dream. This is a common thing that a number of us - automotive writers - tend to get whether it is from family, friends, or some random stranger. We want to try and help, but most of the time the suggestions seem to go nowhere. It comes down to various reasons such as none of the ideas are appealing or the person going in a completely different direction (wa…
Last reply by Frisky Dingo, -
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The Great GM Drama A Tama Editorial/Fictionalization July 19, 2006 Well, it has been quite the eventful few weeks around here, hasn't it? What with the recent attempts by Japan Inc. to plant their flag in GM before each other, and the requisite media sheepery that follows, I thought I would do my part and offer my own view of the Great GM Drama, in typical smartass style. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Letter, from Nissan-Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn to General Motors CEO Richard Wagoner. June 30, 2006 Dear Richard, Hello! I was just on my way back to Japan after single-handedly rescuing the entire third grade of a burning el…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Hello all, First, I am still alive. I have been battling health issues since around the 4th of July and the doctors just NOW decided to draw blood which kinda frustrates me. Hopefully I will start feeling better once they figure out what is wrong with me. Now to all the mods out there, what is to follow please move if you deem it appropriate for GM to see because I am very upset right now. I have been a NASCAR fan since 1993. I was immediately drawn to the number 3 Goodwrench Chevrolet that Dale Earnhardt drove because of the sponsor, the number and the color of the car. I was an Earnhardt fan after that and I still proudly display a Goodwrench/Earnhardt licence pla…
Last reply by knightfan26917, -
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G. David Felt Staff Writer Alternative Energy - www.CheersandGears.com Manual Trans, Woman versus Men! Are Men becoming soft? Came across this story on Autoblog. After more than 50,000+ leases reviewed at swapalease.com shows that woman more than men enjoy driving a manual trans. Sadly this seems to point to the save the manual campaign as failing as manual auto purchases are a dying breed. According to the data, leases on Manual auto's have dropped by 22%. In 2012 85.4% of Manual Trans leases were by men, 2015 that number had dropped to 81.2%. Woman on the other hand in 2012 was 14.6% of their leases were a manual transmission but in 2015 that number has rose…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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The news came during dinner last Monday. My mother asked if I would be able to take any time off of work, and I said that I might be able to if the circumstances were considered important. She revealed that my grandfather, her dad passed away that afternoon. It wasn’t from COVID-19, but other complications that had put in him the hospital since early June. After dinner, I needed some time and space to begin processing the news. So I grabbed the keys to my car and went for a drive. The past few months have been difficult for all of us in varying degrees with COVID-19. Many places going on lockdown have caused massive disruptions to how we work, travel, and interact wi…
Last reply by trinacriabob, -
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Drew Dowdell - March 26, 2012 - CheersandGears.com All companies do it. They make outrageous claims about their products in an attempt to sell you something. That is advertising and I accept it. A lot of times, these exaggerations are just playful and funny attempts to sell you on an idea and no one takes the exaggeration seriously. Take for example the Chevy truck ad that ran during the Super Bowl this year. Chevy made the claim that their trucks are so dependable that the truck, along with a box of twinkies, could survive the apocalypse while Dave and his Ford truck couldn’t. Clearly no one is going to hold Chevy to that claim. It was just a funny commercial filled wi…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Can the Viper be saved from distinction? I think so. With Fiat acquiring a piece of Chrysler, a question to ask is whether or not the Dodge Viper should still cease to exist. Some rumors have circulated that Dodge will be selling the Viper as a brand, and have already been contacted by some purchasers. However, I see that this new deal with Fiat could spell a new age for the Viper. Since Fiat owns Alfa Romeo, the Viper could be positioned as the brawn little brother to the 8C Competizione. While the two models would not share powerplants, the size of the two are very similar. The Competizione possesses some very sexy and compelling characteristics that the Viper ne…
Last reply by Sixty8panther, -
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Last reply by trinacriabob, -
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Cheers and Gears Podcast #2: Loose Screws and Nuts Hello and welcome to the second C&G Podcast! Our weekly podcast comes to you on the second week of July, only a month and a half after the first one! In this episode many important things were discussed...I'm pretty sure. We've provided for you a rundown of what we're discussing and when, so you can skip around if you don't feel like listening to everything. In our new Craigslist Finds segment, we pick out some of the more..interesting finds in our area and talk about them. The links will be provided below so that you too may marvel at the horrors wonders of the classifieds. 0:00-1:11 - Bull$h&…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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In 2007 the auto media was projecting that GM might fall from being the worlds largest auto company in production terms. In 2009, the final numbers proved that Toyota Motor Corporation had surpassed GM as the worlds largest auto company by production numbers. Also Toyota was growing in sales of their Hybrid line under the Prius moniker. Fast forward to 2021, battery electric auto's are all the rage by auto companies. Toyota production of auto's in Japan has 50% of them exported to other countries such as the Prius Hybrid and TRD Trucks. The CEO of Toyota has stated that the country is a "export-reliant country" and by shifting Japan as well as other cou…
Last reply by trinacriabob, -
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In response to this on autoextremist.com http://blogs.edmunds.com/karl/345 The "Anti-Detroit Go-To Guy" Talks Back First, to really understand this post you must read a short paragraph at autoextremist.com. Just follow the link and read the second paragraph (hint: it starts out saying "Edmunds.com"). Now, the various points Peter DeLorenzo is attempting to make really boil down to this: A. He thinks Edmunds should have picked more domestics for the 2007 Most Wanted winnners B. He thinks the list of winners is a clear reflection of my personal "anti-Detroit" bias Let's examine these points, shall we? 1. On the question of how we pick our winners, the process is a…
Last reply by 79VetteZ06, -
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Once upon a time the GM empire conquered the world. Since the 1930s, GM had ruled its mighty global empire with iron will. An ideology of Sloanism had established undeniable order to the land. Chevrolet ws the entry brand. Pontiac was the youth oriented brand that exemplified style & sportiness. Oldsmobile was the premium brand that was for Chevrolet owners that wanted to show they have arrived. Buick was also a youth oriented brand like Pontiac however, they were pricier and more luxurious than anyother brand exept Cadillac. Finally, Cadillac was the Crown on the GM thrown. Cadillac literally defined luxury and was in a class of its own. Then, suddenly fueled by j…
Last reply by Ravenfreak13, -
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General Motors on the Advertising Attack -VarianceJ30 October 25, 2005 GM has released some impressive products as of late: *The totally overhauled Chevy Impala complete with a SS version with a 303-horsepower V8... *The Miata-fighting Pontiac Solstice roadster... *Not to mention the current king of the hill, the Chevy Corvette Z06. However, as it is with most any product, they all require one key element to aid sales (ok, the Z06 probably needs no help)... ...advertisement. Advertisement is the means through which companies showcase their products to the public. This is done via television, radio, newsprint, and radio. General Motors spends $…
Last reply by AAS, -
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General Motors Preserving America’s Last Big Business A Tama Article March 28, 2006 General Motors A perfect storm of business and economic factors has brewed at a time when General Motors is already facing an internal revolution. These forces threaten to tear the company down in the midst of its largest ever corporate and product restructuring. Of these factors, the American media has done what no other rival nation ever could – they have created a culture of self-defeatism that inclines American consumers to dismiss the products built within their borders. Combine this national mentality with fearsome and well-managed foreign firms, and our economy, the most open i…
Last reply by tama z71, -
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William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com February 24, 2012 A few weeks ago, Cadillac debuted their ad for the 2012 Super Bowl. The ad features the new ATS sedan and some footage of it undergoing testing at the Nurburgring. The ad ends with this line, “So if anyone tells you that Cadillac can’t beat the world’s best, just tell them to go to green hell and see for themselves.” The ad also calls out one of the ‘world’s best’, the BMW 3-Series. A bit audacious to call out the best selling compact luxury car in your ads. But on paper, the ATS makes a good case; three different engine choices (2.5L, 2.0T, 3.6L DI V6), two transmissions, a low curb weight, the li…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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So I was looking over Chevy's website a while ago, especially the page about the Trailblazer SS. Now I think that everybody realizes that the Trailblazer SS is about the best SS you can get currently, with RWD and the Corvette V-8 and such. Over base price, the TB SS costs an extra $6275, plus tax. For what it gives you, it is an incredible deal, making it (in my opinion) a true SS. However, the other SS's don't fare so well. For a Malibu SS, which upgrades you from an 144 hp ecotec to a 240 hp 3.9L V-6, it costs $6255, or basically the same amount as the TB SS. Wouldn't it just be a lot easier to put in the Solstice GXP's turbo for the same amount that it is in t…
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<div><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,0,0" width="210" height="25" id="mp3playerlightsmallv3" align="middle"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain" /> <param name="movie" value="http://www.podbean.com/podcast-audio-video-blog-player/mp3playerlightsmallv3.swf?audioPath=http://autobird.podbean.com/mf/play/jh78ii/Auto_Bird_Podcast_Esp21.mp3&autoStart=no" /> <param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /> <embed src="http:…
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I thought would be it easy. The front headlights on my new-to-me 2011 Ford Fusion were beginning to dim and I figured some new bulbs would solve it. Ordering the bulbs, I began to think this would be an easy process. Just locate the sockets for the bulbs, replace them, put the sockets back into place, and done. Little did I know this would be only a fantasy. Before fully diving into this, I opened up the owners manual to the vehicle to get an idea of what I was getting myself into. It turned out that changing the bulbs is a very involved process. For the driver’s side, you need to remove the air filter box and pipe to get enough room to access the bulbs. My vehi…
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Well we all knew it would not last. For those who do not know about it. The Goat will return... in either 08/09. So I can not wait to see the changes they will be making. http://www.cleveland.com/autoshow/plaindea...9520.xml&coll=2
Last reply by Sixty8panther, -
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Ok, time to move outside the bounds of conservative, automotive engineering: 1) Isn't it time we have a 802.11b wireless card built-in to your vehicle? I'd say 802.11g - but the b standard, being outdated is ridiculously cheap. I should be able to connect with a laptop/home computer and pull up a configuration page - similar to a router's configuration page. Of course, you'd want the connection secure -- but routers have already worked within this confine w/o a problem. I should be able to connect & change simple things from radio presets to the clock. The car should also have a small hard drive. Record driving patterns, temp, oil changes, etc…
Last reply by 76ChevyTrucker, -
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This would have been my fourth Detroit Auto Show (or North American International Auto Show as some would like you to call it) for Cheers and Gears. But due to a leg injury sustained a couple of weeks before the show, I was unable to make it. Maybe that was a blessing in disguise as I would miss out on dealing with individuals who break out tape measures and clipboards to note every little detail, along with journalists complaining about why the show isn't held during a warmer month. But it would turn out this year’s show would be a bit disappointing. That isn't to say there were not any breakouts. The new Kia Stinger GT looks very intriguing as the new Lexus LS. I'm…
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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Everyone seems positve here. Im positive about some of the new stuff, Im also not too impressed with a bit of it either. Whats bothering me is, Im hearing all the dealerships around here advertising blow out sales to get rid of 06 inventory. They seem to be giving them away. O% interest again, up to $6000 off some Cadillac models, ect. So Im courious about sales. Ive seen no figures but yet everyone seems to claim all is going well. Anyone have sales comparisions through Aug. with say models two years back or more ? Im a bit sceptical. edit: this may need moving, its not an artical, I didnt know where to put it and didnt want it in the lounge
Last reply by zete, -
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G. David Felt Alternative Fuels & Propulsion writer www.CheersandGears.com 15 New Car Auto's to Avoid Forbes published their 2015 list of 15 cars to Avoid. #15 - Smart ForTwo - due to premium fuel, under powered and lack of space #14 - Scion iQ - oddly aligned seeting for 3, lack of room, poor quality, etc. #13 - Nissan Titan - Outclassed in every way by US trucks and worst values. #12 - Nissan Armada - Poor reliability, ownership cost, fuel economy and quality #11 - Mitsubishi Mirage - Sluggish engine, performance, quality, value #10 - Mitsubishi iMiEV - Rock bottom residual value, lowest performance score for EV's #9 - Lincoln MKT - Below average q…
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2016… What a year. This year saw a number of things that no one thought would actually happen did. Not helping matters is the number of famous people that have sadly passed on. Here at the Cheers & Gears Detroit Bureau, it wasn’t such a great year for vehicles. For the 2016 review season, 44 vehicles came in for evaluation. Out of this group, only eight vehicles earned a spot of being my favorite vehicles from the year. Read on to see which vehicles made the cut. 2016 Cadillac ATS-V Coupe It is amazing how far Cadillac has come in the past decade and proof of it can be shown in the ATS- V coupe. A 464 horsepower twin-turbo V6 makes the vehicle fly with no is…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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G. David Felt Alternative Fuels & Propulsion writer www.CheersandGears.com Are These The Most Reliable Top 10 Brands? This morning Yahoo posted the following story, "The 10 Most Reliable Car Brands, From A Car Dealer's View". The author goes on to talk about the various tag lines the brands have used and whether they actually lived up to the marketing hype of being the best. The author goes on to state that being an owner of a car dealership, auctioneer and co-owner of an auto auction for the last 16 years has given him the insight to state what he sees as the most reliable top 10 brands. The author then goes on to state that this is based on the last two a…
Last reply by balthazar, -
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http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_...247173#continue In keeping with the theme of The O.C.'s thread, I choose to place this thread here because it is not recent GM or industry news. This is another blast from the past interview with none other than one Roger (Roger and Me) B. Smith. This interview in many ways is very appropriate in its content to recent news. It is a long but good read. It just goes to show, "There is nothing new under the sun." Enjoy! General Motors Corp. chairman Roger B. Smith - State of the Industry 1988 - includes related article: Yen's Rise Boosts GM's Morale - interview Ward's Auto World, Dec, 1987 by David C. Smith GENERAL MOT…
Last reply by ZL-1, -
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Intellichoice informs people of the potential cost of ownership on a vehicle over 5 years. Using their data 2006 Impala LT with the 3.5 V-6 (as 2007 info was not available) TOTAL COST of ownership over 5 years - $32,202 2007 toyota camry Hybrid TOTAL COST of ownership over 5 years - $32,611 2007 toyota camry LE V-6 TOTAL COST of ownership over 5 years - $33,400 2006 honda accord Hybrid TOTAL COST of ownership over 5 years - $34,706 THIS IS THE ADVERTISING GM SHOULD BE DOING!!! ** Edit added the accord Hybrid
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My 2 cents
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My Blog
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“I can’t believe we’re going to make it” This thought passed through my head as I brought the vehicle to a stop on an off-ramp. Somehow, I was able to travel from my house in the outskirts of Metro Detroit to my hometown of Midland, Michigan on just a quarter-tank of gas. That may not seem like a huge accomplishment except when you look at the vehicle I was driving, the 707 horsepower Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. Originally, I wasn’t planning on traveling to Midland in the Trackhawk. Earlier in the week, I had driven it down to an event in Ann Arbor to drive a couple of Mitsubishi vehicles. The trip revealed the thirst of the supercharged 6.2L V8 by using up a…
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CTIxykcTH8...0gear%20pontiac
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Nothing could have prepared Quick Quack Car Wash employees for the moment when a 94 year-old man suddenly careened through their Sacramento, California business last Friday. Security cameras captured the carnage as the elderly driver's white Oldsmobile sedan barrelled through the automated wash lane at speeds of up to 40 mph, risking the lives of employees and damaging equipment. After narrowly missing a Honda Civic, the driver's wash from hell abruptly ended after slamming into a car wash vacuum, the Oldsmobile curiously landing arrow-straight in an immediate parking space after impact. The driver of the Oldsmobile accidentally hit the gas pedal instead of the brakes, …
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A couple of weeks ago, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne made headlines when he announced that the Chrysler 200 and Dodge Dart would run their course - i.e. no second generation. Instead, the company would focus on building utility vehicles. This threw everyone in the automotive press into a frenzy with equal groups calling Marchionne a genius or a lunatic. But Marchionne also mentioned that the 200 and Dart could continue on if a partner could be found and build vehicles under a contract, a.k.a. badge engineering. This move presents a lot of risk for FCA. Badge engineered vehicles have never been a true success for anyone. There is also an added risk of…
Last reply by oldshurst442, -
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This year was to be the final Detroit Auto Show to take place in January before the big move to an indoor/outdoor festival of sorts next June. Despite a number of manufacturers announcing they would not be at the show, there was some hope for there be to a surprise. Something that would allow the current incarnation of the show to go out with a bang. That did not happen. It was thought that Chevrolet would roll out the long-awaited and rumored mid-engined Corvette. But those hopes would be dashed as rumors came out that the project would be delayed up to six months due to a problem with the electrical system. It also gave Toyota a sigh of relief as the Supra wou…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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I was outside yester raking the lawn when I decided to count each brand of car on my block... Here's the numbers: Ford(includes mazdas, volvos etc) : 9 GM:12 Chrysler(includes dodge, plymouth, jeep):11 Toyota:9 Nissan:4 BMW:1
Last reply by tama z71, -
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I have read all the glom and doom in the press, and I think it's time for a different perspective. I admit that Ford, and gm do have some problem right now, but I think there's reason for hope. For Gm Fans, the new full size SUVs seem to be getting great press, and I think they will do well. I think GM is Very smart in offering its first hybrid in a full size SUV. I mean more people still but full size SUVs than Prisuses. The second ray of hope for gm is their lambda crossovers. If they build the Enclave as is styling wise, this will help turn around Buick. They appear to be good complents to the Tahoe, Yukon, and Escalade. The biggest star for gm could be Satu…
Last reply by Ghost Dog, -
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The Spoof in Advertising “What the hell was that?” A Tama Article September 4, 2006 To most folks, advertising is an accepted, albeit annoying, part of everyday life. In fact, we Americans are so heavily bombarded by the advertising juggernaut that we now subconsciously filter it all out. What would be considered an offensive amount in other countries, we consider normal. But to a company, advertising is vital. It is the face of your business that is broadcast to the entire buying public. If played correctly, it can shape your corporate image contrary to any shred of reality. If done poorly, the effects are the same. Knowing that perception is 90 percent of reality …
Last reply by Variance, -
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GM REPORTS IMPROVED SECOND-QUARTER FINANCIAL RESULTS .... GM has reported significantly improved 2006 second quarter financial results. Global automotive operations were profitable on an adjusted basis, excluding special items, for the first time since 2004, and the company posted a second consecutive quarter of record revenue. GM reported a net loss of $3.2 billion, or $5.62 per share, for the second quarter of 2006, compared with a reported loss of $987 million, or $1.75 per share, for the year-ago quarter. The net loss for the quarter included a total of $4.3 billion, or $7.66 per share, in special items that reflected a previously announced $3.7 billion after-tax ch…
Last reply by tama z71, -
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A Corvair saved my life. You will rarely hear anybody say that, and here is my story. I own a 65 Corvair Monza convertible, and let’s just say it was one step from being a parts car when I bought it. This little red junky car has been an adventure to say the least. After what happen in the fall of 2010, the car will have a home here with me. I had been enjoying the car over the summer with the top down and the wind blowing in my hair. I have replaced most of the mechanical parts on the car, but have not touched the body work. Corvairs are Unibody, and I had a crack in the passenger’s door sill that was showing movement. I thought it was time to replace the floor boards, …
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Article from Automotive News. http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti...0/1078&refsect=
Last reply by Snate, -
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The past week has been miserable at Volkswagen as allegations arose from the EPA that a number of models equipped with the 2.0L TDI four-cylinder were found to emit more emissions than were legally allowed in the U.S. thanks to software. Since the announcement came out last Friday, there has been a fair amount of news. Volkswagen admitted that 11 million diesel vehicles sold around the world had the software The company has set aside $7.3 billion for possible penalties and fixes EPA is looking into the 3.0L TDI V6 used in a number of Audi vehicles, Porsche Cayenne, and Volkswagen Touraeg A number of European countries, along with South Korea announce their own invest…
Last reply by El Kabong, -
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It all started out on a day when my suspension was making a funny clunking noise at low speeds, about two weeks ago. I've talked some other G6 owners, and it was actually a bulletin, so I took her in. I brought the TSB number along with me, just to speed things up and help them out. First off, the guy didn't really pay too much concern, and started dissing me off with like "yeah we have those things already", and wasn't really letting me express my concern. Then it's the standard routine, looking up if there's other work to be done. Turns out that there's a huge list, ranging from brake maintenance and annual service. However, these were actually done, when I was in Water…
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The reaction Peugeot’s return to the U.S. Market a couple weeks back falls into three categories. OMG! We're getting exciting French cars again Why is another automaker coming to the U.S.? Split between 1 and 2 I should say that I fall into camp three at the moment. Previously, I was in number one when the rumors began to swirl around about PSA Group - parent company of Peugeot, Citroen, DS, Opel, and Vauxhall - making a possible return in late 2014. The dreams about possibly seeing a small number of Citroen and DS vehicles running around the U.S. sparked some joy. Peugeot was nowhere to be seen in my fantasy as they were seen to be somewhat blan…
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Horsepower Meets Hertz -Variance September 20, 2006 No, this isn’t an article about the Shelby Mustang GT-H. Rather, it’s a look at the state of technology in vehicles today. Me, I’m a bit of a tech head. I want the latest and fastest computer. I want a big plasma screen TV. I can take pictures on my thin cell phone while talking on my Bluetooth headset. I love seeing and experiencing advances in technology because to me new technology – in most cases -- means progress and if there’s one thing I like, it is progress. (I’ll come back to my “in most cases” caveat later.) In addition to being a technology fan, I also consider myself a car enthusiast. So when there’s n…
Last reply by loki, -
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How I would structure General Motors North America. (Broken down into 5 sections) DISCLAIMER: I decided to sit down the other day and try to come up with a pretty cohesive plan for the future of GM given the market and their tough financial situation. My plan is probably a little on the heavy side and might need better focus. But keep in mind; although I put A LOT of thought into it, I didn’t directly research anything. So feel free to post whatever you want about the plan; criticisms, acclaims, adjustments, anything. But just remember, I’m an amateur and it’s a work in progress. SECTION 1: COMPANY & DIVISIONAL GOALS AND NOTES. General Motors: Times are tough r…
Last reply by Cory Wolfe, -
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In the coming months, one of the most anticipated and important vehicles will begin rolling off the production line. The Tesla Model 3 has a lot riding on it as there are over 370,000 pre-orders for the upcoming entry-level model. This is the vehicle that can either make or break the company. So it seems quite interesting that Tesla is trying to pull attention away from this important model. During Tesla’s first-quarter earnings call, CEO Elon Musk expressed dismay at the lack of attention given to their flagship sedan, the Model S. "We have seen some impact of Model S orders as a function of people being confused" that Model 3 is the upgrade to Model S, Musk s…
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G. David Felt Alternative Fuels & Propulsion writer www.CheersandGears.com Top 10 Least Reliable Cars Consumers Report published their annual best and worst reliable cars. If your wanting to look at the best go here Reliable Cars. For this story, you could watch the videos and dive through the mountain of spreadsheets that consumers reports has for their data, but MSN Auto helped out by focusing on the top 10 least reliable cars and here is their list. The predicted reliability score was 125% below that of the average car. #1 - Scion xB 125% below the average auto #2 - Mercedes-Benz S-Class 127% below average #3 - Infiniti Q50 127% below average #4…
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SAME CONCEPT across different makes/COOs. #inarut
Last reply by Robert Hall, -
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Saturn was orginally intended to be an All-American can-do brand. Remember back to the 80s when some American thought wejust couldn't build cars as well as the Japanese. So, GM developed a project brand of how to build an American Japanese car. It succeeded to the extent that it proved Americans can build great quality cars. This problably saved GM and Detriot from ruin. Bob Lutz said recently that Saturn will be an American version of Opel like England's Vauxhall or Australia's Holden. Well, Opel is VW's main German Competition. VW out prices all other non-luxury brands, including Toyota. This would likely mean Saturn's prices will sky-rocket to match those of VW. If …
Last reply by carman21, -
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Last week saw the PSA Group (parent company of Citroen and Peugeot) purchasing Opel and Vauxhall from General Motors for $2.3 billion. This move would make the PSA Group the second-largest automaker in Europe. We already know some of the plans that PSA Group has for their new brands such as setting operating profit targets of 2 percent in 2020 (jumps to 6 percent by 2026) and the next-generation Opel/Vauxhall Corsa being the first new product developed with PSA. But as we alluded to in the original news story, there are a lot of questions that remain unanswered such as possible job cuts or what happens to Buick and Holden as they share products with Opel. I have been doin…
Last reply by 67impss, -
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SECTION 4: THE SALES CHANNELS This section is meant to provide an illustration of the stair step effect, size and price relationship of each channel. It’s simple brainstorming and nothing technical. So don’t harass me too much if it’s way off. Chevrolet channel: Chevrolet 1) Beat & Groove 2) Cruze, HHR & Orlando 3) Malibu & Camaro 4) Corvette, Impala & Volt (Up here because of price and status) Chevy Trucks 1) Colorado & El Camino 2) Equinox 3) Traverse 4) Silverado & Silverado HD 5) Suburban Pontiac, Buick & GMC Channel: Pontiac & Buick 1) G4 2) G5 & Vibe 3) G6, GTO & Delta Buick 4) Lacrosse, …
Last reply by smk4565, -
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So we now know some of what’s been going on inside the Tech Center and Ren Cen for more than likely many months. Half of the North American brands wearing that chrome GM badge will be sold, cut, or put in a coma. At least GM’s starting to be a little gracious now that it’s strangled most of its brands nearly to death. Honestly, step into a GM showroom right now. Name at least two vehicles from each brand that could be considered desirable from the mass public. Oh, and don’t let me forget to wish you good luck. Cadillac has much going for it just with the CTS and its upcoming variations. The Escalade is okay at best, and the DTS and STS are FWD subpar boats. The XLR is…
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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Since the launch of the XT4 with the rather anemic (if more refined) LSY engine, many (including myself) had questioned why GM does not offer the Tripower 310 bhp / 348 lb-ft (L3B) 2.7T 4-cylinder in the XT4 (at least) as an option. To a lesser extent some have also questioned why the LSY is putting out a mere 237bhp / 258 lb-ft whereas the outgoing LTG engine is good for 265~272 bhp / 295 lb-ft. Is it just so that it can have 258 lb-ft arrive @ 1,500 rpm? Now, we have the answer... It's the 9-speed Automatics. Adopting the 9-speed automatics is deemed a priority for refinement and fuel economy. The new GM-Ford 9TXX transmissions, jointly developed with Ford pro…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Auto Dealership Websites, Winning your Purchase According to a Cox Automotive survey, 83% of auto consumers prefer at least one online function from a dealerships website and 85% are more likely to buy from a dealership that allows website users to digitally buy a vehicle even if they do not currently opt to complete the whole purchase online. The importance of the website today compared to the early 90's when people might be more likely to balk at spending money on a website with features like this is making a drastic change in how consumers shop. How do you feel about shopping for an auto via the dealerships website? Wards Story
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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Last Friday was a trying day for me. I was feeling quite overwhelmed by the large amount of work due the end of the year, along with trying to figure out what the holidays would bring forth. This would be joined by some personal issues that only added to the overwhelmed feeling. I needed an escape. Something that could let me get away from all these issues rolling around in my head, even for a few moments. That's when I made the decision to go out for a drive. I had no destination in mind. I would just drive to wherever the roads would take me. I grabbed the keys to my tester at the time, a Nissan Murano, and just started to drive. I stuck to side roads for this trip …
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Sometimes, it's good to put things into perspective. Case in point: Last week I had the good fortune of riding in my friend Craig's 36 Ford sedan. This is a project that he has been working for the past few years and for the most part it's finish - just some slight paintwork and a few other odds and ends. Sitting in this car was a throwback. An example was the seats - they felt springy and cushy, not firm and supportive like modern cars. The dash is just painted metal with a set of dials and knobs. Your only source of ventilation? Opening the windows or lifting a latch behind the hood. If you want the access the trunk? Lift up the back seat. As for the ride itself, it f…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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G. David Felt Alternative Fuels & Propulsion writer www.CheersandGears.com GM Sued by Arizone The case is State of Arizona vs General Motors LLC, Case No. CV2014-014090, the Superior Court of the State of Arizona, County of Maricopa. Arizona has come out stating that the Reborn GM is not innocent but a wolf in sheep's clothing. The state attorney general has stated that GM hid all these defects and continues to hide behind the bankruptcy. Arizona states that with 60 serious defects affecting 27 million auto's on the road in the US, that they need to pay 3 Billion Dollars to Arizona for Defrauding their consumers. Arizona wants $10,000 per violation fo…
Last reply by Robert Hall, -
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The theme of this year's Detroit Auto Show was all about performance. A number of the showings from BMW to Subaru were high performance models of varying degrees. But there were some other surprises to make their way into the show. Which ones made the honor roll and which ones need to see me after the show? Its time for a Cheers & Gears' Report Card. Acura TLX Concept: B- This was a model I was excited for because I wanted to see how Acura would combine the TL and TSX. The results as shown in this thinly-veiled concept have me worried. Most of this comes down to design as it reminds of the ILX in a bigger package. Not sure if that what's Acura had in mind with desig…
Last reply by ocnblu, -
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The past month at Mitsubishi Motors has been tumultuous with the announcement that they had manipulated fuel economy numbers on a number of small city cars sold by them and Nissan. It would come to light that this manipulation had been going since 1991 on a number of models sold in Japan. Shares in the company dropped like a rock and there were concerns that Mitsubishi Motors would have to borrow money from other companies in the Mitsubishi conglomerate. But soon a white knight would appear, Nissan. The company that first discovered and reported it to Mitsubishi would buy a 34 percent share into the automaker, making it the largest shareholder. Thus, an alliance between t…
Last reply by Suaviloquent, -
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Over the past six months and numerous articles with the ‘As the Diesel Emits’ in the title, we are no closer to have a fix for the around 600,000 Volkswagen diesel vehicles with illegal emission software. Instead, we have been treated a first-rate performance of ‘How not to handle a crisis’. From Volkswagen’s delay of admitting the illegal software to CEO Matthias Muller seeming very oblivious to what happening in an interview. It seems the German automaker is getting one black eye after another. The past month or so has seen the crisis cranked up to eleven. New documents revealed that senior managers, including former CEO Martin Winterkorn, were alerted about the U…
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Auto enthusiast have since the dawn of the car had a desire to go faster and in this, the 2 door, 2 person auto was the focus of go fast compared to the 4 door, 4 or 5 person sedan and especially in comparison to CUVs, SUVs and Trucks. Yet in the last few decades we have seen performance Trucks and SUVs / CUVs that have gotten close to what some call Muscle Cars. Even some specialty sedans like the Chevrolet SS of recent decades has also introduced performance fun to the family. Tesla burst onto the scene in the early 2000's and had a Roadster that blew people away that could afford such a novelty with it's gut pounding acceleration. Later came the T…
Last reply by balthazar, -
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Today was a sad day those who consider themselves fans of the automobile and/or public radio as word came that Tom Magliozzi, one of the co-hosts NPR’s Car Talk passed away at age 77 due to complications from Alzheimer's disease. When I first saw the news, I began to feel very sad and sat in my chair for a few moments reflecting on some of my favorite moments of Car Talk. One of the key thoughts that hit me as I was sitting down was feeling bad for this person I had never even met. But the fact I was feeling this way made me realize a key aspect of what made Car Talk so special. Whenever you tuned in to Car Talk and listened to Ray and Tom banter on about someone's ca…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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Discuss the podcast here!
Last reply by JBsZ06, -
- 3 followers
- 9 replies
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Popping out at SEMA, Henneessey doubles down on building the quickest & fastest car in the world. Bugatti; take heed. 7.4TT V8, 1600 HP / 1300 TRQ, 2950 lbs. 0-186 in less than 10 seconds, 0-250-0 in less than 30. Top speed : 301. For reference, the previous Venom GT already eclipsed Bugatti back in 2014, having been clocked at 270.49 MPH. Bugatti is said to still be working on it's response. Now it needs an upgraded response. Perhaps they might start off by building a supercar that doesn't weigh 5000 lbs. Slated production is 24 units, at $1.6 million per for the 'base' car.
Last reply by oldshurst442, -
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How I would structure General Motors North America. (Broken down into 5 sections) DISCLAIMER: I decided to sit down the other day and try to come up with a pretty cohesive plan for the future of GM given the market and their tough financial situation. My plan is probably a little on the heavy side and might need better focus. But keep in mind; although I put A LOT of thought into it, I didn’t directly research anything. So feel free to post whatever you want about the plan; criticisms, acclaims, adjustments, anything. But just remember, I’m an amateur and it’s a work in progress. SECTION 1: COMPANY & DIVISIONAL GOALS AND NOTES. General Motors: Times are tough r…
Last reply by Camino LS6, -
- 2 followers
- 3 replies
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This year's Los Angeles Auto Show proved to be much better than first expected. When the news hit back in October of some the vehicles that were to debut, the show's organizers listed the Buick LaCrosse and Nissan Sentra as the big stars. Oh dear, this year's show was going to be a snoozefest. But as we saw in the past week, the LA showed proved to be exciting. There were a number of surprises, along with vehicles that stole the show. Of course, there were the vehicles that maybe should have passed on LA Auto Show. It is that time to grade the vehicles and find out which ones are the top of the class and which ones need to head to detention. Alfa Romeo Giulia …
Last reply by El Kabong, -
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- Editor-in-Chief
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Tariff Tuesday is the day where we cover how President Trump's tariffs, if fully enacted, will impact the auto industry, increase costs, and limit consumer choice. We started this series on April 15, Tax Day for those in the United States, because Trump's tariffs amount to one of the largest single increases in taxes on the American People. The tariffs which, if fully implemented, will raise $1.4 trillion in revenue, an increase per household of $1,900 to $7,600 per year. Last week we discussed Buick's Tough Spot - Killing it in China, Killed in the U.S. and one of our readers brought up an excellent point: Big Trouble in Little Crossovers The little cros…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
