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Final numbers from my bother's Pontiac-spec engined '68 Firebird : 1,119 HP @ 7900 RPM. At 6900 RPM, it made 1,079 HP & 810 TRQ. This is out of 541 CI. And people claim pushrod V8s don't like to rev. It should be good for 7.9-8.1 secs in the quarter. Or about 2.5 secs quicker than the quickest modified Tesla Model S P100 D in Ludicrious Mode. ;) - - - - -

Detuning the 4 cylinder for fuel economy, in a luxury car that is $60k doesn't make any sense. Maybe it would make sense if there was some great NVH improvement, but 7.5 seconds is slow. Granted the old folks in Florida taking it to Cracker Barrel won't care, and there is a more powerful engine for people that do care. It just seems like more bizarre GM decision making, that isn't based on customer demand, but rather supplier issues, manufacturing costs, parts bin inventory, bean counters, etc.

Not exactly... Unlike the difference between transverse and longitudinal transmissions -- which are totally different animals -- there is no substantial difference between a lengthwise or sideways engine installation. We are talking about a different exhaust pipe, new air box and new dress cover. The last being largely cosmetic (so the lettering don't don't face the wrong way). 99% of the engine is identical. The differences are minute enough that GM doesn't even have separate RPO codes for transverse and longitudinal versions of the same engine. The FWD and RWD 3.6TT are both the LF3. The FWD and RWD 3.6 NA are both the LGX or LFX. The FWD and RWD "old" 2.0Ts are both LTG.

^ Wonder if that was a runner or a 'parker'. - - - - -

Panamera... I must go back to grade school and learn how to read properly. So yeah! Panamera as a 2 dr would be GREAT being called a 928. Minus the mistake about the Panamera part. The rest of the rant stills stays as THAT is how I feel about Porsche and CUVs and Porsche sports cars...

That's why I said 2dr version of the Panamera, their V8 hatchback sports sedan. Make a big GT hatchback coupe...

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 promises better fuel economy and better shift quality. There are currently two versions of this transmission:- 9T50 -- 258 lb-ft 9T65 -- 280 lb-ft The need to pack 9-speeds into a very slim transmission case meant that they have to use an ovoid cross section torque converter, a tension chain coupling and abandon the high torque capability of the previous generation top dog 6T80 (369 lb-ft) transmissions used in the 410 hp / 368 lb-ft 3.6L Twin-Turbo (LF3) powered Cadillac XTS. The lack of torque capability is also in part why Ford abandoned the use of the GM-Ford 9TXX transmissions, choosing instead to develop an 8-speed evolution of the decade old 6T80 for use in their high torque applications like the Ford Edge ST (2.7L Ecoboost V6 with 335 hp / 380 lb-ft). Ford also asserts that the new 9-speed autos did not yield any fuel economy improvement when tested with their engines and the refinement improvements alone did not justify the costs and weight increases. View full article

Does it really matter? ?

^^^ I forgot about that Nissan.

Would have been cool on some fronts. Dodge desperately needs to be in more niches, so does Chrysler. I dearly love the Charger/Challenger/300, and rue the day they no longer exist.

LOL what a novel idear no one has thought of before. Plus, how much are those modular toppers... plus plus... how much garage space do you need for all that crap? LOL

Reno, Verona (both Daewoo products foisted on Suzuki by GM) and Theta-based XL7 were complete disasters. This triple threat sunk Suzuki here in the USA.

While the XL7 wasn't great, the Frontier based Equator actually looked good and has some (minor) interior improvements over its host Nissan. The SX4 was a unique entry for those who needed a small car and AWD at a time when that was a relatively rare combination. Plus the Kazashi was a great little sedan that just needed a bit more power to be perfect for its size. It never was going to be a camry beater, but it didn't have to be.

OMG not again I am of the firm belief that GM ruined Suzuki in the USA, with the crap GM forced on them. They would be in a very good position in the USA now, with their SUV/CUV heavy lineup.

Much of the overcapacity issues at FCA involve the Italian brands even being in production in the first place.

Suzuki should never have left the U.S. market. They at least had some semi-unique offerings.

The EPA ratings went from 22/25/30 to 24/28/34 MPG (US) with the new 2.0 and 10-speed automatic, which is more useful in the real world (along with improved NVH characteristics) than ~6 vs ~7 seconds 0-60 MPH.

8.0L is out of production, yes? But I agree. - - - - -

For me, rewatching Charmed, NCIS, Criminal Minds, and amazing to see how we improved over the years with CGI and how things are processed. Watch "Lost in Space", excited for season 2, excited for the new season of "The 100", have tried many different shows, some have been good but are now canceled. Guess I am not much of a tv watching as I would rather go to the gym and work out than sit around in front of the TV. I do love Cheers and Gears, one of the more emotional investments I have made in a long time. While lacking some female perspective and character, it is very emotional with all the various characters on the show!

Is This The End of Porsche as we know it? This is bit heading into a dark area. However, brand snobs will buy it.

One day the Chinese will own both these companies anyway.

SUVs are Porsche's moneymakers..without them, the brand would have been dead 15 years ago. I figure making lots of performance SUVs enables them to build sports cars, which is a good thing...

Just no, no, no, no, no.

They should do a 2dr coupe version of the Panamera and call it 928..

I'm watching my driveway waiting for Spring...tired of 35F and sleet/snow flurries. 6671312257804332096_stamp.mp4

Pass The coupe thing has really made me realize unless it is 2 doors, coupes are so tiring on everything else. Plus as you all know being such a big guy, I want a REAL SUV, not this toy!

I think this is one of the best looking of the fastback SUVs, but I still refuse to call it a coupe.

The term for this type of behavior is the Sunk Cost Fallacy; go Google it. But, I am not sure this is exactly true of GM's decision in this case. The 9-speeds do offer a few things -- better shift quality from one way clutches from gears 2-9 and smaller ratio steppings. The 6TXX trannies were very average boxes in this department. The new 9-speeds also have a pressure accumulator to prime the trannies for engine restarts with Start-Stop systems -- instead of having to spin the converter from stand still and pressurize the transmission fluid so the hydraulics will start working. The Accumulator stores pressurized fluids while the transmission is running and re-injects them during a restart. The only bad thing about the new 9As is that they are stuck at 280 lb-ft. which is OK for the LSY 2.0T and LGX 3.6 V6es. For high performance stuff, I guess GM is deferring to Longitudinal cars with the GM-Ford 10L80 and 10L90 transmissions good for 590 lb-ft and 650 lb-ft respectively.

I think I posted a pic before, but this is Bro's 'bird:

Mostly Firebirds. To honour Balthy's 1968 1000 horsepower plus Firebird! From 1967-2002

If I had all the money in the world I would ask Lincoln to make me a custom mashup of these three colors. i think if they were done correctly it would be the most pretty interior ever. I don't know exactly how they'd be mashed up but I think the red would be the main color, second most used would be white, and smaller accents in the blue.

A. You said "cannot afford", I responded to that, and your response back centered around 'computer engineers'. I don't associate that profession with being unable to afford a car. B. The vast vast majority of people store at least some items in their vehicles for various reasons. Some keep a LOT of items in their vehicles (nothing wrong with that). Still others work out of their vehicles. These types of consumers aren't going to be in this market. C. I do NOT relish the thought of getting inside a vehicle regularly where who knows who has been doing who knows what. People treat public use items in generally terrible ways.

I know many computer engineers who use the MB and BMW subscription service here in Seattle as they do not want to bother with ownership of an auto, just use one when they need one. I see a subscription service for a solid off road activity vehicle that mostly will get used to go camping or up to the pass to ski / snowboard as a solid service for auto companies down the road. After all, you live in the city, parking is tight, space tight, why bother with auto ownership if a subscription service gives you an auto to use when you need one for nights or weekends.

I wasn't listening to it by choice. I went into a drugstore/market at lunch and it was playing. I chuckled. I remember this goofy song by Eddy Grand and the movie of the same name, back when Kathleen Turner was at the peak of her career after becoming a household word from the movie "Body Heat," which also features William Hurt, Richard Crenna, Ted Danson, and Mickey Rourke. That's one of the best suspense dramas I've seen to date. If you haven't seen it and like that genre, I recommend it. Also, you cannot use the bathroom during the last 15 minutes because some key clues and twists in the plot are shown during that time.

Looks like my neighbor's teenage son just got a used BRZ/86/FRS...it's red, has no front bumper and goes 'brawwwpp'.