LosAngeles

Do we really when diesel's already OVER $4 a gallon? I say we all get behind hydrogen fuel cell and Coskata's further development of waste as a source for ethanol (to relieve the corn supply)

Toyota was a totally enjoyable face on the automotive landscape in the 80s and 90s, when Celica, Supra, MR2, and Corolla coupe had one saying "who could ask for anything more?" When they distilled back to their historically conservative ways, I lost interest, and Scion isn't excitement enough to me to replace that. maybe if I was a big SUV fan, I wouldn't feel as ill...but.... Let be fair here, and say that Cressida + Camry still only = two nameplates on one brand of car back when "do NOT buy American" hadn't picked up as much steam, versus four brands (with three configurations and two engines each) of A-bodies? It's probably different in the rest of the country (at least where rusty cancer isn't consuming older cars like water), but here in SoCal, there are still plenty of Cressidas of that vintage. Camrys, not so much, but again, Camrys weren't that popular in the first generation. To me, Adam Opel + Vauxhall = GM of Europe, as Holden = GM of Australia. The brands aren't as "from scratch" as Ford, but neither are Buick, Cadillac, Olds, or Oakland, last time I checked. The product is all General IMO...the mentality isn't THAT different, and a piece of the profits and glory ultimately goes to Detroit.

Not that it's a bad thing to dislike Toyota, just wanted to know where you stand.

Poor Vauxhall can't catch a break

Nice sig photo, Camino. The car actually looks handsome at that angle.

Why do American cars with any kind of real performance have to be "muscle cars?" Must every single affordable performance car Detroit makes have to remind us of the 60s? Like American cars are all unrefined brutes only concerned with E.T.'s. Not billing it one doesn't mean it won't sell. Brave new world...cars are much higher tech and not one-dimensional anymore. And oh yeah...there ARE substitutes for cubic inches/liters. There are even substitutes for forced induction. And it's called more efficient technology....technology that isn't even that complex in the big picture. Revenge of the nerds.

A scholar and a gentleman. Thank you kindly.

Would be nice to see a GXP with a GM engine in it (turbo Ecotec) and AWD. But is AWD even engineered into this chassis?

Hasn't been much to weigh in on...though obviously news is beginning to pick up now. I'll never get that kind of post count some of y'all have, since I've adopted a different kind of posting style for this board.

These seem like good times to think American, and especially GM, with the Camaro and G8 coming down the pike. I'd like to see more flex-fuel cars in general, especially a performance car...and if GM can get Coskata to pull off their trash/old tires/garden waste ethanol production idea, it's on like Donkey Kong, to quote Ice Cube. We'll solve a ton of problems. Yeah, people looking at those cars could give a damn about bang for the buck. The Westside yuppie/hipster/other douchebag that applies is interested in car as trophy. Who remembers that episode of the Shield where Shane's girlfriend said she wanted to get an ES300 because she can't drive around real estate customers in a '97 Neon?

I wonder how this answers the Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, and South Africa question...(+ by extension the Middle East and India) Will Latin America continue to sell Opels, Chevys, and Isuzus that are a generation (or two) behind relevant US/EU Chevys? Will the South African Lumina be basically our Zeta Impala with right hand drive (and suspension for their harsher conditions)? Will every Chevy market on the planet get the Camaro (even if it is merely the version with the turbo four, no slouch IMO)?

Damn@ this post being limited to GMs ONLY. What I miss the most are the H-bodies, because they are so gone, Monica's song could be used for a missing ad. Used to be a bagillion Vegas, Monzas, Skyhawks, and Sunbirds on the road out here. Starfire/Firenza was never that common to begin with. They all would make great drift cars. Can't remember the last time I've seen the Buick-Opel. I kind of miss the Fiero. Hard pressed to find one out here because people mostly only care for used cars they can throw kids or their little friends in. Would be beautiful to see more of these: Or the LeMans, Cutlass...any of the cars with this greenhouse (or the opera window version) There's a possibility you can find a supplier in the pages of Low Rider magazine, since a lot of the cars features are that generation of Monte Carlo, Cultlass Supreme, or Regal. But you're right, since those cars didn't look dragstrip friendly or have the performance they care for, the usual suppliers could give two turds about the plight of those owners. But it's funny seeing what the lot of you have named...in this town, between good old fashioned hood culture and not having rock-salted winters snacking on cars like termites, most GMs are still pretty easy to find (way more common than their Ford and especially Mopar and AMC counterparts). Just hard to catch the owners ready to part with them.

I'm sure some douchebag will pony up for one at that price. The dealers know who they're dealing with, the "first on the block" posse...

I'll play: Mopar needs to melt down all remaining 2.7 V-6es in the world and make more reliable engines out of them. Dodge should be well-catered to by Caliber, Avenger, Challenger, Charger, Ram, Dakota, and Sprinter. The only additions would be the Hornet, a Caliber sedan loosely looking like the hatch (should come off quite butch), an AWD SRT-6 Avenger, and to keep the Magnum around. NO SUVs, not even a Ramcharger!! Chrysler brand could use a more luxed-up 300, Sebring, and T&C. Again, SRT-6 treatment for the Sebring: http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2384396440030961650fRBRMd Firepower perhaps replaces Viper. And a four-place rear-drive personal luxury coupe would set the party off right. And Jeep? How about a V-8 in that Wrangler 4-door? At least turbocharge the V-6, sheesh. The Compass would make an interesting AWD 2-door (think Paris-Dakar rally). Patriot is irrelevant in the wake of the new Liberty. Consolidate GC and Commander into one REAL full-sizer to compete with Land Cruiser, Range Rover, Tahoe, and Armada

Aside from the fact that the first through fourth GTOs were all actually intermediates, I agree.

Simple. Western and Japanese companies want the minds of the 1 billion spenders of Chinese MONEY. I'd argue that Nissan did more to increase the Japanese car's profile in this market than any of the others. I recall a little vehicle called the Z. 510 and the Bulletside truck were no joke either as far as running up their respect numbers. LOL, there's no such thing as an '89 Quest (unless it was JDM or something) It's funny you say that when we all know China can make a mean* knockoff. *Mean meaning bad of course. Just imagine the money that buys the LRG and Volcom hoodies on the backs of our youth and that it more than likely supports this. I wanted to say it would be nice if these products were manufactured in Africa or Haiti to help those ugly economies out there, but not if it equals those kind of sweatshop practices. Nice conflict of my political interests. But man, if the same products were made here in the U.S., you're looking at the same $90 hoodie probably costing $200. You hear that? That's the sound of nobody giving a s--t.--Triumph the Comic Dog. Classic brand perception snobbery. We'd likely feel the same way about Lexus if all those cars came here as Toyotas (even with how Camrys are worshipped at the altar)

OK, that made me feel good about life.

The interior looks like a very enjoyable place to be. If only the G8 had a steering wheel like that.

Why would one buy a V-6 G8? Well... -There are people who could use a bigger body/interior than other V-6 cars -Pontiac still packs lots of sporty personality, more so than any non-premium brand on the market, excepting maybe Mazda -There are people who disagree with many C&Gers and feel the G8 is a looker -Word will get out to many looking at those reasons, but probably can't get a V-8 version for whatever reason, but will get this model. This car will do more good than harm. Even if a shiftable tranny never makes it to the lineup, I'm still likely to say "where do I sign up?" As for what Ford should do? I still think they should consolidate Panther, the Falcon platform and D3 into one car (with the Falcon's mechanicals likely winning out). Let's watch how the MKS does, that could give some clues how D3 technology will work out for future use. And as the comments in the article said, there is no pressing need to worry about drive wheels, so much as fuel economy, and how to get these cars to be lighter but still strong, in light of all this safety crap folks feel we need each passing model year. Even after all this, it's been proven that cars can still be lookers and performers when we want them to be.

The problem would be that the Crown is probably still not much bigger than the Camry, leaving them justification not to bother. Not to mention their "too close to Lexus" argument (which your boy beat me to): But a stretched wheelbase Crown platform would make a great Avalon replacement IMO. She has a Japanese Catherine Zeta-Jones look to her. You two can't be serious.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/nissan-maxima.html#photos Looks fairly big to me (note how dwarfed the stock wheels look). Sporty enough too. Kinda gives a R34 Skyline/current ES300 vibe. Sexy overall...but what's up with those headlights?

Same is suggested of the CTS-V. And I'm inclined to agree....though I'm all for customizing cars, these will be so rare that putting them all under the knife for boy-racer body mods would be criminal. But I wonder what the opinion is on power tuning.

My only concern for any is whether or not they demand premium gas. If none do, we're golden.

I'm inclined to agree with what Autoextremist had to say about Pontiac maybe needing to say no to this one.... Not that such a vehicle is not a good idea, but the greenhouse looks like a real afterthought. That may fly with the Australians, but Americans will want something more aesthetically pleasing.

I'm sayin', I had to imagine the halls of the BBC reeking of exhaust fumes. As far as that car, I have trouble feeling comfortable in a Solstice, so foret hopping in that thing.... Otherwise, that thing would probably crank with an electric motor (esp. one of today, maybe even one from a Power Wheels would have it going faster) and a reverse gear.