LosAngeles

Or if we were to ever go to war with the Jamaicans. Be hearing the words "bumbaclot batty boy" thrown all over the plave as the "SHOT-tas" smoke one another....But yeah, the anti-gay passions of both camps is fierce.

So that's what Craig Kilborn was doing lately...took himself back to school so that he can BE somebody! Yeah, this board (and especially this post) is quite literally the coming-out party.

Coming together nicely. The interior has a bit of a "Something Mazda would do" look to it.

Why eternally saddle the Impala nameplate with a frontie chassis? You only need one chassis for big standards. I can understand two intermediate platforms. All this rear-drive Cobalt SS silliness is just that. Why not just make this two-door coupe a Monza instead? I think the G8 wil be a standard size car to compete with the LX triplets. I'd make an estate to this effect also. It's also time that more "personal" cars come about as well. There's hardly any in the under 35K price point. There are plenty of sedans and SUVs and crossovers. It's time to bring on more intimate cars once again. Doesn't have to be the raunchiest (GTO) or most redneck/ghetto-friendly (current Monte Carlo) thing out there, but it shouldn't be the Accord coupe either. Should feel like something special, like a 67 Riviera, 69 GP, Calibra, or 67 Cougar. In case you're wondering, the G6 coupe isn't it either. Do it right.

They couldn't lift it whole cloth, since this car was going to have to share some things with the goofy Avenger (e.g. the cage of the cockpit--for want of a more technical term--hence the outer shape of the doors and rake of the windshield). Plus production versions have to account for whatever country's regulations on cars exist.That being said, if this car stood alone or was based on a different car (say, C-class), it would be even more interesting than it is now.

Here's my weigh-in on the Chrysler question, and what I think they should do to "fix" things if they can be before it's time for new models. Sebring is one I've already stated I like lookswise in the exterior. I haven't really seen the interior, but if more interesting colors are part of the fix it supposedly needs, then I'm all for that and more. Again, nothing wrong with the exterior to me. Avenger is the one that drives me nuts. Why they took the rear quarter with the Charger-look dogleg and Delta-88 dentist hook and added fender flares is beyond me, but that throws it majorly. Between the hook and the fender flares, one of them has to go. I say keep the flares, but kill the hook and just go wth a straight-across beltline (someone care to chop that?). Also, as I've stated before, the Avenger's styling would make one hell of a fastback to compete with the Mazda6, and whatever's in Europe like the Vectra and such. Plus it would be nice to see for Malibu Maxx fans who want an alternative. Anyone else get the impression Avenger looks compact? Caliber is cool but could be smoothed out a little. Dodge and Chrysler brands having SUVs is silly when Jeep caters to that all too well. I'd kill anything that wasn't a Jeep. But keep the Pacifica. Speaking of Jeep, do they really need to have six four-door box wagon SUVs? They could shave it down to GC, Wrangler, and Liberty and be just fine. Commander should have been a little larger or more like the Range Rover. Bye-bye Compass. How about that Gladiator concept, or something else pickupish to compete with the Sport Trac, Ridgeline, and especially the Avalanche? Or (dare I say it in this current market climate) the Rescue? The Challenger and Hornet couldn't arrive any faster. The Imperial (as far as the concept idea) isn't right. They should do a lot sleeker version of it, more like the Caddy Sixteen.

As long as Chrysler leads the way with the engineering, and Chery is really only there for cheap assembly purposes, I see no issue with this car. Looks plenty fun, more like it's aimed at the Mini instead of the Yaris, Fit or Aveo.

Are you sure about that? You listen to the media enough, you'd think shells from a tank couldn't stop the average Toyota sold to consumers. Big deal. GM was 2-1/2 years behind the Mustang with the original Camaro and Firebird, and Mustang was 2 behind the Barracuda. And before the Kappas, there was no "there" in that segment for 5-8 years (not counting S2000 and Z3/Z4. Different price point, different animal). Surely GM's interest was more in making an interesting Pontiac, regardless of the Miata's existence by that point. You want a car that aimed to step to the Miata, look at the MR2 Spyder and how it did nothing in the market.

Cool cars to me.... Let it be a Ford or Chrysler however, and the public praise becomes "What were they thinking?" Part of the people saying that would be the crowd who wants the Americans making nothing but musclecars with pushrod V-8s and dragstrip-ready live axles. And Autoextremist of course would call it an "answer to a question no one was asking...." But since it's Toyota's baby, it walks on water. That being said, but for the political and economic factors, I'd drive one without guilt.

I'd have been more interested if it was a Passat or a new VW sports coupe. Sorry, a 12 into a compact hatch is simply sacrilegious.

Come on, bruh....Though quickly about the originality thing, cars of every era seem to copy one another. While I agree with how you feel there, it's just the nature of the beast with the standards of a time. I'll touch on the rest in an edit or another post, I better step.

Interesting. You want Avenger SRT-6es to have 90-100 less horses than the Sebring version. What gives there? Isn't that on the way already? I think the hatch is the better car, and deserves the premium exposure. Mazda obviously felt that way too, which is why it's only available with the 2.3 fours.Anyway, I have one car left, and while there is already a CTS-V and a new CTS is on the way, there should a non-V-series CTS with a V-8 and DOD. The V-series can stay 400 and higher in the horse department (and stick only!), but the regular one should get into at least 310.

I'd instead look to PSA or Fiat and grab something different. Especially PSA. The Peugeot 204, 407, and 607 could make a lot of noise in Mopar dealerships.

Agreed with everyone who stated to the effect of it being a corporate umbella logo and not a brand badge. I like the Chrysler winged ribbon and mean red ram on Dodges. What also needs to continue is the lessening of brand engineering in favor of distinctive looking vehicles for each brand. Ain't that right, GM and Ford? Those old turbo 80s K's look kinda intresting today. Too bad people didn't take great care of them. I've wanted a 2.2 turbo Lancer with a stick for a while now.

I think the way times are doesn't necessarily allow for a brand as stodgy (sounding) as Plymouth to come back in these think-they-want-retro-but-really-want-the-future times. It should never have been allowed to die in the first place, but it did, so it's time to do something different.It's like the Oldsmobile situation...Olds was killed and Saturn was moved into its position. At this stage in the game Saturn may as well be considered today's Oldsmobile instead of trying to dust off the Olds name....simply different and more forward thinking perception, because it's here now and here rather strongly as well. Bringing back the Olds name simply doesn't look right in these times. Brands are much harder to resurrect than nameplates (see Indian motorcycles) I'd love for Chrysler to do non-Dodge/non-Chrysler/non-Jeep cars again. Valiant compact (and a companion Duster two-door), Fury, BARRACUDA, and Pronto would be beautiful for today, even an Eagle car (a brand Chrysler really mishandled). The Plymouth brand name won't work however. It's going to have to be something youthful, fresh, and forward-thinking. This is when you call those weird image companies to think of something. Back to Imperial for a moment: Imperial should be s separate brand again. And the car itself should be more low-slung instead of looking at being monstrous and heavy. Not many people want the Americans bringing more new obviously-large cars at this point.

How could I forget the Ford Freestyle (don't know what they call it now)? Just like the Taurus, could use a V-8.

If you don't like cars of today, keep it movin'. I find a lot of new cars interesting looking, and you do too....but they're damned by puny powertrains and suspensions tuned for Grandma instead of the key 18-34 demographic. Later for the fuel economy question Later for your drive wheels issues....SIXTY8! What new cars would be on your list if only they had more punch to them? You get a maximum of 15, so let's be quality with them. Go. Kia Optima (the car this topic was made for) Ford Fusion and Lincoln Zephyr Chevy Aveo hatch (how about a Z16 Aveo?) Ford Taurus 500, whatever the hell they want to call it (Big cars need a V-8 option, period.) Hyundai Accent hatch (would make a nice MINI fighter, as the Aveo would) Chrysler Sebring (a 350 bhp SRT6 would be killer...turbo up the V-6) Buick Lucerne (why is the upcoming Super still packing 8 less horses than the LaCrosse version? Defeats the purpose.) Mazda6 fastback (THAT should be the Mazdaspeed car) Kia Spectra 5 Chevy HHR (The 2.4 four is cool, but a 3.5 or 3.9 V-6 option would take this car to another level) Suzuki Forenza (The Lacetti R exists, why is it not in this market?)

New sig as of today (in response to the silliness I've seen here) ETA everything below. That's in too, bro, thanks. We may not always agree, but you're telling the real here. Well then people who like to do-it-themselves have a right to complain then Touche, poosycat! That's all because they tend not to be dressed up the same. I would love to see more color on engines of today. That's just pathetic. Everyone in that town should be drawn and quartered. I'd hate to see what it's like in the Hamptons.

I like the idea of making a less-expensive CLS kind of car. CLS is a car I like for many weird reasons. Don't necessarily really care about the drive wheels. But the Maxima name means it should be the MAXIMUM car you can get under the Nissan brand in North America (and to an extent, Oceania, whose Falcons and Commies be kept im mind for the next one also). This means it should be above the Altima as high as possible. A CLS-type slightly longer mid-sizer is one way.... And a straight-up standard big car is another. The Avalon isn't the tops in B&B standards. Impala, 300, Charger, and the D3 Fords all have something to say about that. I see all of them more often than Avalon. Nissan should want as many Maximas on the road as there are Altimas, Impalas, LXes, et al. The way to stay away from Infiniti is to make it to where there's nothing Infiniti about the Maxima. Meaning there should have been nothing Nissan about Infinitis. That's where I think the Japanese go at this premium division vs. bread-and-butter division thing all wrong. The B&Bs don't have to be all fronties to achieve the differentiation they should be looking for. The overuse of the VQ calls for something to shake things up. Maybe a turbocharger? Nissan has a chance to do this right if all the right factors are considered.

I'm talking about the similar profiles. If the G8 doesn't beat the Accord to market, a lot of morons will say the G8 looks like the Accord. I can see it now.The Accord does keep getting bigger and bigger, plus people cross shop Impalas wiht them, so it's possible they'll look at the G8 in the same light. The coupe alone is as big as the Buick Wildcat these days.

So no one fears for the G8 then?

My mother once rented one, and backed it into who knows what, and the corner of the rear bumper dimpled in completely. Absolute concave. This is a thing I'm used to seeing on about 40% of 97-01 Camrys. It makes your car look and feel really cheap and tinny. What would prompt a carmaker to not fill in the entire bumper end to end to fix the problem? I saw a lesser model yesterday with the similar problem, and I fear the upcoming day my parents' brand new LTZ suffers that silliness.

I was just thinking about that yesterday.The Cobalt is a great car in search of a couple of line changes that make it a timeless keeper. What I would do: -Move the top edge of the taillights down. -5-lug wheels standard across the board -Sharper standard front and rear spoliers (the rounded current ones look too flimsy) -Two tone interiors (to take the basic-ness out of it) Leave the headlights and stuff like that alone. Don't make it look too different from the original. And only two years before an all-new Delta car, please, GM (with AWD, dammit!).

I like those types of antennae much beteer than the whip antenna we've grown up with.A little goofy on big cars, but great for intermediates and smaller, especially hatches.

They have it worse than us. Oz gets a slightly larger-displacement V-6 Camry called Aurion.http://www.toyota.com.au/toyota/vehicle/Ga...392_0_3,00.html Lexus has been rolled out the world over. As has Infiniti. I'm simply not convinced that the bread-and-butter division's cars have to be all fronties in order to not step on the luxury division's offerings. Nor do I necessarily see why the mainstream Japanese brands feel the need to be strictly fronties only in North America, when they widen the variety elsewhere. It seems they uniquely think like this. Because the Americans can offer one and not step on the other's toes just fine. -No one think the Charger is just as luxurious as the 300. The personalities are completely different. -A Chevy or Pontiac full of the same content as a Cadillac with similar drive wheels doesn't make the Cadillac a car of lesser prestige. Soirry if these seem like weak arguments at 4 in the morning. But here's a better one along the same lines: A big rear-drive car doesn't have to be a PREMIUM car (neither does an intermediate). And no one expects that to be the case either. A Charger doesn't have to have reclining rear seats complete with leg rests, an ashtray and lighter at every door, built in pull-up sunshades or rear curtains, tray tables, park itself, or look like something you drive the president around in in a motorcade. Neither does a Crown or Cedric. That's why there can be a Crown and Cedric/Gloria-style car easily in place of the Avalon and Maxima. But yeah, I'm really not convinced at all.