Variance

It looks like a sharper-edged Veyron.

Does anyone care to elaborate?

Funny yet sad.... http://www.vroombox.com/

2006 Civics, Avalons and Impalas seems to be popular. As are the Infiniti Ms and Audi A6s. Pathfinders are pretty popular too but I can't say with any certainty how many are 06s since they aren't any different from 05s.

I'm a Granite guy myself.

<---I now have the best avatar in all of C&G history. This is not debatable. :AH-HA_wink:

Only the trucks and Quest coming out of the new Canton plant have had quality issues. As far as CR goes, I've explained the beef I've had with their ratings before: http://www.cheersandgears.com/forums/index...pic=2843&st=20#

Yes, I'm dead serious.

Nissan's HQ move isn't starting unit next summer.

Can't see either of the prices. It won't show in the link.

Have you used NADA to price it out? I've heard they're more accurate in estimating used car values. http://nada.com/

Car sales people often know very little about their current products. So you'll understand my skepticism about this dealer's claim. Why would Toyota need a Ridgeline competitor when they already have two trucks?

What he's said. :)

Go sit in the corner, young man. :P

I, for one, wouldn't presume to know the fate of GM in 20-30 years. Who knows what they'll have in terms of product, leadership, etc. then?

That much is true. Even if it was is perfect condition with that many miles it'd worth $3,000 tops (NADA).

It never hurts to be open-minded...and I wouldn't consider a 240SX "Japanese crap".

Was it? Sorry.

My ranking: Exterior: 1. QX56/Navigator 2. Escalade 3. GX470 Interior: 1. Navigator 2. Escalade 3. QX56 4. GX470 I don't see what most people don't like about the QX's exterior. I like it fine. Granted, the roofline's a little funky.

There's a reason some people question CR's ratings. They have a lack of consistency. I'm reading their 2006 Annual Buying Guide. The Titan has no black (poor) or half-black (fair) marks and is listed as having average reliability. Plus, they don't say what exactly the problems are. For instance, the Quest has a black mark for body integrity. They define "body integrity" as "seals, weather stripping, air and water leaks, wind noise, rattle and squeaks". Fine...now which it is it that got the car a black mark? Not to say this makes the problems non-existant but I like to know the specifics. Something like wind noise has nothing to do with reliability, know what I mean? J.D. Power says the Quest, Armada, Titan, and QX56 were all majorily improved from the growing pains they suffered being first-year models in a brand-new plant. I happen to think Nissan makes good cars. Maybe not as "tightly screwed together" as some Toyotas and Hondas but more exciting than them, at least.

This may or may not have been brought up before but I think GM needs to produce "The Judge". Aggressive bodykit + Z06 LS7 = Happy Variance. B) Being the GTO-nutcase that I am, I would buy one over a Z06 (it'd probably be cheaper anyway). C'mon GM, build it!

America's Sports Car Becomes a Global Superpower By Karl Brauer Date posted: 11-10-2005 I'm catapulting the 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 between apexes on a deserted, twisting canyon road in central California, and all I can think is, "Whatever you do, don't contract that annoying 'Jeremy Clarkson' strain of Tourette's syndrome!" The risk of blurting out all manner of multisyllabic drivel is very real, and the last thing I want is an involuntary impression of Britain's Top Gear host marring my otherwise enjoyable ride. Then it happens, coming out of a smooth left-hand sweeper in 2nd gear I dip into the 7.0-liter V8's enthusiastic 470 lb-ft of torque. The 3-inch aluminum exhaust system's internal baffles swing open, unleashing the engine's full baritone roar as the tach swings past 4,000 rpm. "Magnificent…Fabulous…Absolutely ee-STON-ishing!!" Ugh! Sounding like that British wag is almost enough to overcome the pure adrenaline flow generated by road testing the all-new Corvette Z06. Advanced Design Equals Advanced Performance Instead, let's focus on the otherworldly capabilities Chevrolet has imbued in this most evolved version of the C6 platform. The high-tech carbon-fiber fenders, wheelhouses and floor panels may wrap around the same basic chassis, but the aluminum frame and magnesium engine cradle have taken the 2005 Corvette revamp and elevated it to exotic-car levels of advanced vehicle design — all while shaving 50 pounds off the base model's curb weight. Not surprisingly, a 105-horsepower increase — and 50-pound weight loss — from the standard C6 has resulted in the aforementioned "ee-STON-ishing" levels of performance. There was a great line once written about Kawasaki's ZX-11 Ninja, the first extreme high-performance superbike of the modern era. It went something like, "Before nailing the throttle you better make sure you know where you're going…because you'll be there before you realize it." The same advice can be applied to the 427-cubic-inch, 505-horsepower Corvette Z06. The engine is packed with race technology, from its dry-sump oil lubrication system to its titanium connecting rods and intake valves. It revs to 7,000 rpm with the enthusiasm (and near smoothness) of a Honda engine, yet it pulls harder than the Viper coupe's V10. Describing the driving experience as "catapulting" between apexes isn't meant to be particularly creative, just accurate. In this car you come out of one turn, see down the straight to the next, roll on the throttle and BAM! You're there! Putting this 'Vette through our test regimen confirmed this impression with a 0-to-60 time of 4.5 seconds and a quarter-mile dash of 12.2 seconds at 120.2 mph. Fortunately, the brakes are as capable as the tricked-out race engine under the hood. Balancing such go-fast goodies as an 11-to-1 compression ratio and cold-air induction are 14-inch cross-drilled front rotors with six-piston calipers for stopping power (the rear brakes use 13.4-inch rotors and four-piston calipers). With progressive brake-pedal action, the Z06 sends a confident "Don't worry, I've got your back" message to its driver, and the short 108 feet the car needed to stop from 60 mph had us believing it. Exotics Beware These numbers certainly put the 2006 Corvette Z06 in company with some of the fastest cars ever produced. Only the Enzo Ferrari, McLaren F1, Saleen S7 and Porsche Carrera GT are clearly quicker than this Chevrolet, and each of those cars is made in very limited numbers while costing between $400,000 and $1,000,000. Other contenders, like the Ferrari F430, Ford GT and Lamborghini Gallardo, offer about equal straight-line performance — but at two-to-three times the Z06's cost of entry. Of course Dodge's Viper is in the Z06's same neighborhood, both in terms of price, performance and interior materials quality, but the Corvette offers such amenities as standard stability control, as well as optional DVD navigation and a standard head-up display. It's also far easier to get into and out of, and much more pleasant to drive on a regular basis. To say the $66,000 Z06 is a performance bargain is like saying our dependence on foreign oil is sort of inconvenient. Speaking of which, this supercar avoids the gas-guzzler tax by averaging over 20 mpg in EPA testing (16 city/26 highway). Shifty Performance From the Shifter With the performance numbers of an exotic car, along with the price, fuel-efficiency and amenities of a European luxury sedan, you might think there's no downside to the Z06. That's what we thought, too, until it came time for our first 2-3 gear change on that same picturesque canyon road. As with every Corvette before it, the new Z06 still feels like a 1980s muscle car when the shifter clunks and bangs between gears. Admittedly, there are some drivers who like this type of shifter action, but most people shopping a $50,000-plus sports car will find it aggravating. We did, especially when compounded by the transmission tunnel's propensity to set itself to "broil" and make the cabin feel like a certain Dodge supercar's. With the Corvette's tranny located behind the passenger compartment, we can only assume the heat is coming from either the engine or exhaust system. The Z06 even gets an upgraded engine, transmission, and differential cooling system, so we were surprised that heat was an issue. But it was, and the heat coming off the driver side of the center console came right through our pants whenever we braced our right leg against it while navigating tight corners. We normally don't use the center console as a source of stabilization for our bodies, but the seats in the Z06 aren't exactly bursting with lateral support…or any kind of support for that matter. Like the shifter, the seats aren't terrible — they're just substandard on a $70,000 sports car, especially one with the performance capabilities of the Z06. Comfy…but a Bit Bumpy The upside is that there was a need for bracing ourselves, as this car is easy to fling along back-road byways. On smooth pavement the Z06 feels as planted as anything we've driven with fenders and a license plate, and at our test facility we averaged 65.5 mph in our 600-foot slalom. The Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar tires can produce over 1.0g of lateral grip, and they're very progressive at the upper limits of adhesion. They are also certified for 200-plus mph (the Z06 is said to top out at 198). We did, however, notice that when the road surface was less than perfect, so was the car's dynamic response. Bump steer, and a tendency to "hop" when traversing pavement disturbances, kept us focused when strafing turns or disposing of large, straight stretches of deserted highway. "Darty" is far too strong a word to describe the Z06's bumpy-road behavior…but so is "unflappable." Thankfully, the car's suspension tuning delivers an eminently enjoyable ride quality, one that's perfectly suited for everyday driving. Still a Corvette at Heart In fact, it's the Z06's relaxed nature (as long as you respect the right pedal) that most endeared us to this Corvette. As we enter the automobile's second century we tend to expect more from our cars. We want cars that offer gut-wrenching acceleration along with eye-bulging brakes. We want high-speed cruising comfort as well as sharp corner dexterity. We want all the hardware of a racecar overlaid with all the amenities of a luxury car. Oh, and we want it all at a bargain-basement price. Or — to put it another way — what we really want is the 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06. --- Vehicle Tested: 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 2dr Hatchback (7.0L 8cyl 6M) What Works: Quite possibly the world's greatest engine; eye-popping brakes; can easily serve daily-driver duty; exotic-car slayer for under $70,000. What Needs Work: Substandard transmission for the "over $50,000" vehicle segment; seats aren't particularly comfortable or supportive; suspension gets unsettled on bumpy surfaces. Bottom Line: Chevrolet continues to work wonders with the Corvette. Between its lightweight materials and high-powered engine, it can keep company with the fastest cars ever made — at a fraction of their cost.

What a meathead. I absolutely cannot stand ultra-religious fanatics. I blame them for impeding the pursuit of science in America because it "angers God". <_<

You're basing this off of...? This for one: Nissan Provides $100,000 in Scholarships for Local High School Seniors [Apr. 19, 05] Nissan seeks applicants for the Nissan-UNCF “SHIFT_” knowledge Scholarship Program GARDENA, Calif. (April 19, 2005) – Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) and the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) are currently seeking applicants for its NISSAN-UNCF “SHIFT_” knowledge Scholarship Program. The NISSAN-UNCF “SHIFT_” knowledge scholarship was created in 2004 to recognize the academic achievement and leadership qualities of students, and to honor the rich legacy of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The program will award a total of $100,000 in scholarships to 10 Los Angeles-based high school seniors planning to attend a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in Fall 2005. Ten scholarships of $10,000 will be awarded. The minimum eligibility requirements for scholarship applicants include currently being a high school senior enrolled in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD); having a minimum 3.0 GPA and pursuing majors in the fields of engineering, design, marketing, business, communications, public relations, finance or law. “We are thrilled to partner with UNCF and open the doors of opportunity for a deserving student,” said Terri Hines, senior manager of public affairs for NNA. “This scholarship embodies Nissan’s commitment to enriching people’s lives through education.” Students should see their guidance counselor for more details about the program or apply on-line at www.uncf.org. In addition to completing the application form, students must submit a one-page essay, an official high school transcript, a letter of recommendation from a teacher and a community leader, and a letter of acceptance from an HBCU for enrollment in Fall 2005. The application deadline is June 6, 2005. About Nissan North America, Inc. In North America, Nissan’s operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. More information on Nissan North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.nissanusa.com and www.infiniti.com. About The United Negro College Fund The United Negro College Fund is the nation’s largest, oldest, most successful and most comprehensive minority higher education assistance organization. UNCF provides operating funds and technology enhancement services for 38 member historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), scholarships and internships for students at almost 1,000 institutions and faculty and administrative professional training. Over 60 years, the United Negro College Fund has raised more than $2 billion to help a total of more than 300,000 students attend college and has distributed more funds to help minorities attend school than any entity outside of the government. --- ...and like you said... What's with the anger? :huh: