TKR

The first Lotus Cortina was 1964 wasn't it? 16 valves 4 cylinder

Personally Id love to see Triumph come back but not sure what's in it for BMW - how would it stretch their range? Who would buy a TR who wouldnt buy a "Z2"?

The original Lotus DOHC engine (as fitted in the Cortina and Escort) was only 2 valve per cyl. The 4 valve DOHC BDA was not fitted until 1969 or 70 if I recall.

Triumph really was the gem in the BL group. We had a S1 2000 (manual) when I was learning to drive and it was (in it's day - late 60's) a comfortable, easy to drive, smooth touring sedan. Nice memories.

No Navigation for a $30K car?

But it gets a 6.0l V8, RWD and leather trim. Hmmm....which would I rather have???

But seriously....I'm sure it can be added at any time as it is already available in Aust and NZ. If you are serious about one of these and need Nav, start writing to Pontiac.

The Holden Stateman reengineered as a Chinese Buick Avenue is not a great car just because it is not manufactured in North America.

So...everything manufactured outside of NA is rubbish?? I know you yanks are patriotic but this takes the cake.

No, you don't need to move to China. You probably wouldn't like it there anyway. Neither do you need to import the Park Avenue. Your local Buick dealer already has some wonderful models with more on the way.

Yeah right, beacuse Buick is doing so well.

This photo is of a FWD car. The front wheels are too far back to be a Zeta based vehicle. I think the Malibu tag is correct.

What would GM have to do to meet US requirements? The Corsa already got a 5-star EuroNCAP rating... I'm assuming bumper length, gas tank placement, side reflectors, etc, are all US technicalities.

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You actually are not allowed to die in a motor vehicle in the US!

We now have customers looking at these cars as genuine alternatives to Nissan Maximas and used BMW's etc. This car drives like no Holden before it and looks way better in the metal than the photos convey.

I'm sure GM will look past the likes of Razor etc and Pontiac will pick up a whole new bunch of customers. After all, before the GTO (which people seem to either love or hate) Pontiac was nearly dead. At least it created some excitment. I guess you want more dramatic styling like the Aztek?

There are 18 speed semi-automatic transmissions available for trucks. Maybe GM should downsize one of those to keep all the gearhappy people quiet?

BTW - the new 6 speed autos are great and I cannot see why a Gen IV needs any more.

Letting Isuzu design the trucks?..

...you'd think GM would've learned their lesson after the Canyon/Colorado. 

We get the Isuzu version as the Holden Rodeo and it is a damn fine truck which competes very well in the Australian and NZ markets. The new 3.6 global V6 goes really well and gets good mileage and the 'old' 3.0l diesel goes for ever but is a bit rowdy and slightly down on power compared to the newer Toyta and Nissan models.

All that is really required (and rumored to be here soon) is the 3.0l common rail diesel and maybe a slight facelift.

It is not Isuzu's fault that GM puts old engines into NA vehicles.

I just hope that, if Pontiac gets one as I hope, it's less ricey but more interesting.

The look is not too accidentally like an Aussie V8 Supercar.

Check out www.hrt.com.au

It should fit. There's no point in Holden developing its own hybrid.

If GM developed Zeta and did not think that they may fit this trans at some stage then someone should have their butt kicked.

Looks like it will have even more room in the back than the current model - fantastic!

I'm sure HSV will do a Grange again. LWB with LS2 / 6 speed Auto.

www.hsv.com.au

.........and I would love to see a Prius towing a 6,000 lb trailer.

Big time demand from child sex offenders for yound boys and girls.  Lots of money to be made.  Perhaps GM could get into that game as well?  When sex offenders stopped asking for 5 year old boys, GM could stop offering them.  Why blame GM for offering what people want?

Ok, so that was a bit extreme but you get the point.  Sometimes there is a higher cause than making money.  Perhaps terrorism funded by oil or diamonds isn't it.

GM's small car/hybrid offerings are very poor.  Many of them are made by other companies.  GM put their resources into getting SUVs to market instead of hybrids or a good small car.  Now they are "capping" gas prices.  You may not like the message, but it certainly seems to Fit (pun intended!).

Dick head! So GM stops building trucks. What then? Oh yeah Toyota gets huge market share and makes bigger profits because you can guarantee they wil stay in the truck market. Result: GM goes under....exactly the ending you were looking for.

Very conservatively styled from what I can see.

Yip, great idea to radically change a sucessful model. Ford did this back in 98 (?) when they changed from the EF to the AU Falcon. Sales pretty much died because of the radically different shape.

As is usual most vehicles look better in the metal (with coverings removed).

I personally am looking forward to having the VE in our dealership asap!!

We used to get the last (current?) model Corsa as the Holden Barina but due to high cost / low spec due to exchange rates it did not sell well. This was a great little solid car and was economical as well.

This has since been replaced by the Barina (Aveo) Hatch (and sedan in Australia). Sales were going great until the latest crash test data (Euro NCAP and ANCAP) came out and showed the Barina as a 2 star car. Enquiry has since died!

Maybe they could build the new Corsa in Korea with local content and export it around Asia / Pacific?

The GTO made it 'more' profitable, but Monaro was designed from the outset to be low volume and make a profit from the low Australian sales numbers, The unexpected exports were merely additional, and infact the profit margin for Holden was very low with all GTOs it built due to shipping costs etc and the need to price it competitively in the US.

Actually, from what I understand, the beancounters at Holden slipped up and initially the Monaro lost money but I would say this was recouped once the US volume was included. On the flip side it gave Holden huge exposure that no marketing campain could ever have achieved.

As someone who shops in this segment, the bluetooth thing is really a glaring omission. It's not a deal breaker for me, but such a minor <$100> feature should be at least and option. It's something that would put the Escalade over the top and no Toyoguy could say "see it doesn't even have bluetooth". It's a minor detail that shouldn't be overlooked simply due to the nature of the customers this type of vehicle attracts. Put bluetooth on as an unpackaged option and I guarentee you 90% of Escalades sold would have it.

You guys can explain it away all you want but it's still something Lexus has and Cadillac doesn't.

As far as the battery issue with bluetooth. You buy a car charger plug it in inside the center console where GM thoughtfully put a power point, pair the phone with the car, shut the console, and off you go.

There, no battery issues.

P.S. My phone runs for 3 days between charges with the BT always on.

Why do people think the bluetooth thing is a major issue? I am sure the vehicle has all the neccessary wiring installed to make it easy to fit a Nokia or Sony Bluetooth kit, which will most likely be cheaper then a factory unit. Also from my experience the sound quality and consitency while using Bluetooth is not yet at the same standard as a fixed hands-free / cradle kit. Give me an audio input for a MP3 any day.

I would rather GM spend development time / money on things that really make a difference - variable valve timing, Active Fuel Management, 6 speed auto etc.

GMDAT is the one foreign venture that seems to be working at the moment.  Daewoo will stay within GM's orbit.  Hello, they got a hell of a deal on it!  How could they lose at this point???

Suzuki, on the other hand: GM doesn't need it.  But they do need the cash a Suzuki sale would provide.

Now, if they can ditch the other two albatrosses, Isuzu and Saab, they'll be on the way to shoring up their future.

Not everyone on this planet wants a full sized pickup. Isuzu supply GM with a great mid sized (small for the US) pickup that sells quite well in Australia and New Zealand (Holden badged). Where else would we get this type of product? The problem with GM is that is has been too NA centric (as per your comments) for too long while Toyota and Honda think on a global basis.

Do you see Toyota or Honda buying stakes in foreign automakers?  Of course not.

GM needs to dump its stakes in foreign car makers, and use that money to invest in its own products.

That's how Toyota and Honda are successful.

That's how the old GM was successful back when they had 50% of the U.S. market.

Fiat, Isuzu, Subaru, Suzuki...  All a global coalition of losers.  GM doesn't need them.

.........Holden, Vauxhall, Daewoo, Opel, SAAB. Yip GM should just stick it's head in the sand and stay in the good ol' US of A!

How did GM start? Oh yeah now I remember, they bought lots of smaller auto companies.

Considering the U.A.W. does'nt want Vehicles from mexico Imported anymore. I think they would object to  Importing the Astra.

One of the things they will expect in return for concessions is fewer Imports.  Besides once the Tariffs arrive imports will be super expensive.

And the Tariffs are coming.

I'm sick of this type of talk. NZ has basically cut all tarrifs (including clothing, automotive, electronics etc). Now you are suggesting introducing more tarrifs back into the US at the same time US Corporations are spreading themselves around the world and wiping out local manufacturing with cheap items produced in China! What a fn joke!

OMG - GM can't close factories! They can only idle them and continue to pay the hourly workers until at least the next round of negotiations in 2007? Who signed off on that contract? If they still work for GM then they should be gone tomorrow!!!!!! :o

Zeta or Zeta lite (live rear axle anyone?) would be logical if this new vehicle is aimed at Mustang as, the way I understand it, Kappa is designed for relatively low volume production. Wish list: 255 hp V6 or optional 400 hp V8 6 spd manual or 6 spd auto RWD live rear axle (or cheapish version of IRS) 2 door 4 seat 3000 lbs (if at all possible) yeah baby!!!! Bring it on.

OK, how about another way to look at retro and come up optimistic.

So we go retro, then what? that design will have to evolve. Now, where is that going to lead us ? Perhaps yet another era of wonderful automotive styling.

Either way the tubular design of the 90's is gone and we should be pleased.
[remember my newest car is a classic tube  :AH-HA_wink: ]

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Love the Lancia - classic car. :P

I can tell you now that you DO NOT want that Opel radio / CD. It is a real POS to use and they have made it far too complicated - in fact the BMW i-drive is easier to use! The Europeans seem intent on making everything as 'tech' as possible. I just want a car that is easy to use - the Monaro / GTO radio is an example of good layout, although the speakers could be better and a i-pod jack installed.

If all the rumors on different engine families are true then I can see some of GM's current cash problems. How many entirely different engine ranges does one (think global on this one) manufacturer need? Toyota manage to get away with different versions of the same family of engines around the globe. Maybe this gives a hint as to why they can manufacture vehicles with a bigger margin then GM.