PurdueGuy

Actually, they do resist scratches quite well. Simple logic - is it easier to scratch something that's stiff, or something that flexes away from the hard object trying to scratch it? It's not scratch-proof, but they do hold up well - better than sheet metal. Heck, the worst looking panels on old saturns are usually the hood, roof, and trunk lid... which are metal.

I would be surprised if we see gas at 2.50 anytime soon. I think most people would feel relieved at $3.50 at this point. I think 2.50 could kill a lot of the alternative energy initiatives, but 3 or 3.50 and above would keep people wary enough to keep looking for something else, knowing that 4, 5, 6 or more could still happen.

Toyota kool-aid makes you forget things. Honestly, it's that way with fans of pretty much anything. Get to loving something enough, and you start to overlook, if not deny, the downfalls of your favorite thing/person. For many people, it wouldn't sink in unless it happened to them personally.

Strange, since it seems if people take any care of their saturn and don't wreck 'em, they seem to surpass 200k easily (and numerous reports of 300k, though I wouldn't call that the norm), and get fuel economy beyond most of the current fleet of small cars, with the safety of the spaceframe design. A modern version of the s-series with a better interior and a ecotec would probably sell like hotcakes. Granted, I am somewhat biased, but the "fell apart after a few years" notion is just silly. The question of how well this new Insignia would sell here is a simple question of what it would cost. It looks nice, but if it costs too much, it may not do well. Fuel economy is another question, and they surely wouldn't give the NA market all the same engine options europe gets.

Used to have a '92 LeSabre, great car for long drives. Very comfy, and reasonable on gas.

Guy doing local autox got one of the new turbo Cobalt SS's, and has been kicking some major butt, and it's still stock. Last event, I think there was one vette and a couple karts ahead of him, that's it.

Good to see some serious considerations for infrastructure being put in place. I'm curious how these will address weather issues. I haven't heard anything of a return of inductive charging (as the EV1 paddle charger used), and conductive charging will require very careful design and maintenance...

You misunderstand - he's not adding a Corvette brand, he's replacing management of GM with Corvette management, and renaming GM.

Thought: Wagon + sliding rear roof panel from the GMC Envoy XUV

Let's throw the #s out there. I'll use the 2007 Vue GL, since the '08 only has 2 entries, which is worthless for real comparisons. 12 for the '07 isn't great, but much better. From user entered #s '07 Vue GL: 23 city 32 hwy 26.2 comb '07 Rav4 2wd 4cyl: 21 city 28 hwy 24.6 comb '07 Honda CR-V 2wd: 21 city 32 hwy 25.5 comb Vue vs Rav4 9.5% city, 14% hwy, 6.5% comb Vue vs CR-V 9.5% city, 0% hwy, 2% comb I punched the #s not sure how the Vue would come out. It's about what I guessed, though - not awesome by any means, but I don't know the cost comparison on buying the vue vs the honda or toyota, or the size comparisons of each. I really wish I could compare the Vue GL vs the regular Vue, as that's a much more meaningful comparison when looking at what the hybrid system is doing. Unfortunately, there are only 1-2 reports for the regular 4cyl automatic Vue per year for the '05-'07 range, so a meaningful comparison can't be made. I punched the numbers when the Vue GL was first coming out, though, and without a tax rebate (which almost completely covered the cost increase), the BAS system in the Vue was paying for itself in about 130k miles IIRC. That was when gas was probably in the $3-3.50 range. I'm not saying the Vue GL is amazing, it's not. But the numbers have shown the BAS system in the Vue to be worthwhile (hopefully much more so in the next gen BAS system), as long as the system proves reliable, simply because the system pays for itself within (what I consider to be) a reasonable lifespan. Unfortunately, the Aura numbers did not look as favorable when I punched them out.

frankly, I wouldn't put much confidence in an article like that - reviewers for magazines so often push cars way hard. To get 20mpg in a regular vue under reasonable driving habits would be shameful, let alone in the hybrid. All that article tells me is the Vue hybrid doesn't get good fuel economy when pushed really hard. How many hybrid owners buy their vehicles then push them hard? More often they obsess about driving like a grandma & getting the best fuel economy.

Seemed like the Malibu Maxx did ok, but not great. Personally, I think we will see a return of the wagon - we've already been seeing the return of the hatch for a while now.

I agree 100% that this is what GM needs.

Implementation would make or break an idea like this. Replace the top mgmt with 'vette folks, and engrained middle management folks might still crap things up, resulting in the whole endeavor being lipstick on a pig. I'm not against the basic idea, but implementation would certainly make or break it.

denial = courage? Not trying to make commentary on the prez, the situation, or anything, but it just struck me funny...

what are the regular and occasional uses the vehicle needs to be able to do? That'll cross off a good part of the list, just answering that...

It's funny how the BAS system is so good (value-wise) in the Vue, yet so lousy in the aura/'bu.

I assume "the SUVs" are the 2-modes? Things may have changed, but when the hybrid Vue first came out (before the new Vue), the tax incentive pretty much covered the price difference between the regular & hybrid. They didn't make many of them, though, apparently due to battery supplier issues.

gas tax holiday = dumb

I agree, as much as they're talking about it, it should be intro'd in '09 as a '10 model, not another year past that. GM, shut up about cars that you're nowhere near ready to introduce. Don't show us pictures and talk specs until it's within a year of release, or you just get us mad with having to wait.

that's a great looking wagon!

yeah... I can't really see this happening in the next 15 years. Maaaaybe on a couple uber high end models toward the end of that 15 years, and even then I wouldn't be surprised to see it do like the Cadillac night-vision thing did, where it's a novelty that fades away.

It has also been said the the products would share the showroom floor for a time, so when the Cruze will arrive can't be determined by finding out when the Cobalt is done.

^proof that no matter how many times GM says all the brands are safe and have a future, speculation on one or more (besides hummer) being cut soon will continue. Everybody's doing it.

I'd predict the Saturn being dropped, but I'd think the other 3 make sense to keep. Chevy-volume, GMC-mid-scale, Buick-upscale. The Chevy is too new to cut (I would think), and I'm not sure the production line at *forgets where the original lambda factory is* would have enough to build with only the GMC or Buick. The GMC & Chevy are more similar, with the Buick the most differentiated of the bunch, so I would expect the Buick to be the most likely to be kept.