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Not a car, a person. Ron Zarella. John Rock would have saved, had to leave due to family needs, then Zarella wrecked it through his selling cars like toothpaste failed scheme.

Note too, at Olds' demise, they had some of the better cars out there, Intrigue, Aurora....

Just didn't get the message out and had time to suceed. Kind of the same dela Saturn is in now with the Euro cars they are getting. Too little too late.

As was said about Packard merging with Studebaker back in '54, "its like two drunks helping each other across the street" . One didn't make it, Packard, then the other went out of course.

Sorry, see no point in GM taking this on. Drop divisions back to Caddy, Chevy and one other, and call it done. Run away from DCX

stupid joke, too obvious LOL

It should not have to be so difficult to be a GM enthusiast. The more news like I this I hear day by day, the more I defect to another automaker. I am still keeping my ear to the ground for GM, but more and more I find myself tuning in elsewhere.

New can of worms to be opened: what does this mean for "Omega," the rear-drive platform which was slated to replace Zeta and Sigma?

While Ford has promised us up to five new rear-drive vehicles and shows no sign of deviating from its future plans, GM can't seem to get it's $h! together.

and remember, the Hyundai rear drive V8 is here now. DoD V8's (like the Impala SS has), e85, even a hybrid like the coming 2010 Commodore, why Bob (Lutz)? You know better. Shame shame.

Just read this at Inside Line...

"Availability

Circle Monday, February 16, 2009 on your calendar as the date the new 2010 Camaros will start heading down the production line at the Oshawa plant in Ontario.

In actuality, this means it will more than likely be mid-March before you'll be able to put your hands on one at a dealership. That puts Camaro availability about a year behind that of its nearest rival, the Dodge Challenger.

"

Oddly enough, my dad just may be considering a Camaro for his next car...He hasn't discussed it much, but I showed him some of the shots and he said he just might have to wait and see how the final product turns out.

On the other hand, he has been eying 997's and Vantage's...

Odd arrangement of products to be cross shopping.

Come the end of the year though my mom is going to ditch the X5 in favor of something else...most likely a 997 (reliving the days of her old Porsche she had when she was a kid....it was stolen and stripped) in which case it is up in the air for what my dad will be getting.

Well she wants the Mini 'because its cute'... WTF? Although an S is a great car, I say the Camaro has the passion, looks, value and performance we need.

We aren't even at the cross shopping level yet, as we have fun considering the aforementioned Mini and Camaro, as well as the new coming Soltice targa. It would be a second car for us, as my low mileage Intrigue goes to one of the kids. Our Vue would handle the typical family hauling chores.

So this become a car we get for us, as opposed to family considerations. Thus the myriad of possibilities.

So, when is the camaro now out (heard its a 2010 model now and was delayed?)?

In your opinion, would they do a GM plan discount on it?

So the new Camaro just a got bit more serious for me. The wife is suddenly pushing for a new car early next year, and she wants a Mini Cooper badly . She loves Camaros (we had a 1990 Maui Blue RS 305 V8 at 'life before kids' LOL.

Anyways, I have now begun to 'educate' her about this coming Camaro, as she never even saw pictures.

I might be able to get her to go for it, and so now the timing issue comes up.

I had once heard it was out in early 2009. Is that still the case?

Ours would be a blue v6 auto.

We get the GM plan A discount, but not so sure they would allow that?

Saab sold less than 35,000 vehicles in the US in 2007, and the US is it's biggest market. Worldwide sales are under 100,000. GM sells 9.4 million cars a year, why do they keep wasting money on something that is 1% of their sales.

GM doesn't need a Euro brand to sell cars in the US, or even in Europe. Toyota and BMW didn't buy an American brand to survive in the USA, and they did alright.

yet Zarella killed off Olds with twice the sales. The truth hurts I know.

Meh...

Sounds nice, but who can tell?

I certainly hope Chevrolet and Cadillac aren't sharing stampings.

I'm sure it'll have the Malibu nose with Opel-esque headlights and tailights.

FWIW, an Equinox Sport runs around my neighborhood and I never realised what a hot little ride that thing is. It's really grown on me!

ya , just saw a Nox sport at disneyland, liked it alot!

No B-pillar!

So that begs a question- would it pass US crash regimens w/o adding lots of reinforcment weight? The Camaro and Challenger added the B pillar likley for cost resons, and perhaps to prevent added weight.

How this car fits with the C02 issues and regs that Lutz is freaked about, I just don't know. I say being it here (B pillered if they have to even) as a lower production G8C!

Eh... it has way too much Vue in it. It's too much like the BLS. Not bad... but... far from the beauty that lies in the CTS.

agreed. While I like some lines, its looks too much like a theta knockoff.

I was born in 1981, so I have pretty much only seen sinking market share in my lifetime. I think the Camry did sell like 470,000 last year, but I could be mistaken. I think the Camry is way over rated and not that good of a car, it is ugly, and has poor handling. Although the interior materials and fit/finish are much better than the comparably priced GM offerings (I haven't sat in an 08 Malibu).

At the Pittsburgh auto show this year the Malibu LTZ was next to the Camaro and about 100 feet from the 08 CTS, and I thought the Malibu was the best looking car of the 3, and way better looking on the outside than any Japanese car.

They should be able to sell over 30,000 a month, if not either the interior is not up to snuff or they are doing a poor job of image/brand building, or having production/distribution problems. Either way none should be acceptable, they can just sit complacent like GM of the 90s. Their goal needs to be to have the Malibu selling at a rate similar to the Accord and Camry.

The Malibu should eat into Impala sales, I drove and 06 Impala rental one time, it was horrible. Although the Ford Taurus still holds the title of worst car I ever drove.

Drive an LTZ, or better yet, an SS and get back to us. thx.

The boring CamAccord is for you. Enjoy your car as appliance. Please drive thru.

Once they get the lots filled with Malibu's, the obvious question is - "How will chevy sell any Impala's?"

The Malibu appears to be that good!

If I was in the market, an Impala SS is it, but the Malibu comes in a strong second. Way to go GM. Cars with real character!

Making wider availability of the 2.4-liter I-4 would be a very wise move-how much power is this turbocharged version and will this make an appearance on the Astra Red Line or a G5 GXP?

My wife cannot drive a stick , and we share cars, so....

Autoblog link for full gallery and story: http://www.autoblog.com/2007/10/23/sema-20...ler-all-access/

just wrong..."sissyfide"

Well, that's decidedly boring. I was hoping for more than just a new engine, wheels, and wing.

I want one! Any idea on cost????

Hi-po V6 Camaro sounds intriguing... that's definitely good planning, considering the price of gas these days. It makes the Camaro more of a broad-appeal modern performance car than purely a muscle car (Challenger). The current 3.6 DI makes 304 hp; retuning it for more revs and more power would easily make it competitive with a 335i or G37. Except the Camaro will be a lot better looking...

Ya, with the future of gas prices likley higher than ever, this would be mine, but I'd take a 5.3 DoD v8(Impala SS) engine over it.

What's that? The Avenger EXT?

The exterior looks like a Mitsu to me. The interior, while better than current Chrysler products, still is poor. The Lambdas and Flex are much better efforts. When is Dodge going to learn how to design a good interior? Everything is a square.

Give me an Aura any day.

The price seems mor reasonable than I expected. They should sell out.

I hope to get one eventually, an XR 3dr.

Car and Driver names Astra one of ten Safest under $25k

It’s tough to contain our excitement about a car that’s actually “Euro tuned.” The only difference between Europe’s best-selling car, the Opel Astra, and what will shortly turn up on Saturn lots are Gulpinator-sized cup holders, inevitably crappy all-season tires, and a piece of plastic on the hatch marking it a Saturn. It would be tough for the Astra to do worse than the Ion it replaces, but we think it will instead do much, much better, offering a premium product, with premium safety equipment, at a solidly ‘Merican price. Compact-car renters rejoice.

Stability control is standard on the sportier three-door, optional on the five at an undisclosed price. NHTSA hasn’t thrown one into a wall yet, but the European NCAP crowned the Astra the safest compact sedan in Europe, earning a score better than even the BMW 1-series. Again assuming parity with the European hardware, the stability control system even features “Understeer Control Logic,” which knows to increase brake pressure on the inner rear wheel. Neat.

Other vehicles:

• Scion xB
• Hyundai Sonata
• Volkswagen Rabbit
• Mini Cooper
• Toyota Camry
• Volvo C30
• Dodge Charger
• Honda Accord
• Mazda CX-7

I want one, an XR 3dr. Red.

Essentially, no changes, as we already know.

The standard content has gone up to include the leather wheel, the tilt and telescope and a few other items. The optional package is $ 495, which includes (1) the folding rear seat, (2) the power lumbar, and (3) heated seats. I guess that's not SO bad, since the split rear seat cost $ 275 last M.Y.

Comment on styling: the new front end is better but not THAT great. IMO, it is TOO tall for the front fascia and the chrome bars are too pronounced. The new shape is definitely the way it should have been, but it should have been a little more understated.

Did not bother to get inside. It was 106 degrees in Sin City today and I have NO clue as to how my friend who moved here can stand it. Plus, I am noticing more and more "low life" on this trip here.

Been here 5 years, you get used to the heat, and frankly it is no worse than a hot and humid day in Chicago (I lived there 40 years, so I know). Don't miss the snow and cold either. There are low lifes in any city, but if you stay on the strip or bad places (like any city) you get them. I live in a suburb here (Henderson) in a nice area (GVR) and no low lifes even close by. Spend more time here, and not just on the strip, or just by your buddy's house, which might be in a less desireable area anyways, then you can comment on how it is (goes for any city really).

Like, not love the new look, but they should have just gone to how the Chinese version of the LaCross looks like.

Hey Toyota, look over you shoulder!

I think they are wasting their time with Hummer. They never should have made it a new brand, just made it a GMC Hummer, and done 1 model, like the Toyota with the FJ Cruiser, just one odd ball model.

They cashed in for a couple years, but Hummer sales are something like 20,000 a year now, with high gas, no one is going to buy these things. Sure there is a market, but it is tiny. I'd rather see effort put on the Cobalt, Impala, Camaro, Equinox replacement, smaller than a CTS Cadillac, V12 Cadillac, etc. Anything but more hummers that hardly sell.