turbo200

i get 43. i think the mileage figures are unattainable. that said, the city driving one is far off, or the EPA lives in a city with all downhill roads and rare traffic jams. the highway mileage is closer to being attainable, i'd say a long distance trip with solid steady traffic, i could get 47mpg...possibly. city driving is a different story. depends on what city, and what kind of conditions. stop and go can be good for hybrids, but not if you're having to floor it, followed by hard brake, followed by floor it....all in the name of getting ahead.

more tech is needed to play in the field, but even more important is the pretension of quality. and this comes from innovative interiors with great design and better quality. innovative design. it is time for GM to stand at the forefront and be a leader in cool design, rather than always a follower. they are not and have not been regarded as trendsetters...probably since those times back in the '60's, '70's, and maybe '80's that everyone here is so fond of. we are not in those times anymore, and unfortantely when it comes to the definition of GM design, many people think cheap, unfinished, left behind, behind the times....you get the picture. the interior of a car is as ever important to the whole thought of the idea behind the car itself. who are we catering to? what do they like to buy? will they spend a lot of time in those seats? besides blaring the radio, will they like to see a "pretty environment"? are they more about hardcore driving and less inconveniences, or do they want lots of flair and less of a streamlined, say BMW, look? you get the point....GM interiors have to show a lot more thought, a lot more flair, a lot more of a special feel than now....if they want to get competitive.

in addition to a luxury small crossover, a small upscale sedan competing with the TSX and S40 in pricing [starting around 20k-28k] based on Alpha would be nice, and the coupes and convertibles are an absolute necessity!!.......just one of each is what is most needed right now to fully transform Buick into some kind of multi-dimensional premium car company. Eventually, when money is readily available, I'd like to see the platforms leveraged better across the board: like a large people mover shaped more like a minivan/R-class would be cool [wouldn't be a problem to me if it was based on Lambda, give Buick two Lambdas, after all that was the plan with the vans], as well as a 2+2 roadster to counter the SC430 [based on extended y-body, or kappa?]...like the Bengal.....

My only issue with this is to question if GM knows the requirements of suspension/handling on a comfortable luxury car like a Lexus or a Mercedes. We are talking about primo isolation, but not a car that doesn't offer any kind of feedback. We are talking about solidarity in the suspension and a car that soaks up bumps, not a suspension that floats and wallows back and forth and does all kind of nose diving. The prerequisite for this kind of market is advanced everything, so thank God W and G-body are going the way of the dodo, and we can finally look forward to new platforms with newly designed suspension pieces, and advanced design thinking for the shape and comfort of the interior. There are too many things GM has done wrong in the past that they just need to get away from if they are to be considered seriously alongside imports in the luxury realm.

My only issue with this is to question if GM knows the requirements of suspension/handling on a comfortable luxury car like a Lexus or a Mercedes. We are talking about primo isolation, but not a car that doesn't offer any kind of feedback. We are talking about solidarity in the suspension and a car that soaks up bumps, not a suspension that floats and wallows back and forth and does all kind of nose diving. The prerequisite for this kind of market is advanced everything, so thank God W and G-body are going the way of the dodo, and we can finally look forward to new platforms with newly designed suspension pieces, and advanced design thinking for the shape and comfort of the interior. There are too many things GM has done wrong in the past that they just need to get away from if they are to be considered seriously alongside imports in the luxury realm.

from what you've seen, but you already own a GM, don't you? they don't need to pull you in, it's those pesky "blindly loyal" Toyhonda consumers they need to figure out. I'll tell you one thing, they buy the Camry and Accord in spite of everday styling. However, simplicity and elegance of form are something not altogether lacking from Camcord, and it seems to be in good order here as well. I like the Malibu, still need to see more of it, I agree with those that feel something eye-catching and more distinct is necessary to pull buyers in. Will this do the trick? It's a nicely, smartly designed sedan that looks every bit as normal as everything else out there, while still retaining just a bit of Cheviness in the distinctive rear, that I like, and grille. It could ultimately supplant the Impala in day to day retail sales, but probably not get near Accord and Camry. They need an ace up thier sleeve for that, and while the Malibu seemingly gets closer to cracking the magic equation for success in the hyper-competitive midsize genre than ever, all the ducks are in order but there is no carte blanche gotta get up and go get that sedan. After it comes to dealers and the two tone trims are everywhere along with the upmarket rims, their maybe some adjustment to that theory.

If the Lucerne is already being built on Zeta, and you have a Camaro on Zeta, how much more money would it cost to give Camaro completely different sheetmetal a la Lambda vehicles and give it some different engineering for a truly distinct ride and handling feeling? What is the point of platform consolidations if we are not going to get the most vehicles possible off of it. Why can VW do it across, what eight brands [skoda, Bentley, VW, Audi, Seat, Lamborghini, and now Porsche, any more?] with less volume, less revenue, with so much success? Why? Why is it so hard for GM to get thier platforms straight and just release some damn good cars for its brands.

Amen brotha. My point is stop teasing the fans with a level of execution on concepts if it is never going to see the light of day on the product. It hurts us more to see what GM could do if they just focused and spent the money where it counts, then to just go without the concepts. Truly, I'd rather there have never been a Velite concept released if it was just to play with the fans' emotions. I'd rather see those two designers fired or working on something viable. Save the money and get us some damn product worth mentioning in the same breath as cars the competitors are building.

here's my response to him. as usual it's lengthy [i wonder if they'll cut it?] Mr. Lutz, the usage of GMblogs, Youtube, and internet as your tool for communicating with consumers/fans...goes beyond the call of what is required of you. My respect and admiration for your work has always been there, though I don't know the exact truth, messages like this and your personal PR, the media at large, give me hints into your persona. I do, however, have to take issue with some of your reasoning for GM's failure to release certain concepts. As you are surely accustomed to, there are "buts" and opinions all over, and I am certain the fruit of your labor is when people get behind what you say. I fully get behind your remarkable transformation of the corporation. Certainly, what you must have found was in dire straits and a pit for prosperity. Here is my not too far-fetched opinion with regards to Velite. First of all, it is one of the most awesome concepts your company or any company has ever produced, in terms of raw production value. I think Zeta could and should have happened long ago. I think your team and possibly your ideas weren't given enough credit and support by the powers that be, the board. This is why the global consolidation didn't happen until after GTO had originally been released here, and until long after your tenure with GM had begun. I think the company was a distinct mess, and the approval process must have been like spider webs crossed all over the place. For you to say Velite has been reprioritized because of CAFE rules sure could be plausible in the last six months or so, but Velite has been around as a concept since before 2004 when it debuted. The idea was there with the original Zeta plans which were planned for debut soon after the VE, or more like this year than the two more years we are having to wait for these cars; so I just don't buy that it has been a victim of CAFE rulings. What I am saying is that a lot of the product we have been waiting for and continue to wait for, and some that we will now seemingly never get, has been caused by the hesitation of the board of directors to give you the full power you needed to excersize the right products into development, using the right resources and engineer teams. Let me reiterate that what you have done for design alone at this company will instill a credibility that will far-reaching implications and may finally turn the company into a well-respected well-rounded company. But it's losing product like the Velite that has me concerned if the reaction from your company is coming soon enough. It's the delays we are facing that has me worried if some of these brands will ever truly make it out of the shadows, meanwhile the competition is really now starting to draw firm lines in the sand of where they stand. Look at Acura and there progress, BMW, G37 coupe, 3-series coupe/cabrio, MB CL class, Honda Civic....where do I see cars of this caliber from GM? Oh right, they're just around the corner, just as they've always been for the last few decades. I understand class competitive product in the form of Aura, Lambdas, Silverado have just been released, but my first instinct is to really look deep into the desirability of those products, which brings up plenty of questions. Why is Aura interior material quality still supbar? on every other front it can stand toe to toe with competitors, but why leave one of the most important aspects as a drawback, as a potential disillusionment for prospective customers? Why are the Lambdas the same basic vehicles except for slight variations in style, which I might add the level of differentiation is stellar compared to what was at GM before. But why are we left with three basic vehicles that are basically the same two box, traditional SUV design? Couldn't something more daring like the contemporary elegant Centieme be released for Buick, reestablishing it as a luxo marque with high style intentions? OR what about the Graphyte concept for GMC, the techno butch truck that came out of nowhere, and was a complete departure for GM. Many will argue Lambda is already a huge success, but what about being bold and innovative rather than always the same traditional outlook. Perhaps then you would appeal to customers on the coasts that don't traditionally shop GM, with different cars, that have a different approach to the market. Finally, Silverado is likeable, but the design depth could have also been extrapolated. Which gets to the bottom line for my point. We are faced with waiting so long for product and promise that your team has worked on for so long, yet there is constant talk of delay and uncertainty, and no product in sight. when it finally reaches us it's often met with a collective snore because the market has moved on. Crossovers are the big thing, and you've finally reacted with Lambda, but now the crossover market is moving towards more cutting edge shapes like Murano and FX, and many of your own concepts. So back to my original point about the concepts. You talked about GM being the most successful at translating concepts to production. I also have to disagree with this point, simply because GM has arguably been the most successful company at reaching audiences with concept designs in this decade, possibly ever. You have had more good concept introductions than I can count or remember, and I'm not talking about mediocre design like the Bel Air, but incredible designs like Cien, Sixteen, Solstice, Velite, Centieme, Lightning, Riviera, Graphyte,....the list goes on and on and on. What I am saying is while you have had many great concept- to-production releases, you've also had many many more concepts that have been great, that we are still waiting for. So as a ratio of concept-to-production, I might check with your research team before making so bold a claim as to say GM is the most successful at it. I also have a problem with your comments on Sixteen simply because the outcry has not been for the sixteen cylinder engine but for the design itself. You know better than anyone Sixteen would be a fabulous S-class competitor, one that Cadillac sorely needs and is getting an image beating for not having one. Sixteen has the level of panache and regality to compete with the current S-class, CLS, A8. The problem is the car should be out now! GM's problem is they are always always behind the curve. They step to the side, then step back, then step to the side again, meanwhile the competition copied what made the design so successful in the first place, and beat GM to the punch by three years. I know this is long, and I have more to say. I wish nothing but the best for the company as I'm sure most do here. You are the leader and have to decide what we get along with put up with criticism when we judge you fall short, which is not ever easy to deal with. Trust me when I say no one with a right mind and familiarity with the situation at GM would be rightfully able to judge you as falling short.

the cayenne over the Lexus- looks wise, someone above mentioned the RX is benign, it's mostly boring cayenne is good looking this would be my list X5 FX MB ML SRX cayenne MDX [stunning interior, great third row, fantastic quality] there is no point to RX for me, except if it was for my sister who just wanted a competent nice car.

will it really be in production this fall? I kind of like the idea of some enhancements, cooler than the ones on the Tahoe hybrid, to stir up more interest, though the Escalade package is already pretty good. hybrids will help escalade buyers to feel less guilty [and save a little gas]. I wouldn't be surprised if the hybrid takes up a 50% sales ratio, maybe more..

I understand that market demand and pricing are the main issues for Chevrolet. Why not put it out there in the marketplace anyways, at a premium price? They have the tools and diesel engines already going into NG Opel Vectra; why not just take a bold risk, and charge, hell, $3000 for an upscale, fuel-sipping engine choice. Market the engine as helping reduce the foreign oil dependance [what powers diesel fuel anyhow?], as well as achieving remarkable fuel efficiency. Having the engine offered across the line from Cadillac to Buick to Chevy would [a] make some impact on CAFE allow those brands to have fuel efficiency claims [c] help produce efficiencies of scale [d] address some market demand for fuel efficient cars, there is after all demand for Jetta diesel, and VW is a niche brand. Educate the consumers, and I bet you Honda will be considered ahead of the curve when thier Accord diesel engine achieves ~50 mpg while feeling more powerful than a 4 cyl, and they might just surprise you. Cadillac and Buick would then be allowed to have efficient engines at a low tarriff [maybe none at all]. I believe it's one of the many gas-saving measures that GM should be looking into. Cut executives' pay, get rid of the UAW, and start reinvesting the funds to secure the future of the company.

You're telling me through commonality GM couldn't use the same tech for this engine as a series of 6 cylinder engines, like it has with the Vortech I-6 4200 or the Northstar line or many other engines? Or it couldn't use the many diesel 6 cylinder engines it offers in European cars? Or it couldn't update that tech from the 4 cyl and 6 cyl diesels in Europe and use it here? Again with the paying money argument....this goes back to GM's own inept product imaging. They are the ones that decided to equip thier cars with cookie cutter interiors with the lowest common denominator materials along with paying the least amount of attention to build quality, such as the thunk of a door, that all add up to an impression of a well built car worth the money. They are the ones that sacrificed technology thinking consumers were not discerning enough to tell the difference. Don't give me that argument because it does nothing to dig GM out of the hole it's in now. To invest in thier future, they'll need to burn through cash now.

i reiterate what is above. why such a wait. where are the rest of the diesels? diesels are heavily available throughout Europe throughout the lineup.....where's the Astra diesel, and for that matter Cobalt. Where are the Malibu diesel plans to match the upcoming Accord? Where's the diesel hybrid? With GM's massive resources, you'd think they'd have more flexibility and ample time to get things worked out. I agree this is good news. SUVs with this should do very well. GM needs to get the right mileage, and then market them the right way, with bold ads that are attention-getting and interesting.

does that mule really look longer? it looks shorter to me, it looks like a shorter wheelbase and a portion of it was cut off at the rear. Another auto blog site has stated this was a new 240sx, or smaller than 350z sports car in Nissan's lineup. I keep having dreams of my 240sx, literally, it's sad, so I know I would want to see one on the market.

the computer on my civic says 40.7 mpg, but I've driven 440 miles on this tank, and I have about 3 gallons left. I'll be averaging hopefully somewhere around 46-47 mpg for this tank, where in the beginning I was doing horribly, and then towards the middle of the tank I actually became judicious with my foot and have now been accelerating freely up to 48 mph on regular roads and then keeping that foot planted for coasting baby. the car gets over 100 mpg in coasting sometimes.

the front end fits the convertible really well. GM did mess with the interior, but not enough to change Saab's inherent coolness and simple functional look of everything. I love that there is detail but nothing is overdone. The issue with the taillights is there; but from a direct rear angle, speeding away from you, the taillights begin to look very cool, I think. The Sportcombi looks killer.

balanced review of a great car/truck. the great thing about vue is the design now matches other Saturns, which will increase the visibility of the design style. Auras and Outlooks will soon have two good looking brothers [Astra, Vue] to complement/complete the family. it's all about good design sense along with quality, inside and out. attention to detail that can finally rival the competition, and likely good material quality as well. it's one we should be watching.

I know I have been harping on this subject matter endlessly. It's this kind of fast action, out of the box thinking that I want to see from such a huge company as GM is, that has so many platforms to leverage. The kind of action that is coming out of Holden with thier one platform [the old VZ, and the new VE], where you get like 5 different bodystyles across one platfrom. This is what will save the brands and create truly unique identities.It's okay to create a similar car off of a platform, just so long as the concept is unique. Look at VW and all the cars it is able to base off of one platform. This article gives me hope. Though my usual next thought might be why did it take so long for them to figure this out, I understand the business case for such an unprecedented car such as a midsize RWD car would be quite an undertaking, but for everyone here to know I have been making the case for a RWD G6-like car for at least 5 years now. Finally, they are responding. It's a sense of exhalation that is endless. This car makes so much sense on so many levels, especially given GM's huge presence in the FWD category. Just imagine, BMW sells about 90k RWD 3-series in a year, at much higher price levels. This car could be huge. Just remember the most important thing to getting consumers in the showroom in the first place, enticing design!!!!!!! There are too many cars out there to compete with, and not enough crossovers and SUVs, that's why they do so well, but on the car side there are plenty of companies out there to compete with. Make em unbelieveable good and beautiful or don't make them at all!!!

My last car was an Acura RSX type-s, and I usually am a no compromises type person, so I was willing to do whatever I could to keep the speed and niceness of that car. the stick shift was really hurting me in traffic, and I have problems with my knee. My clutch manipulation was not what it used to be and my fuel economy was suffering a lot because of it. I needed a car with an automatic, and I really liked the Civic on the surface, you know not having lived with it. the hybrid only made more sense since the premium I would incur over the standard civic would be made up in fuel savings, as long as the premium is being calculated by monthly-payment. [brief explanation: my driving amounts to 1500 mi per month, gas prices in my area are at $3.30 for regular unleaded, so the savings would have been about $80, roughly the same as a payment, I figured I'd rather pay Honda than Exxon Mobile and the real terrorists: oil companies. Besides I still make my money back on resale later on, with gas the same is not true.] so to answer your question. the car is phenomonal and I don't know why anyone would have a problem with owning it. I can actually get up to speed pretty quickly and not get a penalty on gas mileage unlike other cars, since hybrids make up for economy in braking, coasting, and stops and gos. my regrets are that, well my favorite design is the BMW 3-series coupe, and this is not like it, the Civic has lines that are really well thought out and it looks right for what it is, the problem is what it is isn't the most appealing to me at its core; and that is pretty much it. I don't like that I don't have a car that is menacingly cool anymore, instead it's a car that's friendly cool.

as evidenced by the tone of other posters in just this thread, a half backed product is exactly what a Lambda rebadge would be that my post was referring to. Already the Lambdas are sharing too many parts bin materials and other things like the rear ends on the Acadia/Outlook, and I made an allusion to that in my post. Or maybe reading comprehension isn't your forte.

thank you. for a moment there I felt bad.

blah blah. Old GM tricks...listen to the dealers not the consumer. Dealers are clamoring, execs see dollar signs, let's rush out another half baked product that is insulting to out consumers' intelligence. This reeks of business without passion, which is not the kind of product decision that should be made. I will only advocate the Lambda Chevrolet if its design is worthy and it offers something different, like the Outlook, Acadia, and Enclave successfully but too lightly do. A proper Chevrolet version will not have to be described as differentiated--it would be totally different.

southern cali city driving really has a lot to do with it. lots of traffics, lots of stops, need a car that has gadgets and is supremely comfortable, a car that looks like a nice environment to spend a lot of time in. the hybrid mode that shuts off the engine really helps a lot to conserve gas, but also the constant braking and coasting of the tiny engine that can acheive incredlbly high levels of efficiency.

the highest recorded gas mileage my roommate has experienced in his 2006 civic ex is 32 for a tank. My first tank of gas I recorded 45. I don't really care or think about price premiums like so many here obviously spend so much time thinking about. If I worried about the Malibu that was down the street that I could have gotten for 10k less but have a much less desirable car that is looked upon so negatively...then I would have no life. Get what you like. The amount of trips to the gas station alone that I save is making me happy. I get over 460 miles to a tank without tapping into the reserve of the tank, so on ~10.5 gallons I get about a week and a half of driving. I'm saving tons of money over my last car, which was getting 22 mpg with the kind of driving I was doing. I'm happy when people step into my car and are impressed with the car and think it looks cool, but more importantly that it's comfortable for them and quiet and high in quality.