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balthazar

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Everything posted by balthazar

  1. balthazar
    When the Camaro ZL1 ran Nurburing in 2011, it posted a 7:41 time (#61 on the top 100 list). The '18 Camaro ZL1 was just run at 7:16 (#15 slot) - a time decrease of .25 sec. The last Corvette ZR1 run was 7:19 in '12 (#19 slot), 22 secs quicker than the '11 ZL1. Will be tremendously interesting to see how far Chevrolet cut their baby's lap time down. I predict they get a 7:00.
  2. balthazar
    Don't forget the honda clarity. The issue in general with auto design is that the basic envelope is locked it- that hasn't changed in decades now. If you look at a decade-decade changes, the industry has slowed to a crawl. For example, these are 10 years apart; we'll never see this degree of change again. A 1995 Camry & 2015 Camry are the same basic proportion/size. So what's left? increasingly (biazarre) & polarizing detailing. Until the pods get here.
  3. balthazar
    I agree that EVs, relatively speaking, should be cheaper to manufacture than an ICE vehicle. If they get the 'skateboard' thing going, that should further drop costs by a huge factor. But I would not expect EV pricing to drop below where ICEs are- business does NOT operate that way. Even if margins tripled, there is a 'baked in' ATP that people just assume. There are no Henry Fords in the industry today (lowered Model T price from $850 to $300).
  4. balthazar
    You shouldn't be wondering : Other sources are stating it's the LT5, IBC, SC'd. Scuttlebutt is the ZR1 is going to shoot flames out the exhaust.
  5. balthazar
    How many brands use V6s vs. I6s? It's not about conforming, it's about results.
  6. balthazar
    Right now the e-Golf has better range than the Leaf (125 vs. 107) at the same price, but Leaf moves 5 times as many. With CA being fully 50% of EV sales over the last 5 years, the numbers should be higher for the e-Golf, it appears. And the Leaf is a(n ugly) hatch. There are other factors, there always are, that create the full picture. At the segment's onset, unique EV models succeed, EV variants of others do not. Is this an element of 'look at green me' WRT making the choice to go EV?
  7. balthazar
    I really don't think this is a widespread thing any longer. When I bought my I6 F-150 in '94, one of the upgrades I planned was a better muffler when mine started to rot out. 146K and 12 years later and it was still rock solid. 14 years and 174K on my Silverado and the same thing. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but it sure doesn't happen automatically like it used to.
  8. balthazar
    2017 VW Golf MSRP : $20K. US sales range : 5000-7200 units/mth 2017 VW e-Golf MSRP : $30K. US sales range : 200-380 units/mth Same styling, and a hatch.
  9. balthazar
    Bolt is an EV first, and a hatch 2nd. Model S is also a hatchback.
  10. balthazar
    Nissan has a Leaf EV for $30K; they're gonna sell 13,xxx this year. Not even close.
  11. balthazar
    When I met DD, I had him pegged for a well-Botox'ed 55.
  12. balthazar
    This board is full of old farts.
  13. balthazar
    1966 : 33 million was 17% of the then population of 195 million. PHEV/EV sales 51 years later: 0.5% of all vehicle sales. - - - - - Mainstream AD cars won't be significant in 20 OR 30 years. The industry moves far slower than people tend to think it does.
  14. balthazar
    "mod into oblivion"
  15. balthazar
    ocnblu~ I'm kinda blown away by the current crop of trucks because I'm in such an old one ('04) and they've REALLY moved on from that point in time. Lot-walked a Ford dealer recently and the F-150s were very impressive. Also a fan of the Dodge's recent looks. Chevy is probably my least favorite (and I don't really care for the look of the GMT-800 I'm in, either, but couldn't bypass the deal); the front fascia is made up of like 150 pieces. For the GMs to come to the 'styling level' of the other 2 I have to be in a Sierra Denali. My '04 replaced a '94 F-150, which is still a quite pleasant/cohesive/non-fussy design. You seem to place great importance on newness & aesthetics, which makes your decision something only you can answer.
  16. balthazar
    Leased car's Fed EV credit goes to the lessor, not the leasee.
  17. balthazar
    Incorrect- as stated above, "all-steel body" referred to the exterior skin. Prior to that claim, car manufacturers didn't have large enough presses to stamp 1-piece roofs, and closed cars were finished with fabric inserts. I've seen these in person in Model T Ford's: wood framing, stretched chicken wire, some padding material, then a top stretched layer of canvas material which was then waterproofed. These were not ideal- they did require maintenance over time and weren't leak-proof. Cadillac showed it's Aerodynamic Coupe in '33, and it went into limited production for '34-37. It had an all-steel roof, thusly was the first 'all steel' body. GM didn't start promoting the feature until it was brought out in the other divisions in 1935. http://www.autonews.com/article/19960626/ANA/606260845/steel-roof-was-hard-to-come-by-at-first
  18. balthazar
    The (theoretical) transition between driver-controlled & true AD cars is going to be an entertaining/madly dangerous time once those who become 'programmed' to nap get back behind the wheel of a non-AD car. That's going to be, like, a 20 year window, too.
  19. balthazar
    Neither reacts before or after- they react during.
  20. balthazar
  21. balthazar
    Tho different sources always state different Average Buyer Ages, generally speaking, Cadillac's ABA used to be about 7 years older than Mercedes, now it's 1 year off. No more 'Cadillacs are for old people' jokes.
  22. balthazar
    1959 BUICK INVICTA
  23. balthazar
  24. balthazar
    Note the omission of the words 'is a' in my post.
  25. balthazar
    But mercedes is uncompetitive and well behind the curve when it comes to PHEVs, they need to undercut the segment leader in price & appeal. Because "why buy a copy when you can buy an original?" MB is not only not leading edge here, they're not even remotely competitive. They had an electric van in the early '70s, but killed it off. That had up to a 62 mile electric range, vs. the C350e's 11 miles.
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