balthazar

I don't see mercedes pushing the s-class sticker up when they have to knock so much off already. Market has spoken- it's way overpriced. They need to hold the line on prices until inflation/time & the market catch up to the sticker- probably at least 3 years.

FAPTurbo, why (always) so serious?

I see a few of these 'high-top' vans (the nissan, for EX) on the road, and I study them, trying to figure out what all that vertical space could possibly be used for. The best answer I could come up with was; helium balloon delivery van.

Are those 14" rims?

^ 3rd world country in 1988.

>>"True that. The Lexus LS mostly only sells here, and at a $30,000 discount to the S-class."<< Average transaction prices are much closer than that. S400 is averaging 85K ($8K under MSRP), base LS460 is averaging $71K (4K under MSRP). That's a 14K difference, not 30. S550 AWD is averaging 90K, LS460L AWD is averaging $81K, a difference of 9K. S-class is heavily discounted.

2500HD ~ • Clean & AL polish the rims, new lug nuts, may paint calipers • lube chassis • new shocks • touch up some undercarriage rust (limited surface rust) • fuel filter • have to look at the auxiliary trans cooler, it started to seep. Just did the 100K trans service last month. Tires were replaced in April. Other vehicles ~ • Started the final strip of the '65 Bonne carcass, should be done in a few weeks. Already cut the trunk pan out. • Strip the '60 Bonne, a bunch of parts to store/sell off that one • Carefully strip the '64 Cat; ex-daily driver, it's a complete car. Plus I may have lost something of particular value in it years ago after those 3 are disposed of, will move my '40 Ford over to my buddy's shop: • service the rear/ rear drums/ rear bearings • extract 3 broken exhaust studs so I can get the shorty headers on & fab the exhaust • install the new radiator • rebuilt the ignition & wire the lights • finish fab'bing the floor (it's wood ) • new brake lines • Need to check if the 2-spd rear is working OK, and it's not stuck in the low range.

Swapping an alternator is what- a 15 min job (pop off the belt/wire, undo 2-3 bolts, reverse procedure)? Via an online pic, it looks like you don't even have to remove the engine cover (if so equipped). I would think $25 is excellent vs. time spent (if it's around that for him), then he can decide what to spend it on.

"Ferrari the Ferrari" = "VW- The Car" = 'Pontiac is car". Oy.

^ you can bet the next s-class will be akin to the current as the '14 Silverado is to the '13. S-class traditionally makes geological-paced stylistic moves, when they could/should've made the CLS the S-class years ago.

Ahh; the 'baby roller', unfortunately, is a stylistic compromise because of it's truncation. I'd like to see a proposal on the Phantom platform. Or at least a heavy dose of refinement on this one. Getting that awkward Camarque vibe from it.

In what serious way is that monstrosity 'badazz'? Looks like a parasitic twin trying to escape out the front. Yeesh.

Really clunky, crude styling, about the least dignified luxury 2-dr out there. The 1970's 2-tone is awful. Surprising, because the sedan is pretty tight.

What strikes me right off is the semantics of relegating "Corvette", which hereto has been top shelf... now the same singular name may well come to mean 'the cheap vette'. I believe it would be smarter to leave the Stingray name to a singular trim, and give a different "Zxx" moniker to the entry-level vette. IE; it's still a Corvette, rather than getting everyone used to the fact that everything is getting jumbled. Z01 & Z02 were used with the Monza Spyder packages, don't know if it either would register well with the purists... but something along those lines. You get me, Camino? But I agree with Camino's suggestion RE line item build possibilities. With a singular plant, this would be easier than with any other multi-plant line. What's going to really help with the discussion is some idea of pricing tiers. I have no issue with the 5.3, as long as it gets a unique tune.

^ CTS and XTS sales cannot intermingle on any level, as you are fond of repeating; one is FWD, hence no buyer of a RWD car would ever consider one.

Corvette calendar year sales for '11 were 13164, they rose to 14132 for '12, so they're going in the right direction if indeed 12K is some sort of 'line'. Meanwhile porsche 911 sales were just 8528 for '12, according to this site's posted sales numbers. When the cayenne debuted, it was widely reported that porsche as a whole 'needed' the SUV to stay afloat, and indeed it supposedly is generating the capital to keep the money-losing 911 afloat. A more basic base model is not a bad idea as long as it works in concert with the Corvette aura. It will not move the needle much WRT buyer age or sales volume, but sales volume should be (distantly) secondary to product & profit. Even IF the Corvette flirts with the red ink, GM, and Chevrolet more specifically, can more than offset that red with profit from elsewhere. As iconic & class-leading as the car is, it's future should be locked in for eternity. If it wasn't shot behind the ear in 1979, it sure as hell is safe in 2015. If there's a question there from within GM, that person needs to be reassigned to the unemployment line.

Hoping that the Lacrosse doesn't get that delineated full-width mouth below the bumper. Without dividers (tho a tired approach) and with chrome edging, all it does is make the frontal overhang look enormous.

Ahh yes, the 'quick & dirty' method of concept vehicle construction : sawing a chunk right thru the sill of the body shell. Yea; you forget there ARE people out there who aren't 6'24" like you are, friend. Tires are reportedly 40", add the distance to where the sill would be and I estimate it to be around 46" high. For reference, standard kitchen countertop height is 36-37". This baby needs some real practical thought & engineering WRT ingress/egress if Jeep ever wanted to produce it. Coupled that with (at least here in Jersey); 40" tires aren't legal in all states. Here in Jersey, I believe 38s are the top height.

Looks like the front fender (which looks to be plastic) opens with the door (note the seam)... which is weird, because you'd have to enter behind the tire, and that stub of fender would be in the way. Step rail/tire... grab onto bed rail?... I dunno. A 'step-friendly' rim might be the easiest way up.

Yea... like, like... New Coke & BetaMax! I'd LOVE to see a viable steam personal transport proposal. I like the idea of electrics, they used to be one of the leading auto powerplants at the dawn of the industry (ancient concept). I don't oppose them, but I see dfelt's point that they are not quite ready for mass consumption. 10 years ago, I would've thought they would be far more accepted now than they've been, esp with the wicked fuel prices over the last 4 years.

That's not really intended for production, is it?

My brother had a C60 dump truck, he sold it when he upgraded to a Mack single axle. We did a good amount of work to that truck, including replacing the non-original 350 with a rebuilt BB366. I like the HD trucks, but I can't say his C60 wove any sort of spell on me. Maybe it was too new (I think it was circa a '79). Nice 'business' exterior lines, tho.

My bus used to pass an old garage in the small town I lived near, and under their carport were some dusty rides. I had no attraction to the Lotus Esprit, but that '58 Cadillac Series 75! now there was something different than the plastic-bumpered crap the roads were littered with. I never got around to inquiring on the S75 (I was always into performance, and that baby had to be HEAVY), but that era (late '50s thru mid 60s) has ever since been the most appealing to me, even tho I was too late to have grown up with them. My first car; I lent my buddy $100 to buy this car on the condition he gave me first chance to buy it if he wanted out. 1964 Grand Prix. Still have it, tho I think it's time to let her go.

Bentley has some truly bland, pedestrian vehicles. For being a badge-engineered Rolls for so many decades in the past, Rolls today is light-years ahead in presence. And yes; I see Bentleys often enough on the road to have a solid in-person opinion. It just has no distinction, almost like a 'generic big car' illustrated to avoid depicting an actual brand.

Roger, I met up with a guy here in central Jersey (to look at a car for sale), and in talking to him, he mentioned he owned a 1914 GMC. I didn't see it, but that's a rare beast; there were only 708 built that year, and at 99 years passed, can't be but a handful left.