balthazar

CTS already DOES challenge the germans.

^ mercedees probably needs to spend that level of money; cargo vans & garbage trucks don't design & build themselves.

selections from the Dead Milkmen

GM posted a 2011 profit of almost $8 billion in 2011.

"Reality is complex".

Nice! If that '53 is a coupe, I hope it was rescued right after the '47 was loaded. Check this out: Narrator apparently missed the 5-ft wide ELDORADO letters across the rear & on both front fenders, tho. A natural beauty I would commit crime to own.

^ Buyers don't care about FWD / RWD. They also generally don't know which their cars feature. They MIGHT care a bit more on AWD vs. non-AWD, tho, THAT they can comprehend (usually).

.....well, it's either off of a Camaro or Firebird. My Chevy buddy tells me the spoilers were of different angles/heights- he believes this is Camaro, but doesn't recognize the stripes. I've seen a pic of striping similar on a Camaro, tho it had 'Rallye Sport' above it (perhaps removed here?) Anyone recognize which this belongs to? I want to sell it, need to target the right motorheads. I realize the decklid itself is interchangable. Only thing stamped on it is 'T39'.

A given mid-sized, internal-combustion sedan really has almost no 'tricks' left to play. OEMs have been hammering after CAFE for 30 years now. They've tweaked everything there is at one point or another. Even those manufacturers who have a rep for engineering-driven manufacturing have still seen weights increase despite all efforts. The 3-series used to be 2500 lbs, now it's 3500-3600 & the 1-series is 3200. It will take a radically different type of vehicle (perhaps the GM 'skateboard' concept, with a bolted-on plastic body shell??) to change the weight picture on the same footprint, but don't expect that within the next 15 years.

Conceptually it is; that's a GMC V-12 back there.

Unfortunately, ever-tightening regs leave very few areas left for slimming, esp when other areas will be mandated to get fatter. The weight scenario in modern cars is pretty tight as it is- sheet metal -what there is of it- is paper thin, glass is thinner than ever, powertrains are largely AL already, and plastics continue to spread & spread & spread. What remains is large-scale moves to lighter alloys / CF, and not much else to offset more & more wiring. Future weigh loss will be incremental changes, don't expect anything radical... unless a manufacturer builds an illegal MinimalistKar.

'61 Imperial Crown coupe, rough shape, black primer & some surface rust, obvious rot repair started, ALL chrome/stainless removed. Gas jockey walked over when he saw me eyeballing it. Paper in window said $10K, jockey claimed he could give me the owner's name, have me mention his name and get it at half price. He also kindly let me in on the secret that "it has a V-8".

With how some go on & on about how unilaterally better modern tin is (not to mention the average transaction price), I would think by extrapolation, the average age would be closer to 20 yrs old.

Looked at that, but it appears there's no longer wheelbase involved, and from the pic I don't see a greatly larger rear compartment. IOW, I think Lincoln mis-appropriated the 'limousine' moniker to a significant degree.

Correct, Moltie. Not sure on its value, but I'd be willing to risk a guess of $100K to start, but it might be much higher. I'm not aware of the circumstances of what looks like it getting burnt, but it's alive & well today: http://www.hubgarage.com/mygarage/airking67/blogs/33274

BTW.... Anyone know what the O/P's "current car" (the rusty wreck) is, and how it's worth might compare to those listed below it???

^ yep, the J-2 3x2bbl option was available across the board, IIRC. The Olds is nice looking, but likewise is not in this category. Personally, tho one of the nicest '50s Olds's, it still doesn't inspire lust in me. OCN~ an 'extended pass compartment / same wheelbase' Lincoln would be a new one on me. I for one would very much be interested in reading more. Cadillac's Series 75s were indeed factory built. Imperial's bodies were factory-authorized, but the bodies were outsourced, IIRC. Lincoln didn't offer a commercial chassis, I don't believe there was a factory limo, but haven't studied Lincoln in this era that deeply.

'do something interesting on the ATS?' Like a lighter, tighter, newer 3-series alternative, that isn't wearing stylized granny glasses, with a coupe, convert & a rumored ATS-V in the pipeline isn't in anyway interesting. Oh I forgot; the next 3-series is rumored to FLY.

The EB is nice because it performs both duties (driver's car or head of state car) with exemplary aplomb. The euro-barges were anachronistic slugs still shy of 200 HP with little in the way of amenities; good at neither task. I'm a huge fan of the '50s MoPar super cars, but they're not in the same category here.

By T61's figures, clearly the Verano isn't taking sales from the Regal, so that answers that.

^ absolutely, and I've said this before. The Euro stuff is all mid-40s design- & power train-wise. Not even close to being competitive. I would instantly take the EB, it's as far beyond the other 2 Americans, as they are beyond the euro stuff.

The GT40 was as American as the Shelby Cobra, which is to say come race day, it was what was underwood that did the Ferrari killing, not where the body panels may have first been built.

Pure Americana, baby!

I thought I read most ferraris were 4000 lbs. I always like the 'underdog' aspect vs Ferrari; ala Ford GT40.