balthazar

I'm with Brandon & FOG: rural near a suburban area. Unfortunately, that's becoming increasingly difficult to obtain in NJ. Traffic sucks.

Oh I know The LaCrosse's VentiPorts are actually stuck on, but the design of them looks slicker than those 'rounded squares' on the maserati, functional (??) tho they may be. They just don't well integrated from a styling viewpoint. IMO.

The mazda looks so-ooo dated. The untrimmed headlights look like those cheap-o autopart store headlight 'masks' that 'change' the shape of the lense by double-side taping over the factory units. Add to that the reguritated design & monochromatic look (windshield frame & door handles) and it's certainly not much to look at. Interesting how the Pontiac's lows are low luggage room (:rolleyes: duh), is comparitively heavy (via the spec sheet but not on-the-road feel), and the engine is slightly, comparitively unrefined. The mazda's lows are a drab interior, noisy ride and twitchy handling, yet it placed #1. Interesting indeed.....

I prefer the shape & spacing of the VentiPorts on the LaCrosse to those on the maserati quattroporte, which come off as afterthought-ish to my eye.

I know a guy who's had 'classic' plates on his vintage Lincoln for YEARS, drives it every day, never been hassled ever. Drives another vintage Lincoln out of state annually with YOM (Year of Manufacture) plates... which are not legal in this state... and also never got hassled over those. Of course if I tried that, I'd get my vehicle impounded...

You would think so, yet apparently that hasn't stopped daimler-Chrysler from cribbing maybach's entire history (it was on their website last time I bothered to look), and there is NO connection between the maybach that died off in '31 and the current brand, nor is there any connection between maybach of yore and mercedes of the same time period.

Oh, now it squeaks, too?

Hey BV- you left a few things out. Like that little 4-in x 4-in section of sheetmetal right behind the door, you know the one; the gently crowned area down low... it should have more crown to it, and maybe a sporty panel seam running thru it... at an angle, too. Now. :lol:

Yeah, b-but....... aisian brands still have nicer plastic interiors, so it's all okee-dokee! :rolleyes: :wacko: :rolleyes:

I find it interesting that at this point in time, saab cars are farther removed from saab jets than ever before, seemingly rendering the new tagline a... past-prime curiosity. IMO.

Nah- this is the Buick sub-culture that the mass-market consumer knows nothing about. The GSs & GNs were the breakthrough affirmations of what is a Buick tradition.

You are of course entitled to your opinions, but lumping your subjective impression of a color combination in under 'cost-cuttings' sure comes off as 'stacking the deck'... As for me, if X dollars were involved in 2 different sports cars and one spent more on the chassis/ powertrain/ performance, that would win out over the hardness of the interior plastics for me, without question. The bland design reguritation mazda is forcing back into the showrooms is a much bigger deal breaker than any single other aspect of this scenario, IMO.

The Idealist's time has past. Airy concepts of 'natural selection' don't accomplish a damned thing. Inactivity in this case allows a travesty to possibly occur. Wake up. This is not unlike the religious zealot who watches his neighbor's house burn to the ground because it's Sunday and he doesn't believe in using the phone.

Hm-mmm, pic showed yesterday but it won't link to this morning. I will have to swipe & host it myself. Car belongs to TA Performance of AZ- a Buick-dedicated company designing engine & drivetrain parts for both V8 & V6 Buicks, including HD blocks for both. I bought my heads, intake, valvetrain, valve covers & timing cover from them- beautiful stuff.

I have to agree with chris. These terms are all relative & unquestionably subjective. Tho chris: what do you think makes the Corvette not a 'sports car'- fixed roof or something else?

andy82471: >>"Look, I understand your frustration but your solution is extremely unrealistic and unlikely to happen."<< No kidding. But you see, I'm not a politician or international mediator. Thusly I can spend time tossing out ideas I'd like to see happen without the accountability of wasting taxpayers time. Please stop telling me it won't happen and I'll stop telling you it should. >>"...GM... put all their faith in light trucks and SUVs. With gas prices hovering around $2.75 a gallon that is one market that will not be growing..."<< Let's see a little acknowledgement for General Motor's foresight that the truck & SUV market would grow from maybe 15% to 54% of the new car market, and applaude them for concentrating on an explosive segment while the japanese twiddled their thumbs and handed the bulk of a 8 million annual unit truck market over to the domestics. At the same time, I'd enjoy reading a little criticism of the japanese for failing (yet again) to see the booming truck segment and waiting until after the peak to offer a smattering of non-class leading efforts. At this point many japanese companies are pouring billions into their truck SUV lines & factories while GM has already turned towards their car lines. Hm-mmm...

I think I see a thin slice of daylight under those Front Runners! 8.99 @ 148. No Chevy engine there, folks. I imagine the burnout it could do would be simply stupid.

Wow; that's right: they'll spend nearly 5 minutes describing stereo & TV equipment & never so much as crack the hood.

I too love PWing, especially at car shows & swap meets. There's idiots and wackos everywhere!

I didn't say it was going to happen, Jack. But that doesn't mean I and others don't think it should. And as for Bush, long-range deep thought has never been his strong suit. Did you actually think he gives a flying F about blue collar workers who happen to live in the same gigantic state he does??? Disagree. Tax the hell out of all japanese nameplates, 25% across the board. toyota makes 75% of their global profit out of American's pockets, they'll not soon abandon production or plants. toyota has so much cash in shoeboxes they could afford to lower their MSRPs to pre-25% levels and continue on in their merry steamroller ways. Should I care if their profits are lowered? Should anyone outside the company executive level?

Obviously, such a taxation would be meaningless if U.S.-assembled japanese cars skated under the tariff. In order for it to 'have the impact we want', all foreign company vehicles --regardless of point of assembly-- would be taxed. Wouldn't affect me in the least; I say 'go for it!'

I imagine, since he's a 'journnalist', he might talk aloud while he drives, to record his 'impressions'. Thusly, a "tape recorder". And yes FOG; the article was the typical 'I can't believe I have to test an... an... American car. "I packed a load of healthy skepticism..." what the hell is that? Someone who actually believes the media is not biased, please link us to a review of a hyundai where a similar sentiment was used. And why no mention of the steady erosion in sales from it's historic high for the mazda, instead of glossing over that flash bulb and calling it what no one else refers to it as; "the most successful sports car ever"? I think the Corvette handily class-leads in 'success' far & above over the retro mazdamazda. Typical pig slop 'journalism' from the pieces quoted here.

The Lucerne is supposed to be the replacement for the LeSabre moreso (if at all) than for the Park Avenue. That would mean Buick is currently without a flagship sedan. Ven- am I on track here?

Both "1953" and "1953 Eldorado ragtop" are '54s, not that that matters; differences are minimal and all here are beautiful. My favorite post-war that you posted has to be the '58 Series 60 Special (with Sabre Spoke wheels- yummy). Those are stunning in person.

How can you use the phrase "reality check" then claim toyota & bmw have only "1 or 2" nameplates? As for your point: dump/sell saab & all minority interests in others (keep izusu for diesel engineering) way before discontinuing Buick.