ocnblu

There is a cool 2000 Sonoma extended cab stepside ZQ8 in bright blue at the local Chevy dealer traded in... Something like that Nova would be awesome yo, but without the giant rims. It's out of the mainstream so it will be cheap, and with a mild smallblock and 4-speed, it would be reliable enough not to be a constant headache... As for the Hilux, it can continue to return to the Earth as iron oxide...

When I drove a Fit (current gen), it was fun to drive, but... it was like being inside a 55-gallon drum, the echo. Fiesta is much quieter, much less road noise. Of course, I haven't examined a Sonic. Cannot believe the heft of the Chevy, and the crash test scores are no better than the lighter competition. BUT, if it means a more solid feel over the life of the car, it might be a fair trade-off. Remains to be seen. Seeing the Yaris, I am reminded that Toyota still cares enough to provide a 3-door hatch bodystyle... if only it were available with the SE package... the meaner look of the Yaris, and the more serious dashboard make it more appealing than the old, imo. The Koreans are hoping to trade on looks alone, it seems. SWEET 'Vairs, Horsey!

What can I say, I've been craving something that still feels... mechanical.

I'm not sure the GM B-body will ever be surpassed. If only time stood still... <iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/fMFeLvlzBwc?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/bf9XtK5UK2Q?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

What, no Spanish party?

Very insightful.

This is it, the one I specified. I think "Dozer" is a cool colour, although I like just about all the colours.

Red '54 Chevy 2-door with black roof. Looked like it had been painted in someone's driveway. Satin black '65-'66 Chevy C-10 shortbed Fleetside, with factory chrome and a nice stance.

Just spec'd out a 2012 Wrangler. Durn thing ran up to $27k, and it was a Sport with hardtop and manual transmission plus a few options. WTH? Too many luxury features are available on the Wrangler, imo.

Nice truck...

Not yet over the stunning news that our assistant manager, a lady I've worked with since I moved back to PA at TWO different bodyshops since 2003, is leaving to take a job as a manager at a new bodyshop in town. She's my work buddy through thick and thin. She's 65 years old, we all thought she'd retire with us... I feel like a new orphan...

vampires

Waitin' fer a tadpole LUV.

Yes GMTG, I am happy with the rear bumper! I wouldn't have a crew cab, but it sells very well to people who will use it as a family vehicle.

Tony the Tiger

I'm headed straight away to Pep Boys for some non-functional fender vents for my car, like a Mini Cooper has. Pics soon!

It'd be good to see you blokes again. I might make the trip, it ain't too far for me. It would be Saturday for me.

Thanks for posting this here, Mr. Monster. I see the interior is still plenty utilitarian, if a bit swoopier than the current truck. Very nice, imo. I am still not sure about the front end. I like to call the Toyota Tundra an atomic tadpole... I guess this is my karma punishment, because this front end resembles a tadpole too. The taillights are gimmicky. But GM has had plenty of prior episodes of this with their pickup trucks, where they try to blend car and truck styling with gimmicks, to varying degrees of success. It all started with the original Cameo, I think. And the Cameo is today a revered trailblazer of smooth-sided truck design (although I don't think they were the first, were they?) Funny they got rid of gimmicky taillights when the Chevy GMT900 replaced the 800, and the new Equinox replaced the old. They just can't be without them for too long, I guess. I am anxious to see the North American version. I hope there are some tweaks made for our market, as there were with the current-gen Colorado. I'd like to see a longitudinal version of the new 2.5L 4 as the base engine for us, and the larger diesel engine as an option, along with some sort of V6. If it is affordable and economical, I would go for the diesel in a heartbeat of america, along with a manual transmission and 4 wheel drive with jacked-up suspension package and knobby meats. That bed with the exterior tie-down hooks reminds me so much of a first-gen LUV truck it ain't even funny, it seems as if it were lifted through time and plopped on this new chassis... the relatively flat sides and strictly rectangular taillamp cutouts only reinforce it for me.

I think a Swift, a re-done SX4, Kizashi, Samurai rebirth, new Vitara and a pickup based on their recent concept, (NOT a Datsun) plus some brilliant marketing is all Suzuki needs to keep scrapping it out here in the USA. BACK AWAAAY FROM THE DAEWOOS!

Things happen for a reason... FIVE SEVENTY-TWO!!! Sorry, Camino, you know me, just trying to make a smile. I hope it's not as bad as you fear, sir.

The C-word was as differentiated from its siblings as the Fusion, Milan and MKZ are.

Here's a look at the production version. Yay on the regular cab, but only if it comes with a 6-foot, smooth-sided bed. Exposed tiedown hooks are fine for San Paulo, but not Lancaster.

:-/

tootsie