ocnblu

Inspiring. Thanks for posting.

Nah, I don't agree driving an SUV is a "crime". I believe everyone should be able to choose the vehicle they want, as long as they accept the compromises that arise with any vehicle purchase. A Mini is fun and economical, but it has very limited hauling capacity. A Tahoe has a commanding driving position and is comfortable and capacious, but gets half the fuel mileage. No car is the perfect car for all uses, that's why we need to maintain vehicle choice through the CAFE wormhole.

I've been wondering about Brian myself. I hope he's OK. Maybe his new job is taking all of his time. Nice rant, Ven. Yes, things here have been in disarray. When a group of people who care enough about something (in our case, GM) elect to spend time on the internet posting their thoughts, hopes and concerns, of course an abrupt change of course is going to cause waves of discontent, at least until the new course is clearly mapped out. We know GM is in a pretty major flux right now, and we're all pretty vividly speculating on the company's future. The promise of Zeta some of us have been waiting decades for has once again, seemingly, evaporated. We don't know what is going to take its place, and I'm sure many within GM are scrambling to come up with a new course of action. It is easy to think negatively about all these events coming together at once... Mr. Lutz' (a man revered by many) seeming loss of influence, his upcoming retirement, a largely unknown likely replacement, along with new CAFE rules... that's a lot of upheaval to deal with in a short time, imo. All we can do as GM fans is hope for the best and trust in GM management while continuing to offer our opinions, our hopes, and our concerns, hopefully without imploding. The next decade looks to be one of major change at GM.

Waaait a minit... I thought you adored Opel... why whine over Holden taking the dull Omega and turning it into something worthwhile? And look what it evolved into, the sweet-driving new model. Are you jealous of Holden's scrappy resourcefulness?

Yes, a Ridgeline is a crappy vehicle, but if she was told one thing, and the contract indicated another, she had every right to speak up.

He's not gay.

So you're saying your hickey is only actually 4 inches wide then? :AH-HA_wink:

PRETTY BIRD :AH-HA_wink: Ven has a point, though. What if all this horrible stuff Borger is hinting at actually comes to pass? Will any of us even continue to care about GM?

Don't forget GM is a business, it's not here for anyone's personal self gratification! :AH-HA_wink: I agree with turbo and Vipes on the styling of the VUE. Plus, the front end looks like one of those Amphicars, a car/boat combo thingy. It looks like it's ready to be driven off the boat dock. Ahem, a DIESEL ENGINE seems a much simpler way to achieve fuel efficiency goals than all this complicated, weighty hybrid stuff.

Hey Ven, perhaps I can interest you in a nice Azera, or Genesis sedan when you're ready to get out of your orphan. How's that sound? Ugh, sorry man. What a sickening prospect. In response to CAFE, perhaps we will have to give up Zeta (I certainly hate the idea, don't get me wrong), but the Alpha platform could underpin an entire line of truly unique and highly desirable Pontiacs... Solstice II, coupe, convertible, sedan, and sportwagon, with Ecotec DI, turbo, 2.8 and 3.6L V6s, even a torque-happy turbodiesel engine (the BMW 1-series diesel coupe is debuting to rave reviews). Make it so!

I do like the Datsun, it seems the most fun-to-drive in the class. British Car magazine gave it a surprisingly good review among family hatchbacks (the Euro version has butch, black plastic exterior trim, manual transmission and diesel engine availability.) I also like the new Escape, it looks tough, and if the powertrain options you report come to pass, it'll be a really nice, tight package. I don't know, the VUE just doesn't impress me that much. I love the interior... I am certain the whole vehicle is much improved over the old, plasticky version... but the fuel mileage sucks and I just haven't warmed to the looks.

Before we send Pontiac to the electric chair, I demand a DNA test, which will prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the Pontiac brand was, and can be, a true, affordable performance brand.

Beyond ridiculous. Cow farts should be regulated first. Let's put catalytic converters on cow butts, NOW.

Maybe the smallblock Chevy will be GM's V8 of choice, as if it isn't already. It was very telling for Cadillac to put the Chevy engine in the first CTS-V... maybe the Northstar was not stout enough to handle the duty GM knew the CTS-V would need to endure. Maybe all future V8 Cadillacs will be powered by the LS engines... no shame in that... although I do advocate Cadillac having their own V8, the smallblock has certainly earned a place at the head of the class.

Check out this article I just found: Man, 85, Clocked at 100 Mph in Snow, Ice 2 hours ago TORONTO — An 85-year-old motorist lost his license and his Oldsmobile for a week and likely faces a hefty fine after becoming the oldest person snagged to date by a new Ontario law aimed at cracking down on street racers, even though he was just speeding. The man, whose name was not released, was driving on a highway north of Toronto Wednesday when he was allegedly clocked doing 100 mph, 40 mph over the posted speed limit. "He said he was going to the bank and shopping," said Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Cam Woolley, who noted snow and ice made road conditions treacherous at the time. Under new provincial legislation, billed last year by Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner Julian Fantino as a "shock and awe" campaign, drivers who exceed the speed limit by 31 mph or more stand to lose both their vehicle and license for one week, along with a fine of at least $2002. While no other drivers were involved in Wednesday's incident, Woolley said the legislation — ostensibly aimed at ridding city streets and highways of street racers — is intended to crack down on all aggressive drivers. "It got silly — we were getting crashes at high speeds and the defense was, `Well, if they weren't racing someone, then they weren't racing,' even though the consequences are the same," he said. Police statistics show that more than 2,300 drivers across the province have been charged under the legislation since it became law on Sept. 30, 2007. Most of those charged have been men in their mid-20s to mid-30s. But in the past three months, 20 drivers aged 65 and older, including three women, have been charged under the new Ontario law.

That is a very nice pic, vonVee, and I think you're right about the Olds billboard. My question is, what are those big piles of gray stuff in the background with white stuff on top?

Happy Trails, Borger. Check in from time to time to see if we're still alive.

Ohhh... somebody's about to get a "check", the kind people get in hockey when they become annoying.

? Ronald McDonald would approve. :AH-HA_wink:

It was ridiculous that they put a Liberty in there... a real SUV. They set it up to fail in that group of city runabouts. The Vitara straddles the market between Liberty and CR-V, so it is borderline. They should have put the Compass in this group, or Patriot. I'd try out the Datsun Rogue after reading C&D's depiction and Edmunds owner reports. It's a shame I can't say I'd pick the VUE first, but hey.

Hmmm... Beat = Camaro Groove = Impala Trax = Tahoe I think we have our 2020 Chevy lineup!

Another also-ran... a copy. GM's down fall since the 80's. GM needs to lead, not follow. RWD Impala would serve so many purposes... police car, taxi, family car, sport sedan... it is a car that suits us as Americans... no other way to think about it, what is, is.

Dude, I know it's not a Super Sport... that designation has to do with your number of posts.

So it was red on the roof and down the side, and white everywhere else? Ew.

Alternative fuel for internal combustion engines, not tiny cars.