Robert Hall

I've read that GM intentionally leaves the wheel well to tire gaps big so that it's easy to put tire chains on...I don't know if that's an urban legend or not. I know if the weather is bad enough to need chains, I'm not leaving the house...

A 426ci new Hemi would be interesting..wasn't the 392 a Hemi way back in the Fifties? 426 is the Hemi designation from the muscle car era with resonance...

Other than seeing the Rainier at the Denver Auto Show last year, I can't recall the last time I saw one...or an Ascender..or a 9-X. And this is an area with a very high concentration of SUVs (probably one of the highest of any metro area).

Yeah, but remember GM used to make collapsable junk like that also...as recently as the Astro and Blazer...

I like driver oriented dashes... that was a strong BMW design cue for decades before the recent Bangled models and one detail I've always liked about BMWs.

Hopefully they will have more interior color choices and/or two-tones...I truly hate gray interiors..

Maybe someone on the board will go to the Chicago Auto Show and takes pics of the car and it's interior and post them...

Rondo? What's a 'Rondo'? Dumb name...

Yes, we'd all be shiny, happy people driving Priuses..the sky would always be blue..every day would be sunny and warm.. no crime..no traffic jams..

Oh I understand..I love straight 6s..(I own two, after all).. I'm sure it was more a business decision than a technical one.. i.e. base the engine on a V6 used in other models, because I'm not sure if any Nissans still use a straight 6 (in Japan or other markets). One thing about the next GT-R, I'd prefer they keep 'Skyline' as part of the name (though it's not based on the regular Skyline anymore (G35). I've always liked the Skyline name..

They probably went to a V6 for packaging issues and so they could phase out the straight 6....I like straight 6s, but the Nissan V6 is an excellent engine (from what I've read and experienced with driving Maximas and 350Zs..) Well, that's the way innovation and life goes...leave the past behind and move forward.....

I think it's going to be a great car..I honestly don't care if it's badged as a Holden, Pontiac, Saturn, whatever... it's a clean, modern design inside and out with first class hardware...

Cool, cool, cool... would love to have seen that!

Interesting that the show car has a Blaupunkt radio rather than the usual GM corporate one..

Yeah, I wonder what happened to razoredge...he could be really annoying with his constant negativity, but definitely added some flavor..

Speaking of styling influences, driving home last night I saw a black '06 GTO and a black Bonneville GXP... cars that I rarely ever see.

Mmmm..guilty pleasures. I'll admit I've long lusted after Suburbans..they are vehicles that make absolutely no sense for me, too big, too thirsty, too impractical, but for some reason I've always liked them... and I don't like trucks, but they are one truck I like.. I also have a soft spot for big cushy luxury cars...I always liked my parents' Lincoln Town Cars, Lexus LSes, '80s-90s Mercedes S-classes, the '92-96 Caddy Fleetwood, the '92-96 Buick Roadmaster...nothing remotely sport sedan about 'em, but I like 'em...and I'm not anywhere near retirement age... The Ariel Atom. Totally insane, ultra light, impractical sports car. I'd love to have one for vacations on winding Ohio backroads.. '80s Camaro IROC-Zs and Firebird Trans Am GTAs... though I've been a Mustang fan and owner since the '80s (and a BMW enthusiast/owner for almost 10 years), I've always had a soft spot for the 3rd generation mullett-mobiles.

The whole thing smells of despiration.. which Ford is these days. Bold Moves? Desperate Moves...

Ugly appliances..they will probably sell quite well, though...

And issued press releases, photos, etc...NAIAS time frame... the pics are still on the C&G site somewhere..with the Five Hundred badge on the decklid.... now to be replaced with a Taurus badge. To continue: Bystander: How is that pronounced? Ford Rep: 'Mark Z'. (ten minutes later): Ford Rep: Correction...that's 'M'-'K'-'Z'.

Hertz will be very happy to get the Taurus name back..

By the way, the press release said that the new logo was an experiment..that implies the production car will have a regular Pontiac badge..

The Five Hundred becomes the Taurus for '08, the Freestyle becomes the Taurus X. The Montego becomes the Sable. http://www.cheersandgears.com/forums/index...showtopic=15329

It didn't take that long..the VE Commodore only went on sale in OZ last September..

Well, the Freestyle was a rather lame name..and the Freestyle more-or-less replaced the Taurus wagon, so it's appropriate for it to become a Taurus..