Robert Hall

A modern transmission shouldn't need 'overhauled' at any reasonable mileage interval.. a new car automatic transmission should be good for at least 100k with routine service.

5 for Pontiac, 3 for Buick, 5 for GMC.. that's 13, plenty enough for the full BGP line of 2010.

I think it was probably the best looking of the W-bodies..a very graceful roofline..the 4dr of that generation looked good also. It's too bad Buick didn't have a coupe version of the '97-04 Regal and Olds a coupe version of the Intrigue..both looked pretty clean in 4dr form, and would have made good looking coupes, IMHO.

Yeah, the large 2dr market seems pretty dead. Sad but true. There isn't much of a midsize 2dr market either...the Solara is on it's way out, and the Accord, G6, and MC are about the only mainstream ones left..though I've seen rumors Ford may do a Fusion coupe.

The Riv was my favorite of those, I always liked the curve to the rear quarter panel..the T-Type version was esp. clean. The Eldo was crisp and clean, and looked great in the Touring Coupe version..the Toro seemed to be the most invisible of the 3, I remember them usually in a dull brown with a vinyl top.. I remember in the '80s they had a special trim for the Toro, that used the old Mercury Comet subseries name 'Caliente'.

True...the '77-78 was a rebodied LeSabre basically..had pretty much the same interior. Wierd that Buick did that while Cadillac and Olds kept their old Es through '78. I've always like the look of the '79-84 (or was it '85? I can't remember) FWD Rivs and Eldos..so much nicer than their shrunken replacements, IMHO...

Nah, Dubya has an Ford Super Duty Crew Cab and an Expedition at his ranch in Texas (the SD seems to be the poster truck of right-wing red staters).

The main reason I'd like to see more diesels is that it would be nice in the US to be able to buy something that gets more than 40 mpg that isn't a subcompact penalty box---something with a bit of luxury, fun to drive, and efficient--- a US market 3-series or CTS with a diesel would be great..(Car and Driver tested a 330d and got 40 mpg on the highway).

That's the Suzuki Forenza wagon in the US. I wonder if a wagon version of the Cobalt (or the Astra for Saturn) could do well in the US?

Interesting..if the Monte Carlo goes, what will be the Chevy in NASCAR? I guess they will change the decals to say 'Impala'. And if the MC goes, what will NASCAR fans stick their #3 decals on?

What was the story on the differentials?

A Camaro M3 would be cool.. An outrageous thought I've long had is to build a '90s Mustang Cobra with a European turbo diesel and AWD...

I seem to recall reading about a Suburban with a Falconer engine in a magazine..

No worse than the NA model, which wants to be a Taurus with GS-like headlights..

Looks like too many things running..8 instances of Firefox? Even my work computer (Win XP, 3GB ram, dual 2.8 Ghz processors) gets slow when I run too many apps at once.. (Oracle, Jboss, Eclipse, IE, Firefox, Outlook, iTunes, Word, Excel are my usual load).

I can't remember the last time I opened my hoods...

Interesting..I could see how a compact RWD sports sedan could do well for Pontiac... Just don't call it a G6 or P6 or whatever...maybe bring back 'Grand Am', which in the '70s was used on sporty midsize sedans and coupes (before it became synonimous with mediocre FWD compacts with tacky styling). Likewise, a larger RWD sports sedan based on the Commodore SS V would make a nice Grand Prix. Add in a Zeta based GTO and the Solstice, and Pontiac would have a completely RWD and focused lineup for 2010+. Leave the FWD mainstream models and SUVs and crossovers to Chevy and Saturn...

Heh-heh... I did that back in 1989...put black out headlight covers on my '87 Mustang GT...and the black nose bra. Silly teenage stuff... thankfully, I outgrew that phase.

Of course they are competitors...how could you say they are not? The dimensions are almost identical. Edge: 111.2 wb, 185.7 l, 75.8 w, 67.0 h Equi: 112.5 wb, 188.8 l, 71.4 w, 69.3 h Both are 5 passenger... I would agree the Ford is better, though..newer, nicer interior, better drivetrain (DOHC V6 w/ 6spd auto)..

Sorry to hear that... I don't know how Michigan insurance is now, but it was no-fault when my '86 Mustang got totalled on Carpenter Rd on the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti line..

Well, it's only August...be patient...the '07 Buicks and Pontiacs aren't on sale yet, are they?

I love the window tabbing in Firefox... Netscape had it 4-5 years ago also.... I haven't used IE at home in years, still occasionally use it at work as I need for certain work applications..

The Sebring would be nicer if it were a hatchback, that short trunk looks silly, IMHO.

Clever, clever... I wonder if they thought about crashing Ford's announcement of the Shelby GT also..

Ahh...I interpreted 'same manufacturer' to mean GM. 'Same brand', now that's different. Interesting. If I restrict mine to Buick or Olds it works.. The El Camino and Malibu one would work also I think.