Robert Hall

The blue convertible is an Astra (or Tigra?)..not sure what the red car is..a Brazilian Vectra, maybe (note the wide plates). Maybe the silver car is a Chinese Buick or Holden.

Back in '02, I saw 2 Commodores and a Monaro (all RHD with Michigan Mfgr plates) up close in a Borders bookstore parking lot in the Denver area.. all were dark gray with Holden badging..it was pretty cool..probably testing prototypes for the GTO then.

Remember the LaCrosse show car from a few years ago? Now that was a hell of a Buick...loved that design...

Both...not old enough and most are throwaway... there are certainly some that are worthwhile, but IMHO most mainstream cars from the mid-70s through today are just transportation appliances..

Well, the Silverado and Sierra will surely have bench seats and column shifters in their base versions... I don't know about the Tahoe or Yukon, though...I've never seen one from the current or previous generation with a bench seat...

I think actually would have preferred a column shifter in my Grand Cherokee..it's available only with the console-mounted shifter (beside the transfer case shifter). The two shifters take up a lot of space on the console that could have been used for more storage, etc..

Seeing photos of the old Hs reminds me how I miss the full-size 2dr coupe bodystyle... I think a Coupe de Ville version of the new DTS would be great, as would have 2dr versions of the late G-bodies....(imagine a 2dr Bonneville GXP and a 2dr Park Avenue Ultra)..

I remember when MTV had music videos and I remember when there was no MTV. I remember when most all cars had carburators and AM radios and vinyl interiors were still common. I remember watching new episodes of 'Starsky & Hutch' and 'The Rockford Files' on TV. I remember piling up big piles of leaves in the fall and racing through them on my go-cart. I remember have a bicycle with 1 speed, then later a 10-speed. I remember going to the grocery, the drug store, the post office, the gas station, etc and people actually knew my name and my mom's name!

For license plates, it's 25 years in Colorado.. I'm sure it varies by state. As far as perception, I usually think of 'classics' as specifically the '30s Duesenbergs, Cadillac V16s, Auburns, Cords, Lincolns, etc...luxury cars with coachbuilt bodies, etc.. I prefer the term 'vintage' for post-WWII up through the early '70s... '80s cars are just plain 'old cars', nothing I would consider classic or vintage..

The grille looks almost Mazda-ish...

I think the CTS dash and IP design is good, it's just the material is wierd looking and textured, IMHO. Definitely of better quality, though, than the current Chrysler interiors... I like the design of the new Mustang interior but some of the plastics are pretty cheap... ok on a sub-$20k V6 coupe, but less so on a $35k GT convertible, IMHO....

I like the interior design, though a flat-bottom steering wheel is ugly on anything, IMHO.. I like the exterior overall, but I see some Bangle in the side creasing...almost reminds me of an Audi-ized Z4 coupe..

I wonder what the origin of 'shooting brake' is...one of those great quirky British English words. I've usually only seen it applied to sporty 2dr British wagons before..

Psychologists do say that..also that men buy giant monster trucks (Ford Super Dutys, Dodge Ram Duallies, etc) to make for a certain inadequacy below the belt... :) I drive Mustangs and BMWs because I enjoy the way they drive, likewise, I drive a Jeep for its practicality, off-road ability, and comfort...

I've had the pub debate over US vs. Canadian healthcare many times with my coworkers (my company has about 50 people originally from Regina, Saskatchewan who have moved to Denver over the last decade)... none of them prefer the Canadian system over US healthcare... I guess the biggest difference is Canada has a safety for the uninsured which the US doesn't have..

Chrysler's interior quality is declining, though. The interior materials and design in my 5-yr old Grand Cherokee (which was 32k new) IMHO are overall better than those of the new GC.. the new GC dash is ugly and looks and feels cheap..like something out of a $10-15k economy car and not a $35k SUV.

I'll admit I've gotten spoiled by experience with BMW, Audi and Lexus interiors.. I like their materials, design, and way they are put together..(esp. Audi... I don't really like where BMW is going compared to the pre-Bangle era interiors). Too many rental cars with nasty gray plastic interiors has turned me off on most GM interiors, though I do know they are getting better... I'm turned off by cheap-looking and cheap-feeling interiors--esp. on a $30-40k or more car..it's one thing to have a cheap interior in a cheap car, but in a $30k or more vehicle, it's a real turn off, IMHO.

True...I don't touch the nice squishy dash in my Jeep everyday, but I do notice the hard plastic center console and door panels.. at least the arm rest on the door and center console are softish.. Now for an ugly dash material (not necessarily the feel, but the texturing), the Cadillac CTS takes the cake...it's got the wierdest texturing I've seen on a new car..

They have been too busy the last few years burning through billions of dollars in the hopeless bottomless pit that is Iraq.. :(

So you were referring to the 300 as a 'Diplomat'? Wierd...I see no resembalance between the two...the Diplomat was a styleless '80s box-on-wheels...dull, dull, dull.. and mechanically ancient (leaf springs, solid rear axle, etc). nothing like the 300 which is thoroughly modern with sleek, angular styling..

Exactly...if GM's financials, product execution, reliablity reputation, and results were as solid as Toyota's, everyone on here would be ecstatic...it's just jealosy and xenophobia, I think...

Well, it is coming back as an SUV name--the Chrysler Aspen (Chrysler version of the Durango).

Right...I think the 'pollute less' aspect is actually the more important value of hybrid technology than simply better mileage.

That I find hard to believe... do you have data to back up that claim?

True, but what in the heck is a 'Chrysler Diplomat Touring'? I know there is a 300 wagon called the Touring in Europe, but 'Diplomat'? The last Diplomat I remember is the bland '80s cop car from Dodge...