Robert Hall

There are more subcompact (and compact) bodystyle selections in other markets because subcompacts and compacts take up a much bigger market share (i.e. more demand) than in NA...kind of a chicken and egg problem, though.. Consider trucks...look at the vast number of body styles and configurations available in GM's full size trucks...full size trucks are probably 65% of GM's product mix in NA..if they were only 5%, then the selection would be much smaller..

True enough...lots of cluelessness and incompetence in business, I esp. see it in customer/client management and project planning and management...so many headaches in my work world come about from poor communication between business analysts and management and clients/end users and how that communication is communicated to product development and engineering...

Rumor is another haboob tonight... The haboob/dust storm the other night made a mess of my pool (pool guy came today) and my Jeep...I had just had it washed/waxed/detailed last Saturday...arggggghhhhh

Even in the Southwest where cars don't usually rust out, this sounds similar to what I see...I still see a fair number of '80s G-bodies around. The first gen Tauruses/etc I see are usually rolling wrecks, beat to death. About the only '90s W-bodies that seem semi-common are Regal and Grand Prix sedans. About the only larger '90s GMs I see are a surprising # of Rivieras and LeSabres; the occasional late '80s-early '90s square H/C body FWD Olds 88 or 98--I never see the later more rounded 88s-98s. About the only older Chryslers I notice are worn out LeBaron convertibles (the rounded ones) and early LHs. Older trucks and SUVs abound. I see lots of '90s era Panthers around.. Lots of '90s era Accords, Camrys, Civics, BMW 3-series, various older Mercedes still around as well (Scottsdale and PV skew what I see since those have been prime BMW/Merc markets for many years).

No doubt..lots of poverty in Mexico. My vacations in Mexico have been limited to a few trips to resorts in Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, and Cancun..fly in, cab to the resort, and that's it..don't see much 'local color'.. Anyhoo, back on topic..probably just a GM employee doing some evaluation w/ a Canada-market Spark mule (isn't it going on sale there soon?).

Ah, OK. Being in NJ, I've NEVER seen a Mexican plate and I've seen pretty much every other... Puerto Rico, Guam, Hawaii, Alaska, NWT, etc. We definitely have our share of Mexican people. Of course, after seeing those Mexican registered cars at the border, I imagine a lot of them couldn't venture very far into the US without being plastered with equipment violations... or would just fall apart. I had thought there was some sort of restriction on ownership of Mexican origin cars... so that certain Mexican-only vehicles (like the '99-'01 Ramcharger) were problematic bringing into this country, except in areas fairly close to the border. Some of the AMC guys wanted to bring in Mexican-specific VAM automobiles in, and were thwarted. But I forget the exact reason. There is a big difference between buying a car in Mexico and trying to import it as compared to Mexicans traveling in the US... the Mexican-reg cars I see around Phoenix tend to be late model Ford trucks (Lobos, F250s, etc) Chevy trucks and SUVs, and some not-sold-in-the-US models like a VW Pointer, Ford Mondeos, Chevy Chevys, Renault Meganes, Renault vans, Dodge Attitudes, Pontiac G2s....not junkers that are 'falling apart' (though I've seen a few well worn MX-plated old Caprices/etc once i a while). I saw them occasionally in Colorado as well.

No, I see them here in Phoenix often. Don't know about in Canada.

(and I think they will because the S-class is always 10 years ahead of its time) So they're going to introduce eAssist on a big sedan and be 10 years ahead of everyone else? Perish the thought! Was the S-class also 10 years ahead of its time in 1981 when it got airbags 7 years after Oldsmobile? Was the S-class 10 years ahead of its time when it got ABS in 1979, 8 years after Chrysler first offered it? Invalid point. GM briefly experimented w/ airbags around '74, but didn't commit. GM was still putting stupid seatbelts attached to the doors in some cars instead of airbags into the '90s. Same w/ Chrysler and ABS.

Hmmm...prototype w/ plates from somewhere else? Is the Spark onsale yet in Canada? Or maybe it was a Mexican Spark, I think they are onsale there now...

That dust storm was wild last night... I ran out about 8:30 to put down the umbrella at my poolside table (the wind was picking up) and could barely see 10 feet ahead.. IIRC, I've only driven through one dust storm since I've lived here, last summer a brief one whilst crossing the void one afternoon.. (i.e. 'the void' being my nickname for the desolate deserty area of SW Chandler along Ocotillo Road from Price Road to I-10 where I used to commute from work).

I've seen them at car shows, never driven one. Learned to drive in a diesel w/ a 5spd and a couple automatics...later drove cars w/ 3spd and 4spd manuals. My folks had a few cars w/ 3 on the tree before my time, '49 and '52 Fords, and a '61 Fairlane wagon that had them I've heard.

Sweet Toro..is that a 1:18th diecast? I have a few diecast '66s in 1:64th and 1:43rd (and '66-71 model kits in 1:25th).

Given the number of armed nutters here, the bikey may have gotten shot had he tried this here in AZ...

Happy Birthday, all ya.

Saw a really clean '73 Impala wagon, white w/ woodgrain trim. Clean sharp chrome. Never seen a white wagon of that era.

Where is your source on this? I've seen it in couple of places...Racer magazine was one, I think. Edit: googling turned up many results, all from last October.. Racer US DTM Autoblog US DTM

NASCAR is launching an NA DTM-style series also in 2013 also...nice to see more road racing in the NA..

You could probably fit in the 500C with the top down, the driver's seat removed and sitting in the backseat...

Cool!

I still haven't seen a 500 yet..

This might be the best review I've read so far (Roger Ebert and Peter Travers both had good reviews also): Transformers: Dark of The Moon review from Film Freak Central

That was a fun movie...another one I liked that had a similar premise was 'The Philadelphia Experiment'..

Not my genre really, but the biggest complaint I have is on that on many of them, you can't get a manual w/ the top trim levels...a manual transmission shouldn't relegate one to a depressing stripped down base model. The Golf or Golf GTI still seems to be the gold standard to me in FWD compacts, at least it seems to be the most serious and sporty (in GTI form). In the subcompact realm, the Mini is probably the most interesting as far as the design and the availability of a performance version (the S and JCW versions).

Well, the Charger and 300 are at the same price point more or less. It would be nice to see a V8 RWD full size from GM, but I don't see it happening, what with a new Epsilon II Impala coming in a couple years...

Happy Birthday!