Robert Hall

Well, that is the penality for being a follower instead of a leader... I have to ask. What company currently has an 8-speed auto built entirely in-house? I'm not sure why an automaker would build a transmission in-house..aren't those usually subbed out to companies like ZF, Borg-Warner or Aisin?

That is the problem with GM, it is always 2 years away from offering what others have now. Well, that is the penality for being a follower instead of a leader...

I'd be happy w/ dark gray or dark brown paint, window tint, steelies w/ DDs, and no emblems...I'd rather have the grille frame blacked out also. I'd like to have a tan cloth or leather interior, no weird police seats. Then spend some extra $$$ to upgrade the engine to get at least 400-450hp.

I do wonder if the 'detective' unmarked versions (like the black and red cars in the post above) have the police spec interior or have normal seats instead. It's too bad GM is so blind to the potential of a consumer version of this car and gave up the niche to Chrysler.

There is no V8 version in existence or under development. However, if there is, it will displace 4752 cc (4.8 liter), sport a compact 60 degree Vee angle and probably require a balance shaft to be refined. It'll also probably make about 420~430 hp and 365~375 lb-ft on regular 87, perhaps 20 more on 91 octane. I know, I was speculating...GM is not ambitious enough to build a modern DOHC V8. And why would be 4752cc? How can you speculate such a precise number?

But then the buyer would be stuck w/ an ordinary compact. The Prius gives one status and bragging rights....I've certainly gotten an earful over the years from Prius-owner friends and coworkers..a Corolla just says that one is a cheapskate or can't afford better, a Prius says one is smart and green..at least that is the perception in society at large.

That's one design feature I dislike on so many new cars..the Taurus side and rear windows are way too small...last year I had one as a rental for 3 days, and depended heavily on the mirrors to see out, even then still had some blind spots. The Grand Marquis rentals I've driven over the years seem much airier, with relatively huge windows..

NJ State Police has a similar clause, so I imagine they'll need to go Taurus, as well. Or more trucks. I forgot the Charger was Canadian. The NJSP have so many bizarre "undercover" cars, I wonder if all of them are "Made in the USA". I always laugh when I see a person pulled over my a champagne minivan. Got a lot of odd ones here as well..I've seen unmarked Silverados, F150s, even a black Escalade w/ a hidden strip of police lights..

Ahh...I thought it was a V6 rental when I first looked at the pics (small wheels)...then went back and noticed the post light and column shift...

Sweet...

With Cadillac talking about a $150K premium model sedan there needs to be more then three sedans to take up the range. I see my ULS as a Sixteen type of model that would be built to order and very limited. Perhaps bring on a modern A&S version of tail fins on this long and elegant model! The return of the larger then life Cadillac! No problem. I was confused, though, because you have the ULS priced so low (starting at 65k). One can dream Bro! :smilies-38096: For that price, it could target the Lexus LS, 7 series and S class..something light (4500lb) and smallish (about 200 inches)..now for a Sixteen-style uberlux $150k premium model I'd want to see something w/ a 130 inch wheelbase, 80 inch width, 230 inch overall length and a minimum of 5000lbs...

I'd definitely like to see more affordable Italian cars available, and would also like to see the 3 French brands come back to the US..modern European compacts/etc seem to have much more interesting designs and character than the typical Japanese & Korean generics...

I know Lexus does it, but that's because the ES is the weird one in the group and is positioned below the "entry-level" IS. The way I see it, the XTS will end up being the weird one in the Cadillac stable if that happens. But as Carguy had posted, his lineup consisted of 4 RWD sedans. Positioning seems weird that way, with STS and ULS both essentially occupying the top spot. Ah..I missed that they were all RWD...I suspect there will be at least 3 RWD ones eventually, with the XTS being the ES/LaCrosse/MKS/ competitor and Avis staple...

I see that as possible..they had 3 sedan lines up until this year, the XTS is coming to replace the DTS, the ATS is being added, and a flagship RWD sedan has been rumored forever, so 4 sizes of sedans seems likely in a few years..

On my lunchtime stroll I came across a gorgeous silver '65 Olds Jetstar 1 hardtop (Starfire style roofline) w/ tasteful 20 inch chrome wheels. Like a mirage in the vile desert heat, it was quite a surprise to see such a car amidst the usual Prii, BMWs, Mercedeses etc in a downtown Scottsdale parking lot.. Saw a black Ferrari 458 Italia in the same area yesterday afternoon...1st one I'd seen, pretty sweet. Also, I've probably seen 1/2 dozen Nissan Leafs (Leaves?) this month so far..

Econoline.

Nobody said Mercedes-Benz's alphanumeric system actually made sense. Do I agree with Cadillac's decision to ditch names for alphanumerics? Not really. Then again, words do have different connotations around the world, even assuming the same language. MB naming used to make sense....SL is for the German words for Sporting and Light, and SLK is Sporting, Light, and Short (Kurz)... C-class for Compact, E-class for Executive, etc. The 'E' in SE, SEL, SEC was for the German word for Injection like fuel injection, etc..the L in SEL was for longer (Lang)..

I saw a '53 Studebaker coupe an a car hauler a while back...red w/ a black roof. What I really liked about the '53-54 Studebaker hardtops and coupes were how low and clean they were...very little trim....so many cars in the early 50s were tall, humpy and still had tacked-on looking rear quarters, followed by the excess chrome gorp and fins of the late 50s--the Studebaker coupe in contrast was so clean and linear... For the earlier Studebakers, I liked the wrap-around rear window of the Starlight coupe, but found the front end of the '50-51 hideous.

Thought that myself, but there it was sans square roof, Gran Turismo script on the door. Interesting...maybe it was an earlier Hawk someone had put GT doors on for some reason or another..I like the very clean '53-55 pre-Hawk coupes and the GT more than the finny ones from '56-61.

You must. It answers a lot of things we thought we knew but were not sure. Also it reveils how bad somethings were. I waa amazed when he said Saturn was mad bland because people who bought Saturns were not car people and like bland post modern styling. The first Vue's nose was pointed out as being plain because that the buyers wanted it that way. Who in their right mind would ever think that. It just points out how much lack of common sense and out of touch GM was. There is truth to that, though...Saturn catered to the car-as-appliance crowd, like Toyotas do...styling was not a selling point.

That happens in my Mom's barn in Ohio...parking cars on the bottom floor on sheets of material (fiberboard or plywood) instead of directly on the concrete helps, IIRC.

I've been reading for 10 years or so that Alfa is coming back...I'll believe it when I see it. It will be nice to see the brand back, their small FWD models have more character and style than the usual FWD generics sold here IMO... I'd esp. like to see a coupe and spyder of some sort (something to replace the Brera).

Speaking of TV show themes, a long time ago I had a cassette (it was the 80s) of Mike Post TV themes...A-Team, Rockford Files, etc...have no idea what I did with it though. Also had a couple cassettes of Miami Vice (series) music.. I have found a lot of TV music on iTunes.

I wouldn't say homely, but awkward. I think the wheelbase needed a bit more stretching to get the proportions better in tune. It has the unfortunate FWD proportions that so many FWD models have had over the years...front wheels set back waaaaay to far. I always liked the rear end of these, esp. the coupes. The digital dash, though...ugh.

Alas, cruise nights are out of season here, I think. Winter is when the best ones are, when hundreds or more cars show up.