Robert Hall

Kappa probably hasn't met ROI targets. I bet Alpha will disappear--they probably figure Delta II is good enough for compact cars. Gamma II, Delta II, Epsilon II, Theta, Theta Premium, Lambda. That's where the money will go, because FWD generics are where the volume and profits are worldwide. GM NA only has 7 RWD models now..Corvette, Solstice, G8, Sky, CTS, STS, XLR, plus the Camaro coming next year. I wonder how many will still be around in 5 years.. Of course, this is more RWD now than they had 5-10 years ago. I'd love to see GM have more RWD, but I realize the unfortunate reality is that FWD is where the mass market is.

Not surprising...I can see GM trimming back anything that deviates from their core business on car side---i.e. FWD high volume mass market cars. Thus, Kappa, Sigma, and Zeta are probably not long for this world. Sad.

Well, you are in the NE..I guess they all rusted out..

Yes, that would be too mainstream. A van based on the Clubman would be an interesting addition--the original Mini had a van version, I believe (I've got a Matchbox one..

Well, the Germans are mostly RWD (except for Audi) and overly engineered, but they definitely are not 'low in weight'..they are all about the heft. Nothing wrong with that.

I'm surprised Mini doesn't offer a regular 5dr model. The 3dr Mini is probably the only subcompact out there I'd seriously consider...I like it for it's character and style, it doesn't have the stigma in the US of most subcompacts.

Very clean '82 Vette..don't see those often.

I wonder who will have the first diecast of the production version of the Camaro.

Yes..that's why I referred to a hypothetical 2dr one as a phantom...something for another thread.

I haven't heard anything about a Cadillac Lambda. Next gen Escalade?

Interesting..never made the connection between the Toro front and the Cord..I see it as a continuation of the big mid '70s Toro fronts, with a little bit of the classic '66-67 models in that the headlights are above the grille..

About the only A bodies I see are the '90s Century and Ciera, since they were made 6 years longer than the others, there are probably a lot more still around. Haven't seen an early one (rectangular headlights) of any of them in many years. A phantom that would have been interesting would have been a 6000 STE in 2dr form with the later rounded 2dr roofline.

About the only A bodies I see are the '90s Century and Ciera, since they were made 6 years longer than the others, there are probably a lot more still around. Haven't seen an early one (rectangular headlights) of any of them in many years.

Yeah, it was a fun thing to drive..we had to carefully pick the gas stations to pull into...a few times, had to disconnect the car to make turns. Pull in, fill up 3 gas tanks with about 200 gallons of regular, then back on the freeway, getting about 5-6 mpg.

The Toro was ok, but the Riviera and Eldo looked great, IMHO, esp. the rare ones without vinyl tops.. And I like (though a lot of people don't like them) the E-bodies 4dr K-body relative, the '80-85 Seville...very unique design.

One design aspect of the new TL I strongly don't like is the C-pillar, esp. the poorly executed door upper cutline. The BMW-like kink in the C-pillar is a predictable cliche today, seen on everything from the Altima and Maxima, to the G35 to the MKS and Accord and others...at least the previous car had a distinctive greenhouse.

When I lived in Ann Arbor in the mid '90s, I spent a lot of time in a local coffee house downtown... studying between classes, hanging out with other grad students and studying together for exams. There was a Starbucks, IIRC, but they weren't everywhere like now. Back in 2001-2002, when I was out of work for a while, I hung out in Colorado Springs in a neat local place called Pikes Perk--all the independent consultants hung out there, what with the appeal of the free internet (which wasn't so common back then). I often would go there 3-4 days a week and hang out all morning, talking w/ consultant buddies, working on business plans, and other tech ideas...we ended trying to launch a company out of those meetings, but for lack of funding had to go back to regular jobs, working for the Man (i.e. normal corporate jobs). These days, I brew coffee at home, drink the coffee at work, or drink a cold Starbucks double shot. In summer in the disgusting oven of Phoenix, it's hard to get into drinking a hot coffee.. I do like a traditional, independent coffee house enivronment in a gray, rainy place... where I can while away the hours reading the paper, reading a book, listening to a local band. Doesn't fit in well in the always sunny, always warm reality I'm in now. I miss gray and rain. Even Colorado doesn't have that many gray, rainy days.

The side crease and grille give it brand identity, though..without these styling cues, it would be just another generic FWD sedan.

Oh, yeah..I remember those... I was into motorhomes from about 1978-1988...we had a subscription to a magazine that was like Motor Trend but for motorhomes..stayed at many a KOA and Good Sam park..some of my favorites from the '80s were the Holiday Rambler Ambassadors and the Appolo Sceptre--very sleek. After the Southwind, my folks had a Pace Arrow 28 ft and a Winnebago Chieftain, 33 ft, both with Chevy 454s. I learned to drive the Winnebago, it was a challenge as a teenager to back a 33ft RV in and out of the barn, and pull it up to gas pumps at a gas station with a Ford Escort towed on the back.

Cool RV...that reminds me of a '73 Mobile Traveler 21 foot motorhome w/ a Dodge cab my folks had when I was a kid. Had a 318 that liked to stall a lot. Our second RV was a 25 foot Southwind Class A, it had a 440.

The G6 must be taking the Grand Prix's place as rental queen. I suppose the budget for Pontiac updates is 1/100th that of Chevy or Saturn, so this reflects that...

Yawn...34 mpg is pretty weak for such a small car..this is something that will sell only on price..the Wal-Mart car.

I've seen a couple...about 3 years ago, there was a dark blue on in the parking garage at my office building..saw it every day...it was a neat design. I worked with a guy in '06-07 that had a 9-3 SportCombi...neat wagon.. rode in it a couple of times.

I'm hoping Revell does one as a 1:25th scale plastic kit. They've done the regular C6 coupe and convertible, the Z06, and C6-R in kits so far...

Yeah, she's kind of a rare breed in the US..don't see many Australian Terriers. She's a retired champion show dog...lots of personality. One of those dogs that demand attention, can't be ignored..