Robert Hall

Maybe GM saw that Ford kept the Crown Vic around for over 10 years with few changes and figured they could do the same. Isn't the Impala mostly fleet anyway? Fleets don't care that it has a 4spd auto and pushrod V6. The Malibu is their main consumer midsize now..

I can't recall when I've seen one...never driven one... I can't imagine driving a manual with a column shift.

I haven't shaved my head yet for spring (still have my winter hair), been trying to grow sideburns and a goatee.... it's frustrating, I've never been any good at growing a mustache/goatee or beard... after several weeks, I can still count the hairs on my upper lip and chin. But I can grow a badass Amish-style neck beard ('Chin Curtain'). My team at work is having a beard competition going towards our Aug 1 release (I'm not sure if I want a beard in a Scottsdale summer)..one guy had a full beard 3 weeks ago, then a goatee 2 weeks ago, and a mustache and soul patch last week...not sure what he'll do this week. Another guy is working on sideburns and a handlebar mustache..says the look was inspired by the Tony Gazzo character in 'Rocky'... I have thought about shaving my head and trying to grow a beard like Samuel L Jackson wore in Shaft... kind of looked like a Nike swoosh from the side...and he was a bad azz mofo in that movie.

That sucks...some oblivious woman rearended my Grand Cherokee while I was sitting in a turn lane yesterday.. left a scuff on my already worn gray plastic rear bumper, no biggie. I suggested she hang up the phone and drive. Went to the grocery this afternoon, she was parked beside me in the lot..argggghhh. (her Sable has a small scratch on the front bumper).

I read the review in Motor Trend today..the numbers were quite shocking...260hp, 5.5 sec 0-60, 13.9 in the 1/4? About 3000lbs. And cheap...reminds me of a modern reinvention of the Mustang LX 5.0 idea (cheap, fast, basic). I figure a Camaro that can beat these numbers (at least the 0-60) will be north of $30k, so the Cobalt SS is definitely the Chevy budget hot rod.

I would think they will eventually spread the technology and platform to other US market brands as well... maybe a crossover for Saturn (call it the Ohm to play on the electricity-theme names, or a Buick Electra (on) sedan

Someone posted pics of the Pontiac prototype on here a while back..looks like a '78 Grand Am front clip on an El Camino body...black, IIRC, and the GM Heritage Center Museum or something like that?

I remember that ad from the mags back in the day..don't recall if I've ever seen one in person. Didn't GMC have a package like that also (El Diablo or something?).

The marketing will be critical...one thing that worries me is how are they going to price it? I'm assuming it may have to be sold at a loss for a few years to get it off the ground...

We will see... it will be uphill battle for mindshare and marketshare for the Volt.

Thing is, they keep loosing market share the way it is...and Pontiac is what, 75% fleet? Unfortunate circumstances...

Well, the '01-03 US model looks pretty much the same as the '97-00 Japan model, so the '09 will be the 3rd design.

Another thing GM is going to have to overcome is inertia and the Prius...the 3rd gen is due next year, and they have sold over here over the last 8 years and is the market leader and default choice in a hybrid,and by the time the Volt arrives, it will have been in the US for 10 years! That is going to be difficult to overcome.

The '65 is probably my favorite style of the '65-68 Pontiacs.... of the earlier ones, my favorite is probably the '61...I love the roof and rear end treatment.

I've picked up Auto Express occasionally..reminds me a lot of Autoweek. Though for UK mags, I usually stick with Top Gear and Car. By the way, did you live in the Cleveland area when you were in the US? I lived in NE Ohio from '88-94, in Kent, Stow, and Hudson...

Going to go see Iron Man this weekend. Looking forward to Indiana Jones, Dark Knight, X-Files, and Wall-E.

Some people must be pretty desperate.

I like the subtle curves and improved interior of the G37 coupe more..the old was nice also...

Toyota really does nothing for me...too dull (like most of GM's cars). I like some of the Lexuses, but I'd buy a BMW, Infiniti or Cadillac over them... The one Japanese car I'd mostly like buy in the near future is the Infiniti G37..really liking that car.

Yes, it looks juvenile and unprofessional to have a thread title like that.

'78 is right for the Mopies...not sure about Ford, when they make their last 4dr ht LTD and Grand Marquis..'78 at the latest.. For GM, it was definitely '76 for the B- and C- bodies.

Yeah, '80s carburated cars I'd avoid at all costs...

I wonder what happened to ex-brother-in-law #3's mother's car...she passed away at age 95 a couple years ago, she had a silver blue w/ dark blue interior '86ish Fleetwood Brougham...I recall riding in it back in 2000, it only had 25k miles then....

I'm thinking of getting one...a 2005+ Grand Marquis or Town Car...lots of them around here. And they get better mileage than my Jeep.

Astros were unsafe at any speed (ever see the crash test video?). Definitely not something for a family. I'd recommend an old Volvo wagon if you want something cheap, RWD and safe.