Robert Hall

Yes, too much like an updated '90s Lumina.

I could see Costco or Sam's Club selling them.... 'Chevrolet Kirkland' for Costco and 'Chevrolet Generica' for Sam's Club..

Because it took them 6 years for the last refresh ('00-05, refreshed in '06). There are some people that will buy anything if it's cheap enough..it's the Wal-Mart syndrome...the Impala is largish, cheap package. See above...there are consumers that are oblivious to the niceities of a more modern package and only care if it's cheap.... GM shouldn't pander to such buyers, it only reinforces the stereotype of GM offering mediocre products that only sell on price.

stern

1971 is probably my favorite Buick year... boat tail Riv, Centurion convertible, GSes, Electra 225s, etc. the whole line.

Yeah, well, looking at the numbers for the 260hp 2.0 turbo 4 in the Cobalt SS, I think it could do quite well as a Camaro engine...

I hear you...my side burns have gray hairs in them.. I've tried since I was 18 to grow a decent mustache or beard, never was satisfied w/ the results..

Wrong...read the Lounge Rules: While the Lounge is for members only, there are two key points we wish to have our members abide by: 1) Please use office talk. Talk that you would not use around the office, or infront of your boss for that matter, please do not use here on C&G

Hmmm...'practical and efficient' are not words I would ever associate with 68...

I'm a Doctor Who fan...I have a Dalek in my cube at work also.

DB engineering.

Isn't that the one that was announced recently as shutting down in '10 or so? Even if they shut down the plant before the W ends, they will probably stockpile a bunch.

Yes, I wouldn't expect any more.... they aren't going to want to spend any money on an obsolete platform with an obsolete engine and transmission...

Yeah, but knowing GM, it probably won't have any changes between now and then (since there was a substantial MCE for '06).

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...