Drew Dowdell

Hey, I'd drive a new 9-5 for $0. I'd even drive a new 9-3 for that...

Not the fastest car out there, but a perfectly pleasant and polite little engine.

Drive a Cruze Eco and your opinion of what they can do for NHV in 4-cylinders should really change.... and there isn't nearly as much effort put into that engine as the new 2.0T and 2.5.

The 8-speed will come later.

You are partially correct. The 2.5 is a replacement for the old V6, but it is not a replacement for the 3800, it's a replacement for the 3100/3400 which was much more common in the base sedans and coupes. That is what most Luminas, Cutlasses, and Grand Prixes sold with. The 2.0T is the 3800 replacement as the up level engine. And since there are two versions of it, also the 3800 S/C.

There is no drop in power for mainstream buyers.

There is no visiting in the psych ward unless you are on the list of approved visitors. It is doubtful the you'll be allowed to see him, Chris, once he is moved unless his wife authorizes it.

The hospital staff wont even acknowledge that he is there or that they've ever even heard his name. HIPPA rules forbid it.

Yup, that is exactly what is happening

Folks, this is a clear example of the US being 94th in education. OOOOOh look! I used a statistic!

The government unemployment stats are notoriously understated for political reasons. There are far more long term unemployed out there than the government reports. To argue with me on this would only further cement my point.

OMG that intro page makes me dizzy!

There are 3 flavors of 4-cylinder in the Regal as well. Why no outrage there?

if the only way to tell the cars trim is by looking on the seat between my legs, I'm never gonna know what car I'm driving.

Because not everyone needs or wants a race car. Why is Mercedes offering a 200hp 1.8 Turbo? Well, the 2.0 T hardly makes the ATS a 'race car'..it's still just a 4cyl. and? there is another engine above that. How hard is it to understand Small/Medium/Large and eventually XXL?

oh yea, and I'll need some glow plugs.... it's an Oldsmobile after all....

Because not everyone needs or wants a race car. Why is Mercedes offering a 200hp 1.8 Turbo?

C/E/S-class fleet sales exist across Europe. The C-Class is the "Chevy Impala" of the rental car business over there with the E-class being the "Buick Lucerne". The C-Class/E-Class/S-Class image over there is flawed. They are not aspirational cars. If you personally drive a black C-Class sedan or Wagon, the common assumption is that it is a corporate lease that you get with your middle management job at the bank. The SL and CLS and other niche vehicles do have a good image, but they are not sold in any volume like the executive saloons and taxis are. Mercedes makes its volume the good old fashioned way.... by fleeting to fleety fleets with fleets of fleet cars.

I need the rear most universal joint for my '81 Toronado.

We'll have a Sonic Turbo coming on Thursday.

give it time... I can certainly see a FWD small SUV at Benz some time in the future. The SL and S-Class won't go FWD and neither will the Cadillac flagship or any future roadster.

Zero in the US, I would think. He's quoting global numbers, so the U.S. is relatively irrelevant. not.going.to.happen. Cadillac needs to be itself and not try and emulate M-B. Unfortunately, being part of GM means there will be FWD volume models because GM is a mass-market FWD car maker. So Cadillac's product mix is going to be closer to Lexus in the near term than BMW or M-B... So MB is going to be emulating Cadillac then by introducing more FWD models?

December 19th, 2011 - Drew Dowdell - CheersandGears.com - It looks like the end is nigh for troubled Swedish automaker SAAB who filed for bankruptcy in Vänersborg, Sweden today. After receiving a number of life lines in the way of funding promises via various Chinese banks and auto manufacturers, the final life line by Youngman Automotive was cut when General Motors officially stated that they would not approve the deal. Just last week, the court appointed administrator for SAAB's voluntary reorganization, Guy Lofalk, quit giving SAAB another two weeks to finalize the deal with Youngman Automotive. The official press release from SAAB is on page 2 Zeewolde, The Netherlands, 19 December 2011 – Swedish Automobile N.V. (Swan) announces that Saab Automobile AB (Saab Automobile), Saab Automobile Tools AB and Saab Powertrain AB filed for bankruptcy with the District Court in Vänersborg, Sweden this morning. After having received the recent position of GM on the contemplated transaction with Saab Automobile, Youngman informed Saab Automobile that the funding to continue and complete the reorganization of Saab Automobile could not be concluded. The Board of Saab Automobile subsequently decided that the company without further funding will be insolvent and that filing bankruptcy is in the best interests of its creditors. It is expected that the Court will approve of the filing and appoint receivers for Saab Automobile very shortly. Swan does not expect to realize any value from its shares in Saab Automobile and will write off its interest in Saab Automobile completely. Source: SAAB Global Media View full article

How many of those C and E classes were Taxis?