Drew Dowdell

buy that man an Econoline!

as soon as the i-series comes out, there won't be a single major brand that is purely RWD. No SMK, Jaguar doesn't count.

Chevrolet Silverado updates for 2012 August 29, 2011 - Drew Dowdell - CheersandGears.com Chevrolet updates the entire Silverado lineup for 2012. The revised design includes a chrome mesh grill with chrome surround on the LS and LT models and a body color surround on the LTZ. Five new exterior colors appear, Silver Ice metalic, Mocha Steel Metallic, Carbon Flash Metallic, and Graystone. On the LT and LTZ models, White Diamond tricoat is now available as part of a package that includes chrome mirror caps, chrome door handles, and bodyside moldings with The LTZ also gaining the Z60 suspension package with 20 inch chrome wheels, exhaust tips, and tow hooks, touring tires. The interior gets two new color combos with Dark Titanium/Light Titanium and Dark Cashmere/Light Cashmere. On the hardware side, all Silverado 1500s now include Trailer Sway Control and Hill Start Assist as part of the Stabilitrack system. Cruise Control and spare tire lock are now standard on all models. The available navigation system now uses a hard drive instead of DVDs to store map information and also includes an updated display. The updated 6-speed transmission is now programmed to downshift during deceleration to use the engine to slow the truck there by reducing brake wear. This feature works either in or out of Tow/Haul mode on all models equipped with either the 5.3 or 6.0 liter engines. As we mentioned earlier, the entire Silverado lineup has been updated and that includes the HD models as well. The Silverado HD has increased its towing capacity again to a best-in-class 18,000 lbs. fifth wheel capacity is now a best-in-class 23,000 lbs, and payload capacity is a best-in-class 7,215 lbs. From the Chevrolet press release: Silverado HD’s greater capability for 2012 comes from strategic enhancements incorporated into the chassis. Updates to the trailer hitch receiver (available in the fourth quarter), for example, enable the increase in conventional towing to 18,000 pounds from 17,000 pounds for 2011.For greater fifth-wheel towing capacity, engineers strengthened the pickup box sills and other box structures along with the rear springs, U-bolts, and box mounts. The also revised the shock tuning, all of which contributed to the Silverado 3500 HD best-in-class tow rating of 23,000 pounds, up from 21,700 pounds in 2011. Coming off their 2011 Motor Trend Truck of the Year win, Chevrolet is not standing still with these upgrades.

aw man, I wish. We can heat the whole house with just the one fireplace.

Infiniti Bringing Back Front Wheel Drive Models August, 29, 2011 - Drew Dowdell - CheersandGears.com Infiniti's last front wheel drive model, the I35 (pictured above) died at the end of the 2004 model year. In what was essentially a Nissan Maxima Brougham, the 255 horsepower sedan didn't fit in with the all rear wheel drive sport sedan image that Infiniti was aiming for. However, at this year's Pebble Beach, Infiniti unveiled the JX series 3 row crossover due to go on sale in April 2012 in both front wheel drive and all wheel drive configurations. Following the JX will be an Infiniti electric vehicle based on the front wheel drive Nissan Leaf but with completely different styling and purpose. Also rumored is a small front wheel drive compact hatchback that Infiniti hopes to compete against the BMW 1-series and Audi A3. Infiniti says that by going with a front wheel drive platform, they can increase interior room without increasing overall size of the car. This move makes BMW the last of the big luxury marques to hold to the "all rear wheel drive" claim, something that not even BMW will hold soon as the new i-series rolls out.

The interior looks very promising.

just a different form of the same word. i.e. Death, dead, die, dying....

Can there be a much more pointless crossover? Just make a 1-series wagon for the U.S.

Does money get less green as the holder gets older?

Jealous!

1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Coupe - 23,240 miles

We'd both like an Equinox, but equipped the way we want it is far too much money.

Actually not an LNF. I don't know what they did between the LNF and the LHU (The Regal Turbo), but whatever it was it didn't improve NHV.

I'm not disagreeing that the next fuel economy race is in entry to mid lux. It's already on in family midsize now. I just don't have a problem with a revamped LNF being part of GM's solution.

In German, the word "tote" means "dead"

I"m not sure what that would be. The LNF was tame enough in a Cobalt or Solstice it seems. Perhaps the way it runs?

Its really a weight issue more than anything. The CTS is a porky car for its size. The same transmission (6L50) and engine (3.6 DI LFX V6) gets 30mpg in the Camaro. The Camaro of course is about 300 lbs lighter than the CTS. We were talking about putting the LNF into a CTS size and weight car like BMW is putting a turbo 4 into the 528. The 528 will also have an 8 speed transmission to help overcome the weight.

except that when Lutz did it, he didn't sound like an out of touch asshole. Honestly, I preferred Ed Whitacre. He wasn't a car guy either, but he knew how to pick out smart people and then step back and let the smart people do their thing.

So basically the man is listening to random people in the hallway and making decisions based on that. GM also has the oldest trucks on the block while Ford's are much newer and have fabulous new engines that the media just gushes over. How is it a shock to anyone at GM that GM had to offer incentives while Ford could raise prices? To beat the Germans in China they'll need the right hardware to beat the Germans in the U.S.. They will never beat the Germans in the EU because of that market's brand nationality loyalties.

Their market share started declining a few months before the earthquake.

Opelish interior, Cruze just about everything else, GMDAT did most of the work.

This isn't based on Astra, it's based on Cruze.

I can certainly see the argument that the Dakota was too close to the Ram in price and size. What about a new Dakota off the Wrangler platform since they won't give us that hot Jeep truck we all want?

Anyone interested in the science behind the virginia quake, a very good writeup here.

Nearly every anti-gay group out there issued press releases saying that God caused an earthquake in Virginia because of the gay marriage law passing in New York.