Drew Dowdell

depends on how flexible I need to be. under 800 miles, I prefer the train. over 800 miles I fly. I'll only drive if I need flexibility at my destination or flexibility in my return trip.... and even then only under 800 miles. I'm one of the few Americans not afraid of public transportation.

I have a feeling this will be more for Caddies, Buicks, and maybe the Vette.

$39k and you still get: And the base TL gets 20/29 compaired to the CTS's 18/27..... I'm willing to bet that the TL-S drops to about the same as the CTS. But still, that doesn't address the most glaring thing.... this is Acura's performance model and your compairing it to a mid-level engine CTS. This is Acura's answer to the CTS-V.... And no giving Acura a pass because it costs $10k less than the V. No one gives the $49k CTS-V a pass when it comes in 1/10th a second slower than the $80k M5, so Acura doesn't get one either.

High performance milk-toast.

Even though Saab is GM, and I'm a GM man, this really just proves how off base the Lienerts are.

It's about damn time they put a Hi-Po engine in the Legacy GT

Maybe they're using the LS460 engine... could be.

and that explains the pit marks and dusty/smudged bits... how?

far too many..... in fact, I see lots of green Civic EX mommy sedans "modded" out

I agree 100% <though some of that is my assumptions that you know more about Ford's internal workings than I>. I do doubt that Ford will completely fold, but I don't doubt that bankruptcy is in the cards. My concern is how many people he'll cut and the possibility of cutting the good along with the bad. If Ford only has months left, then I have a feeling they're already done. Very few companies of that size can react that fast.

Bring back the Iacocca ads, that'll sell cars...

they already have banner ads out....

We need a single, national, standard for both fuel blends and emissions. Having 48 different blends of fuel for 50 states isn't a very efficient way to do business. We have federal standards for headlights and crash worthiness, why not fuel and emissions? What's to stop California from demanding that drivers suffer no injuries in impacts of 50mph or lower in all situations?

he's been in charge of Ford for all of two days now.

quite true. Even still, making the finest car in a class doesn't always mean much. Many times image or tradition or customer base means more. In a way, that's what is wrong with the Five Hundred. Ford tried to build a Camry beater. In the process they lost what Taurus buyers they still had, and by being as bland as the Camry without the <questionably deserved> quality reputation, no one had a reason to buy one unless they *really* wanted a FWD Crown Vic. Apparently, that market is quite small. Still the Five Hundred is still a fine car... not the finest..but it would probably still satisfy 90% of Camry owners. From what we've read so far, it sounds like Ford has the engine and transmission improvements ready to go. The interiors are already better than GM and Chrysler, now they just need the passion. The smartest thing this guy can do is make the cars *look* like their concepts. The 427 concept, Continental concept, Super Chief, Bronco, Mark X, could all have been built on the current platforms.... even if you have to adjust a line or two, as least make it look close. The Continental concept would have put some serious hurt on the 300C, CTS, STS, and most of Lexus's line.

Ford's "most premium" sedan is the XJ. The XJ should never, EVER, aim to be like the LS. The interior of the XJ needs to improve in quality, but otherwise, it is one of the finest large road cars out there. It certainly has the looks.

Ford is doomed.

I misspelled it in my first post, it's Abboud. It was a designer edition of the Regal GS. It had some dark, textured, buttery leather seats: and Subtle two toning unique to the package:

Sad thing is, this will still outsell the Mazda 3 because of that damn H on the hood.

I loved my W-Body All things considered, probably the best riding, most comfortable car I've owned. Was reliable too. I never should have traded it on the CTS... but I had my heart set on the Caddy. I know this isn't the case for everyone, but the ergonomics of the W-bodies just seem to fit me as a driver perfectly. It was like the car was tailored to fit around my body. When I was shopping for a replacement for the Cutlass, I test drove a loaded Joseph Abuud Regal GS. Getting out of the Cutlass and into the Regal...everything just fit. *sigh* I know this doesn't add anything to the thread.... but I wanted to add that.

That means they'd need 1,428,571,429 barrels of oil to make up that cost at todays prices. This discovery will yield them 3,000,000,000 to 15,000,000,000 barrels of oil.

your situation only works in a monopoly or oligopoly. when you have many competitors there is less chance for price alignment There are, what, 5 major producers? this is also a lesson in why oil company mergers are bad

The retail price of gasoline rose disproportionally to the price of crude oil. well.... they do.

It didn't. They tried it with Oldsmobile and look where it got them.

Left over VW Passat sunroof knob.....