Drew Dowdell

White new Camaro Super-Stretch limo

.... why yes, I'm in New Jersey.... why do you ask?

I think as a first entry back into the American market it did great. Since it is small and relatively inexpensive it set the expectation low and delivered. I haven't read any disparaging reviews at least. If a push is to come from fiat to expand a line of cars in America I feel they are in a good position to do so. They have done a sold job of getting Chrysler out of crisis and are improving on every level. The dodge dart seems like it will be a hit and the opens up an avenue even for Alfa to come back since it's built on the Juliana. I hear Maserati is expanding. With all the dealerships who lost brands over the past few years there is definitely room for Italian cars in America right now. Also good timing on the heels of the Jersey shore guido cultural renaissance.

I want to add, think about what this generation grew up riding around in. If all you ever really know is your mom's Grand LumiStar and Dad's CamCordima, would you be excited about cars?

There isn't a single vehicle my parents drove that was exciting in anyway, but here I am with my username and all because my Grandmother's Custom Cruiser Diesel fascinated me as a kid.

Remember, this is basically an Op Ed.

I've noticed in the few times I've had a Cruze automatic that MPGs drop off quickly as one crests over 65mph. Do 65mph and you'll get close to the EPA. Do 55 - 60 mph and you'll go over the EPA. Do 70+, and you get punished at the pump.

Almost none of the other cars in the video were Euro. There was a late 80s Deville in there too

and if you think about it, what a great way to make sure none of your competition's cars show up in your ad?

Nissan needs to get it's own house in order with regards to small cars first. The Versa is a complete pile and the Sentra is so old as to be nearly irrelevant

Since when are we the country of "can't!"

This is what Alpha, Gamma and Delta II are. Gamma and Delta II have some interchangeable parts and Delta II and Delta II and theta have some interchangeable parts.

They could platform share the Peugeot RCZ right into Chevy dealerships and I wouldn't complain. The Citroen C1 and Peugeot 107 would share with the Spark. The Peugoet 206+ and Citroen C3 - C3 Picasso could ride with the Chevy Sonic. Peugeot 308 and Citroen C4 line are a dead ringer for the Cruze platform. The Peugeot 508 and Citroen C5 and C6 go on Epsilon II. Peugeot 407, which is in major need of a makeover could go on Alpha.

Everyone will get to this eventually

I wonder if Mercedes would be interested

fixed the dupe comment thread

Fine, say that the auto makers had a collective yawn (save volvo which is looking at it seriously) but don't go around saying that electric cars with decent range and decent power can't be done.

As for the batteries, the packaging of cars has changed tremendously since the Electrovair such that the installation of the batteries in that car didn't compromise interior space. I can find plenty of room in various parts of my Toronado to install battery packs as well especially after swapping out 5 liters of Iron Block for a Tesla motor the size of a watermelon.

The main developments in batteries have been in size and weight. Had the Electrovair used modern batteries that took the same volume/weight of today's high tech LiO batteries along with modern electric powertrain, it is likely its performance and range would increase dramatically.

You can't simply say that the since the Electrovair and the Leaf have the same range then battery technology hasn't improved at all in 50 years. You are leaving out far too much data to come to that conclusion.

But hey, the Model-A Ford got 30 mpg and the 2012 Camaro V6 automatic gets 29mpg.... there hasn't been any improvement in fuel economy in 80 years!!!!!1!!!!!11eliventy!!!!!

If Cadillac doesn't make some waves and rattle a few cages, then they are sunk.

Bold is called for here.

Fine, but actually have the car to be bold with. The ATS doesn't start rolling down the production line for another 4 months at least.

GM wants something out of Citroen-Peugeot... they didn't just do this to blow through their allowance.

Well, aside from the fact that that Mini does recharge itself, since when do gasoline cars refill themselves?

But what is GM getting out of this?

I have to say, the setup of the Scion FR-S sounds rather smashing. The styling is tepid, but who can argue with a low mount, flat four, 200hp, RWD coupe weighing less than 2800lbs?

I've had a thing for the Infiniti G-Coupe since the start. The current Accord coupe is also rather attractive for a Honda. They accidentally got that one right.

My issue with BMW is how over-hyped they are, but a 7-series could probably steal my heart. The E39 5-series remains one of the best looking sedans on the road, stark contrast to the E60.

there hasn't been a Benz I've liked since the W210 E-class

I like it better than the Eqqus or Genesis...

BMW would get a known brand that still has loyal followers and buyers.

All five of them!!

On paper this seems like a good idea. In practice, I'm pessimistic it'd work. Unless BMW mandated joint SAAB/BMW or SAAB/Mini dealerships, the Scandanavian brand's limited dealer network would hinder the brand. Going toe-to-toe with the Buick's, VW's and Acura's would be a challenge.

Mini had immediate brand awareness that BMW could milk from the get-go. SAAB has nowhere near the brand cachet.

That being said, if they could pull it off, it'd be a really cool revival for a brand that even I believe deserved a lot more love than it got.

The current Saab network would have no affiliation with the "new Saab" at all. BMW could offer Saab franchises to whomever it chooses from the old network, but would more likely team them up with their existing network.

Battery development is not at a standstill. Electric motor development is not at a stand still.

You guys want range? The 640hp AWD electric mini-cooper has a range of 200 - 250 miles. Or... roughly Pittsburgh to D.C.

If they made it just FWD *cough* sorry, if they made it just RWD and 320hp, and only increased the range to 350miles, that would still be a longer cruising range than I have on my Toronado or CR-V or my old CTS.

I realize it is just a concept, but it is also proof of concept.

The equus is already being used in black car service here in NYC. I counted 6 today..... along with 3 new A8s oddly.

One of the reasons I supported BK writing this article is because of the white flag of surrender that the manufacturers are waving now. Look at the "fog lights" on that Ford Edge above. How effective are those going to be at lighting anything? They aren't even all that effective at increasing your visibility to other drivers because their lumens are so low.

But those aren't fog lights. Those are perimeter lights as you said.

If the distance that headlights let you see is an issue, than the answer is more likely to be active headlights that adjust up and down and not just side to side. At slower speeds, the headlights can angle down slightly for more immediate vision while at higher speeds they can raise up to normal