Eric77TA

These look like they are RHD to me?

This isn't entirely true. 1. Yes, what became the 1973 Grand Am was originally intended to be the GTO, but the GTO would have still been a two door. The 1973 Grand Am was available in both 2 door and 4 door body styles. 2. The SD-455 wasn't cancelled in the GTO due to the Grand Am, but rather due to production constraints on the SD-455 itself. The SD-455 was originally intended to be available on all A Bodies and the G (Grand Prix) in addition to the Trans Am, but due to problems with emissions testing (pontiac tried to dupe the EPA on the EGR valve and the engine couldn't meet drive-by noise standards initially) and low production, Pontiac ended up making the SD-455 available in the Formula and Trans Am only. Here is the official bulletin from Pontiac cancelling the SD-455 in the A bodies: http://highperformancepontiac.com/tech/pon_0505_sd_10_z.jpg After a road test, Cars Magazine named the 1973 SD-455 GTO (Not Grand Am) "Top Performance Car of the Year." Unfortunately, it was never actually produced for public consumption. Supposedly one GTO and one Grand Am were built with the engine, but I don't believe it's known if they still exist. Edit: Forgot to mention - the earliest notices of the SD-455 actually said it would be available in the entire Pontiac line!

My wife and I got a Vibe for her to drive when we found out we were going to have a baby (my son, who will be 1 tomorrow!) and I have no complaints about the car. We've had it for 16 months now and don't have any squeaks and rattles, though I know others have reported them. Maybe we're just lucky. It's slow, but I like the handling and with my wife (lightfooted) driving it about 90% of the time it gets 26 MPG in the city. I will say this, I haven't found anything child related yet that won't fit in the thing. Got one of those "Little Tykes" turtle sandboxes for a my kid for his birthday and fit it in the hatch without putting the rear seats down. It's also very easy to get a child seat in and out of. My parents have a Malibu Maxx with the 3.5 V6 and it's a very nice car. Like Capriceman said, handling isn't sporty, but is fairly refined and acceleration is good. Very solid feel. It gets around 19-20 MPG in the city. I don't really think that the interior plastics and switchgear are miles ahead of the Vibe and I personally like the Vibe seat fabric better. I also personally feel it's harder to get a car seat in and out of the Maxx than the Vibe, but I wouldn't qualify it as "difficult" and it may depend on the seat. I also agree with Capriceman that if you're tall, you'll probably want the Maxx. My wife and I are both short, but I think it could be a real pain to find a good driving position if you were tall as the steering wheel placement is sort of odd. So, I'd drive both and get what you like.

I noticed the belt as well. While I'm sure the interior will be toned down, I hope that the seat mounted belts make production. It also makes it much easier to get people (my son, specifically) in and out of the back seat

Urge reminds me of the 1989 Pontiac Stinger concept: http://us1.webpublications.com.au/static/i...9/1970_25mg.jpg

I could live with 23 city if I could lop 3/4 to a second off the 0-60 time. The car's torquey feeling off the line, but just lays down around 20. If the wife could drive a stick, I think it would be a better driving experience.

Works fine for my family! I agree that the interior needs some improvement, and like I said earlier in the thread, a significant power boost would certainly be welcome, but it gets my wife and kid around fine and delivers almost 30 mpg city. The window switches are actually the same ones that have been in Toyotas since what seems like the beginning of time. I actually really like the guage package (in the 2005 and newer) and everything is very usable, if not especially refined looking. MSRP on the Vibe is admittedly high, but street price is significantly lower. No, the current Vibe probably won't be competitive with the Caliber, but by the time that the Caliber arrives the Vibe will be an almost 8 year old design. Hopefully on a redesign Toyota/GM will provide more parity.

So the new Vibe is scheduled for Calendar 07, but will be a 2008 model, then. Based on what I'd read I thought it was an 07, meaning it would come in fall '06. Guess that explains the lack of any news. I'm curious to see if the 5 door Corolla in the spy shots will be the 5 door that becomes Matrix/Vibe, or just a 5 door hatch version, which may not even make it to the states like the current Corolla Run X and Spacio. Hopefully the power increases which seem to be happening through much of the Toyota lineup will hit the Matrix/Vibe as well.

I realize that this is an enthusiast forum, and the Vibe isn't exactly an enthusiast car, but my wife is driving one right now and we've found it to be a good compromise for space and mileage for hauling around our son and his accoutrements. I've read "future vehicle forecasts" noting that the Vibe was due for a redesign for the 2007 model year, still as a shared product with Toyota but I haven't really heard anything otherwise about When the new model will debut. Anybody have any scoop about what the next Vibe will be like? I'm sure it will still get a Toyota engine, but man I'd love to have the new turbo ecotec in a Vibe GT.

Impala LS: 21/31 3 mpg difference between Aveo and Impala!

How about "OffRoadmaster" http://www.cheersandgears.com/public/style_emoticons//AH-HA_wink.gif

You know what's really strange? I saw my first HHR about a month ago while eating at Burger King. Coincidence? Seriously, though. It's a nice looking car. Definitely will be on my shopping list for the next family hauler. If we could get the Cobalt Supercharged SS drivetrain, it would move way up the list.