mjd1001

While the bar will still be there, I'm pretty sure it won't be chrome. Under the Camo, it appears it will be body color, and that would hold true to how Chevy did the Trailblazer SS also.

also notice that the equinox ss spy shot doesn't have the roof rails....neither does the production Trailblazer SS, nor does the Saturn Vue Redline.....yet the Pontiac does. I was under the impression that the "GXP" and "SS" versions of Suv's were going to go without the roof rails.

I really do hope they mean it will get the new 6 speed automatic, not the 5.

I am actually looking forward to this and the Equinox SS. I don't care if they call it a GXP, SS, anyting else, or nothing. I simply would like a small to mid sized car based SUV with pretty good performance....and don't want to go for the Toyota Rav4 right now. We'd actually lean a bit more toward the styling of the Equinoxx over this...but in all honesty our next car will probably be one of those or maybe the new redesigned Vue.

I don't think the price is too high. Did I want it to be lower? Sure I did. But in all honesty, this isn't a competitor for a V6 Rav4 (which can be well above the $25-26,000 mark itself). The Acadia is a much larger, premium vehicle. Especially with the equipment it offers standard...it should start in price beyond where the smaller crossovers top out (meaning the Rav4, Saturn Vue, etc).

This is all interesting information. For me the vehicles listed that we'd most likely be buying would be an Equinox SS or a G6 GXP. The G6 GXP though...it would have to be seriously toned down from the concept version (the one pictures at left lane news) for us to consider it. The styling is so overdone it looks like a high school kid went crazy with cheap aftermarket parts. Of course my main question that wasn't answered yet was the engine. Is the 275hp in the Equinox SS the final engine? Or could a direct injection version be offered by it's release (wondering of the next gen Redline Vue will get the 275 hp also?). As for the GXP G6, will it be the same engine as in the GTP coupe but just with different styling? Will it be direct injection? In 2008 can we still buy the GTP version if we don't like the 'overdone' gxp version, or once the GXP is here will the GTP be gone like it was with the Grand Prix? Does 2008 bring an update to the G6 interior? Finally, and most imporantly....I am waiting to see if there is any chance the 2008 G6 convertible will get a 6 speed auto and 3.6 liter engine. If the vert gets that....then that is the vehilce we get over an Equinox, Rav4, Mini, G6 coupe, and any other.

Also, I haven't read the option list, but I HOPE it is available without the fake wood looking trim.

The WORST one? I tend to disagree.

I am not sure I like how the back end looks in the pictures...and I also wish the vehicle looked like it had a wider stance. With that said, I can live with those things as well as they do the rest right. If I can get a Redline with close to 300hp with the 6 speed automatic, I'd be happy. I think 18inch or higher wheels on a redline version would make this look good enough to put on our short list of things to buy.

Except for the price. I like the looks of the Enclave a bit better than the Outlook. However, if we decide to get one of these in 2 years...it will likely be the Outlook seeing how it should be available for a couple thousand dollars less.

Actually, it's not a lot of power for those SUV's, when you consider those SUV's are going to weigh almost 5,000 lbs. Power to weight ratio, that puts them below the Escalade, Tahoe, Yukon, Rav4, V6 powered Vue, Trailblazer/Envoy...and maybe a few more also.

The 3.9 in the Malibu gets DOD/Active fuel management? I think that is wrong. I know the Impala gets it in 07, but the Malibu keeps the same non DOD 3.9 as in 06.

I also continue to not see the rush to make everying rear wheel drive. Maybe other people are different, but in my immediate and even extended family, about half of the vehicles owned are mid to full sized cars like the Impala, Monte Carlo, Grand Prix, Camry, Accord, etc. Right now just about all of them owned are FWD, not RWD. There are a couple of Monte Carlos in there. I know for a fact if the Monte Carlo was not offered in FWD anymore, that the family members that have them (my father included) would probably migrate over to a Camry Solara or an Accord coupe (but probably the Solara, it's bigger than the Accord and even the G6 coupe). Auto enthusiasts want RWD, but I truly believe the 'non-car' guys and girls out there actually prefer FWD. There have been many advances in safety in RWD (traction controll, stability controll, etc) but a FWD car with those same features is still many times easier to drive in bad weather (talking about Buffalo NY winters here) than it's RWD counterpart. If GM decided to convert many of it's FWD cars to RWD, I'm sure it will make the enthusiasts happy, but I fear they will lose more sales than they think.

I don't like the Chevelle name for a new car, I'd rather stick with Monte Carlo. The name Monte Carlo has history to it, AND it also has been around the last few years so we are used to it being a modern car. The name Chevelle immediatly brings images of 30+ years ago. Personally I'm getting tired of the rush to make everything and name everything Retro. Keep it the Monte Carlo.

Not too big of a deal to me, but I hope this means that Chevy and Saturn are going to STAY predominantly FWD. There is a very large market for mid/full size FWD cars (look at sales of the Camry, Accord, Even the Impala). Despite the use of traction and stability controll, I know many people who live in areas where the winter weather gets bad (I have much family in or near Buffalo, NY) that is not interested in RWD at all. With that said, if Pontiac goes all RWD, then it can be a good thing to give consumers a choice, just make sure you offer full and mid sized cars still in FWD.

I agree with the earlier post stating it's not sure about it outperforming the Vue. Horspower will be close, with the Equinox having the Vue by about 10hp, give or take a couple. However, remember the Vue less less than the Equinox partly due to the longer wheelbase of the Equinox, comparably equiped. Not a whole lot less, but enough to offset the difference of 10 horsepower. Plus the disturbing thing about it...if this is indeed an SS mode with the 250-260hp 3.6.....it will at best match the Vue in performance (and it looks like still trail it in gas mileage).....and it will do it as a 2007 or 2008 model. The Vue has had that performance since 2003 (2004 model year) in standard or redline trim.

What you said may be true...but... If a manual was offered, I think there is a chance that the extra sales you get by offering it may not even offset the expense of fitting it and producing it. In a car like this, the percentage of manuals sold would be much less than of automatics....and even a percentage of the ones sold would be of people who would buy the automatic if no manual was available.

I like it a lot, especially the 3 door. Even though it is small, it doesn't have the 'roller skate' look that many small cars have with those tiny wheels. This would fit into GM's portfolio nicely. Yes there is the redesigned Aveo in this category, but the Aveo doesn't traditionally get good gas mileage compared to other cars in it's segment. Also, it appears the Aveo will no longer be offered in a 3 door hatch. Finally, you could give this opel based on to Saturn....it would allow more than one division to have a small, economy, entry level product....that is not a total rebadge.

I would love to see the 2 door coupe have a hatchback version. A hatchback is not only more useful for many peopel than a trunk, but it gives a car a further 'sporty' appearance in many cases. I do beleieve the 'fall of the hatchbacks" in the late 90's and through the early 2000's was due to the increase in popularity of SUV's (which are also hatchbacks). Now with the Sales of SUV's stagnating due to the gas price situation....I think modern, updated versions of cars like the Toyota Celica (with it's 36 mph highway), Acura RSX, Camaro/Firebird, and cars like that would have better sales now then before. Offer me a G6 GTP in a 2 door hatchback and I would certainly consider it.

I like the Monte Carlo. Handling is competant, it doesn't float all over the road. But more importantly, it appears Chevy hasn't fallen into the trap of trying to make it a true "sporty coupe" in the mold of BMW and Mercedes. It seems that the thing to do today in mid sized cars (except for Buicks and Mercurys) is to make the seats very firm and the suspsion very tight..which allows for a sporty feel but a worse ride. I like the comprimise with the Monte Carlo. It handles OK, but yet to me the ride was much more comfortable than other cars I have been in like a BMW 3 series, Acura TSX, Grand AM GT, Honda Accord and Camry Solara. The Monte Carlo doesn't pretend to be something it is not. One word on the 06's though. I just had a chance to rent one last week. It have drivine a relatives 2003 Monte Carlo with the 200hp 3.8 many times...and the new 3.5 211 hp V6 I reneted actually felt a tad bit weaker. Not much mind you, but a little bit. Maybe it has less torque?

I saw the production Aura at the NY show yesterday, as I mentioned in another thread, and the wheels do look pretty bad. I was surprised at just how bland the car looks, and I dont' think it was just me. There were some pretty average other cars there that if you wanted to sit in them, you had to wait for a minute or two because other people were waiting also. For the brand new Aura, this wasn't the case when I walked by it a few times. The car was getting very little attention from what I can tell, many people were just walking right by it and barely looking, as it didn't look like anything special.

I was at the NY auto show this morning. The car doesn't look any better in person than it does in the pictures. Behind it was a bright blue G6 Convertible. That is the car that surprised me by how good it looked. The Convertible looks better in person than in he pictures we have seen online.

Its pretty good. I just am not a big fan of the wood trim. I would rather it be something more 'neutral' than the wood look.

This thing is approaching 5,000 lbs! The gas mileage is good concerning the weight I agree. But 267 hp and even less torque is not going to feel very 'brisk' when trying to move around almost 5000 lbs. The V6 Saturn Vue has only 25 less hp and torque that is almost the same, yet has more than 1,000 less to move around. It looks good, just I was expecting a little more power or a lot less weight. I was thinking maybe slightly over 4,000 lbs..putting it in the Envoy/Trailblazer weight class.

I agree the 18/27mpg is bit of a let down when you figure in the 6 speed auto. Also, 3,647 lb curb weight? Wow. That is more than 100lbs heavier than some new Monte Carlos and Grand Prixs even.