ZL-1

bucket, as in 'kick the bucket' a relative passed away this morning... why do some people that have no love for Life seem to last forever, while others that do love Life are taken away from us?

Saddam

puts on 'naive hat' Maybe it is just a coincidence? removes 'naive hat'

deed

I hope so, but please, nothing too gaudy/tacky...

kill

I was next to this baby last week at Saab Bil Museet in Trollhättan (don't ask for pictures - I'm pretty mad at myself over losing all my holiday pictures when I tried to transfer them to my PC ). I went around it some 10 or 15 times thinking 'why on Earth couldn't GM bring this to market to fight the Audi A3?!?!?!'I am amazed reading the 9-5 is able to set sales records after all this time! 2009-2010 seems right for the 9-5. It's been written it will be the 2nd EpsilonII product to be introduced in Europe after the Vectra. I'm not so sure about the smaller model being a Mini competitor. A3, 1-Series, and C30 are what they're after IMO.

Lilla Bommen (Göteborg, Sverige) picture I have on MSN. I couldn't find a high-res version of it

Yes, the Modigliani/Miller article with the lovely title of "Dividend Policy, Growth, and the Valuation of Shares" is part of the list of articles I'm supposed to read, but it will be the last one: A colleague warned me it's very, very boring so i might read it right before going to sleep Response to thread: upbeat

Hetfield It's back to the article summaries for school: very old (1969) but interesting article about the limitations of ROI. Critical in establishing the rationale in favour of a Value Based Management measurement.

Just what I thought.@ ocnblu: I think you're 100% right in your assessment.

response to thread: bond

<------------- I'm all for it!!!

I believe it was at 'the other GM enthusiast website' that I read the DI V6 was seriously underrated by GM. Might be just one of those internet rumours though...

I noticed it. I think the '08 CTS can create momentum much like the '03 did, but this time the DTS/STS has to capitalize on that momentum. Hopefully the BRX and a possible BTS will do the same afterwards. Those will eventually drive Cadillac's success further, as being a one-wonder-model brand won't work in establishing itself as GM's top brand worldwide. Assuming GM wants that to happen.

Didn't someone post that Daimler was supposed to assume at least some liabilities? I don't know how the deal was structured and I didn't see Chrysler's accounts, but if those liabilities are partially removed, Chrysler might be able to generate some positive cash flow... That's the only way I'd see Cerberus taking over: Chrysler being fairly 'cleaned up' and able to generate enough cash to pay off whatever debt the acquisition vehicle has raised for the acquisition... Daimler would make an immediate cash inflow, and not spend the money it would cost them to restructure Chrysler. I am just speculating though... I don't know if it is urgent to raise cash at the new Chrysler LLC, or if this sale is mere optimization.

High gas prices hurting sales? I see you have 2 posts, so welcome to C&G

atom ant

I'd say Cherokee. My brother's former boss had one that did over 200 thousand Kms without a single mechanical issue, in tough weather conditions (desert).

I thought you had crushed a PlayStation2 with your car... And before you think my assumption was totally crazy, someone I know crushed his mobile phone with his car because the company he works for gave out new mobiles to everyone except him

Bloomberg News

You wrote about the 7-Series, yet this article (it's a little old, I know) states the Bangled 7-Series is the most successful 7-Series ever sales-wise.I think the 7-Series design risk was a good move. Yes, the design was toned down in the other models and the 7-Series itself was renewed (and will be getting a new front-end soon), but the flagship did what it is supposed to do: set a new styling direction that matured over time. Family looks should never mean that a 3-Series equals a 'honey-I-shrunk-the-7Series' car.

antimatter

Smaller MPVs/wagons make sense with high gas prices: utility and better fuel economy together.

I think that technology-wise it should start with the Cadillac flagship and then trickle down to other Cadillac models and other GM brands. Regarding design, the flagship-to-'lesser'-models should also apply in each of the brands.