kiljoy

He's right you know, that is stupid. I mean, except for all the people in front of me, I'm first in line. Except for all the people who have more money than me, I'm the richest guy in the world. That kind of thinking leads to mediocrity.

Simply not true. I don't like the new Camaro because it is proportionally wrong. It's enormous, the total antithesis of what a sportscar should be (although I would also say that a pony car is not a sportscar, but I digress).The new Mustang to me looks a little bare. Slab-sided and unadorned, though I can see its appeal. The new Challenger looks exactly like the old Challenger, but at least it's refreshing in its faithfulness. The new Camaro looks like a characture, about 20% too big, a hood that looks like a cartoon, and a profile that fails to capture the purity of purpose that the '69 did. The only way I could be called scared is in the future of GM. If this is going to be the competitor to the runaway sales success of the Mustang (and I'd wager the Challenger is going to be), well I'm afraid GM missed the mark. It's exactly the opposite of what it needs to be. All IMHO, of course. Tony

Wow. First off, if it comes in yellow, I'll take it. There are a couple of niggles, and maybe the aftermarket can make it work. If you're going to black out the grille and the area around the fog/driving lights/turn indicators, I'd really like a black wheel option. Something like the Elise has would be perfect. Here's a picture: Secondly, I'd rather have the white gauges or color-keyed gauge faces. Maybe Kappasphere will come to my rescue? Third, and this really is slight, I'd like some subtle badging offered. Not standard, but offered. For instance, embroidered seats with a color-keyed logo, sill plates, maybe a "Solstice GXP" debossed under the airbag cover. Any way about it though, if that color is available, I'm buying that car. Tony

I'll tell you I am pretty stoked about the Kabura. I want a nimble, cheap, usable, and tossable RWD car. I want it small. You know, like a Solstice coupe would've been? This sounds like a winner. They're talking about a Miata-derived, lightweight, two seater or 2+2 RWD hatchback coming in under $20,000. It's like a dream come true. This could be the new CRX. Tony

The first problem is QuickTime sucks on Windows. It doesn't work for me in FF, IE, or anything else. It's just useless. Tony

Ok, I found out the problem and it was 1.5. Check out this article. It details a number of complaints about Firefox 1.5. Namely: # Firefox's use of physical and virtual memory is exceptionally high. (I had this, usually about 300MB of RAM for FF) # CPU usage spikes to 100 percent (usually while loading a Web page). (Had this too) # The browser freezes up for seconds, minutes, or permanently. (Didn't happen to me) # The browser won't launch until they remove an errant "firefox.exe" process in Task Manager. (Didn't happen either) # The browser crashes suddenly (usually while loading a Web page). (Nope) # The browser has trouble loading specific pages, but there's no commonality among users as to which pages won't load. (BINGO) # The initial launch of Firefox loads slower. (Yes) # Third-party application hyperlinks (such as a link in an e-mail message) take a long time to open a new Firefox tab or to launch the browser. (Yes) So I went back to FF 1.0.7. Just puttin' it out there so someone else may be helped. Tony

Hrm. I haven't restarted yet, but I can confirm that my internet connection is working fine. Totally weird. Clicking on a link, the status bar shows the proper place, but clicking it just makes it go straight to "Done". Entering it into the address bar directly, or by clicking the Favorite in a blank tab just makes it stay blank. No activity at all. I'll try rebooting. Tony

When I go to the page, FF just stops. Doesn't even load the address in the bar. I'm on 1.5. Any thoughts? Tony

Art Bell is nothing like Stern et al. Think Fox Mulder crossed with Jim Cramer (Mad Money). Tony

I'm going. Tony

Makes 'em look like junkies the way they swear 'em off then come crawling back... Tony

Nothing much to say except you use Firefox and don't use Tabbed Browsing? It's like Chicken Noodle soup without the chicken or the noodles. Tony

Exactly. But you've got to admit, that center stack needs something done STAT. That mass of black, cheap plastic is an eyesore. Note the contouring on the pieces in the Lexus. It just looks sharp. The contrasting aluminum is getting cliche, but something needs to play Moses and part that sea of plastic. Tony

I know this isn't the topic, but why would you want a V8 in a car like the Solstice? As it is now, the car is a balanced roadster. With FI, it will still be pretty balanced (seeing as how the mags are saying the chassis feels like it could do with more power). What you all are asking for is a pony car. I'm not saying that isn't a valid request, given the Mustang's commercial viability. But the Solstice body, in coupe or convertible form, isn't anything like a pony car. We need a four-place, slightly larger, V8 powered, RWD car. That isn't what Kappa is, nor is it what it should be. (And what it should be is a question unto itself. IMHO, it should be a versitile, small engined, RWD small car platform. Not just a pair of roadsters, but a small hatchback, a small coupe, and maybe even a very small four door sedan, all with lively four cylinders and RWD. The market is begging for this. Give me a plain-jane coupe on Kappa and I'd buy it in a second, give me a MINI-esque hatchback, and I'd order one without driving it.) Tony

Where's the corporate grille? Tony

Many of the mags, though, are saying in a non-measured, subjective test, the Solstice is the more fun car. They all seem to mention the Miata being darty, sub-par suspension travel, and less of an everyman for superior communication with the road. That being said, the missions of the cars are subtlely, yet importantly, different. The Miata seeks to simply be a better Miata. Light, nimble, slightly rough, and a throwback to the MGA's and Alpines of yesteryear. The Solstice is designed to be a mini-halo car. It's got polarizing lines and style to spare. It also is equally at home on the interstate and the backroads. It's less practical and yet more refined than the MX-5 because it doesn't seek to be a better Miata, but instead to be the best it can be both as a car and for the division and company it represents. This isn't accomplished by simply being the best autocrosser, but by being many things to many people. What many of these comparisons fail to mention is that the fact that they are both two seat roadsters available in the mid twenties, but aren't trying to accomplish the same thing. Past comparisons versus the Miata were really about which is the better Miata, as the Miata itself has defined the paradigm for 16 years. The Capri and the MR2 are both cars that sought recognition as a Miata that wasn't. But as other roadsters (no doubt built due to the Mazda's success) hit the road, namely the Z3, Boxster, S2000, and now the Solstice, the game isn't the same. Now you've got many flavors of roadsters, each with distinct personality that isn't necessarily the same as a Miata. The Solstice has a flavor all its own, and unlike all the other non-Miata-clones, costs the same as the Miata. This being the case, some reviewers are still asking, "Is the Solstice the new Miata?" But the real question that better reviewers are posing is, "In the sub-$30,000 roadster market, how do the competitors stack up? When you see a review based on that logic, you see that the Miata has its own character, but the Solstice isn't trying to beat it at it's own game. It's trying to be a car that stands on its own merits, and while looking at the competition, it can add up to a different kind of fun. I think that's why when you see the mags saying the Miata has the numbers, but the Solstice has the feel, that means that the gut, not the head is digging the Solstice. Remember that that is exactly the same feeling that kept the Miata in the catbird seat for so many years. It's never had the numbers, but it's always had the feel. Now that you're not locked in to saying, "Is this aspect better or worse than a Miata?" but instead can say things like, "The cockpit is more Boxster than S2000," and, "The engine is flatter than an S2000, but not as engaging as a Miata," the personality of the car is revealed. In that respect, then, a reviewer who is looking at the big picture can see that while the Miata is pure Miata, the Solstice is an amalgam of different traits of different cars. Just my $.02, of course. But in my and many other Miata owners' views, the scene is long overdue for a Miata competitor in terms of cost that has traits of some of the more exclusive roadsters. Competition betters the breed, and the Z3, Boxster, S2000, MR2, and Z4 have all added to the flavor that the Solstice brings to the table. The Miata is still a better Miata, but the Solstice is blend that has a lot of Miata flavor, but a lot of other spices too. Tony

It says I'm current. I'm using Tabbrowser Extensions version 1.14.2005090501. I use it in one window mode, same domain/same tab, new window > new tab. I've never had it not work on other boards, though I've never been on a board with this software. BTW, the other extensions don't seem like they'd affect anything: IEView Statusbar Clock Compact Menu Windows Update Tony

As a reader for a while now, I thought I'd post to say that the site is almost unnavigatable. Problem one is that everything spawns a new tab. I'd really be nice if everything kept to the same tab like the old forum did. It's nearly impossible to browse anymore, since I have to pick a forum (new tab), pick a subforum (new tab), then I can read threads in the same tab. To go to the next bit of reading, it's close, close, new tab, new tab. It's getting to point where it's almost impossible to see the great content on the site. That kind of leads me to problem two, though I suspect if problem one were solved, problem two would vanish. When I come to the main page, I am logged in. Unfortunately, that does not carry over to any of the spawned tabs. So to read anything, I have to go to a login screen. If I didn't have to go to a new tab, it won't happen (force Same Tab). I'm using FireFox. Anyone else experiencing the same issues? Tony

I absolutely loved the cars when I saw them at the 2005 NAIAS. If they were imported, I'd buy one without a second thought. Tony

I just wanted a little discussion. Didn't need a full-blown poll. I guess I can see missing a few threads here and there, but the way I kept track of what's important was based on the replies. I'd read the ones with the most replies first, then read what I was interested in, and then reply myself if I felt it might be overlooked. As for the comment about the big transition, yeah, I understand that. But change for the sake of change leads to the design ideas shown on the 2005 Cavalier: not as clean as it was at first, not as friendly a design, and clunky to look at. Tony

I notice you've sub-divided the "Other Guys" forum. I liked it better the other way since you could see all the news in one bite, without having to enter each subforum. Not only that, but the purpose of the subdivision really makes no sense. One can ascertain the company the post deals with by the thread title. I haven't been here long (and since in the migration, my account was eliminated, I appear to be even newer) but thought you might like a little feedback on the change. Tony