HarleyEarl

Wildmanjoe...you got it!...I'd almost forgot about Chevy trucks using that name....stumbled upon it.

It feels kind of weird that GM sells more vehicles outside the US than in it....that's almost a cultural shift of huge proportions...well, maybe I'm overstating it a bit.

What GM vehicle used the name 'Apache'?

Auto news Wagoner eager to get GM on track Foreign sales growing, but his focus is the U.S. market November 25, 2005 Email this Print this BY TOM WALSH FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER For the first time in its history, General Motors Corp. is now selling more cars and trucks in other countries than it does in the United States, GM Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rick Wagoner told the Free Press. This historic shift reflects both GM's dwindling share of the mature U.S. market and its promising position in China and other fast-growing Asian economies. But despite strong sales growth overseas, Wagoner stressed that GM's future still depends largely on whether he can reverse huge losses in the North American auto market, where GM has lost $4.8 billion so far this year, triggering a plunge in its stock price and downgrades of its debt ratings to junk status. "Our fate is going to be determined in the next three to five years on getting this business in the U.S. turned around and profitable," he said Wednesday during an hour-long interview in his 39th-floor office at GM's Renaissance Center headquarters. "That's what's going to decide how good GM is going to be. And then I think, over time, it's going to be how well we use our global resources to take advantage of where there's growth," he said, two days after announcing plans to cut 30,000 jobs and halt production at 10 U.S. plants. Wagoner, 52, exuded energy and confidence about GM's turnaround effort, while admitting that he'd prefer not to be digging the company's U.S. operations out of a financial ditch. "I'm not glad we're here," Wagoner said, "but this is a chance to really focus in and see what you can do when the pressure's on. This is the opportunity of a lifetime to transform GM. It's not easy, but we've got good people and they're enthused about it." Wagoner said he was surprised recently to learn from GM marketing analyst Paul Ballew that GM likely will sell 4.5 million vehicles in the United States and 4.6 million abroad this year. "That's a trend that's going to make the company look very different," Wagoner said. In 2004, GM sold 4.7 million cars and trucks in its home market and 4.3 million in other countries. In 2003, GM sold 20% more vehicles at home than abroad. Until seven or eight years ago, GM had virtually no presence in Asia. Now, thanks to a push launched by former CEO Jack Smith and accelerated by Wagoner, GM is one of the leaders in the fast-growing Chinese auto market and has established what Wagoner called a "fledgling, but important" presence in India. During the most recent three-month period that ended Oct. 31, GM made a $176-million profit in Asia while posting a loss of $1.6 billion in North America. Wagoner also talked during the interview about the dangerous, looming showdown between the UAW and parts supplier Delphi Corp., and about why he thinks GM is on the cusp of a revival in popularity of its cars and trucks after decades of decline. One major threat to GM's turnaround is a possible a labor strike at Delphi, its largest parts supplier, where CEO Steve Miller and union officials have been exchanging heated words for weeks. Delphi filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Oct.8. Miller has set a Dec. 16 deadline to negotiate new labor contracts or he will ask a judge to void existing pacts. Union leaders have rejected Delphi's demands for deep wage and benefit cuts. A Delphi strike could choke off GM vehicle production, further weakening GM's financial condition by draining its cash cushion. Wagoner said a GM team is "working like crazy" to help defuse the Delphi-UAW confrontation, but wouldn't discuss specifics of whether GM might fund buyouts or early retirements for former GM workers at Delphi. "This has been a difficult period," he said, for both Delphi and GM workers. "So I think everybody's reeling a little bit about how fast things have moved south." Asked about the impact of a possible Delphi strike, Wagoner said the "worst-case scenario could get very difficult for everybody. It's hard to believe anybody gets through that process unscathed." But he added, "The very nature of it being a high-risk scenario is the kind of thing that leads rational people to sit down and work through a constructive solution." After lengthy discussions with the UAW, GM recently took two big bites out of its costs, with a deal to shift some health care costs to GM retirees and the plan announced Monday to close plants and bring employment and production capacity in line with GM's lower U.S. market share. Wagoner conceded a point made recently by UAW President Ron Gettelfinger and others that GM cannot simply cut its way to prosperity. And although overall sales figures don't show it yet, Wagoner insisted that the new cars and trucks GM is developing eventually will produce revenue growth. "The evidence is on the road today," Wagoner said, of the "inherent goodness" of GM's new product offering. He cited recent launches of the Hummer H3, Pontiac Solstice, 2006 Chevrolet Impala, Cadillac DTS, Chevy HHR and Buick Lucerne as examples. He said many respected automotive publications, which had often been critical of GM vehicles in the past, are singing a different tune now. "Not every write-up is, 'This is the greatest product in the world,' but virtually every one says, 'This is a very competent product,' and a lot of them, even from the toughest critics, are saying, 'This is a first-class automobile,' " Wagoner said. Several new products like the H3 and Solstice are small-volume niche vehicles, but Wagoner said higher-volume products such as pickups, large sport-utility vehicles and crossover vehicles will dominate the new-model launches in upcoming years. Wagoner has been a top-level GM executive since 1992, serving as chief financial officer, chief operating officer, CEO and chairman. He has therefore taken plenty of flack from financial analysts and media for being part of the crew that steered GM into the financial ditch. He doesn't appear to let the barbs bother him. "I've got a very important job and spend thousands of hours on it," he said Wednesday, "but the job isn't me. Like other people with terrific families, I worry about the same things home as you do. What were the kids' grades last quarter or semester? Are you doing what you're supposed to be doing in school clubs or sports teams?" Would he rather be doing something else? "I do this because I like to do it. Would you rather be in a game winning 80-50 where everybody's just kind of hanging around?" asked Wagoner, a former Duke University basketball player. "Or would you rather be in a game where this is, man, you guys are behind and there's 10 minutes left on clock, you've got to move this thing, and this is what you're trained for and this is what you want to do?" Many people reading this are probably thinking they'd prefer to be on the team with the 80-50 lead. But that's why Wagoner is sitting in his chair, and we're not.

http://www.franklinmint.com/product1.aspx?...Product_ID=8814

oops....don't know why I put this in GM Merchandise Lookout...should be Lounge

Does anyone here do dioramas as a hobby?...I'm just amazed at what is available. Looks like fun. Example of one talented diorama guy.. http://gallery.diecast.org/santos/cars3_1santos

I forgot about the Wagonback......actually holds up quite well in the looks department. Has a sportwagon vibe goin on.

And those wheels look very familiar....

November 24, 2005 GM promises product benefits from business cuts by Alex Law , Auto123 Fate may play a card or two that will change things for everyone concerned, but it looks like future General Motors' consumers will benefit from the company's recent decision to close a bunch of plants and damage the lives of thousands and thousands of its workers and their families. This is apparently the accepted modus operandi in today's global auto society. GM CEO Rick Wagoner (Photo: General Motors of Canada) For consumers, it will mean more money for GM to spend on new and improved products and technologies, or so says Rick Wagoner, the company's CEO and chairman. "I want to emphasize that besides the cost-cutting aspects of our turnaround plan," Wagoner said in making the announcement on Monday morning, adding that "we remain equally committed to the revenue drivers -- introducing great cars and trucks, and executing our revitalized sales and marketing strategy." GM North America (GMNA) in particular will "continue with its aggressive product assault on all vehicle segments," he said. "To target key growth segments with the right products, GM earlier this year increased capital expenditures, with the vast majority of that increase going toward future car and truck programs. This increased investment will allow GM to average 15 all-new entries a year in the North American market for the foreseeable future." Saturn VUE Green Line (Photo: General Motors of Canada) Wagoner said GM remains "committed to a diversified portfolio of hybrid cars and trucks, including hybrid versions of the Saturn VUE, Chevrolet Malibu, and the next generation of GM full-size pickups and SUVs." On top of that, he said, GM will also "continue to lead in the implementation of other fuel savings technologies," such as Displacement on Demand and six-speed transmissions. GMNA also will expand its offerings of ethanol-capable vehicles using E85 fuel. "To help drive additional sales in the future," said Wagoner, "the product plan includes a heavy emphasis on high-growth segments, such as crossovers, compact and luxury SUVs, large pickups and entry-level luxury cars." GM 6-speed transmission (Photo: General Motors of Canada) Wagoner said there were already signs that GM's product offensive was getting traction with consumers in Canada and the U.S., highlighting such vehicles as the Chevrolet Cobalt, HHR and Impala, Cadillac DTS, Pontiac Solstice, and Buick Lucerne, among others. He also said that the new full-sized SUVs due to start arriving in January are already being "well received by customers and the media alike." About a year after the new SUVs from Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac start to arrive in dealerships, GM will start to show off an entire new lineup of full-size pickups, and the first applications of its two-mode hybrid powertrain. Wagoner also laid out a strategy "designed to improve significantly the company's performance in the retail marketplace." GM Hybrid pickups (Photo: General Motors of Canada) This means "strengthening GM's automotive brands, marketing that emphasizes the inherent value of GM cars and trucks, completing GM's distribution channel strategy, and aggressively targeting markets where GM has underperformed against the competition."

Opel Sees Restructuring Pay Off Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: The carmaker has managed to improve its results in Europe As US parent company GM struggles, auto maker Opel is back in good financial health, nearly a year after undergoing massive restructuring. Opel, the German subsidiary of hard-hit US auto maker General Motors, is back in the black, after putting into place a savings program that will eventually cost the company 9,000 jobs. Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Last year, Opel workers took to the streets to keep their jobsIn a report based on internal group forecasts, German business newspaper Handelsblatt said Opel looks set to break even this year. Adam Opel, which comprises solely the German activities, was fractionally in the red, but the Opel brand itself, which includes factories outside Germany, is beginning to make money. Plant closings in North America Meanwhile, GM's European arm, GM Europe, is set to have more than halved its full-year losses this year to $300 million (256 million euros) thanks to a year-long restructuring program. The US auto giant is shutting down a number of plants in North America and slashing 30,000 jobs to help stem its losses, which totalled $3 billion in the nine months to September. Welcome news Only Swedish subsidiary Saab remains in the red, pushing down the carmaker's results in Europe. GM stopped publishing separate earnings reports for its European subsidiaries about a year ago. Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Just days ago, GM CEO Rick Wagoner announced job cutsThe report is positive for GM CEO Rick Wagoner, who desperately needs some good news after announcing plant closings and 30,000 job cuts just days ago.

GM's Collapsing Ladder By Eugene Robinson Friday, November 25, 2005 It's sad to watch General Motors fall apart like a rusty old Malibu, and not just because so many workers are losing their jobs. When I was growing up in the '60s, GM was more than just an icon of American capitalism, more than just the company that made and sold half the nation's automobiles. General Motors gave me my first schematic diagram of the American dream. These days we'd call the GM strategy an exercise in market segmentation, but back then I would have called it "moving on up." With its five distinct lines of passenger cars, GM created a climbable staircase of price, power and prestige. In the process, the company not only made tons of money but also helped cement a deep-seated belief that to this day is held by almost every citizen of this great nation: You are what you drive. Who's Blogging? Read what bloggers are saying about this article. True Blue Liberal Full List of Blogs (1 links) » Most Blogged About Articles On washingtonpost.com | On the web A Chevrolet (with one big exception) was basic transportation. Driving a big, wallowing Chevy Impala meant that you had enough money to buy a car -- no small thing, mind you -- but not enough money to be frivolous about it. A Chevy was a stolid, boring, no-nonsense way to get around. The exception, of course, was the Corvette. My friends and I spent a lot more time imagining ourselves taking slalom runs in sleek, shiny Corvettes than on minor matters such as school, family or church -- and almost as much time as we spent thinking about sex, which we were pretty sure required a Corvette for consummation. The next step up was Pontiac. A big, wallowing Bonneville was basically an Impala with an angry-looking grille, but there was a difference: The Pontiac was "sporty" in a way the Chevy couldn't possibly be. When the muscle-car era dawned, that image of cool was made indelible by the incomparable GTO, which wasn't as sexy as a Corvette but at least allowed you to imagine cruising with your friends. After Pontiac, you could move up to Buick. The LeSabre was, yes, big and wallowing, and mechanically it wasn't much different from its less-expensive siblings, but there was an air of solid, middle-class accomplishment about a Buick. We were a Buick family -- we had a black 1964 LeSabre. The pastor at our church, Rev. Curry, had an identical car, which he let his son Jimmy drive. Like a lot of preachers' kids, Jimmy couldn't have been more polite and respectable in the presence of adults, or more mischievous the rest of the time. Once, before I got my license, Jimmy was giving me a ride somewhere and decided to see how fast he could take a curve. The tires squealed, we missed a telephone pole by inches, and any urge I might have felt to take our LeSabre through any slalom runs was immediately quashed. By the mid-'60s, Buick was being overtaken by Oldsmobile, which represented near-luxury and advanced technology. Remember the 1966 Toronado, with the shocking innovation of front-wheel drive? And retractable headlights? Neat, but James Bond's Aston Martin was better. Finally, at the summit, there was Cadillac. Driving a Cadillac meant not only that you had arrived but also that you wanted everyone to know how well you were doing. Or else that was just what you wanted everyone to think. Yes, eventually a slightly disreputable "Superfly" odor began to waft from big Caddies, but that could be avoided by forgoing most of the bling -- no super-wide whitewalls, no diamond-in-the-back vinyl top. A big Cadillac meant that you, too, were big. Now, as it sheds high-wage assembly jobs -- at least 30,000 will disappear by 2008, the company announced this week -- and hemorrhages money on health and pension benefits for retirees, GM is much diminished. Oldsmobile, the oldest of the lines, is no longer made; Buick and Pontiac are fading fast. The ladder isn't a ladder anymore, because it's missing the middle rungs. GM's core business is inexorably being reduced to Chevys and Saturns at the bottom of the market, and Cadillacs and Hummers (and Corvettes) at the top. That's becoming a common pattern in the automotive industry. Companies let you buy a Nissan at the bottom of the market or an Infiniti at the top; a Toyota or a Lexus; a Honda or an Acura; a Volkswagen or an Audi. And it reflects the new reality of this country, or at least the new way we're coming to see ourselves. Either you've made it or you haven't. Either you're a champ or a chump. You can still buy an Impala and "See the USA in your Chevrolet," but the view has changed.

Malibu Maxx stands alone NEW VEHICLE REVIEWS By Russ Heaps SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON TIMES November 25, 2005 If you still need evidence that there is indeed forward thinking going on at General Motors, take a gander at Chevrolet's Malibu Maxx. Before evaluating details such as the quality of materials used inside the cabin, keep in mind that Chevrolet's assignment in the GM pecking order is affordable transportation. Even its halo vehicle, the Corvette, is remarkably price competitive in the two-seat sports car arena. So while Malibu may not have the panache of, say, a Toyota Camry (When have you ever before seen panache and Camry used in the same sentence?), some shortcomings can be forgiven based on its budget price. What makes Malibu Maxx notable is its very concept. Chevrolet certainly didn't give birth to the crossover vehicle idea, but in the Maxx it has expanded, twisted and tweaked the notion. Maxx's very shape sets it apart from other sedans. Not quite a wagon and not quite a hatchback, it resists any attempt to be pigeonholed. Its versatile interior is among the roomiest in its class, and that reclining 60/40 split rear seat with its 7 inches of fore/aft travel is wonderfully innovative. Whether you need to accommodate more cargo or an NBA point guard, the back seat complies. Receiving a little Saab DNA, the Maxx is built on the Epsilon platform that supports the 9-3. This is a tight architecture and is in large part responsible for Maxx's solid, but pleasing ride. It handles better than many of its peers. The steering feels a tad sloppy, but otherwise the driving experience is positive. Every Maxx rolls out of the showroom with four-wheel antilock brakes and traction control, and those 16-inch alloy wheels are standard too. Maxx isn't simply the sedan with a dollop of rear-end funkiness. It does share some sheetmetal with the sedan, but there are profound differences. Although Maxx has a wheelbase 6 inches longer than the sedan, its overall length is roughly half an inch shorter. Additionally the Maxx has a rear fixed-glass skylight that does much to give its cabin a more open feel. Despite the availability of a 145-horsepower four-cylinder engine in the sedan's base model, the only engines offered in the Maxx are V-6s. The new-for-2006 SS uses a 240-horsepower 3.9-liter V-6. The mainstream LT and LTZ have a 3.5-liter V-6 punching out 200 horsepower. Chevrolet has made the right call here. A four-banger in this car would be less than satisfying. While the Maxx's 3.5-liter V-6 is a few ponies shy of many sedan competitors, its 220 foot-pounds of peak torque is very much in line with segment standard V-6 parameters. A four-speed automatic transmission shuffles engine production to the front wheels. Engine and transmission work exceptionally well together. Off-the-line acceleration is brisk. The EPA credits the Maxx LT with 22 miles per gallon in the city and 30 on the open road -- again about par with the fuel economy of sedans in the segment. Instruments and controls are neatly arranged and the center stack puts the audio system controls where they should be -- above the climate system controls. There are plenty of ventilation system outlets and the air conditioning works with ice-house ferocity. Six speakers fill the cabin with sound sourced from AM, FM or a CD player. Plunk down an extra $325 and you can also have the 130-channel XM satellite radio with three months of free service. Other than the $690 side-impact/side curtain air bag option, the $325 spent on XM radio is the most sensible upgrade you can make to the Maxx. Chevrolet hasn't made any attempt to disguise the wide use of plastic in the Maxx cabin. It is perhaps the vehicle's most disappointing element. However with all the standard gear, a little plastic can be dismissed. While an LS version is still available for fleet sales, the LT is the entry-level for retail consumers. Even in its LT trim, the Maxx arrives loaded to the gills with standard features. The power windows/door locks, remote keyless entry, cruise control with steering-wheel-mounted controls, fold-flat passenger seat, driver information center and remote powered outboard mirrors are all standard. Included on the keyless remote is a remote starter function permitting the Maxx to be started and the cabin to be cooled or heated before entering. The LTZ trim package bumps up creature comforts with leather-faced/heated front bucket seats, automatic climate control and heated mirrors. A byproduct of the Maxx's longer wheelbase is the enhanced interior space. No matter how you stretch the tape, five adults can find comfort and happiness even on longer trips. With the rear seat folded down, Maxx can hold 22.8 cubic feet of cargo. The front passenger seatback folds flat, further increasing carrying capacity. If there are drivers out there that the Maxx can't accommodate, it's not for lack of adjustments. Every Maxx comes with a telescoping/tilt steering wheel, driver's-seat power height adjustment and power-adjustable pedals. The interior has been gussied up a bit for 2006, too. Finding something serious to quibble about in the Malibu Maxx isn't easy. It's not perfect, but at its price point, the Maxx delivers sensible, comfortable transportation. Versatility, economy of operation and ballroomlike interior space make it a value in the midsize segment. Base sticker of the LT is $21,590.

November 23, 2005 2008 Lamborghini Espada Brenda Priddy & Company Lamborghini may revive Espada coupe Lamborghini, a division of Audi AG, is said to be preparing several new sports cars that will revive classic Lamborghini names, like Miura and Espada. One of the proposed models is a 2+2-seater coupe, a reincarnation of the Espada that could resurrect the originals front-engine layout or shift to a mid-engine, four-seater configuration.The latter-day Espada could be derived from the Audi Le Mans and from the Gallardo. The choice of engine options ranges from the Audi V-8 to the Gallardos V-10 and the Murcielagos V-12. A mid-engine derivative could be production ready by late 2007. A front-engine Espada would likely not appear before 2009. -- Paul Lienert

Looks like Isuzu rebadges the big boys too...their H-Series looks like the Chevy/GMC trucks.

Giugiaro also designed the prototype for the Subaru SVX....I always liked that car....it still looks good on the street.

I posted some pics awhile back of this car and it has some nice details...I like the rear. It's better than the current one. It has a bit of Saturn L300 in it's look.

News Isuzu CEO says North American operations nearing a 'major turning point' JAMES B. TREECE | Automotive News Posted Date: 11/23/05 TOKYO -- Isuzu Motors Ltd.'s profits are down, but CEO Yoshinori Ida isn't worried. He says the decline is part of his plan to refocus the company on the more profitable parts of its business. For example, Isuzu's North American revenue shrank 31 percent in the fiscal first half, which ended Sept. 30, to $604.1 million, the company reported last week. That was mostly because Isuzu stopped selling SUVs. But operating profit there surged two and a half times, to 3.74 billion yen, or $33.1 million at current exchange rates, from $13.2 million a year earlier. The results show that Isuzu's North American diesel operations are doing better than its SUV business used to do. 3 areas of change The six months opened Isuzu's latest three-year restructuring plan, and Ida portrayed the results as a solid start. "This year will be a major turning point for us," he said. He cited three areas of change at Isuzu: 1. Product development efforts are paying off. Isuzu has introduced several products in Japan so far in 2005. More will come next year. 2. Investments in overseas operations are remaking Isuzu. Isuzu used to be a maker of SUVs and other trucks that it exported from Japan. Now it is a commercial-vehicle and diesel-engine company with a global base. It has diesel plants in Europe and the United States and an expanded factory complex in Thailand. It has bought several of its overseas sales arms. As part of that shift, Isuzu's vehicle business increasingly is centered on Japan, Southeast Asia and China. Revenue from Southeast Asia was nearly three times larger than North American revenue in the latest six months. 3. Restructuring efforts are beginning to pay off. Ida predicts those changes will become more apparent over the next three years. Indeed, profits fell because of higher capital spending and larger outlays for r&d, plus the cost of closing a factory in Kawasaki, Japan. Total operating profit fell 12.9 percent to $334.6 million in the latest six months. Net income fell 27.4 percent to $229.9 million. Revenue rose 0.3 percent to $6.51 billion. Sales collapsed For the full year, Isuzu forecasts a slight gain in revenues and operating profits, but it predicts a drop in net profits. Isuzu's light-vehicle sales in the United States collapsed 55.8 percent to 10,600 in the first 10 months of 2005. But for the full calendar year Isuzu predicts a 3.6 percent rise in North American vehicle sales from 2004. Much of the gain will be from medium-duty commercial trucks.

News Opel expanding performance lineup, hopes added models will boost brand image JASON STEIN | Automotive News Posted Date: 11/24/05 PALERMO, Italy -- To boost the image of its lineup, General Motors is expanding its range of Opel Performance Center vehicles. GM will extend its OPC high-performance package to include nearly all of its Opel models within the next two years. "On the product front, we want people to take Opel seriously as a dynamic brand, and we think we can convey that in more of our products," said Mark Adams, General Motors Europe's director of exterior design, during the press introduction of the Astra, Zafira and Vectra OPC vehicles. Opel executives say the expansion of the OPC lineup will provide the image boost the brand needs. By creating halo vehicles for each model, Opel hopes to inject excitement into its cars while further distancing itself from quality problems that plagued the brand during the 1990s. Wanted: Halo cars Currently Opel offers OPC versions of its Astra lower-medium car and Zafira medium minivan. The third-generation Astra OPC and second-generation Zafira OPC models go on sale this month. OPC variants of the upper-medium Vectra five-door hatchback and Vectra Caravan station wagon also will expand the lineup this month. Opel executives say GM will introduce an OPC version of its Meriva small minivan this year and Corsa small-segment car in 2007. GM also is considering an OPC version of the GT roadster and Antara GTC medium SUV. The GT roadster will be imported into Europe from the United States. Production is scheduled to begin next year in GM's Wilmington, Del., assembly plant. The Antara GTC will be built by GM Daewoo in Korea with production starting in the fourth quarter of 2006. When the Astra OPC was launched in 1999, the intention was to boost the image of the brand in the same way AMG provided a performance character for Mercedes-Benz. GM's goals haven't changed. "We want halo vehicles for the Opel brand," Adams said. Signum excluded Opel does not intend to offer the upper-medium Signum in an OPC package, he said. The Astra OPC and Zafira OPC come with a 240-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged engine. The Vectra and Vectra Caravan OPC have a 255-hp, 2.8-liter V-6 turbocharged engine. GM hopes to produce 2,200 units per year of the Zafira, 2,600 Vectras and 3,500 Astras. The volume will be split among Germany, the United Kingdom and Switzerland. GM produced only 3,000 of the 1999 Astra OPC and 3,500 of its second-generation Astra OPC. A surprise hit was the first-generation Zafira OPC of which GM produced 12,000 units. The base Astra OPC is priced at 28,000 euros (about $32,700 at current exchange rates), while the Zafira's pricing starts at $37,892. The Vectra OPC is priced at $44,150 for the sedan and $45,080 for the wagon. Vauxhall, Opel's sister brand in the United Kingdom, uses the VXR label for OPC models

I recently drove a new Ion Redline Quad Coupe and was just so impressed with this car. The interior materials were good, nicely put together and I even warmed to the centre stack gauges. And the driving experience is just simply fun, fun, fun. I have made a complete 180 degree turn on this car, since driving it.

Autobild has very convincing chops....I have been fooled too many times lol. So observer beware.

I have to agree with you on that. I think many here have a real affection for Buick, but the reality is, it's not where it should be. I want Buick to be great again. It isn't right now....and they better fast-track changes, because I fear it could go the way of Oldsmobile. I feal Buick and Pontiac are very vulnerable....GM could exist without them....it pains me to say that.

Isuzu does not make cars anymore, although I think they still make passenger car diesel engines?......they market suvs/small pickups and commercial vehicles...they are big internationally in commercial trucks.

At first I want to say Chryco product....Cadillac?

Morgan?....odometer is very low....it looks vintage but new.