HarleyEarl

From Bill Vance of Canadian Driver: July 18, 2007 Motoring Memories: Hardtop convertibles Story and photo by Bill Vance Although true hardtop convertibles are becoming popular now, there were a few earlier attempts that weren't so successful. In the beginning, virtually all cars were convertibles, most descended from open carriages and buggies. Rudimentary canvas tops were normal as carmakers were more concerned with mechanical reliability than passenger protection - and automobiles were rarely operated in the winter anyway. As reliability improved and cars were used year-round there was increased interest in weather protection. Enclosed cars gradually evolved, helped immeasurably by the introduction of the all-steel body by the Dodge brothers in 1914, thanks to the steel-stamping genius of Edward Budd of Philadelphia. By 1925 closed cars surpassed open ones in sales. Nonetheless open cars always retained an air of intrigue and excitement. Alfresco motoring was more romantic, and convertibles became higher priced and more collectable. In spite of their allure, convertibles had disadvantages. They were more expensive to build and maintain, could be leaky and drafty, and were noisier than closed cars. Folding tops deteriorated, and before power operation they were often difficult to erect. Why not combine the best of both; a hardtop that looked like a convertible? Industry lore has is that the phoney hardtop convertible idea evolved because a Buick executive's wife loved the look of her convertible but always kept the top up to avoid mussing her hair. Her husband took the story to the office and the result was the convertible that didn't really convert. The big splash for hardtop convertibles came in 1949 when General Motors introduced the Cadillac Coupe de Ville, Buick Roadmaster Riviera and Oldsmobile 98 Holiday coupe. Although they had fixed roofs their two-tone paint schemes, pillarless design and disappearing side windows made them look like convertibles with the tops erected. Although popularized by GM, the idea goes back a long way. Again it was John and Horace Dodge and their 1916 Dodge Brothers car with the "California" top. When the removable frame between the side windows was taken out and the windows lowered a true "hardtop" feeling was achieved. The next step came from Chrysler just after the Second World War. In 1946 it built a few prototype hardtop convertibles based on its woodsided Chrysler Town & Country coupe, but didn't put it into production. Chrysler revived it in 1950 after GM showed that there was a viable market. GM's upscale hardtop convertibles were an instant success, and it followed up in 1950 with the Chevrolet Bel Air and Pontiac Chieftain hardtops. Within a couple of years all domestic manufacturers except Kaiser-Frazer, who couldn't afford it, had hardtop convertibles. In 1953 one of the prettiest hardtops, the Studebaker Starliner coupe, made its appearance. Hardtop convertibles continued to gain popularity, with the next big development coming in 1955 when GM introduced the four-door Buick Riviera and Oldsmobile Holiday hardtop sedans. As before, other manufacturers soon followed. It was just a short step from there to a four-door hardtop station wagon, and it came first on little American Motors' 1956 Nash Rambler Cross Country. Oldsmobile and Buick hardtop wagons followed in '57. The faux hardtop convertible continued as a staple on the North American automotive scene into the 1970s, and then largely died out. In that dismal automotive decade the public simply lost interest, as it had with true convertibles. We must also note that, just as today, there were some real hardtop convertibles that actually lowered their tops just like a regular convertible. The first came from Peugeot in France in 1934 when Peugeot unveiled its Eclipse coupe model with an electrically operated hard top. The rear-hinged deck lid rose up and the top slid back into the trunk. A little more than 20 years later the idea was revived by the Ford Motor Company when it introduced the mid-1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner retractable hardtop. Compared with the Peugeot it was a complicated affair that required six electric motors instead of the Peugeot's one. The reason was that the Ford was a much larger four/five passenger car with a considerably longer roofline. This required the top to rise up and slide into the trunk as did the Peugeot's, and the leading edge of the roof had to fold under. Trunk space was reduced to a small rectangular washtub-like container. The Ford Skyliner proved just too complicated and was discontinued in 1959. True hardtop convertibles have made a comeback and they are much more efficient than Ford's retractible, although trunks continue to be compromised. Slick-folding hardtops now come from Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Cadillac, Pontiac, Mazda and others. Chevrolet even offered one on its SST pickup truck. Today's folding hardtops are the real thing, but those ersatz hardtop convertibles of yore met the desires of a small niche in the market that wanted the advantages of a hardtop with the appearance of a convertible.

I like everything about this car. Only one minor complaint...the rear backup lights seem like an afterthought. Such a dynamic design with silly little lights stuck in the middle of nowhere.

What do you mean, 'no offense?'....you are offensive and insulting.

About a month ago I saw 3 of the new Ford F-150s in a hotel parking lot. Didn't really think much about it the time, but I haven't seen these on dealer lots or on the street....are they even on the market yet?....and if not, why were these 3 on the street?

I think towing companies and taxis as well push ethics and the law to the limit. Hasn't it always been this way?

Aren't there laws against this?....just reading it got me all worked up. There isn't much honor anymore.

All great product ideas. I think GM is finally getting it. It's the product. Building and marketing mundane cars like they were soap and toothpaste is over. You have to have some passion for building cars. They are emotional. I don't get too misty eyed over my toiletries.

I am liking the new Camaro so much better than the just released Challenger. What a fantastic profile it has.

Dutch Mandel--GM Next: Why it will be around for the coming century By DUTCH MANDEL As General Motors looks toward its centennial celebration in September, today might go down in its history as the moment when its corporate life was saved. That's because its much-maligned chairman, Rick Wagoner, announced massive triage measures aimed at keeping the patient alive. His message should resonate from Wall Street to Main Street. Wagoner and his creditable management team--led by no-nonsense COO Fritz Henderson--addressed all areas of the business. Yes, GM made some "easy" calls. It will hasten to shutter plants it targeted earlier in the year for closure; those facilities build slow-selling, fuel-inefficient trucks. The move will reduce blue-collar strength. Still, GM's other efforts were across-the-board dramatic. For example: The sacred GM dividend doled to shareholders is suspended, for a savings of near $800 million. Spending on white-collar workers will be cut by up to 20 percent based on attrition, buyouts and "other measures." Executive compensation has been frozen; no discretionary bonuses will be given in either 2008 or '09. White-collar retirees beyond age 65 will pay their own health-care costs (though corporate pension funding will offset some of this). Promotion and marketing budgets, identified by Wagoner in his speech to employees as including events and motorsports, are slashed or eliminated. Development of the next-generation large pickup truck, due in the market by 2012, and all V8-engine work are on hold. Not all of the news involved the financial scythe. Wagoner talked about increasing capital expenditures in future-powertrain development--read hybrid and fuel-cell. It will move the Chevy Volt plug-in electric vehicle forward. It will scour the world for small cars that can and will fit into the GM North America portfolio. All of these moves are significant. More important, Wagoner says the company will add $15 billion to the estimated $30 billion war chest GM has available to keep it afloat, even as its stock share price reaches a 54-year low. Most important, this announcement--which, based on its thoroughness and depth, was obviously a long, thought-out, involved process--sends a powerful cross-town memo. You can have your bankruptcy rumors, which circulated last week. You can have your takeover comments and speculation. But no matter how "transparent" Chrysler aims to make its message, no matter how far Ford's Alan Mulally carries the Blue Oval boys, the gauntlet has been thrown down by GM. Today's announcement says that they are here for a long, hard fight. This article was last updated on: 07/15/08, 11:35 et

http://www.worldcarfans.com/9080715.003/vw...-plus-rendering

http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti.../705485855/1065 GM confirms new products By GREG MIGLIORE General Motors is launching seven key new vehicles in the next two years, including three Cadillacs and a production version of the Buick Invicta concept, as part of a car and crossover product blitz to help turn around its troubled North American operations. The new vehicles were confirmed by GM CEO Rick Wagoner on Tuesday after he laid out a series of cuts designed to improve the troubled automaker's liquidity by $15 billion through 2009. The Cadillac CTS coupe, which turned heads in January at the Detroit show, headlines the list of new vehicles confirmed Tuesday and is expected to launch in summer 2009. A CTS sport wagon, featuring prominent taillights reminiscent of late-1950s Cadillacs, will arrive next spring. A new Cadillac SRX crossover that closely mimics the Provoq concept shown at the Consumer Electronics Show last January is due in the second quarter of 2009. GM also showed a picture of the production version of the Buick Invicta, the new flagship sedan that was shown as a concept at the Beijing show in March. It will launch next spring in the United States. A new 9-4X crossover for Saab is also due in fall 2009. Chevrolet gets a redesigned Equinox in May 2009, with a new 2.3-liter, direct-injection four-cylinder powerplant, which product czar Bob Lutz promises will offer dramatically improved fuel economy. GM also said that the Chevrolet Cruze, its new global small car to be built in Ohio, is expected to improve fuel efficiency by 9 mpg over the Cobalt. The automaker did not offer more details on the fate of Hummer, though GM is eyeing asset sales. The cuts also include plans to reduce GM's truck capacity by 300,000 units by the end of 2009 by accelerating the shuttering of its plants. Additionally, the automaker is freezing development of its next generation of trucks and sport/utility vehicles, as well as V8 engines. This article was last updated on: 07/15/08, 14:03 et

Ford Contour SVT

I think one should just buy what you grabs your attention and fits your needs. Gas is still a relative bargain compared with most markets in the world and relative to what it cost way back in the early days of the automobile, taking in account the changing value of the dollar, inflation, wages etc. It was much more expensive then. So enjoy. Don't compromise.

It occured to me, that if people were actually cutting holes and actually making working ventiports/portholes, I wouldn't find them quite so distasteful....but stick-on?....just the worst.

Please....not a new Malibu?!! Where do people find out about tacky stuff like this? I've never seen them advertised. It must be word of fender.

I saw my first G8 moving on the street a couple days ago.....at first as it went by in front of me, for a split second thought it was a new Euro something...then it hit me....it's a Pontiac G8!....has a good look as it moves by. Also saw my first new Challenger (black)......it's probably just me, but it's not making me lust for it. I think the problem may be it's too literal...too much like the old one but not as good looking. And it appears quite large visually.

Walking on my way to work, I often detour just to walk by a gorgeous new GMC Denali pickup...that was until suddenly the owner went chrome veneer mad....all along the lower sides, big swaths of it.....so cheap looking....I no longer walk by it.

Saw a Lotus Elan today like this one....haven't seen one like forever.

I saw a beautiful Buick Enclave today with a Budget rental sticker on the back.

Is it portholes or ventiports?.....or both?

Funny about the Maserati.....I need to keep a small camera on me too. I got thinking about this.....now would it be ok to apply portholes, say to a Buick that didn't have them from the factory, like the one in my sig? It's a grey area, I know, but it needs to be put on the table.

Please report any porthole infractions that you see. Today, now hold onto something......this is the truth, I just saw a Honda Fit with portholes. I almost had a hissy fit.

Chevrolet Colorado, Thailand: