HarleyEarl

1956 Oldsmobile Golden Rocket Showcar interior shot. Such nice details...the deep dish steering hub, the centre of dash dramatically reaching to console.

You really are beyond stupid. Is that polite enough for you?

I agree, then it would differentiate it more from run-of-the-mill Cobalts. Enhancing the Pontiac performance image. I think it's a good move for American Pontiac. The problem, I suspect, is keeping the price lower, relative to the G6. And so glad the Montana is on it's way out. Finally.

Pontiac will get Cobalt-based entry-level coupe, lose Montana minivan By JAMIE LAREAU | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS AutoWeek | Published 02/12/06, 3:18 pm et DETROIT -- General Motors will give Pontiac an entry-level coupe as a stopgap measure until the division gets more brand-focused products, sources close to Pontiac say. In the process, Pontiac dealers will lose the Montana SV6 minivan. The coupe will be a high-performance relative of the Chevrolet Cobalt coupe with some Pontiac influences. The vehicle will give the Buick-Pontiac-GMC channel a shot at the small-car market, a source close to GM says. GM is still considering names for it. One option might be the G5, sources say. Pontiac intends to launch the coupe as a 2007 model and likely will start production this fall in Lordstown, Ohio. The car will be priced similarly to the Chevrolet Cobalt SS supercharged coupe, which starts at $20,490, including shipping. Pontiac eventually will lose the Montana SV6 minivan, which has seen sluggish sales and does not fit Pontiac's performance-brand image, sources say. U.S. sales of the SV6 for January fell to 1,450 units, an 11.5 percent drop from 1,638 in the year-ago period. Pontiac has lacked an entry-level car since the Sunfire died last year. In Canada, GM sells a Cobalt sibling called the Pontiac Pursuit.

o man, gmtruckguy.....that is the sweetest Suburban ever.....is that factory 4x4?....I just love those things.

Enzora, exactly. GM just can't seem to do most interiors very well. It's like a curse.

There is something very singular about a standard 3-on-the-tree transmission......I love it. It's a whole other experience.

In a dedicated sports car, I like stick on the floor. On on almost anything else I like it on the tree....and centre stack free...where I can set on cruise and stretch out.

It just doesn't get worse than this. They are now going to go overboard like they did with the the tacky plastic wood aftermarket kits. This is no better.

Here's the first Suburban, the '35 Chevrolet Suburban Carryall. The first suv.

Move west to the Canadian foothills in the Shadow of the Rocky Mountains...we are having a heatwave. Beautiful sunny July weather. We're out on the patios today. It's been crazy warm for about 3 months. Oh, and no snow.

1946 Chevrolet Suburban Carryall Motoring Memories: Chevrolet/GMC Suburban, 1935-2006 Story and photo by Bill Vance Ours is an evolving automotive world where fads and fancies, not to mention names and models, come and go. But through the years some vehicles, such the Model T Ford and the Volkswagen Beetle, did remain constant to their original calling. The T is gone of course, and Beetle production ended in Puebla, Mexico in July, 2003. The Volkswagen Beetle has even been reincarnated, albeit now with a front engine and front-wheel drive. Another model that has stayed the course is the truck-based all-steel Suburban (called the Suburban Carryall until 1973) station wagon. This big eight-to-nine-passenger General Motors workhorse has been on the scene since 1935. Not only has the Chevrolet/GMC Suburban (GMC's version is now called the Yukon XL) been around for over 60 years, until the arrival of the 1997 Ford Expedition it had virtually no competition. The International Travelall introduced in 1953 by International Harvester was an earlier exception. The original Suburban Carryall all-steel station wagon arrived as a mid-year model in 1935. Based on the Chevrolet half-ton panel delivery truck, it was little more than a panel with windows cut into the sides, and some utilitarian seats installed to provide its eight-passenger capacity. Because it was basically a panel truck, the passengers had to climb awkwardly through the right front door to get to the removable middle and rear seats. The vertically hinged truck door at the rear could be replaced by an optional station-wagon-like tailgate for access to the cargo area. While not a sales sensation in its first few years, the Suburban was sufficiently popular to encourage GM to resume building it after the Second World War with the return to civilian vehicle production. As with cars, the first post-war trucks, including the Suburban, were virtually carbon copies of prewar models. Because truck production had continued during the war, companies like GM and Ford could resume civilian production more easily than they could with cars. The result was that development of new trucks was started sooner than it was for cars; GM was able to introduce its more modern Chevrolet and GMC trucks for 1947. Its full line of new post-war cars would not arrive until 1949. Thus the Suburban, like the rest of the line, benefited from such improvements as a wider, roomier cab area and a 25 percent increase in the expanse of glass. During this era, trucks began to take on a less utilitarian appearance as truck makers realized that work-a-day haulers didn't need to look like all work and no play. This trend to handsome trucks really emerged in 1955 when Chevrolet introduced its Cameo Carrier pickup with a sculpted, cab-width box, car-like taillight, flashy two-tone paint and a deluxe cab. But the Cameo Carrier wasn't the only Chevy truck that took on more glamour when the new '55s were introduced as mid-year models. Regular Chevs and GMCs borrowed heavily from the dramatic new Chevrolet car with such features as wraparound windshields, "eyebrow" headlamps and, on the Chev, an eggcrate grille. The Suburban enjoyed these improvements along with the rest of the truck line, and had available as an option the sensational new overhead valve V8 engine. The standard powerplant was an overhead valve, in-line six. It was also during this period that convenience and luxury items became available on trucks. Options like power steering, power brakes and automatic transmissions turned commercial vehicles into much more car-like machines, and paved the way for the current use of trucks as passenger vehicles. The Suburban soldiered on through the years unchallenged as the only large, truck-based station wagon in the business - the Travelall faded from the scene in 1975. The Travelall did have one advantage over the Suburban for several years, however: a second door on the passenger side. General Motors finally got around to adding a second right-side door to the Suburban in 1967, and made it a full four-door in 1973. We can't imagine it being any other way now. Optional diesel power was added for increased fuel economy, and four-wheel drive was also made available. GM had a good idea back in 1935, so good that it has lasted right up to the present time. Everything is big in Texas, and it's no surprise that Suburbans have found particular favour there. Minivans and sport utility vehicles largely displaced station wagons as the family hauler of choice, although wagons are coming back into popularity. But for carrying a real load of passengers and cargo, the Suburban is still, after all these years, the quintessential hauler.

Ahhh yes.....Lingenfelter.....I thank them too. This is the car of my dreams. Think of it!..800 hp. Corvette + Lingenfelter = power orgasm.

Congratulations on your purchase of a non-GM product. That'll show GM!....that must be the 'Gears' in 'Cheers & Gears'. And congratulations too on choosing something foreign. That'll show 'em.

NYPD could be replacing their Impala & Crown Vic squad cars with the Dodge Charger. Testing now.

Is North America next?

Galileo Signals End of Liberty in Europe The first signals received from the oncoming swarm of Galileo satellites signal the end of liberty in Europe. Galileo offers consumers the promise of better and cheaper satellite navigation - this is how those behind the multi-billion (insert currency of choice) project sell it to the public. What they don't shout so loudly about is that it also offers governments the promise of easier satellite tracking. You'll soon be able to buy a mobile phone or watch that knows where you are. Indeed, the Japanese government have already passed a law that from 2007 onwards you won't be able to buy a new mobile phone in Japan without a satellite navigation system. Proposals to use such devices to locate lost children, accidents and breakdowns sound wonderful, until you realise that the same technology can all too easily be used by governments to track every citizen 24 hours a day wherever they go, whoever they see, whatever they do. There will be no escape from state surveillance. Privacy will be consigned to history. Many former European leaders would have smiled with menacing delight at the benefits that Galileo offers: Adolf Hitler, Josef Stalin, Benito Mussolini, Nicolae Ceausescu, to name but a few. The principal concern of the Association of British Drivers is that Galileo will be used to extort yet more stealth tax from drivers. The EU is already planning to use Galileo to enforce continental-wide road tolling, and the car-hating British government wants to be first. You won't be able to drive anywhere without the EU knowing where you are going, who you are travelling with, and what speed you are travelling at. They will be able to charge whatever they want. One journey, four lapses of concentration that take you slightly over the speed limit, and you'll be banned from driving. Manufacturers will be forced by law to fit Galileo devices to all cars. You won't be able to start your car without one. You won't be able to drive anywhere without being spied upon and paying through the nose for the privilege. ABD Chairman Brian Gregory said: "The ABD is not opposed to technology, far from it, the existing GPS system provides great benefits to drivers. Yet we are very concerned indeed that with the prevalence in Europe of anti-car ideology, and the use of terrorism as an excuse to reduce civil liberties, this technology will be abused like no other has ever been. Galileo is not a light on the horizon, it is the entrance to an abyss." (Association of British Drivers)

...and 'Nomad' means something?lol.

I agree Turbo200 that there has been an inordinate amount of postings about GM's perceived troubles. Another preoccupation and much hand-wringing is about Toyota. Let's make C&G a Toyota free zone! I delare it to be!!!

Saab should never have done the 9-2x and the 9-7x. People aren't fooled. Only bright spot is the 9-3. The 9-5 is dated and very much an old man's car.

Like stickers, GM's rebates dip as new pricing strategies take hold By JOHN K. TEAHEN JR. | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS AutoWeek | Published 02/07/06, 9:23 am et DETROIT -- Cutting sticker prices seems to be doing the job that General Motors assigned to it: enabling the automaker to scale back its huge rebates on cars and light trucks. We don't mean the first attempt at lower stickers, which GM installed last fall. Those stickers showed minimal reductions from 2005 prices, and they followed a summer of employee pricing, with its heavy discounts. The pricing strategy fell on its face then, and GM stopped talking about it. But the company decided to give it another chance. On Jan. 11, it announced a wide range of reductions, many of them $1,000 to $3,000. With them came a new set of incentives that ran until Jan. 31. Now, the February-March incentives have been put in place, and they are largely unchanged from the January offers. Most rebates are in the $500-to-$1,500 range, much lower than GM has been offering during the past year. The automaker is hopeful. The new price-rebate system helped GM increase the U.S. sales of its North American brands 5.8 percent in January. A few big rebates ($5,500-$6,000) remain, but they are designed to clear out leftover full-sized 2006 SUVs that have been replaced in showrooms by what GM calls 2007 models. Ford division hasn't matched GM's January price cuts, but it is aping GM on the rebate side. Payments of $500 to $3,000 abound. The Chrysler group also is watching its pennies, but the Chrysler Pacifica and Town & Country bring $3,000, and so do the Dodge Caravan and Grand Caravan, Durango and Ram 1500. GM's incentives expire March 31, Ford's and Chrysler's on Feb. 28.

(an aside, when I posted the above, a sentence was in my post that I didn't put there.....has anyone else had this happen?!)

At first I thought the BLS was a good idea, even maybe for America. But the more I think of it, why is Cadillac trying to be all things, to all people? Just because VW, Mercedes & others have lost their way, why emulate them? I want Cadillac to be Cadillac in the truest sense of the word. Keep Cadillac bold, brash and American. A Saab Cadillac, I cringe at the thought.

Still Flowing Toward the Mainstream Saab aims for sport touring sedan experience with its new 9-3 lineup. Monday, February 6, 2006 By Frank Aukofer - Scripps Howard News Service Like a flamboyant circus acrobat relegated to a support role, Saab has lost some of its audience appeal. Sales of its sport sedans and wagons, the 9-3 and 9-5, have slipped. To bring back some of the luster, the Swedish company added a couple of new models, though they weren’t really Saabs. One is the 9-2, a reworked version of the Subaru WRX, and the other is the 9-7X SUV, based on the Chevrolet Trail Blazer. For 2006, it also has added the 9-3 SportKombi, a four-door station wagon version of the 9-3 sport sedan. The 9-3 at one time was a four-door hatchback, which didn’t sell well, so in 2003 Saab switched it to the standard notchback sedan configuration favored in the United States. Now, without a hatchback, it’s bringing a wagon. Saab, an aircraft company originally named Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget that turned to making aerodynamic automobiles after World War II, now is owned by General Motors, which gave it the 9-7X and, through its partnership with Subaru, the 9-2. Though those two models likely contribute something to the bottom line, the remaining 9-5 and 9-3 models have treaded water as their sales weakened during the last few years despite the 2004 introduction of a convertible version of the 9-3. Over the years, Saab developed a reputation as a manufacturer of automobiles that, to paraphrase one of its advertising slogans, found their own road. Originally powered by three-cylinder, two-cycle engines, Saabs evolved into cars that were frequently out of the mainstream but had qualities of performance and handling that attracted a small but loyal band of followers. Following in that tradition, the 2006 9-3 four-door, the subject here, is marketed as a premium sport sedan that competes with the likes of the BMW 3-Series, the Audi A4, Volvo S60 and V50, and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Its only remaining quirk is the Saab trademark of locating the ignition lock on the center console instead of on the steering column or dash. Though it’s priced competitively and is a pleasant, even endearing, everyday driver, the tested 9-3 doesn’t have the crisp feel of a sport touring sedan like the BMW 3. Handling is tight and secure, but without the sharp moves of some of the competition. It feels more like a competent compact family sedan. That, of course, is not bad. Moreover, there are customers out there who are attracted to Saab’s European panache and overall performance. The suspension system is supple enough to soak up most road imperfections, although it is biased toward the handling end of the spectrum so the ride is anything but cushy. On the other hand, the 9-3 is commendably quiet cruising on high-speed expressways. The tested 9-3 was the base 2.0T model, powered by a 210-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Though there’s some slight turbo lag, noticeable mainly on part-throttle automatic-transmission upshifts, the engine is strong and rapidly propels the 9-3 to extra-legal speeds. The five-speed automatic transmission shifts crisply when you’re accelerating quickly; more smoothly in leisurely driving. Because of the rapid onrush of the turbo power, there’s some tug at the steering wheel when accelerating around a corner. That’s a phenomenon among powerful front-drive cars, known as torque steer. With a base price of just $26,620, the base 9-3 slots in against some family cars. But options soon kick up the sticker. A five-speed automatic transmission (a five-speed manual is standard), adds $1,350. A premium package, which included such amenities as leather upholstery, a navigation system and wood-grain interior trim, added another $3,890, and heated seats, headlight washers and sundry other items brought the bottom-line suggested price to $32,960. In keeping with European luxury-car practice, Saab also charges $550 extra for the “jet black metallic” paint job. The 9-3 sedan is classified as a compact, which gives it optimum dimensions for modern urban traffic. It measures three inches longer than 15 feet, and has room inside for four people to sit comfortably, as long as the two in back are not too long in the thigh. There’s a seatbelt for a third passenger in back, but the position is impossibly cramped. Up front, the bucket seats are supportive and comfortable over long distances, though they could stand a bit more lateral support for spirited driving on curving roads. The power-adjustable driver’s seat, combined with a manual tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, means people of almost any size can find a comfortable driving position. The dashboard, with the optional navigation system, has a busy look and so many buttons that it takes some time to become familiar with all of them. One button, labeled “night panel,” snuffs out the lighting for all the instruments except the speedometer. Down on the center console is a storage compartment and a single large cup holder. The parking brake handle is cleverly integrated into the console design, but requires familiarity to use. If you position your thumb at the top of the handle, as is customary on most parking-brakes, it gets pinched when you release the brake. Frank Aukofer writes for the Artists & Writers Syndicate. Saab 9-3 specs: Model: 2006 Saab 9-3 2.0T four-door sport sedan. Engine: 2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, 210 horsepower. Transmission: Five-speed automatic. Overall length: 15 feet 3 inches. EPA passenger and trunk volume: 93 and 15 cubic feet. Weight: 3,200 pounds. EPA fuel consumption: 22 miles per gallon city, 31 highway. Base price, including destination charge: $26,620. Base dealer cost: $25,284. Price as tested: $32,960.

Just an observation. At time of writing this, 14 out of 69 posts today were GM focused. I'm just throwing this out there: Is C&G becoming more a general automotive interest(and much not related to anything automotive) forum rather than a GM 'cheers and gears' forum? Was it always this way? Does it matter? ( And for the record, I'm as 'guilty' as anyone else).