thegriffon

I read about this at Autoblog earlier today.  While recalls of Toyota vehicles have risen during the past few years, they don't even come close to GM or Ford.  His statements are just as stupid as the "we need to raise our car prices to help American auto companies" one from Toyota executives.

1) People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
2) Pick your battles wisely.

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Well, now, are you talking volume of vehicles (an indicator of how many GM sells, not how many problems there are) or number of recalls per model? And are you including only rrecent vehicles, or pickups built 10-20 years ago?

umm the ES330 is at 218hp

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Perhaps he's thinking ES300, which would probably be around 197 hp under the new SAE standard.

35 and wrong market, but: Tempest Ventura Riviera Nova Chevelle Barracuda Corsa Electra Falcon Camaro Mini Fox Supra Impala Bronco Blazer Impreza Solstice Cien Celica

Almost correct.  It is indeed based off the Astra, not the GM2900 Vectra nor Epsilon (GM3200) Vectra. However, it is not based off the new (GM3300) Astra.  Instead, it's off the GM3000 (previous generation Opel-Vauxhall Astra which is still produced in Sao Caetano do Sul in Sao Paulo state). There still seems to be some confusion surrounding that point in the marketplace.

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The A3300 Opel Astra is based on a stretched version of the T3000 Astra platform, as was already used in GM do Brasil's T3000 Chevrolet Astra (and thus the RHD South African Opel Astra), so of course the A3310 Chevrolet Vectra also uses an updated T3000 Astra platform even though it is a sedan version of the A3300 Opel Astra. The A3310 Vectra shares the majority of the A3300 Astra structure and design inside and out, but the platform is not really that much different than the T3000. Although the new Astra and Vectra are nominally A-bodies, just like the Delta-platform Cobalt and Ion, neither Opel nor GM do Brasil wound up adopting the new platform as originally intended.

Very cool find.  What is that.  Is it just a design study?

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Pre-production Chevrolet Vectra, and it's a version of the new A-body Astra (right down to interior details), not the Vectra. Later photos are slightly different.

35% efficiency has very little to do with how much fuel is burnt, and a lot to do with friction, pumping and heat losses etc., as well as the inherent inefficiencies of the otto cycle in even "ideal" conditions. A modern engine already burns practically all the fuel, as well as a most ingested smog and other gases in the atmosphere. Improvements in combustion for improved power and emissions are relatively minor (going from 99.9% fuel burn to 99.99% is a tenfold reduction in unburnt fuel, but less than a 0.1% improvement in efficiency). Major efforts to increase efficiency center on lean mixtures and high compression ratios to extract more power from the combustion process.

It's only someone's speculation, don't get upset over nothing. Reichel tends to do fanciful extensions, not real programs as well.

The automatics are ZF units built under licence in Korea. The company, originally part of Daewoo Telecom, has been bought by GM Daewoo and will later introduce new GM 6-speed autos.

I think the F-150 has a better designed interior if only for the better-integrated center console. Fuel economy is impressive. 21 mpg combined for the 4.8, compared to 15/18 for the 4.7 L Sequoia, and 21 mpg combined for a Landcruiser 4.2 L turbodiesel.

Overall competent but uninspired - a lot like most Toyotas.

that damned 3rd row.... how can a trailblazer have a better 3rd row?
good truck otherwise. i can sell a few dozen of those.  B)

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Because it's longer.

The X22F is the 6T70-E in the Saturn Aura

They may just do that.

They're not directly comparable. Satisfaction as measured by Auto Pacific is just one element of the Strategic Veision award.

Built in China, with design and specification changes unique to Buick.

Answer: "It depends on the design details more than the behaviour of the engine". If the engines are equally efficient, then whether it produces more torque at lower rpms or less torque at higher rpms is irrelevant. If they both produce the same power then the fuel burned and emmisions prodiuced will be similar. Combustion efficiency is more important. In low load/low rpm conditions 2V engines can be (but aren't necessarily) more efficient. This is why (together with cost) Honda is still designing new 2V engines and why port deactivation is so popular. In high rpm/high load conditions 3-5V heads help (but are not sufficient) to burn more fuel cleanly to produce more power. Aside from the ease in incorporating multi-valve heads, cam placement and number is irrelevant. Any engine can be designed to be very fuel-efficient at lower rpms, by simply using less fuel and producing less torque. As engine speed increases, power will also increase, until torque falls off faster than the engine speed increases, but fuel-burn and emmisions will also increase with the in rpm. If low-rpm power is adequate for the application, then you can offer a combination of low rpm fuel-efficiency and high-rpm power, when the driver desires. A VVT system can change between a low rpm torque regime and a high-rpm torque regime, but fuel-efficiency isn't the only reason such systems are used. They can be optimised purely for maximum power, minimal fuel use, a balance of both, or alternate between the two extremes. Theoretically timing and lift can be altered independently of rpm, offering either efficiency or maximum torque at any given engine speed depending on the conditions.

Key holes are a weak spot targeted by thieves. How any years has it been since you used a key to unlock the trunk of a new car anyway? I don't think "allowing dealers to unplug the battery" is a good enough reason for a keyed trunk lock.

It's the wrong pic though. They're going back to a system like the Saturn V, but using the solid rocket booster(s) and/or modified fuel tank and engines from the shuttle. Both payload and capsule will ride atop their own seperate lift systems, with the capsule parachuting to the ground, rather than dropping in the ocean. As with the shuttle, the solid rocket boosters will be reusable to save money.

Probably why it was in camouflage when at least the press fleet was already in circulation.

Brochures are recognised "collectibles". In fact if they did "correct" any, the "uncorrected" printings may be worth.

If it's at the RenCen, then it must be the Lucerne. That photo of the V250 is very bad though. The new grille and C-pillar look much more like the tv photo - far more muscular and sporting than the V200 Epica. Inside and out if not for the powertrain you wouldn't know it was the same car.

Someone should hunt for the 6-speed manual, if you can find a dealer who will stock one.

http://www.bobaedream.com/board/data/data_...elect=&content=

GM-DAT Magnus

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Otherwise known as the c2007 Chevrolet Epica

I don't know, I liked the wagon from the Geneva show better than this targa-cabrio version.

Wicked