thegriffon

"Members of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS) say they've noticed a significant increase in traumatic foot and ankle injuries among patients who survived auto accidents. The reason? Air bags. …" "'We see trauma we never saw before,' says ACFAS President James L. Thomas, DPM, FACFAS, a foot and ankle trauma surgeon at the University of Alabama, Birmingham Hospital. 'A decade ago, these patients would have died from head trauma or other upper body injuries. Now, thanks to seat belts and air bags, they survive.'" Such a dramatic headline just so foot and ankle surgeons can put a spotlight on the great work they do and justify a big increase in both operations and fees to HMOs.

Mixen (dungheap)

Not half bad? It reads like propaganda more than journalism. You can say goodbye to your El Camino if this writer has their way. The closest thing you'll see is a Chevy Montana with a 1.0 L 3cyl Turbo, and you'll need a contractors licence to buy even that.

http://auto-report.net/WordPress/?p=234"Honda plans to introduce its next-generation diesel engine in the U.S. within three years." The GM-Isuzu 1.7 L was supplied to Honda until the introduction of the new Civic hatch last year. An updated version will be introduced in the Astra later this year, replacing the SOHC Fiat-designed, Opel-built 1.9 L.

baptist

The Monza was a coupe version of the Senator, both introduced in 1978. The previous large coupe was the Commodore (also a sedan) which ran until 1977. The previous Vectra nee Ascona coupes were the 3-door Calibra (1989-1997) and 2-door Manta (1970-1975 and 1975-1988), however rwd Asconas wre also available in a 2-door body, alongside the 2-door Manta and 3-door Manta CC (1975-1988).

You people are paranoid. Unles you're smuggling drugs, guns or people, driving a getaway vehicle for an armed robbery or kidnaping, building a car bomb etc., who cares where you are at any time?

As I rmember the torque curves from my engineering studies, peak torque is at 0 rpm, from which it drops off slightly until it reaches peak power, after which it drops of quite rapidly.

That's a nice argument, but it doesn't work that way unless you also aim to compete successfully in foreign markets. Don't try and argue—it's been tried. "Protectionism" has demonstrably led to a moribund economy with obsolete products and high unemployment. Ideally you want a situation where—like the auto industry—companies have an appreciation for the advantages of locally made products, but also but (unlike Ford and GM NA) are eager to seek export opportunities wherever they can be found (like GM Holden). Countries must seek trading opportunites to foster internal growth. Naturally potential trading partners like to see reciprocal opportunities which is why you see free trade agreements. Successive US governments have not been dedicated to opening markets with your biggest sources of imports for fear of sparking inflation, nor have enough US companies actively sought and supported export markets. Retailers large and small also have abig responsibility. Local retailers in Australia import a large amount of store-branded food products from, of all places, China—which must be one of the largest export markets for local producers (they also routinely import fruit and vegetables from the US, which isn't so fresh by the time it gets here, but Sunkist at least is big on global domination). I don't know about you, but I'm still wary of food products from Eastern Europe, let alone China. I am surprised with all these go-nowhere startups keen to import vehicles from China, why none of them thought of buying a fully-compliant product line and defunct brand (such as Plymouth, Nash or Hudson) in the US. Right now I'm sure DCX would be open to offers. They sold the tooling for the Stratus and Sebring to GAZ without blinking an eyelid. But then that's the world view people have. Protectionsim won't change that.

It can be driven, there is a running video of the Volt quietly driving aroud a suburban street. GM has set battery copanies a target of meeting the battery specs within 12 months—if they can do that a rollout in line with the new-generation compact platform around 2009 is certainly possible. Significant but overlooked since details were sparse, but the Volt's 1.0 L 3-cyl turbo should see wider application in the near future.

BTW, Lada still sells more than 200,000 rwd cars a year.

Canadian car with Russian styling, da.

You can't blame free trade for America's industrial woes. To some extent you can blame unfair trade, the US dollar as an intermediary currency etc., but mostly complacency at American companies large and small and the rise of the salesman over the manufacturer. Whole industries have disappeared simply because companies such as Oneida decided that their business was not making things, but selling them. Many others have grown accustomed to operating in one very large economy and decided that exporting to lots of smaller ones was just too much trouble (despite the current trade imbalance many Chinese companies have this attitude now); now they find themselves without growth markets overseas as the market shrinks at home. There is a lot of talk about the future of the Australian motor industry being in doubt—not so much because of foreign competition, despite union rhetoric, but because the market has shifted away from the 6- and 8-cylinder midsize sedans the industry produces. GM Holden has focused on export markets (most of the large sedans are for export markets already, and much of the engine production is also for export), but other companies are not in the same position. There are some sever structural problems facing American industries, but the problem is not foreign competition so much as new competition. If someone were to set up a brand-new American-owned automaker tomorrow it would have even more advantages than Toyota, Honda and Nissan do over the Chrysler, Ford and GM. United, Delta etc. aren't in bankruptcy because of cheap foreign competition after all. Woolworths and KMart didn't go broke competing against Carrefor or Daimaru. Ford can find willing buyers for many of its parts plants, even with unionised labor, partly because the new owners don't bear the burden of earlier Ford retirees as Visteon did. The former Western Electric was left behind as the technology of telephony changed, and accounting irregularities, as at Delphi, only exacerbated the problem.

Scharmer has one good point. Diesel fuel in the US had been formulated to take cold-temperatures into account, however that component of the mix apparently contained the highest sulfur, so to meet the new regs on the cheap many refineries seem to have cut it out rather than purify it. As a result many users who have not had cold-weather problems before have had problems with congealed fuel this winter. Biodiesel often has an even bigger problem with fuel congealing in cold weather, although of course this varies depending on the type of organic oil used. Under the right conditions the trigycerides in organic oils will even polymerise.

That's just European pricing. A 1.5 L 104 hp Yaris 5-door may cost $11670 (MSRP+DH) in the US, but in Germany a 1.3 L 82 hp 5-door costs $US14,994, before taxes, and the Yaris is a size smaller than the Corsa.

Bear in mind that this OPC version stickers at $US 24,900 (before taxes) in Germany, and the next gasoline engine down—an 88 hp 1.4 L—starts at $US 15,740, while the cheapest model is the 1.0 L 3-cyl for $US 12,400. A 5-door is another $US 800-900.

I think you could get a 58 hp 1.0 L 3-cyl for that much.

Beretta

No for the Canyon/Colorado/H3. As has been said repeatedly, GM has a 3.0 L 4-cylinder truck engine for them. Less hp, but lower speed for real stump-pulling power. Vue, Saab 9-4X, BRX, GMC Theta, Lambda crossovers, Zeta and Epsilon sedans, certainly, but it will be a top-of-the line option, almost as expensive as the full GMPD version (a real performance model, not an Equinox Sport/Torrent GXP). Probably too much of a stretch for a Chevrolet.

New, photos, 3 videos and full Geneva press release: World Premiere in Geneva: Most Powerful Corsa Ever * OPC powerhouse with 192 turbo PS * Up to 266 Newton meters with overboost * Zero to 100 km/h in 7.2 seconds * Top speed 225 km/h Geneva — Opel is shifting into top gear with the new Corsa OPC, which makes its world premiere at the 77th Geneva Motor Show (March 8–18, 2007) and goes on sale shortly afterwards. Following the sensational market launch of the Opel bestseller's fourth generation, the OPC version is now the quintessential expression of the Corsa's dynamic character. Top-level agility and vehicle control ensure pure Corsa driving fun. Its 1.6 liter turbo engine with 141 kW/192 PS accelerates the compact three-door from zero to 100 km/h in 7.2 seconds and enables a top speed of 225 km/h. The maximum torque of 230 Nm is delivered to the front wheels by the standard six-speed transmission. more at AutoReport

It means there will be some sales outside Europe, but nowhere near as many. This engine should make up 50% or more of CTS sales in Europe, and probably a a similar proportion of V6 model Saabs and Opels, but outside Europe it will only be a niche offering. It would do well in the new-generation TEs, Epsilon IIs, Zetas and smaller rwd cars.

The 355's will get an upgraded 3.0 L 4-cylinder—a truck engine with maybe 170 hp (currently 160) and 400 lb-ft at a lower speed (c1500 rpm).

By that time there will be a new Aura, and a new LaCrosse on the immediate horizon.

* GM's first production application of innovative, closed-loop combustion technology * Cadillac CTS adds engine to its portfolio in 2009 * Low emissions, high performance and excellent fuel economy * 184 kW/250 PS, 550 Nm (406 lb-ft) torque, 2.9 liter displacement * Compact design enables transverse and longitudinal installation Geneva — General Motors Corp. unveiled a new 2.9 liter V6 turbo-diesel engine that features state-of-the-art injection and combustion technology for minimum emissions and maximum performance. The new engine (184 kW/250 PS) will be mainly sold in Europe and makes its debut at the Geneva Motor Show (March 8–18). Its first production application is scheduled for 2009 in the new Cadillac CTS. Full release and photo from AutoReport… Same bore as the current VM diesel built by GM Daewoo, same stroke as the Fiat-GM diesel built in Germany, more powerful than current 3.0 L V6 diesels from Jaguar, Mercedes, Audi or BMW, but not BMW's Twin Turbo.

The other clips I didn't bother with since they just pan over the photos you already have.