thegriffon

Great review Dsuupr. I'd just take another look at the last sentence under Suspension/Handling (needs a "than" in the middle or a "lack" at the end perhaps). I'd certainly publish it.

Don't forget, fat kids also use more gasoline when riding in cars or taking the bus to school. Imagine how much fuel would be saved if every car hada weight sensing system that stopped the vehicle from starting if the occupants were too fat: "Seat load exceeded, you need to walk to work today."

Call this a result of well-intentioned rule-making. LATCH connections should only be in the rear, but for vehicles without a rear seat they are not only allowed but mandated if you have a cut-off switch. If Toyota's PR was doing their job they would argue that child-seats should not be installed in the front seat, and that out of concern for safety they are removing the cut-off rather than installing LATCH connections which would allow people to do so anyway.

Not it probably is the old LaCrosse concept. but very dated as to Buick styling cues. If you like it though no reason you can't base your idea for a NG LaCrosse on it, it just isn't GM's idea.

I believe Autoextremist has it right:

"Wagoner and Co. will take their sweet time and cherry-pick any obvious synergies available to them at Nissan and Renault. But that's as far as it will go."

Nahhh... I'm all set. I think it's my place to metion this things' weak points

while everyone is gushing over its styling. This FWD is like a cancer... we

need to cut it out like a surgeon does to a brain tumor before it spread to

even full size trucks.

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This is a full-size truck.

That makes 6 full-sized crossovers and counting. I think GM will have a more than adequate share of this segment. What they need is more decent mid-sized crossovers from the mainstream brands, ones not being discounted to compete with the RAV4 etc.

Who can answer this?

The price drop which happened on the GM cars within the last year was taken on the chin largely by the dealers, right?  That means the difference between the MSRP and their invoice shrank.  Their invoice didn't go down proportionately.

How would reducing output change the pricing?  These damn things (and they are  good cars, mind you) are in company and rental fleets everywhere.  It is truly a mass production car and I think diminishing output is stupid, if they can sell them.

Yeah, just try ratcheting up the price on the fleet buyers that are accustomed to a certain price point.

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According to AutoNation dealer margins haven't changed since they are not offering the same level of discounts they did before. It gets back to what the MSRP was legally supposed to indicate - what you should be paying for a car.

Dudes you guys are slow:

AutoNews 6am: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti...G/60711014/1003

NYT: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/12/business...gin&oref=slogin

AutoReport (with photos) 8.45 am: http://auto-report.net/WordPress/?p=201

Are you basing this assesment on the really poor MT photochop?

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I'm not sure who should be more insulted, Lehmann or MotorTrend.

Related Poll:

http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/CNBCTV...mos/P152074.asp

Nothing yet, but check this page for video later on:

http://moneycentral.msn.com/cnbc/tv/cnbcvideohighlights.aspx

I remember the last company this happened to. Used to be a big Japanese automaker called …

FYI Hilux Surf=4Runner

Other 2008 models listed include the Saturn Vue and Dodge Avenger

Hey, what about the Chinese models, the Buick sedans, the Regal and now the LaCrosse?

That is why people pay me $15 a month to do it for them (I also do many other coutnries as well).

I just skimmed it and didn't see anything that said how it would benefit them(that was my question). I've read it since then and still nothing. If you don't know the answer, don't reply to my post...

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That's what GM would like to know as well. They already have co-operation agreements with Renault and probably don't see why they need to sell any stock for any further co-operation. After all co-operation with Suzuki and Isuzu continues without any major stock ties, and Peugeot and Ford have a broad co-operation agreement without equity ties as well.

Van replacements... For both mid AND full-size?

When are these replacements expected to launch?

"there is no reason that couldn't be expanded to other projects (it already includes Nissan). E.g. replacements for …" does not mean that they are yet doing so or will be.

Of course GM and Renault already have an alliance, and there is no reason that couldn't be expanded to other projects (it already includes Nissan). E.g. replacements for the Astro and Safari Vans, the Express and Savanna, the Nissan Caravan and the rwd Renault Master in addition to the Vivaro/Trafic and fwd Movano/Master vans.

um yeah this thread was started a long time ago.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/05/business...=th&oref=slogin

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_031.html

Timeline

1963 - Harvey Ball creates Smiley face for $45. Widely used in advertising from then on.

Sept 1969/1970 - Spain brothers use Harvey's face with the slogan "Have a happy day" on host of items from t-shirts to buttons. Becomes enduring symbol of the early '70s and a global pop-culture icon.

1971 - Franklin Loufrani files a trademark for Harvey's smiley face in France, after selling its use to a French newspaper. Since then he has filed dozens of applications throughout the world and his company SmileyWorld (run by his son) has licenced it to hundreds of companies. The USPTO has rightly said "don't be daft" when he tried to register it in the US, but they're now trying again by adding the words "Smiley".

Note that Pontiac sales were up over 12%, and of all the models, only three can boast a full sales month in both 2005 and 2006 for comparison—Grand Prix, GTO and Vibe. Everything else is in limited supply runout (Bonneville, Grand Am, Sunfire, Aztek and now Montana) or a new model with no or limited availability in 2005 (G6, Solstice, Torrent, G5). They're completely replacing more than half their volume.

By far the best of the Japanese rebadges - better than the Isuzu and Mazda pickups.

Similarly Boss 302 and Boss 351 are for "Fitted car covers; automotive sunshields; exterior insignia badges for motor vehicles", not new models.

Don't get too excited, Fiero is trademarked only for "Automobile accessories, namely, badges for vehicle trim, center wheel caps, and taillight covers", i.e. replacement parts.