pow

Wowzers... normally I don't like Asian cars, but this thing looks sensational!

I thought this was going to be a thread on a new Chinese car. The 2007 Absolute Brilliance... or something.

Something about it makes the front wheels look larger than the rear wheels. Overall, it's not bad... you can identify it as a Lexus, but that's not saying much, is it?

Jaguar uses "Super V8." It's not plain "Super," but if its going to be used to designate a V8 model...

Looks like a pole. I guess that's one disadvantage of T-tops... no roof pillar on the side.

There's just something wrong with a big German executive sedan turned into a sports model. It too long and heavy for its own good, kinda like the S55 AMG. The old, unassuming S8 was great, though... ditto the current XJR.

LaCrosse Super V8 Portfolio? Oh, wait:

Agreed... Camries aren't exciting cars, but they're inoffensive, good value, and easy to recommend, the key word being inoffensive. As a machine, the Malibu may well be as good as the Camry, but its big chrome bar up front and strange-looking interior is almost bold. As far as value, I've seen leather-lined, sunroof equipped XLE V6 models advertised for around $22K, which is a lot of kit for not much little money.

Nope, only the 9-3.

Naturally Swedened By Erin Riches Date posted: 10-17-2005 Inside this dimly lit Stockholm pub the stress level is zero. No one's rushed in here. People spend hours nursing draft beer and warm plates of meat. Two hours, two lagers and a dozen meatballs later, we realize the best part about the 2006 Saab 9-5, which we drove yesterday on the two-lane roads north of this historic city. It's still a Saab. Svante Kinell, brand manager for the 9-5, says there are 1,367 changes on the 2006 model, but these changes haven't squashed that intangible something that makes it a Saab. They've just made it a better Saab. Over a Thousand Changes Although numerous, the changes really come down to an exterior face-lift, a worked-over chassis, a new control layout, 10 extra horsepower and a price cut of about $2,000. Additionally, the wagon is now called the SportCombi just like the new 9-3 wagon, and the familiar Linear, Arc and Aero trim levels are gone in favor of a single model offered in sedan and wagon body styles. This single model is a blend of last year's midlevel Arc and sporty Aero models, which means it's fully equipped with leather upholstery, eight-way power front seats with driver memory, seat heaters in all five positions, a 240-watt Harman Kardon audio system with an in-dash CD changer and satellite radio. The high-output version of Saab's 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder is also standard, and it's up to 260 hp, thanks to a revised intake. Torque holds steady at 258 pound-feet. Transmission choices still consist of a five-speed manual and a five-speed automatic. All 9-5s wear 17-inch wheels and 235/45R17 Pirelli all-season tires (slightly wider than last year's 225s), while the old Aero model's lowered sport suspension has moved to the options list, bundled with sport seats and faux aluminum interior trim. Other extras include a navigation system and a visibility package with bi-xenon headlamps and rear park assist. Saab expects to hold the base price for both the sedan and wagon right around the $35,000 mark. On the Surface Known for its friendly face, the Saab 9-5 carries an almost sinister gaze into 2006. A larger grille gives the car the prominent nose that's currently in fashion, while projector-beam headlamps bore into your soul through smoked lenses. In back, shapely new taillights resemble those of the '06 Audi A4. Along the sides, the 9-5's characteristic black body moldings and door handles give way to more socially acceptable color-matched trim. Inside, designers replaced the 9-5's clunky array of climate and audio buttons with a slick new set of metallic-trimmed dials and buttons from the GM parts bin. Normally, we'd be skeptical about a Saab sharing its center stack controls with the Chevrolet HHR, but the new pieces integrate nicely into the 9-5's cockpit and greatly improve its ergonomics. The gauge faces are also new this year, and the steering wheel now has three spokes instead of four. We would have liked to see Saab upgrade a few of the 9-5's questionable interior plastics, which remain a step or two behind German and Japanese peers. Deep Down Its innocuous expression gone, the 9-5 needed more of a performance edge as well, so engineers went to work on the standard suspension to tighten up the car's traditionally soft handling. Fifteen-percent stiffer shocks are fitted at all four corners, and all 9-5s get the thicker stabilizer bars previously exclusive to the Aero trim level. Engineers also stiffened the front subframe bushings by 90 percent and recalibrated the power steering valves. In back they widened the rear track slightly and reduced the toe-in angle for more stable handling. To assure the ride stays comfortable, 7-percent softer rear springs were installed. There's no change in the rear spring rate of the optional sport suspension, but the front springs are 8-percent stiffer than on last year's Aero model, while the shocks are 10-percent firmer front and rear. As on the Aero, sport package-equipped cars ride 10mm closer to the ground than the standard 9-5. The brakes are unchanged. Drives Like a Classic Saab This may sound like a lot of changes, but driving the 2006 Saab 9-5 is a remarkably familiar experience. We sampled a sedan and a pair of SportCombi wagons, all equipped with the sport suspension, and they felt like traditional Saabs through and through, which is both good and bad. Unlike most premium cars, the 9-5 hasn't put on the pounds over the years. As a result, it feels refreshingly lightweight and nimble when you're pushing through tight corners. Plus, the car's fully ventilated disc brakes feel strong with a reassuring pedal feel. Unfortunately, this year's suspension upgrades provide only a modest reduction in body roll, which makes the 9-5 a tough sell over tighter-handling competitors in this price range like the Acura TL and Volkswagen Passat. Further, torque steer is still a problem under heavy throttle in this front-driver. It's a classic Saab trait, but if the company can keep it under control in the 9-3, someone should have figured out a way to suppress it in the more expensive 9-5. The 9-5 does ride more smoothly than in the past, which makes it a more pleasant long-distance companion. However, during a turn in the backseat, the suspension rebounded harshly over a few rough patches and there was more wind noise than we would have expected in a premium sedan. Quick but Lacks Smoothness The 2.3-liter turbo four, at least, remains a capable source of motivation for the midsize 9-5. There's some lag off the line, but acceleration is quite strong through the midrange. Saab claims a 0-to-60-mph time in the high 6s for a manual-shift sedan and low 7s for the SportCombi, which is consistent with the 6.7-second run we got out of a 250-hp 2002 Aero sedan. Even though these numbers are competitive for this class, Saab is still the only premium-brand manufacturer that offers only four cylinders in a midsize sedan with a mid-$30Ks asking price. Granted, it's turbocharged, but this engine simply can't match the linear power delivery and refinement of the six-cylinders in most competitors, which Saab says are the Audi A6 and BMW 530i. Time Marches On In America, Saab sold just 9,000 9-5s in 2004. Sweden's No. 2 automaker and parent company GM hopes this year's updates will make it more competitive with its German and Japanese peers. This refresh has certainly improved the 9-5. It looks, rides and handles better than before. But the improvements don't go far enough to get the 9-5 up to speed with its competition. If you're craving a classic Saab, you can still get your fix with the 2006 Saab 9-5, but its similarly priced peers like the TL, Passat 3.6 and Legacy GT just feel more modern. A fully redesigned 9-5 won't hit until 2009.

It's all very possible, considering that the GP now has a V-8. Portholes can be stuck on, wheels can be added, and the paint can be, um, sprayed on or whatever.

Eww... looks like a kit car or something.

Yeah, the new Passat seems to be either a love-it or hate-it car, much like the new BMWs. VW has moved away from their simple (but often stodgy) styling to something more irrational and emotional, but many complain that it doesn't look European enough. I find the new Fusion to be in line with the old Passat, character-wise.

Guys, guys, remember that the EPA ratings for all GM cars are too conservative, while those of Toyotas are all too optimistic. That's just the way it is.

Keep in mind the old Passat was introduced in 1998 and that it costs $10K less than a CTS. The new one is improved in many ways and comes closer to BMW/Audi-quality.

Hmm... I wonder where I fit in. I generally like the design of the CTS interior, much more so than the generic 300's, and while its materials are ordinary, I still prefer them to the 300's. I suppose if you compare part against part, the rubbery upper-dash material of the 300 is richer than the CTS's dox-matrix material, but because Chrysler tastelessly dwarfs half the interior with it, I get an overall aura of cheapness and drabness. Cadillac can easily change the CTS's interior from cheesy techno to elegantly cool, IMO. Its dash is a good slate for a liberal use of matte woods, fresh colors, and frosty-looking aluminum.

The old Silver Seraph was around $200K, I believe.

The Prius is an AT-PZEV. Keep in mind "emissions ratings" don't include CO2 emissions and other greenhouse gases.

Another Honda Jazz with black tape covering the Honda logos.

Makes sense... the Navigator is almost an American Range Rover.

:lol:

I've seen quite a few HHR rentals when they first came out, but now with customer demand, I suppose it's going down.

Instead of repeating the same old thing over and over, why don't you open your ears? The HHR beat the PT in a M/T comparison, and reviews have generally been positive. As GM products get better, so will the reviews. I find it ironic that you won't give the media a chance at reviewing a new GM product, yet you accuse the media for not giving GM a chance.

:lol: The blue one is a Tigra, by the way.

Somehow, the character of GM's pushrod V6s isn't very fitting of a manual transmission. It makes sense on the 2.4 liter G6's, though.