Lamar

Seen quite a few new Sierras around Athens. They do look better in person.

Correction Balthy, even the A8 uses the 2.0L Turbo engine from VW. For GM it is badge engineering, but for VW group is called innovation in usage of synergy of brands for the purpose of proliferation of efficient low cost manufacturing to improve shareholders' values. Other way around. Audi developed that engine.

I think of my mother's old '94 E320 (with less than 85k on the clock) and call on this assertion. Her interior started wearing out within maybe 10 years.

He'll go home tomorrow afternoon. And yes, he'll be riding in the Bonnie.

Why? Whatchu got? Seriously, it would depend on the car. Something limited-edition or high-powered would move the needle a bit more for me than, say, an '05 Impala.

Thanks, Roger. She seems a little nervous about being around him right now, but I figure that should change once she gets used to him.

So I haven't been around quite as much these days due to working on a doctorate and raising a 2-year-old daughter. Yet somehow, during all this free time I don't have, this happened. Meet Lamar Jr., born 9/17, 7:27 PM.

Even FWD? You are smarter than that and know what I mean. There's precedent...

Not all states have teachers' unions. Especially not down here. That said, some of these unions are especially pernicious.

Even FWD?

The ATS-V is gonna be that powerful?

Except that's not likely to happen. Cool the pessimism for a second. By rights, the ATS 3.6 would be called the ATS Vsport, akin to the Audi S4. But, unless they release some performance upgrades on the 3.6 (much like the 335iS), the next step up would have to be the ATS-V. There's not much room for an entirely new engine with ~360 hp just to slap a Vsport badge on it.

And Audi S-line (they don't have RS-line to my knowledge) and Lexus F-Sport. Therein lies the difference. That's what would make the Vsport line much more like the Audi S models (A4 S-line still has the I4T, whereas the S4 gets the V6S and 122 hp). I do understand the objections though... the name makes it a little trickier. Only a little.

... or bus passes or walking shoes.

... or are completely opposed to paying BMW pricing. Congrats on the new ride though. Post pics if you're so inclined.

149,000. The check engine light has been on most of the year due to some air flow sensors, the check gas cap light is on, service stability system warning comes on daily, and the felt headliner on the sunroof cover is falling. I've replaced 3 of the chrome wheels since they corroded, the last remaining original needs replaced and 2 new tires, possibly brakes because they squeak terribly, and it burns/leaks 1 quart of oil every 3 months. The GM build quality is showing up in full force this year, and I really maintained that car and kept it clean over the years. My '01 Bonneville's at about 119,000 and I'm having some of the same problems you are, especially the "check gas cap" message, the stability system warning bell almost every time I accelerate from a stop, and the headliner coming loose. I'd love to get into something newer (and RWD), but we'll be replacing my wife's '99 Maxima (just turned 160,000) first. Probably next year.

I'm still waiting on my flying car from the old Warner Bros. and Hanna Barbera cartoons...

tl;dr "According to me, Cadillac can't win no matter what."

And to differentiate from the other three you listed, Infiniti has ALWAYS been alphanumeric. Also, strictly speaking, Cadillac, Acura, and Lincoln are only alphabetical. Not quite alphanumeric.

The SRX went FWD and sales more than doubled from the 1st-gen RWD model. RWD will never return because the market demands a luxury FWD crossover. Caddilac did this to chase down the Lexus RX and it worked like gangbusters. No need to mess with success. When the new SRX debuted, it was also a few thousand bucks cheaper than the 1st gen. Let's not forget that. Of course, the entry price is higher now, but Cadillac has staked its claim.

It's a ZF 8AT? For some reason I thought Hyundai, like Toyota (Lexus), built their transmissions in-house.

You can't fit a 7.0L DOHC engine where you can fit a 7.0 Pushrod. Any place you can fit a 7.0 liter DOHC, you can fit a 9, 10, or 11 liter pushrod. Power per liter is a red herring. It's a Honda fanboi argument, that's what it is...

Over the past few years, these are the German and Japanese luxury models I've seen advertised on tv (to my recollection): BMW: 3, 5, X3, X5 MB: C, E (I did find a much more recent S-Class commercial on Youtube, but that was for the UK) Audi: A4, A5, A6, A8 Lexus: All of them except for the BOF SUVs Infiniti: G, M, FX, JX (Acura: TL, MDX, RDX)

Building brand equity is a concern with GM, I agree. The Cobalt name only lasted a year before they went with Cruze (but to be fair, Cavalier did last several generations). I'm hoping that when the new Caddy flagship comes, they revive STS. People who are at least somewhat familiar with Cadillac know that STS is the car slotted above CTS. A new name would likely leave them wondering (see Lincoln).