MyerShift

Awesome. The Saturn dealership in Ft. Wayne isn't like this (yet) but it is still one of the nicer ones that I have been to, especially considering for American automakers.

For myself, the G6 is one of the few cars in which I would rather have the sedan instead of the coupe due to its rear styling. I find that it's interior is more appealing than that of the current Malibu's, but let's not get into that. I LOVE the red dash lighting of the G6. It's so unique in American cars that generally use green or an aqua tone (or, more recently, blue) and it this lighting does make it seem a bit Germanic to me. Unfortunately, it is no longer available with a manual transmission, and that in itself would lead me to take something like the Accord over this.

But... If it's a Dodge Spirit R/T, it doesn't really matter. It would slap almost everything in its class newer or older silly with its Turbo III 2.2L DOHC 16V I-4!

Hehe. What a nifty little car!

Eck. No stick, no deal. That's the way I see it. At the very least, offer a DSG-style system, not a conventional automatic.

Yet more proof America is more occupied by dumb-$h!s than originally thought.

Well, General Motors in the form of GM Europe already has the Vectra for the normal family car in the form of Vauxhalls and Opels. And, since Holden sells the Astra anyway, I don't see why they wouldn't use the superior Euro-engineered product over the weaker, cheaper Korean. The Vectra would be more in keeping with Holden's overall lineup. I don't see why they have any of the GM Daewoo Auto and Technologies automobiles at all. In Europe, GM's people's car brand is and has been Opel/Vauxhall. GM is using Chevrolet as the entry gate and is to compete at the bottom with Hyundai, Kia, and other entry brands (like Skoda, from Volkswagen AG). They wouldn't use the GMNA Malibu because it would be prohibitively expensive and compete too directly with the Vectra compared to the weaker willed and Asian-engineered Epica. What's also odd is that they use a combination of the GMDAT products (such as what we know as the Suzuki Forenza and Chevrolet Aveo) in addition to those from Opel AG along with those from themselves as well. Holden seems to be a real mutt of a brand as far as I am concerned, great rear-drive products or not. But, generally, even though the new Malibu is a decent car, it was not developed for the global palette in any way, shape, or form. It just has a general aero-look commonly associated with European sedans.

Oh, you know. It just seems as though there isn't enough to justify Dodge having one. They look far too similar.

Chrysler's 300 deserves to be in there as much as anything else. It is the only unstoppable Chrysler product.

Ugh. So, now not only is Chrysler sharing a Jeep platform with another division (something that would have never happened in the past when Chrysler was independent), the only difference between the updated Liberty and the present Ntiro will be... the Front End. Isn't it great to see that the days of the K-Cars sans the quality are back? Yippy-skip.

So... what is it going to be based on? I am dying to know...

It does seem to look better as a Vauxhall (or even as an Opel) but perhaps some cars are best left to their natural brand origin.

It DOES look like a new logo! And, this car is handsome and subtle, if boring. I'll take boring and rather handsome over tacky and gawky (G6 GXP) anyday.

Hyundai & Kia

Chrysler and Mercedes-Benz are already and currently developing a new V6 engine family that will be shared across all brands albeit with different specifications depending on application. My main question that seems to not have been discussed here yet is "What is this going to be based on or developed from?" Is there a new compact rear-drive platform Chrysler is developing? Is it yet something else based on the outdated old SLK architecture with heavy modifications? Is this platform from another manufacturer? I don't care for the styling of the Razor anyway. It's ugly. Period. Now if Plymouth were around, a rear-drve Plymouth Pronto Spyder would be looking mighty good right about now.

I guess I am glad that GM didn't get this too, but I wish they could still get Lotus. Volkswagen is even more complicated and troublesome than GM. Interesting to see what and how they are going to make this work, especially with all of the labour and union issues, lack of excellent profitability (Audi does well compared to VW anymore, don't they?), and the power struggle going on within the company becasue of Piech and Porsche. Well, Volkswagen now technically has Lotus too, right?

Hmm, I don't know if I can really put it into a single short phrase, but an overall feeling I have that I consider to be my mantra is honesty and to try and be there for my friends in whatever way I can if they need me, and that (ego-oriented part here) I can do anything I really want. So, let's see, some of the phrases I have that can go with this include: "I am never a fair weather friend. I play for keeps." "Sometimes the truth hurts." "I don't call myself amazing for nothing." I'm sure there are other itmes/statements, but I do not recall them as of right now.

I wouldn't feel any different now if I had called for the death of the Saturn marque some years ago because either Olds would have become Opel eventually as Saturn (Olds's technical replacement) has, or the additional availability of funds would have gone to Buick, Pontiac, Olds instead of Saturn and they would have become much better much quicker. Sure, the Opel products have great styling and the Astra is highly acclaimed, but GM could have delivered the goods and great styling without relying on Opel, but that is the route they decided to take and there is nothing any of us can do- then, now, or ever.

Rust belt

It does look good, but I just don't care for the front end. I think that even though it costs more, I would still take the Lamborghini Gallardo.

I would definitely hope for a new interior first, exterior upgrades don't seem as important to me compared to improving the overall ambience of the interior.

Good. Since the Astra will debut in Chicago and not New York, then I'll be able to see it next month. Unfortuantely, I missed NAIAS 2007 in Detroit this year.

That's incredible! I'm sort of curious as to the time, resources, and effort that went into this. Like getting the Holden body.

I suppose if I were calling the shots, I wouldn't have worried about this. I am of the persuasion that if you do not wear your safety belt (especially since it is basically required most places) you deserve to die. Period.

Imperialism