The Car Thread!

[Emher]

Oh, and Emher, I got your "boring" Toyotas right here btw:

Correct me if I'm wrong but are these not A) modeles no longer on sale, and more importantly b) modified? The latter makes it kinda worthless. You shouldn't have to modify your car to make it fun.

Oh and I freely admit that Toyota has had some fun cars in the past. They just don't nowadays.



EDIT:

Well crap.

"V" Series and "SS" Series Engineering Division Disbanded Source: Automotive News special email alert

Jamie LaReau - Automotive News - February 18, 2009 - 5:05 pm ET

DETROIT -- General Motors, focusing on mainstream products in a battle to survive, has scrapped a unit that produced high-performance vehicles.

GM today disbanded High Performance Vehicle Operations, which is based at the company's suburban Detroit technical center, and redeployed its engineers, said spokesman Vince Muniga.

"All high-performance projects are on indefinite hold," Muniga said. "The engineers are moving into different areas of the organization, and they will work on Cadillacs, Buicks, Chevrolets and Pontiacs."

The unit created low-volume vehicles for GM's divisions designed to appeal to enthusiasts and bolster the company's image. Products included V-series Cadillacs and the Chevrolet Cobalt SS, HHR SS and a V-8 version of the Colorado.

Muniga said there are no plans for high-performance versions of upcoming cars.

The move is in the spirit of GM's viability plan delivered to the U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday. In the plan, GM said its future-product focus is on fuel- efficient cars and crossovers. It also pledged to increase its current offering of six hybrids to 14 by 2012 and to 26 by 2014. GM also boosted its request for federal aid by as much as $16.6 billion.

The High Performance Vehicle Operations unit could be reinstated once GM regains its financial health, GM's Muniga said.

"These guys are pretty good at what they do," Muniga said, "They are moving into different areas to work on core products."

http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/...-series-engineering-division-disbanded-75664/

Quite simply that means that for people like me that are intrested in the new Camaro with a V8, we best get saving since this does not bode well for it to be around long.

 

[Mallory]

I'd start considering other options Emher. That line about "all high-performance projects are on indefinite hold" doesn't exactly inspire optimism that the Camaro will ever see the light of day.

 

[nx1701g]

I'd start considering other options Emher. That line about "all high-performance projects are on indefinite hold" doesn't exactly inspire optimism that the Camaro will ever see the light of day.

This was what I meant the other day when I said about my dealer saying they were only releasing the Camaro in limited numbers.

 

[Tim]

I'd start considering other options Emher. That line about "all high-performance projects are on indefinite hold" doesn't exactly inspire optimism that the Camaro will ever see the light of day.

This was what I meant the other day when I said about my dealer saying they were only releasing the Camaro in limited numbers.

That stinks. All the more reason for my dad to rebuild his 1969 Camaro SS.

One of these days I'll buy a "new" Mustang. I've wanted one ever since seeing this commercial.

 

[NCC1701]

Oh, and Emher, I got your "boring" Toyotas right here btw:

Correct me if I'm wrong but are these not A) modeles no longer on sale, and more importantly b) modified? The latter makes it kinda worthless. You shouldn't have to modify your car to make it fun.

Oh and I freely admit that Toyota has had some fun cars in the past. They just don't nowadays.

Well, technically you got me, the Altezza actually a downgraded Lexus IS 200 - from what I hear only the upholstery and the steering wheel are different between the two, tho - and is no longer being offered. Plenty of used examples available here, tho . The Caldina GT-T is still being sold, but has changed significantly since the model the photo above is of. And IMHO the new version is pretty butt ugly, mechanics are mostly the same tho.

Yes, both appear to be modified with a body kit - and in the Caldina's case, larger mags and a new grille, too - but just put that down to not finding decent photos of both standard cars on Google, not the originals being lame

 

[QCzar]

I'd start considering other options Emher. That line about "all high-performance projects are on indefinite hold" doesn't exactly inspire optimism that the Camaro will ever see the light of day.

This was what I meant the other day when I said about my dealer saying they were only releasing the Camaro in limited numbers.

^Firstly, your dealer is talking out of his ass. Considering it's well within the production pipeline (test fleet models already rolling off the line), it would cost GM a shitload to just terminate the whole lot of base Camaros. Maybe they'll ramp down production (very doubtful), but I doubt that it will "never see the light of day" unless the entire company goes belly up. The Camaro isn't a special awesome supercar, like the Z06 (or even its own Z28). It's just a basic sports car, like the Mustang.

And that even includes the SS, which is being produced right alongside the V6. It's engineering is already in the bag, so it doesn't have to be engineered. I doubt we'll be seeing any Z28's on the road anytime soon, but most of their engineering is also already done, so that delay probably has nothing to do with this announcement.

Stop scaring people (and poor Emher) about the Camaro. It launches in less than a month, FFS! They almost can't stop it (again unless GM tanks).

When GM refers to "high performance", they're not talking about basic sports cars, like the Camaro or the Corvette. More like the Pontiac Firebird derivative, or the new Impala SS or the V series caddies.

GM would not kill the Camaro without announcing it to the world, you can bet your ass on that.

 

[BigFoot]

^ What they need to do is bring the damn thing over the pond to Europe.

 

[Emher]

I'd start considering other options Emher. That line about "all high-performance projects are on indefinite hold" doesn't exactly inspire optimism that the Camaro will ever see the light of day.

This was what I meant the other day when I said about my dealer saying they were only releasing the Camaro in limited numbers.

^Firstly, your dealer is talking out of his ass. Considering it's well within the production pipeline (test fleet models already rolling off the line), it would cost GM a shitload to just terminate the whole lot of base Camaros. Maybe they'll ramp down production (very doubtful), but I doubt that it will "never see the light of day" unless the entire company goes belly up. The Camaro isn't a special awesome supercar, like the Z06 (or even its own Z28). It's just a basic sports car, like the Mustang.

And that even includes the SS, which is being produced right alongside the V6. It's engineering is already in the bag, so it doesn't have to be engineered. I doubt we'll be seeing any Z28's on the road anytime soon, but most of their engineering is also already done, so that delay probably has nothing to do with this announcement.

Stop scaring people (and poor Emher) about the Camaro. It launches in less than a month, FFS! They almost can't stop it (again unless GM tanks).

When GM refers to "high performance", they're not talking about basic sports cars, like the Camaro or the Corvette. More like the Pontiac Firebird derivative, or the new Impala SS or the V series caddies.

GM would not kill the Camaro without announcing it to the world, you can bet your ass on that.

My man, you said everything I was going to. The Camaro and the SS is well in the bag, but it might be prudent to buy an SS withing the next few years. I'm planning on buying one ASAP. What is not coming, at least for a long while, is a even more high performance version of it, the speculated Z28.

And I was never scared. I frequent a Camaro forum with several people working for GM and the Camaro project and through all this, even as early as this past fall, they kept assuring us that as long as GM lives the Camaro, both V6 and V8 versions, is being built and released in big numbers.

But as said, I am scared about the V8 dissaperaing from the Camaro in a few years, yeah.

Well, technically you got me, the Altezza actually a downgraded Lexus IS 200 - from what I hear only the upholstery and the steering wheel are different between the two, tho - and is no longer being offered. Plenty of used examples available here, tho . The Caldina GT-T is still being sold, but has changed significantly since the model the photo above is of. And IMHO the new version is pretty butt ugly, mechanics are mostly the same tho.

Yes, both appear to be modified with a body kit - and in the Caldina's case, larger mags and a new grille, too - but just put that down to not finding decent photos of both standard cars on Google, not the originals being lame

You good sir, get points for being civil in the discussion and not degrading down to "RAHRAH AMERICAN CAERS SAWK ASIAN CARES RULZORS RAH RAH RAH!!!!" or the like

You clearly know your stuff and I salute you

^ What they need to do is bring the damn thing over the pond to Europe.

Well, as said before, they will, but nobody really knows when. Hints have been at 2010 or 2011. My bet is going to be an import agency though, can't go wrong with that.

 

[Emher]

Update:

2010 Camaro SS not affected by closing of GM's High Performance Vehicle Operations It was reported yesterday that GM has scrapped its High Performance Vehicle Operations. Many of you were understandably worried about the effects of this shuttering on the Camaro "SS"

Well, worry no more! GM spokesperson Vince Muniga has addressed this concern of ours. He has told InsideLine that:
"You've got the Camaro SS coming out. It is not threatened at all" and will be coming out as planned.

The Camaro SS, Corvette ZR1 and Z06 were all developed as regular production models, and not through the HPVO unit. Hence, all of these vehicles are safe.

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=142386

Sounds very encouraging for performance enthusiasts I must say, not the doom that the article might have meant.

 

[QCzar]

Saab Jumping Ship

So it looks like Saab is going to try and get off the GM Titanic and take their chances as an independent. I still doubt they'll be around for very long if they themselves are not bailed out by the Swedes. If they do survive though, maybe their independence will give them a fresh perspective. At least then they can dump all those crappy, re-badged GM SUV's .

 

[Emher]

^I very much hope they make it, love Saab. But I'm not holding my breath.

 

[Holdfast]

I'd like to see a Saab renaissance; they're (or, used to be) pretty nifty motors. Actually some of the recent warmed-up 9-3 turbo variants are surprisingly quick. Hot hatch performance, at least.

 

[NCC1701]

You good sir, get points for being civil in the discussion and not degrading down to "RAHRAH AMERICAN CAERS SAWK ASIAN CARES RULZORS RAH RAH RAH!!!!" or the like

You clearly know your stuff and I salute you

Holy shit, I got thanks for being civil on the INTERNET Lol thanks, man.

 

[Emher]

I'd like to see a Saab renaissance; they're (or, used to be) pretty nifty motors. Actually some of the recent warmed-up 9-3 turbo variants are surprisingly quick. Hot hatch performance, at least.

There's a reason why I refer to my Saab with it's 2.0t 4-cyldinder with a trim kit as "jet fighter on wheels". It has very impressive performance for it's size. I'm selling it in a few years to a friend of my brothers, his dad is a mechanic and I know already that they are going to be making quite a bit of improvments on the engine. I'm quite looking forward to see what they do with it, but I don't have the knowledge to do it myself, nor the money, nor the need since for the moment it's just my regular car that I need to just work every time start it, which it does.

You good sir, get points for being civil in the discussion and not degrading down to "RAHRAH AMERICAN CAERS SAWK ASIAN CARES RULZORS RAH RAH RAH!!!!" or the like

You clearly know your stuff and I salute you

Holy shit, I got thanks for being civil on the INTERNET Lol thanks, man.

Dude, I hang around a bit on some car forums, but unfortuneatly a lot of the members are of the level I just described. I think that making your point without degrading to name calling is to be honored.

 

[InvisibleGT]

I plan on purchasing a 2008 Chevy Malibu 2LT with 11,000 miles on it. I would prefer to not have this devolve into a "Toyota is better" discussion, as seems to be the case on other forums.

Does anyone here own one? And, if so, what are your impressions with them?

Thank you in advance.

 

[Captain Ice]

Holy threah resuraction, Batman. This one's nearly a year old.

 

[John Picard]

I plan on purchasing a 2008 Chevy Malibu 2LT with 11,000 miles on it. I would prefer to not have this devolve into a "Toyota is better" discussion, as seems to be the case on other forums.

Does anyone here own one? And, if so, what are your impressions with them?

Thank you in advance.

I have found that the Autos section on www.msn.com to be a good resource when evaluating a vehicle. You'll have to weed through the idiots who don't know how to write a proper review (ie all the person writes is "Bad buy, avoid this car"). Also, try www.epinions.com

Anyway, here is a link to the User Reviews of the 2008 Malibu.

 

[Guartho]

I plan on purchasing a 2008 Chevy Malibu 2LT with 11,000 miles on it. I would prefer to not have this devolve into a "Toyota is better" discussion, as seems to be the case on other forums.

Does anyone here own one? And, if so, what are your impressions with them?

Thank you in advance.

Yes, I own a Toyota and I absolutely love it. Oh the Malibu... no, sorry, haven't owned one. I hear they're decent cars though. My in-laws are car people and I've not heard of any major Malibu issues.

 

[Holdfast]

Interesting looking back on this thread with the benefit of being some months down the line, esp. the exchange I took part in re: Saab, given their present situation.

 

[ShamelessMcBundy]

I can't believe i missed this thread ... almost a year ago. I drive a 2004 Nissan Sentra. I love that thing.