Last week the headlines screamed about Toyota surpassing GM in sales. Then came a first quarter year-to-year profit report showing the General down 90 percent. This week GM blows away the competition in Edmunds.com's "Consumers Most Wanted Vehicles" awards for 2007. I've never put a lot of stick in most automotive awards, but the Edmunds.com awards are picked by actual consumers, not automotive journalists and flaks, so GM taking 13 of 32 categories, including the GMC Acadia for "Most Significant Vehicle," is significant.
And yes, Lutz had something to say about this, too. By the way, I don't think it was coincidental that GM was the first of the automakers to take a chance with a corporate blog as consistently good as Fastlane.
A new entry on the Carnival of Cars weekly check list is AutomoBlog. Proprietor Egon says he doesn't claim to be a great writer but he's definitely a car guy. Check out his take on the New York Auto Show.
Ever see a swan on the hood of Packard? Me, neither, until I saw this on Hemmings Auto Blog. And from the You-Knew-It-Was-Coming Department, Jalopnik has the low-down on Big Daddy Don's rail job with a blown new hemi.
KickingTires.com's David Thomas reports that you can have a normal conversation at 124 mph in the Mercedes SLR McLaren roadster that appeared this week. My question is why would you want to dither around at a mere twice the Double Nickel when the thing has a top speed of 204 mph?
Ah geez, Grant at Grant's Auto Rants had to go and spoil the illusion! In an otherwise thoughtful essay, he's telling the world that commuting in a Porsche isn't all that different from doing it in a VW. Hey, Grant, it all depends on where your commute takes you, buddy.
Want to see the next edition of the Saab 9-3? Lots of spy shots at Leftlane News. Speaking of Saab, Peter DeLorenzo at Auto Extremist says there are four truisms that help explain pretty much everything about the auto industry these days, including the fact that GM has way too many divisions. I've always loved Saabs, but, boy, Exhibit A for how right Peter is can be seen in the unhappy marriage of the General and the Swede.
And still speaking of Saab, Frank Williams at The Truth About Cars predicts the 9-7 will die along with the rest of GM's variations on the Trailblazer theme SUVs in 2010. Two questions here. Why wait till 2010 and can we please get off the Saab kick now?
Those of a certain age will appreciate Top Speed's posting of videos of some classic old Beetle commercials. Are you keeping up with the Kremplers?
Doom and gloom? Not Joe Sherlock at The View Through the Windshield. Not when luxury marque sales are up virtually across the board. And did somebody say something about gas hitting $4 a gallon? If you have to ask the price of gas, you can't afford it. And on that happy note, I'm outta here till next week.
And yes, Lutz had something to say about this, too. By the way, I don't think it was coincidental that GM was the first of the automakers to take a chance with a corporate blog as consistently good as Fastlane.
A new entry on the Carnival of Cars weekly check list is AutomoBlog. Proprietor Egon says he doesn't claim to be a great writer but he's definitely a car guy. Check out his take on the New York Auto Show.
Ever see a swan on the hood of Packard? Me, neither, until I saw this on Hemmings Auto Blog. And from the You-Knew-It-Was-Coming Department, Jalopnik has the low-down on Big Daddy Don's rail job with a blown new hemi.
KickingTires.com's David Thomas reports that you can have a normal conversation at 124 mph in the Mercedes SLR McLaren roadster that appeared this week. My question is why would you want to dither around at a mere twice the Double Nickel when the thing has a top speed of 204 mph?
Ah geez, Grant at Grant's Auto Rants had to go and spoil the illusion! In an otherwise thoughtful essay, he's telling the world that commuting in a Porsche isn't all that different from doing it in a VW. Hey, Grant, it all depends on where your commute takes you, buddy.
Want to see the next edition of the Saab 9-3? Lots of spy shots at Leftlane News. Speaking of Saab, Peter DeLorenzo at Auto Extremist says there are four truisms that help explain pretty much everything about the auto industry these days, including the fact that GM has way too many divisions. I've always loved Saabs, but, boy, Exhibit A for how right Peter is can be seen in the unhappy marriage of the General and the Swede.
And still speaking of Saab, Frank Williams at The Truth About Cars predicts the 9-7 will die along with the rest of GM's variations on the Trailblazer theme SUVs in 2010. Two questions here. Why wait till 2010 and can we please get off the Saab kick now?
Those of a certain age will appreciate Top Speed's posting of videos of some classic old Beetle commercials. Are you keeping up with the Kremplers?
Doom and gloom? Not Joe Sherlock at The View Through the Windshield. Not when luxury marque sales are up virtually across the board. And did somebody say something about gas hitting $4 a gallon? If you have to ask the price of gas, you can't afford it. And on that happy note, I'm outta here till next week.
kurtamaxxxguy says:
11:22 AM, 05/ 5/07
A nice collection of links, thank you!
As for the dissing of Grant's Auto Rants; On the hallowed Nürburgring and other tracks enthusiasts live for, there would certainly be a gulf between VW and Porsche! In most urban environments where speeds are saner and practicality outweighs racing, Grant nails it.
Wrt LeftLane; oh gawd, not again; yet another all black inside and out AWD euro car. At least Audi "gets it" that performance doesn't have to always be inside a coal bin.
Wrt Joe Sherlock: Could it be the Baby Boomers are Buying 'em?
joela says:
04:00 PM, 05/10/07
good collection of links as always. also like your new, more "casual" stylin'. keep up the excellent work!