With gas headed for $4 a gallon, manufacturers are scrambling like never before to develop alternative powertrains, which means electricity, hydrogen fuel cells, even diesel derived from vegetable oil or garbage. But for the near future, don't expect anybody to hatch a greenie minivan capable of hauling seven and all their stuff cross country. If you doubt that, check out the winners and losers of the Gotham show, according to Auto Observer's Jane Nakagawa.
At the complete opposite end of rationality and motoring, check out the lunatics racing through freeway traffic on superbikes, as caught on video over at The Auto Prophet. This is why so many folks in cages think those of use who love bikes are all a bunch of nuts. Thanks a lot, weenies.
Meanwhile back in the real world, smart people like Robert Farago at The Truth About Cars and Peter DeLorenzo at AUTOEXTREMIST are debating just how gr8 the G8 will be for Pontiac. Farago says it's the wrong car at the wrong time for GM. while DeLorenzo sees a big, fast V-8 sedan with swagger, which is what Pontiac is supposed to be.
Speaking of DeLorenzo, have you read his superb "The United States of Toyota" yet? You really are missing something if not.
And how about that El Camino revival Pontiac is talking up? Joe Sherlock at The View Through the Windshield is excited. I don't know, Joe, you ever see one of the originals that didn't need a new set of rear tires every time you turned around?
One more NY note, this one from Cars! Cars! Cars!,
Saab builds cars and fighter planes, right? So now we learn from Fast Machines that Lola - creator of so many wonderful racers for CART, the CAN-AM and LeMans - is getting into the defense business, too.
Whatever happened to Elephant Engine Ernie, Shifty Sidney, Wind Tunnel Waldo, Esses Fernhill and Hy Spy? Hemmings Auto Blog has the answer.
Volvo has a new small premium utility in the XC60. Holly at The Driving Woman thinks it's the "prettiest" Volvo since S80.
Of course, there is always the diesel to take us on those long drives on the interstate slab. 4Wheelsblog has the 411 from Mercedes at the New York show and the German firm's ambitious plans for its BluTec technology.
Now here's something worth debating - Winding Road wonders which automaker has the neatest logo. I always thought the Pontiac Indian was the most noble, but those horses at Ferrari and Porshe are pure excitement, then there's that coiled Cobra, the guy with winged feet, etc. etc.
Ever been to Project Car Hell? Headquarters is over at Jalopnik.
That's it for this week,, see ya!
At the complete opposite end of rationality and motoring, check out the lunatics racing through freeway traffic on superbikes, as caught on video over at The Auto Prophet. This is why so many folks in cages think those of use who love bikes are all a bunch of nuts. Thanks a lot, weenies.
Meanwhile back in the real world, smart people like Robert Farago at The Truth About Cars and Peter DeLorenzo at AUTOEXTREMIST are debating just how gr8 the G8 will be for Pontiac. Farago says it's the wrong car at the wrong time for GM. while DeLorenzo sees a big, fast V-8 sedan with swagger, which is what Pontiac is supposed to be.
Speaking of DeLorenzo, have you read his superb "The United States of Toyota" yet? You really are missing something if not.
And how about that El Camino revival Pontiac is talking up? Joe Sherlock at The View Through the Windshield is excited. I don't know, Joe, you ever see one of the originals that didn't need a new set of rear tires every time you turned around?
One more NY note, this one from Cars! Cars! Cars!,
Saab builds cars and fighter planes, right? So now we learn from Fast Machines that Lola - creator of so many wonderful racers for CART, the CAN-AM and LeMans - is getting into the defense business, too.
Whatever happened to Elephant Engine Ernie, Shifty Sidney, Wind Tunnel Waldo, Esses Fernhill and Hy Spy? Hemmings Auto Blog has the answer.
Volvo has a new small premium utility in the XC60. Holly at The Driving Woman thinks it's the "prettiest" Volvo since S80.
Of course, there is always the diesel to take us on those long drives on the interstate slab. 4Wheelsblog has the 411 from Mercedes at the New York show and the German firm's ambitious plans for its BluTec technology.
Now here's something worth debating - Winding Road wonders which automaker has the neatest logo. I always thought the Pontiac Indian was the most noble, but those horses at Ferrari and Porshe are pure excitement, then there's that coiled Cobra, the guy with winged feet, etc. etc.
Ever been to Project Car Hell? Headquarters is over at Jalopnik.
That's it for this week,, see ya!
estreka says:
05:17 PM, 03/22/08
The motorcycle vid was nuts. I have no problem with spirited driving, but don't do it around others.
I agree with DeLorenzo. The G8 is precisely what Pontiac needs. Pontiac didn't make a reputation for itself via its minivans (Aztek excluded).
I haven't read The United States of Toyota, but I can see some premises I would contend. Lawmakers don't make the domestic auto industry lame, the domestic auto industry makes themselves lame. The Big 3 have been plagued by poor management and an overeager union. If the two were married, one would be in jail for domestic disturbance (or spousal abuse) while the other would be suicidal. They've strangled themselves for 30 someodd years.
I always liked the Jaguar leaper the most. I always thought the Acura emblem was rather clever. The worst has to be Fiat.
As far as model badging, I'd say The BMW M, Audi S & RS, Corvette, and Viper badges are awesome.
firstwagon says:
08:11 PM, 03/22/08
I remember back in 1972, my dad piling all 4 kids, mom and grandma in our 1969 Fury wagon and driving from Ontario to Disney world in 2 days.
I had a great time but looking at now through older eyes, I'll bet my dad didn't.
I don't see why they can't have a green minivan. Lots of great 2.5 to 3.0 litre diesels around that could give a minivan better then 30 mpg.
stovt001 says:
08:12 PM, 03/22/08
I don't think the G8 Sport Truck is nearly as good or bad as so many bloggers are claiming. It won't be the next big thing but it won't ruin Pontiac either. Sure they'll only sell a few and they'll probably be pulled after a couple years, but since the only cost is to slap some Pontiac front end panels and badges onto an existing model and ship it across the Pacific. There will be a handful of people willing to shell out decent money for one, and the dealers will make a decent profit.
stovt001 says:
08:57 PM, 03/22/08
Firstwagon...
I don't see why we can't have a fuel efficient family hauler either. Sadly though, the Rondo and Mazda 5 aren't as fuel efficient as I feel they could be. My fiancee was just given a 92 Ford Taurus wagon. It is far better than I thought it would be, and will be a great help when we move apartments in a month. In heavy traffic, it gets mid 20s mpg with a V6. Even given the increase in weight from all the new safety devices (though the Taurus has two airbags and even some luxury features like power seats) I see no reason why 16 years later we can't easily get mid-30s combined.
kurtamaxxxguy says:
07:16 PM, 03/23/08
What is the age of typical buyers for this vehicle? Is Gen Y or Z enraptured by it? Or is this the ultimate boomer car?
Sorry, but I don't get the point, especially when The Pontiac G8 appears out-runnable by a measly Subaru Forester Turbo, latter of which goes from 0-60 in less than 6 seconds, corners as if on rails, gets better mileage, holds a ton more stuff, and can charge up pot-holed hills that would thrash the G8 to bits.
However, for those who want the classic RWD V8 ultimate GTO statement (and I've seen many at auto shows and auto fairs), it sounds like Pontiac (via Holden) has delivered the goods. It'll be interesting to see how many actually sell!
ateixeira says:
07:43 AM, 03/24/08
I have a friend on the wait list for a kidney, hopefully that biker's will be intact when he eventually crashes.
I found it funny that people like all the logos from good cars, and criticize the bad ones.
We're talking about the logo, not the cars, folks.
Having said that, I vote for the leaping Jaguar ornament.
stovt001 says:
05:49 PM, 03/24/08
Kurtamaxxguy, I think you may be exaggerating the turbo Forester's performance just a little. A 224 hp SUV isn't going to outrun or out-turn a V8 powered sport sedan. The G8 is being compared performance-wise to the BMW 5 series. You really want to assert the Forester performs better than that?
And when those motorcyclists die, I sure hope they don't take anyone else out with them. I hope their bikes don't even scratch the paint on another car.