Domestic Auto Industry

[KansasCityCraka]

Cool car. Do they sell it in a hardtop?

Nope convertible only unfortunately.

[FangKC]

I'm not talking about power; I'm just basing my opinion on looks and the "cool" factor.

[markf]

It's size lends itself perfectly to be an EV.  If GM would put the old EV1 guts in that car I would be first in line.

[FangKC]

MarkF, go here and check out the Chevy Volt concept car:

http://forum.kcrag.com/index.php/topic, ... #msg273438

[KansasCityCraka]

MarkF, go here and check out the Chevy Volt concept car:

http://forum.kcrag.com/index.php/topic, ... #msg273438

The look of that car makes me cringe.

[bbqboy]

Isn't the New Corvette the New Corvette?

[FangKC]

The Corvette design is so dated and hasn't been innovative or eye-catching for years. It needs to be redesigned and reinterpreted. I believe its' designers are a group of old, toothless men sitting on a porch in the Appalachians waiting for the still to make them a fortune.

I'd much rather have instead of a Corvette:

Saturn Sky

Pontiac Solstice





http://www.automobilemag.com/am/2006/po ... _view.html

http://www.automobilemag.com/am/2006/po ... _view.html

Cadillac XLR



http://www.automobilemag.com/new_and_fu ... to_01.html

Or if I really had the cash,

Aston Martin Vantage or Rapide





http://www.automobilemag.com/auto_shows ... 8_vantage/

http://www.automobilemag.com/multimedia ... artin_dbs/

http://www.automobilemag.com/future_car ... to_02.html

Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione



http://www.automobilemag.com/future_car ... to_04.html

Maserati Quattroporte or Gran Turismo

Gran Turismo



http://www.automobilemag.com/new_and_fu ... to_01.html

Jaguar XF





http://www.automobilemag.com/new_and_fu ... jaguar_xf/

http://www.automobilemag.com/new_and_fu ... to_11.html

[FangKC]

I have ridden in a Sky and if you are looking for get up and go or horsepower stop looking at it. It's a 4 cylinder so it will get good milage but it really is just competition to the Miata.

Were you in the Red Line version of the Sky?  It goes 0-60 in 5.7 seconds and it's a 4 cylinder.  A Corvette which is twice as expensive, goes  0-60 mph in 4.3 seconds. The BMW Z4 M Roadster will accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in five seconds.  We're comparing a touring car to sports cars.

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http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/co ... _red_line/

By Erik B. Johnson
Photography: Charlie Magee

As Chevy's iconic Corvette has passed through each successive generation, it has transformed into a bona fide supercar, a ride that can step into the ring with the world's best and leave un-bowed. But that transformation has come at a price--literally. A base Corvette now costs nearly $45,000, a steal in terms of the capability it offers but expensive enough to price it out of the very niche it helped create: the accessible, all-American sports car.

And so we welcome a new patron of performance for the everyman, the Saturn Sky Red Line. At just under $29,000, the Red Line is exactly what the Corvette used to be: fairly cheap and plenty fast. The 260-hp, 2.0-liter, turbocharged and intercooled, DOHC Ecotec four sounds pretty damn good and will move the Red Line from 0 to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds. The 6300-rpm redline and closely spaced gear ratios mean that you're working the standard five-speed manual all the time, but with the Saturn's solid shift action and perfect pedal placement, that's no bad thing.

Around town, the Red Line will dip into the turbo only if you ask it to. Should you manage to keep your right foot reined in, you'll cruise from stoplight to stoplight boost-free, and there's ample low-end grunt to make this a viable strategy. When you do crave more thrust--or, like us, just want to hear the twin-scroll turbo go FSSSHHEEWWW!--20 psi is a mere stomp away. The extra power comes quickly but progressively--a long way from the twitchy, on/off turbocharged engines of yore.

The Red Line receives higher spring rates, stiffer bushings, and uprated antiroll bars over the base car, and the setup combines with tenacious grip to allow you to carry a lot of speed into corners. The tight, linear steering delivers near-telepathic turn-in. Mid-bend, gentle understeer is the order of the day and will change to lurid rear-wheel drifts only if you drop the hammer.

Affordable performance isn't the only thing about the Saturn that reminds us of the Corvette. There's the view over the sleek hood, framed by two peaked fenders. There's the sultry sheetmetal sculpted into an aggressive, rear-up stance. And, unfortunately, there's the substandard interior fittings.

Much has been made of how improved the base Sky's cabin is over that of its mechanical twin, the Pontiac Solstice. Yes, the styling is impeccable, and the climate control and stereo switches are quite nice, but they're merely an island of niceness in a sea of mediocrity. The Red Line adds little beyond a leather-wrapped steering wheel, stainless-steel pedal covers, and Red Line-specific sill plates, gauges, and floor mats.

But, as with Chevy's supercar, we can forgive the Red Line its plasticky trespasses and simply be thankful to those who have created such a fun and frugal (31 mpg on the highway with the manual) piece of machinery. We're just happy we can finally afford a Corvette.

[KansasCityCraka]

It is a nice car for teenage girls and thats about it. This car is way overpriced for what you get but arent most things now a days...These cars are very camped inside and if you are not smaller than 5'8'' and 120 lbs you wont fit comfortably. One of my friends has driven one recently at his work and he barely fit in one. He is 5'9'' and 135 lbs. This car is only a comparison to the MX-5 (Miata). The car lacks power, luxury, and functionality. How many people would have this car as a daily driver? Not many because you can find a much better car for the same price or even less.

[FangKC]

These cars aren't designed to be daily drivers, or even functional.  They are touring cars for riding around on a Sunday afternoon with the top down. 

[mean]

I kind of like the new Corvettes, but in terms of sexy body style, give me a Lotus Exige S. It looks mean just sitting there, like it wants to eat you!

[LenexatoKCMO]

I have ridden in a Sky and if you are looking for get up and go or horsepower stop looking at it. It's a 4 cylinder so it will get good milage but it really is just competition to the Miata.

Its not really competition for the miata - most of the miata buyers anymore tend to be hardcore fans of the lightweight roadster experience and SCCA activities - the Sky/Solstice is way too porky to compete in driving dynamics.  The General didn't bother to try and make the car light so you might as well be driving a G6 or Sebring convertible. 

[BVC]

Its not really competition for the miata - most of the miata buyers anymore tend to be hardcore fans of the lightweight roadster experience and SCCA activities - the Sky/Solstice is way too porky to compete in driving dynamics.  The General didn't bother to try and make the car light so you might as well be driving a G6 or Sebring convertible. 

Isn't the Solstice much lighter, although on the same platorm as the Sky?

[FangKC]

That Lotus is the Bitch.

[LenexatoKCMO]

Isn't the Solstice much lighter, although on the same platorm as the Sky?

About 70lbs - but still about 400 lbs fatter than the mazda. 

[alpha_glamourina]

I like Saturns, and this one sounds sweet.  We already and we'll probably get another when this one konks out, but I don't believe we'll get a Sky even though they seem pretty nice.  I need trunk space for the things I lug around for my work, and my husband needs leg room.  I dunno, maybe we'll just give it a test drive. 

[FangKC]

2008 Cadillac CTS

Cadillac's new CTS is a machine that honestly takes on the likes of Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

By ANDREW BORNHOP
Road & Track

There's an all-new CTS in town, replacing the original that made its debut six years ago and far exceeded Cadillac's sales expectations. By the company's count, some 300,000 CTSs are now on the road, spearheading the company's renaissance with edgy "Art & Science" bodywork on the sporty rear-drive Sigma chassis that was fine-tuned on the Nürburgring in Germany. In size, it slotted between the BMW 3 Series and 5 Series, two cars Cadillac clearly had in mind when it developed the CTS.

Well, the all-new 2008 CTS is here, and guess what -- it's the same length as before, but with a 2.0-in.-wider track that’s the equal of its larger STS brother. And it's based on a strengthened Sigma chassis that has an all-new upper structure. Also tuned on the Ring, this new CTS has bodywork best described as evolutionary. It's a bit slab-sided, but the pronounced fender flares make the car look especially aggressive, with 17- or 18-in. tires filling out the wheel wells nicely. Interesting stylistic details include die-cut metal heat vents in the front fenders and ribbed vertical LED light tubes in the headlights and taillights, which give the new CTS a highly technical look.

And technology is at its peak underhood, where the base engine, the familiar 258-bhp port-injected 3.6-liter V-6, is now joined by a direct-injected 3.6-liter V-6 with 304 bhp at 6400 rpm. This aluminum block 24-valve powerplant with chain-driven overhead camshafts is a gem, fitted with a forged crankshaft, coated pistons and variable valve timing that spreads the torque across a wide rev band. Peak torque of 273 lb.-ft. arrives at 5200 rpm, but there's already 220 lb.-ft. on tap as low as 1000 rpm. As for performance, expect 60 mph to arrive in about 6 seconds.

Direct injection of fuel into the combustion chambers does wonderful things. According to Cadillac, the new V-6 makes 15 percent more horsepower and 8 percent more torque than the port-injected 3.6-liter, while getting 3 percent better fuel economy and reducing cold-start emissions by 25 percent. So, the new CTS is unusual in that its optional, more powerful engine is actually more economical than the base powerplant, although the official EPA fuel economy ratings of both cars are expected to be 17 mpg city/27 mpg highway.

Cadillac has gone to great lengths to silence the ticking sound of the high-pressure (1750-psi) injectors. With proprietary rubber O-rings isolating the moving part of the injectors from the stainless-steel fuel rail, plus strategic use of dense foam around the mechanical fuel pump, in the engine's valley and in other underhood areas, the new CTS, says Cadillac, is quieter than Audi's benchmarked direct-injected engines. Further quieting efforts include a laminated firewall, an acoustic engine cover, a full-perimeter hood seal and a sound-absorbing bellypan that also reduces drag. The efforts have paid off, as the engine is loud only near its 7000-rpm fuel cutoff point.

And with the new 6-speed automatic transmission in manual mode, it's easy to accidentally bump the engine off its rev limiter by forgetting to nudge the gear lever. This is a great gearbox and, dare I say it, more entertaining than the base 6-speed manual, an Aisin-built unit with vague linkage nowhere near as precise as that of the previous CTS's manual. At any rate, the GM-built Hydra-Matic auto is the star. In automatic mode, it shifts smoothly, right when you'd expect. With the lever in the manual gate, the car engages Sport mode, which translates to crisper upshifts and throttle-blip downshifts when the car is being driven aggressively. It works well, and if the driver chooses to call for a downshift via the lever, the transmission allows it when most others won't, even letting the engine zoom close to redline in the lower gear.

If there's one small complaint, it's this: In manual mode, when the driver lets off the throttle, the automatic tends to hold a gear longer than it should before upshifting, a problem that's fixable with simple programming, says CTS chief engineer Dave Leone. On a positive note, CTS models with the automatic are now available with all-wheel drive; an active transfer case bolted to the gearbox sends 75 percent of the power rearward in most situations to give the car a rear-wheel-drive feel, but can send as much as 100 percent of it forward if needed, making the CTS much more worthy of consideration in states with real winters. The system works in conjunction with StabiliTrak yaw control, which is standard on every 2008 CTS.

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Three suspension levels are available: FE1, with an emphasis primarily on ride comfort; FE2 with more of an emphasis on handling; and FE3, with an emphasis on outright performance. Interestingly, all three have the same springs; it's just the tuning of the dampers and anti-roll bars that differs, along with the size of the wheels, tires and brakes. The FE1 rides on 235/55R-17 all-season tires and, like the FE2, has 12.4-in. front rotors. The FE2 and FE3, both fitted with limited-slip differentials, ride on 235/50ZR-18s, although the FE3's are Michelin Pilot Sport 2 summer tires that stick like the proverbial cat to Velcro. FE3 models are fitted with huge 13.6-in. front rotors, gripped by 2-piston cast-iron calipers that are better at absorbing brake heat than the aluminum ones on the FE1 and FE2 cars.

And speaking of aluminum, the CTS employs gobs of the lightweight metal -- in the standard shock tower brace, in the upper and lower front A-arms and knuckles, and in the cradle and upper control arms of the multilink rear suspension. The differential housing is also aluminum, and now boasts three mounts instead of two.

I drove both an FE2 and an FE3 CTS on the Autobahn and at the Nürburgring's Nordschleife, two venues where much of the final testing of the CTS was carried out by GM test drivers such as Rick Kewley, who has more than 200 laps around the Ring and gave me a ride I'll never forget.

My initial impressions: On the Autobahn, the CTS is completely at home. Triple door seals help keep it quiet inside, and although the car is on the firm side, the added stability that the suspension provides at 140 mph is much appreciated. The CTS's steering is not light nor nervous. Bend it into a sweeping corner at triple-digit speeds and the car responds with composure, its speed-sensitive ZF steering rack -- now with "front-steer" geometry -- responding with good linearity.

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On the Nordschleife, it's clear the engineers have done their homework. The CTS feels, well, like a German sedan on this hallowed 14-mile road course in the Eifel forest. Yes, I was learning the track (taking the slow sections fast and the fast sections slow, as all beginners do), but I could appreciate the excellent suspension damping, the minimal, well-controlled body roll, and a manageable hint of understeer on corner entry. Balance is excellent (51/49, says Cadillac), and with StabiliTrak set in the less-intrusive "Competitive Driving Mode," I couldn't sense any yaw control kicking in.

Although the new Cadillac is dynamically impressive, its biggest area of improvement is its interior. Gone is the somewhat funky futuristic design of the old CTS cabin, replaced by one that's far more modern and attractive, benefiting from extra width, a bit more rear knee room (thanks to thinner front seatbacks) and six standard airbags. All of the materials have a high-quality look and feel, and the controls of the handsome V-shaped center stack are both artfully integrated and easy to understand and use. Particularly well-designed is the large pop-up navigation touch screen, whose top section always remains visible to convey radio station information and the like. The analog gauges are also a model of clarity, with an oil-pressure readout reminding us that this CTS is a serious sports sedan.

But it's also one that's keeping apace with the always-advancing world of "infotainment," and it does so in some intriguing new ways. Every CTS is fitted with a 40-gig onboard hard drive, which allows folks to "rip" their favorite CDs and create their own custom playlists. What's more, the CTS has full iPod and USB connectivity, and a radio form of Tivo, which allows listeners to pause and rewind radio broadcasts of any kind -- all this in addition to standard OnStar and XM satellite radio. Options include swiveling HID headlamps, keyless ignition, remote starting and a killer 300-watt Bose audio system.

Boiled down to what matters most to the basic car, the new Lansing, Michigan-built 2008 Cadillac CTS -- with its excellent powertrain, great handling, substantially improved interior and dramatic new styling -- succeeds on all levels. Look for the cars to arrive in September.

[chrizow]

i've briefly driven and sat shotgun in a couple of these and they are certainly nice and seem fast.  i just don't like them or any american-made car, really.  i'm pleased to see US manufacturers making some nice vehicles though - they're just not my style.

[FangKC]

One of the reasons I'm posting these articles is just to point out that they are a lot of auto experts and writers discussing the vast improvements in American-made automobiles, and that the quality and performance at rising to, meeting, or exceeding those of the German and Asian makes.

Many writers are saying that the Saturn Aura is the best car GM makes and that it's a better value than a Honda or Toyota in the same class.

There have been tremendous strides made, and American cars have improved a great deal.  Automatically assuming that American cars aren't made well, or are inferior to, other makes is a mistake these days.  One has to take it on a case-by-case method and compare.

One little known fact is that many Chrysler models are actually built on Mercedes platforms.  Of course that will change now that Daimler-Chrysler's merger is breaking up. Still Daimler will retain 20 percent ownership in Chrysler I believe, and many designs and parts will still be shared.

[chrizow]

One little known fact is that many Chrysler models are actually built on Mercedes platforms. 

yes, and mercedes build quality and performance went into the shitter with the merger...i look forward to higher quality benzes in the future.