sfinney Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 It's true. (I work for GM) Every year we have to make a huge number of Cavaliers, Sunfires, etc, to offset the large number of Utilities and Trucks that are produced..... the Avg mileage of all vehicles produced has to be under a certain figure, or pay STIFF fines. It's all tied to the EPA and CAFE. Our governement in action. Rather than letting demand dictate supply, supply is determined by legislative action. It makes vehicles more expensive for everyone, as the manufacturer has to charge more for the hot vehicles (sports cars, trucks, SUVs) in order to make up the losses of the small passenger car segments. But if your goal is to force higher prices on large vehicles, and cause the public to then be forced to smaller cars due to expense, it might work, especially if gas prices keep going up as well. Next we'll have a huge gas tax to punish those evil SUV drivers, and force people to drive sensible small cars. Back to topic: I love the new Mustang also, they really nailed that one. Just have to hold out for a new "retro" Camaro..... sigh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 It needs to look like a Gen 1 Camaro, like my 68 SS was...very cool car with lots of curb appeal and pretty fast for those days...Quarter mile in 13.90 at about 96 mph...not too bad for back then.. and yes, it was 396/375hp...4 speed with 376 rear... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 God, the Camaro was cool........! (But then, so was the ORIGINAL Mustang.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schmitz Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 Shooter GrrlThe new Vette is really nice looking....but my Christmas present came together last week... Got my '66 back from the shop...brand new 502 cid crate engine, Edlebrock performance injection..had it blue printed and balanced, and dyno'ed..putting 476 hp to the asphalt...new 50 Series Goodyears, George Straits cd of 50 Number 1 Hits and I am ready to cruise a bit... It is nice to be the Big Dawg again... Holy M......TL, this means when we meet...somewhere on a track;... there's a lot tuning to do for me on my 911. I guess there's no substitute for ci except a Turbo duh? http://www.porsche.nl/gfx/specials/911/sounds/wegfahren.wav Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Habicht Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 It's true. (I work for GM)Every year we have to make a huge number of Cavaliers, Sunfires, etc, to offset the large number of Utilities and Trucks that are produced..... the Avg mileage of all vehicles produced has to be under a certain figure, or pay STIFF fines. It's all tied to the EPA and CAFE. Our governement in action. Rather than letting demand dictate supply, supply is determined by legislative action. It makes vehicles more expensive for everyone, as the manufacturer has to charge more for the hot vehicles (sports cars, trucks, SUVs) in order to make up the losses of the small passenger car segments. But if your goal is to force higher prices on large vehicles, and cause the public to then be forced to smaller cars due to expense, it might work, especially if gas prices keep going up as well. Next we'll have a huge gas tax to punish those evil SUV drivers, and force people to drive sensible small cars. Back to topic: I love the new Mustang also, they really nailed that one. Just have to hold out for a new "retro" Camaro..... sigh. ....or perhaps automotive companies could pay their engineers to design more fuel efficient engines ----- instead of screwing up seats by designing them with integral, non-height adjustable seatbelts and building them with such flimsy fabric that holes develop before the warranty is up..... Don't get me started on American car companies ---- and for the record I'm in my fifth large GM product...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schmitz Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 Don't get me started on American car companies ---- and for the record I'm in my fifth large GM product...... Nik, time to switch? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schmitz Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 Don't get me started on American car companies ---- and for the record I'm in my fifth large GM product...... Nik, time to switch? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 My understanding was that a lot of the "trucks" don't get counted in the MPG average? Yep...a quick google search turns up some info... Cars need to average around 27.5mpg. Light trucks (including SUV's and mini-vans) only need to average 20.5mpg. (note: those are possibly old numbers, from a 1999 article...they exclude heavier duty trucks as well) Now back to your regularly scheduled program... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTOSHootr Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 Vipers actually come through with 3.08 rear gear to escape the "gas guzzler tax". Most everyone switchs to 3.55s, 3.73s. or even 4.11s to bring out the car's full potential. ShootrGrrl, You have a red 05' Vette to use whenever you want to visit Area7. TL, Pics of your Vette? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTOSHootr Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 Schimtz, Your Porshe is beautiful but in the US at the track it would fall prey to a Buick (Big Ugly Import Car Killer) as seen below (10.8 in the quarter) : Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shooter Grrl Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 ShootrGrrl, You have a red 05' Vette to use whenever you want to visit Area7. Good Gawd Man - are you married Just where do you live anyways Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schmitz Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 Schmitz, Your Porsche is beautiful but in the US at the track it would fall prey to a Buick (Big Ugly Import Car Killer) as seen below (10.8 in the quarter) : Smoke vs real acceleration Maybe on a drag strip but what about let's say Laguna Seca? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madmark Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 Ford has always been touted as the leader in "muscle cars". Somewhere around here I have a magazine dating back almost 20 years with a cover that screams "The Muscle Car is back!! Ford releases the 5.0 H.O. Mustang" In the lower corner, in fine print, is mention of Buicks new Grand National. Upon reading both reviews, you found that the V-6 Luxury Buick turned in Lower ET.s, and Lower 0- to whatever times. The muscle car was back, just not popular enough to grab the cover of the magazine! Research proved this was the same story back in 1970, with the Gran Sport Stage 1. Does this Mustang have the right stuff, or just the right fluff? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickpony Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 Oh the '05 Stang has ALL THE STUFF and more! WOW what a machine... I have a 1979-1993 body style stang that makes 434HP to the rears and back when it was a 343HP machine it would run 10.90's in the quarter, the new stang just needs some traction and gears and it'll go low 11's EASY and pull some serious g's on the skidpad. One very fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTOSHootr Posted December 22, 2004 Share Posted December 22, 2004 ShootrGrrl, Soon to be married. The Vette is actually my mother's! She lets everyone drive it. I figure that a girl that blows by guys on the range and a girl that leaves guys in the dust on the street will get along. We're in Massachusetts. Schimtz, You're right. Corners are not a Buick owner's friend. That photo was from the day we left for the track. The tires were brand new and needed to be roughed up a little. Also, don't get me wrong I love Porsches. When I was little, my father had a version of the Carrera called a 3.0. He wishes he never sold it, as do I. Madmark, Old Car mags are a lot like Gun mags. The reviews are never negative. The famous example was an early review of the Pontiac GTO from the 60s in a head-to-head with a Ferrari GTO. The Pontiac wasn't even in the ballpark of the Ferrari but in a marketing scheme they had them very close. However, new performance cars from the big three are anything but fluff. They know EPA standards are going to kill the muscle car soon and they are putting out some of the most powerfull cars in years while they can. Stock up while you can! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfinney Posted December 22, 2004 Share Posted December 22, 2004 It needs to look like a Gen 1 Camaro, like my 68 SS was... Make mine a retro '69 style with RS Hide-away headlights and taillights, same lines in the body...... but with modern suspension, conveniences, and a firebreathing smallblock with rear wheel drive. My biggest fear is that a new Camaro might be a 6 cylinder frontwheel drive.... I've had 3 '69s over the years, including my first car. And for the record I'm not a big Mustang guy, but the new '05 Mustang (as was the 67-70 models) is awesome looking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayson@IGF Posted December 22, 2004 Share Posted December 22, 2004 The '05 only puts out 300 net hp...I'm disappointed! Wait until the Cobra comes out it'll have much more power. I have a 96 Cobra. I'd like to upgrade to an 06 Cobra when they come out, but I also want a 930 or Testarossa. I've got a few bikes too, one of 'ems a CBR1000RR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schmitz Posted December 22, 2004 Share Posted December 22, 2004 ....might be a frontwheel drive.... NOOOOO @GTOSHootr, I service a 1969 Pontiac GTO (tuned) for a customer, I always love it to take her for a testdrive Awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cking Posted December 22, 2004 Share Posted December 22, 2004 My mistake the model I looked at was an 04 with supercharger and independent rear suspension. So I guess we have to wait till 06 for new model SVT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveZ Posted January 10, 2005 Share Posted January 10, 2005 Its here!!!! My girlfriend just got a call from the dealer. Her car is being offloaded from the truck right now and headed to their detail shop....then its going onto the showroom floor for display until she can pick it up on Thursday. I've been given "permission" to drive it next week....then I probably won't be able to drive it for a LONG time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schmitz Posted January 11, 2005 Share Posted January 11, 2005 Its here!!!!My girlfriend just got a call from the dealer. Her car is being offloaded from the truck right now and headed to their detail shop....then its going onto the showroom floor for display until she can pick it up on Thursday. I've been given "permission" to drive it next week....then I probably won't be able to drive it for a LONG time! Picture? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveZ Posted January 11, 2005 Share Posted January 11, 2005 Picture? I went over to the dealership yesterday to check the car out...it was still in the detail shop. I brought my digital camera to work with me today...I'm going to run over to the dealership in about a hour and shoot some pics of the car on the showroom floor (assuming they've got it there now). I'll post one of them when I get back. The lighting in the showroom was bad in that the sun was filtering in and messed up the exposure. I might swing by again later and reshoot when the lighting is better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckbradley Posted January 11, 2005 Share Posted January 11, 2005 I looked at one a couple months ago while I was getting my truck worked on. My salesman had me sit in it. It has plenty of room if not more than my corvette. I am a big guy. I told him I would have to get a cobra but he said they will not be out until 06. I think he said it would have 390 hp and you can get a 6 speed in it. Dont think I would put 40,000 out on one though. Just a guess on price. I figured you all like pics so heres mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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