Intermittent Daily Podcast: It's the End of the Acura NSX, and I Feel Fine
Daily Podcast – Lieberman Edition: I Love the Mitsuoka Himiko
Daily Podcast: How Far We've Come
Daily Podcast: Lieberman Edition – The Collector's Pontiac Garage
We just got the fairly obvious news that the Pontiac G8 will die on the vine. Fast forward thirty years. Pontiac cars will only be a historical name, like Lagonda, or Pierce-Arrow. Imagine though, the bitchin’ 1980s-2000s collection that a retro minded old codger could have in his garage:
1. G8 GT
2. GTO (2006)
3. Solstice GXP
4. Trans AM WS6 (2002, with 325 hp LS1 V8)
5. Aztek (for historical purposes, of course).
6. Fiero V6
It could be like all the other cars (like the G5) just never happened. As if.
Daily Podcast: TTAC Meetup in 2009 … At the Nurburgring
We’re actually planning a few meetups in 2009 for TTAC readers and writers, many of them right here in North America. But with Captain Mike’s upcoming work-related assignment to Germany – a mere one hour from the Nurburgring – we’re going to have a European adventure as well. I’m beginning the search for sponsors (who? uh…). In any case, it should make for a downright thrilling trip, including more than a few frightening rides in the ‘Ring taxi. Separate from driving, I envision copious beer drinking and regional sausages. We’ll be sure to give you plenty of warning ahead of time, should you be planning any business trips to Europe, or be sitting on a pile of frequewnt flyer miles, or actually be an EU resident yourself. I’ll bring the Porsche 911 Turbo, you bring the Nissan GT-R.
What's Missing From the GM-Chrysler Coverage. Allegedly.
DaveAdmin over at Allpar Weblogs is just as unhappy with the coverage of the potential GM – Chrysler debacle merger as your faithful TTAC correspondents. But for different reasons. Apparently, it’s OK for the mainstream press and armchair analysts to suggest that this is a done deal, but they don’t “get it” when it comes to what might come next. In the main, DaveAdmin reckons they’re all guilty of the sin of omission. “No article I have seen suggests that maybe, because the Dodge trucks are clearly superior (especially in Class 3-5), that GM might shift over to Dodge’s designs. Only one mentioned the Dodge trucks in any way other than ‘to be canned’ at all, and that was to point out the bad timing of their launch. Ford’s big, trucklike Flex, Toyota’s Tundra (with one factory already being converted to other uses), and Ford’s upcoming F-series were apparently examples of good timing. No article I’ve seen mentions the Hemi except disparagingly, as in ‘dummies make V8s when people don’t want them any more.’ (Four years ago.) Never mind that trucks still need V8s and the Hemi is best in class, especially in variable cam form. No article I’ve seen mentions the Phoenix engines or the dual-clutch transmission technology. The latter, to be fair, appears to be dead at the moment, as Chrysler chose to cancel their launch by picking a fight with Getrag and abruptly canceling all talks.” Yeah, to be fair. It gets better…
Daily Podcast: Tesla Fashionability Shows Problem for Startup Car Companies
Daily Podcast Lieberman Edition: A Different Day, A Different Dream Car
Daily Podcast: OK, I Lied
Daily Podcast Lieberman Edition: We Went Over Time. Again.
Sometimes, when we podcast, we just have too much fun. Jonny and I were yammering about the Nissan GT-R, Porsche’s PDK transmission, and of course Toyota’s ass-kicking Hilux and Audi’s bizarre plans for the R8 (which I still don’t totally grasp). The result? We ran way over time. Twelve minutes, forty-one seconds. That’s not okay. The mission is ten minute podcasts with perhaps a minute for a grace period. We’ll be sticking to time from now on. As for the video, never underestimate the stupidity of Russian oligarchs and their even stupider children.
WARNING: Podcast contains some profanity, including an f-bomb.
Daily Podcast: I Haven't Put Gas in My Car In Three Weeks
Daily Podcast: All of the Responsibility, All of the Blame
Daily Podcast Lieberman Edition: Who Buys Ferrari Sweatshirts?
Daily Podcast: Jalopnik's 10 Best Fall Weekend Trip Cars. Or Not.
Daily Podcast Lieberman Edition: EBay Motors is Like Crack
Daily Podcast: Meta-Mucil
Daily Podcast: Lieberman: "The Hyundai Sonata Handles Better Than the MINI Cooper"
Daily Podcast: Lieberman Edition: Racecars Can't Be Daily Drivers
Daily Podcast: Lieberman Edition – What's a Lagonda Anyway?
Daily Podcast: Lieberman Grumpy About 333 Horsepower Audi S4
Daily Podcast: Lieberman Edition
Daily Podcast: Bifurcating Podcasts
Daily Podcast: I Want to Be Bob Lutz
Daily Podcast: No More Hertz Mustangs. Only Corvettes.
Daily Podcast: Ferrari Enzos and Camera Phones
Daily Podcast: The L.A.-S.F.-N.Y. Bubble
Daily Podcast: Justin Case
Daily Podcast: Time to Drive
Daily Podcast: Still Excited at the Mailbox
Daily Podcast: Farago Takes a Break
Daily Podcast: What is a Chevy?
TTAC commentator Brent asked why fellow members of our Best and Brightest aren't cutting the new Cruze some slack. "All I ever see are comments (rightly) digging on GM for having no truly competitive small cars, and for having none in the pipeline. Now we learn of one that in fact *is* in the pipeline. Furthermore, it just might be competitive. And what do I see? A bunch of comments digging on GM for even trying." As a cynical bastard, I think the cynicism has been well and truly earned, through dozens of less-than-stellar (i.e. crap) GM small cars. And, lest we forget, Chevy is a brand that touts itself as "An American Revolution" whilst selling a Korean car. In fact, what equity/credibility remains within the Chevy brand? Like a Rock reliability? Not for cars. (Not yet, anyway.) So, really, it all comes down to one word: Corvette. And if that's true, what IS a Chevy? No matter how good the Cruze may be (Jonny), it simply can't traverse GM's branding issues. Nothing can. [PS: DON'T FORGET THERE'S A PODCAST BELOW]
EcoDriving Spinmeister: "We Can't Let the Perfect Be the Enemy of the Good"
After our characteristically snarky blog on the launch of ecodrivingUSA.com website, The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers reached out to TTAC to defend its PR campaign. Like every professional spinmeister I've ever met, AAM's Senior Director of Communications proved to be an affable, sensible, persuasive guy. And how can you argue against saving gas? So I let the not-so-sibilant Charlie Territo make his case, then explored other mpg-related issues: federal fuel economy regs, state's rights in the matter and suchlike. TTAC encourages any newsmaker (or their rep) to contact us about any published story to make their case on the site, including, should they desire, unedited editorial space for their reply. (robert.farago@thetruthaboutcars.com)
Daily Podcast: Sign of the Times
Daily Podcast: The Ugly American?
Daily Podcast: Needs Must?
Daily Podcast: No Long Termers Need Apply
Daily Podcast: All Hail Frank Williams
TTAC Investigates Thermal Butt Management
Daily Podcast: The Bottom Line
Daily Podcast: A Pom-Pom Free Zone
Daily Podcast: America is Waiting
Daily Podcast: First We Kill All The Lawyers
Daily Podcast: The Infiniti G35 Wrecked Everything
A few years ago, when my mother was car shopping for entry luxury sedans, I suggested she "just get an Infiniti G35x." I've never been wild about the G – especially when laden with AWD – but it had more power than any competitors at the time, offered the AWD, the all-important luxury badge, and it was the best price in the class. I cannot count the number of time when I've seen in car forums somewhere, a debate or discussion in which the G35 plays the role of spoiler. "Why get a BMW 328i with only 230 horsepower when you could get an Infiniti G35 for the same price with 300+?" Replace BMW 328i with Mercedes C300, or Audi A4, or Lexus IS. That being said, they moved about 5600 G35 and G37s in June, compared to over 9000 BMW 3-Series sold in the US that month. Then again, the BMW 3-Series has a cult following going back 30 years. While the Infiniti G35 wears the legendary Skyline name in Japan, 99.9% of car shopping Americans don't know that. (Ken Watanabe, Japanese movie star and costar in The Last Samurai, is featured in the ad above). The bottom line is: Infiniti figured out how to get to the bargain breaking point. By that, I mean the position at which they offer the best value in the class, but not so much value that their car is no longer desirable.
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