The thoughtfulness of many posts (even those I don’t agree with) is what makes TTAC worth visiting and coming back to.

My other favourite is Insightcentral (for Honda Insight owners). For the most part a delightfully unassuming and helpful collection of anoraks, tech-heads, geeks and enthusiasts.

As for the Benz uber-schlong vs. the the McLaren vapor pod, I agree: who cares? Not only are they irrelevant and ugly (M-B), but the Benz is essentially one giant gimmick. An unraceable, un-streetable 1Tb-horsepower phallic symbol – with gullwings. Umm, no thanks. Give me a 400hp V8 coupe and a Cayenne GT instead.

I moderate for another forum, and its a thankless job. But I still love it.

re: Gullwing. I thought Mercedes canned the idea after race prepped 300SLs (black in the day) flipped upside down, caught on fire, and the safety crew couldn’t get the driver out in time to save his life.

Roof mounted hinges are a bad, bad idea. You can get a little leverage on a lambo-style door, but there’s nothing when the entire weight of the car sits on the hinge.

On the other hand, the site admin reaction to reader feedback (more than any other site I visit), good stories (tastily cynical) and colorful reviews keep me addicted.

Mr. Farago actually responding to Firefox/64-bit linux issues impressed me as well.

On the other hand, Detroit will be hurtin’ so bad by then that the principal beneficiary will be Toyota’s Tundra program.

I tried doing some math to see if we could save money and reduce our carbon footprint if we switched from a 2003 Subaru Forester (non Turbo)and a 2006 Miata.

We are free and clear on the Forester and owe $6K on the Miata. I would buy a Prius for around town (where it gets its best mpg) and the VW Jetta Diesel for highway (where it get’s the best MPG) So I’ve invested $50,000 in new cars. Carbon Smarbon think before you say goodbye to that ride.

So does the promise of cheap gas around the corner – well, low $3 gas – mean people will flock right back to the big three? I’m sure the Detroit hopes so but what do you think?

An excellent question!

I say no. At least not for 2 to 5 years.

Congress hasn’t done anything to encourage or allow exploration, drilling, or more supply. Like dogs, people have memories. People are not stupid. Well, some are, but not all.

But most have felt like they’ve been beaten like a bad dog (with fuel prices). Through our experiences and fear of the wrong end of the rolled-up newspaper, they will suddenly find themselves trained to fear the beatings.

Some, having bought a Toyondissan, will learn what it’s like (maybe for the first time in their lives) to not have a major, minor, or nuisancical automotive problem every 30-45 days. They will taste this new doggie treat, and it will taste sweet, like FREEDOM.

The current oil shock will be the cause of lots of dogs running away from their former masters.

Meaning that many won’t go back to SUV’s anytime soon. And a likewise many won’t go back to GM, F, or Chryco anytime soon.

Maybe not ever. Woof!

Yeah, the audio drops out. They discuss gullwing doors, other types of doors, and the Mercedes SL during the volume drop.

(I crack me up.)

I joke (unless the job is available), but congrats on the growth!

I liked the interview, it would be great to see more from car designers, engineers, or even car collectors to provide a wider perspective on the world of cars. Sadly, talking to the suits brings up a lot of bad things about the business today.