Daily Podcast: The Steep and Thorny Way to Heaven
Motown pundit Peter DeLorenzo frequently takes his hometown heroes to task for their insularity. It's more than a bit ironic; the self-styled Autoextremist steadfastly refuses to allow comments underneath his weekly rants. The columnist also backed out of simultaneous TTAC publication because he didn't want to respond to TTAC's Best and Brightest when they ripped his writing to shreds thoughtfully analyzed his insightful commentary. In e-pistle 454, DeLorenzo once again tries to play it both ways. On one hand, he validates the "perception gag" [sic]. You know; the deep psychological chasm between U.S. consumers' understanding of GM and Ford's products (ominously enough, Chrysler's been excluded) and the vehicles' "true" competitiveness with their transplanted rivals. Well, some of them. OK, the Chevy Mailbu. On the other hand, Sweet Pete eviscerates The Big 2.8 for their "indecision, non-decisions and monumentally bone-headed decisions." In sum, uber-mensch Bob Lutz and his pals tried hard to do/build the right thing. They got tripped-up by gas prices (in just three months!) and hamstrung by their handlers' stupidity. And who do you think you are criticizing Detroit, Jane you ignorant slut? Despite DeLorenzo's writing talent, it's clear the inside outsider is rhetorically conflicted. But at least DeLorenzo has doubts. Even now, deep into the last act of a Shakespearian tragedy, the same can not be said for the people who once paid his salary.
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Robert -- Remind me never, never to piss you off. That was as gorgeous a tear down -- complete with video! -- as I've ever seen.
Just to comment on what Mr. Farago said about Navigators, I spend a lot of time in them (with my surrounding family owning 4). They are superior to the Suburban (a vehicle I get, quite often, when my car makes it's frequent tow truck rides to the dealer) in carrying a large group of adults (6 or more), especially when it comes to real third row seating. Plus, the power folding seats are very good. Having spent quite a bit of time driving the latest Navigator L model (nice to have luggage space when you use all the seats!), I will say that I'm extremely depressed about the cheapening of the interior bits, especially the door panels. The previous model felt much nicer inside. Styling is a subjective matter, and a lot of people say that got worse, too, but I'll leave that up to intepretation. But there's no mistaking the craptacular interior materials, which especially hurts when the previous model wasn't nearly that bad.
Robert: Thanks for the classic Hamlet cigar ad. Made my day.