Cardozzo Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 For those outside of LA, Dan Neil is the automotive writer for the Los Angeles Times. More imporatantly he is the only automotive writer to have been awarded a Pulitzer. Today he's got a Legacy writeup, mostly focused on the outback, but with general applicability... http://www.latimes.com/classified/automotive/highway1/la-hy-neil13apr13,0,7803702.story?coll=la-home-highway1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlew308 Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 Funny I perceived the outback as a lesbian car without even knowing much about it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colonel Angus Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 For those outside of LA, Dan Neil is the automotive writer for the Los Angeles Times. More imporatantly he is the only automotive writer to have been awarded a Pulitzer. Today he's got a Legacy writeup, mostly focused on the outback, but with general applicability... http://www.latimes.com/classified/automotive/highway1/la-hy-neil13apr13,0,7803702.story?coll=la-home-highway1 a very well written article, and i mean that in a non biased way. fantastic sentence structure, and articulated quite intelligently....of course i'd expect nothing less from a pulitzer winnAr. that being said, isn't this the same guy that resulted in GM pulling their ads from the LA times? i dont mean this to be negative, but it this is the case, i give more props to him:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiffarmleft Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 Where can I buy rainbow stickers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emorphien Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 that being said, isn't this the same guy that resulted in GM pulling their ads from the LA times? i dont mean this to be negative, but it this is the case, i give more props to him:D Yes, from what I hear it was because of his scathing review of the Pontiac G6 which you can find here. For what it's worth, I test drove the G6 once just to see and his review is dead on. It's a dreadfully boring car. The interior looks like they wanted to try, all black with some chrome accents. Only the crome is too bright, it stands out too much and the black is essentially all glossy and completely without taste. His description of how bad the steering is could be an understatement. It's like holding a stick half in the water and yanking it around. There's some resistance but you're not sure what or why and you're fairly certain whatever you're feeling has nothing to do with pointing the car in any particular direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cardozzo Posted April 13, 2005 Author Share Posted April 13, 2005 yup, he's the straw that broke gm's back. here's my favorite d. neil quote, describing the ducati 999r: This thing is misery on two wheels, a wickedly disposed and temperamental exercise of sheer mechanical narcissism upon which you assume a posture like it’s flashlight inspection day in prison. Its 150-horsepower V-twin motor runs on damned souls and is lubricated with the fat of unbaptized children. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PGT Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 This thing is misery on two wheels, a wickedly disposed and temperamental exercise of sheer mechanical narcissism upon which you assume a posture like it’s flashlight inspection day in prison. Its 150-horsepower V-twin motor runs on damned souls and is lubricated with the fat of unbaptized children. Nice!! That is wholly accurate. Much better than 'it corners on rails', or 'pulls like a freight train". Come on auto-journalists, USE YOUR KIDNEYS [knocking on my head] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colonel Angus Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 His description of how bad the steering is could be an understatement. It's like holding a stick half in the water and yanking it around. There's some resistance but you're not sure what or why and you're fairly certain whatever you're feeling has nothing to do with pointing the car in any particular direction. that pretty much sums up the steering on all GM cars...except maybe the vette:lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emorphien Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 that pretty much sums up the steering on all GM cars...except maybe the vette:lol: I was stopped in the suicide lane (middle omnidirectional turny lane thingy) waiting to get back in to the ponticrap dealership with the G6 and I turned the wheel while stopped and it just glided. I was amazed at the lack of feel. That part in particular was just so weird, it didn't resist at all! I thought if I pulled I might have been able to walk away with a steering wheel! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colonel Angus Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 if they kill of pontiac, i wonder how creative they will get in blanding out and borifying the GTO. i'm not a big GM fan at all - the vette makes the exception...however, the GTO is the only other exception on my list. the layout of the interior may be indicative of typical GM/pontiac styling, but man, do those '05's move like balls...but alas, paying 34 large, just doesnt seem like a smart investment... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emorphien Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 The new GTO has made me curious about what the original GTO might cost in todays money. Not curious enough to figure it out though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitestar Pilot Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 I like this guy. Particularly the comment about the Hummer for the rapture doomsday crowd. So true. Although in the "Left Behind" series, I think it is a Land Rover that gets the nod. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twisted Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 but teh fir3berd is teh f4st4r LMFAO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JessterCPA Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 The new GTO has made me curious about what the original GTO might cost in todays money. Not curious enough to figure it out though. According to http://eh.net/hmit/ppowerusd/ $3000 1964 GTO would cost almost $18000 in 2003 dollars. Kinda like a SRT4. Maybe teh GTO is teh fastAR????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PGT Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 The new GTO has made me curious about what the original GTO might cost in todays money. Not curious enough to figure it out though. $2800 new in 1964 works out to be $16899.67 given inflation tables. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PGT Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 Damn the person that just came to my desk and distracted me from posting the answer first. Darn hot Brazilian chic. It's not my fault! She had my attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sneezy Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 Excellent article. I'm not a huge GM fan either but the Vette is one awesome machine. The G6 is a laugh at best. The Grand Am was a better car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JessterCPA Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 Damn the person that just came to my desk and distracted me from posting the answer first. Darn hot Brazilian chic. It's not my fault! She had my attention. OMG!! JESSTERCPA IS TEH FASTaR!!!11!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colonel Angus Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 Damn the person that just came to my desk and distracted me from posting the answer first. Darn hot Brazilian chic. It's not my fault! She had my attention. dont you mean she had you at attention? mwahahahaha.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emorphien Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 OK, so given that why is the new GTO so damned expensive? I wouldn't expect it to be $18k, but it's a wee bit high these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colonel Angus Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 OK, so given that why is the new GTO so damned expensive? I wouldn't expect it to be $18k, but it's a wee bit high these days. maybe the holy shat 400hp 6.0L v8 beast under the hood has a part as to why it's so expensive. shite, if it was 18 large, i'd pick one up in a heart beat...that's a bold statement coming from someone who generally has a disdain for GM products... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emorphien Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 If it were in the low to mid 20s it'd sell like mad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PGT Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 Keep in mind the safety and emissions regulations we have today. A 400HP 6.0L that is 50 state legal ain't cheap. I think the MSRP is reasonable. Would being less expensive incent me to buy one? No. It's still a GM product and I have to deal with Mr. Goodwrench. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rallispec Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 interesting discussion related to GM's state during a washington post online discussion that took place this morning: (warren brown is the post's automotive columnists) Kingstowne, Va.: As someone who spent a decade driving a Chevy Camaro and then and Oldsmobile Cutlass, I weep at the sight of GM's tailspin. Sad as it makes me to say, I believe their only salvation is to immediately yank the plug on Saturn, Buick and Pontiac, maybe even Saab as well. Focus on their strengths ... Chevys, Caddies, GMC trucks and Hummers, and emerge leaner and meaner. Thoughts? Warren Brown: There's no need to weep for GM, Kingstowne. It's problems aren't fatal, just painful and correctable. (Remember: Last year at this time, people were weeping for Ford. A few years earlier, they were weeping for Nissan. Both companies are very much alive and rolling along.) I most certainly would NOT--NOT--NOT--recommend cutting Saturn. My prediction is that the new line of Saturn vehicles, combined with Saturn's highly respected sales-friendly marketing, will help pull GM out of its current abyss. But some cutting will be needed. My recommendations: . Cut GMC. There is no need for a stand-alone truck division that sells exactly the same trucks, with a few added spiffs, as Chevrolet. . Trim the U.S. dealer body. GM does not need in excess of 15,000 U.S. dealers, many of them in the same geographical area selling exactly the same products, and thus being forced to sell price and thereby undermining the value of GM cars and trucks, turning them into mere commodities. . Thoroughly revamp GM marketing. Bring those advertisers into a Come to Mark LeNeve Meeting and make it clear to them that unless they do more to really understand GM's products and its customers, they don't have a contract. GM needs more of the OnStar-type advertising featuring children, for example. And kudos to the party responsible for revamping those heretofore STUPID Pontiac G6 ads. The new ads make a heck of a lot more sense and do a better job of speaking to the product. . Gotta talk to the UAW. It's get-real time. GM is a company, not a welfare state. There's no way that it can continue paying enormous pension and health care costs without help. . Ah, and more on marketing: In the future, GM needs to avoid making stupid, self-defeating decisions such as pulling advertising from news outlets, such as the L.A. Times, with which it has disagreements. Yes, it's GM's money, and the company can do whatever it wants to do with its money. But if GM has a legitimate professional gripe with the LA Times, or anyone else, it should take them on, head-to-head, in a public forum, employing paid advertorials if necessary. It should request and be granted audiences with editorial boards, which is what news organizations do for politicians and citizens groups. Withdrawing ads sends the wrong message to the public. It makes people believe you are trying to use muscle to stifle the truth. If you believe that a reporter or a newspaper is a jerk, the best way to make him or his journal look like a hero or a martyred saint in the media world is to pull your ads. You know, GM, it's Marketing 101. To Mark LeNeve: Talk to your people, dude. Some of them clearly continue to have no grasp of the basics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colonel Angus Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 renault seemed like they were pretty instrumental at getting nissan back up on its feet, and look at them now. they have some pretty respectable vehicles in their stable. powerful altimas and maximas, and you cant forget the 350z. the xterra seems to be doing well, same with the frontier. overall, they seem to have a pretty solid lineup.i feel they have toyota and honda beat on at least one thing - making their cars exciting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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