OT: are they--honest to god--putting exhaust ports on the fenders of new cars now?

[swenpro]

Buicks are boring cars though.

Not that I'm a big buick fan or anything, but I read the other day that the new 2008 Buick Enclave is the first Buick--pretty much ever--to have a waiting list! People really want this "crossover" I guess it's really nice

[markus]

hahah you guys do realize american cars are NOTHING compared to what they were almost 40 years ago? American car companies just cant compete with their forgien counterparts.

I just picked up the new issue of motor trend, the one with the G37 coupe beating the 335i coupe. Inside theres an article about how Caddy is aiming for BMW now with 2 new models they will be introducing. They are coming out with a BSX which is aimed to take on the 3 series.

Lets rewind here about 20 years. What the hell did caddy have ? those big ugly sedan le land yachs. now they decide they want to take on BMW? They have lots of ground to cover. I dont understand why amerian car compaines are starting to produce more interesting cars now. Maybe becuase they are in fact boring and losing sales?

Also why is it when another car GM or Ford brings back its totally lame? Like the dodge charger and the "new" camaro for instance. With all this retro design I think these designers arent coming up with new ideas. They say when you have to reach into the past for new ideas then you are out of them.

Lets be real here. The last time american cars were on top was about 37 years ago when the muscle cars died off from the EPA regulations. Ever since then what have they produced that was something you could be proud to own? Some will say the Z06, but geez, I see so many damn C6s driven by old farts its pathetic. Not to mention the interiors arent much better than a cobalt.

Another interesting tidbit is motor trend gave the best engine awards and BMW took 4 of them, followed by toyota and another company. All of the best engines they voted for were either german or japanese.

[Ross]

ventiports they were referred to as I recall.
Poor Buick, once a proud brand.

[Ross]

As an old fart I resent your Z06 comment, especially since I don't own one.

[brodee]

Also wouldn't mind a Grand National, or a GNX.

Of course they handled pretty poorly, not so terrible on the GNX, but certainly the GS. Man alive though, in a straight line they'll outrun quite a few cars. And no, I'm not a secret American car lover, I'm a car nut.

Everyone, American car lover or not, should have respect for the Grand National because of what is was.

[brodee]

Also why is it when another car GM or Ford brings back its totally lame? Like the dodge charger and the "new" camaro for instance. With all this retro design I think these designers arent coming up with new ideas. They say when you have to reach into the past for new ideas then you are out of them.

Don't forget the Z8 was based on a "retro" design.

[ryan roopnarine]

oh wow, they were vestigual from the factory. i did not know that.....
what i'm trying to say, without being too (cough), is that if you don't live in an "urban" area, you don't see every 80s buick skylark and 95 century with these little things stuck onto them these days. like i said, i saw a lincoln town car with these little gits stuck onto it. whether or not buick likes it, the hip-hop volk have co-opted their little stick on accessories, and it will be interesting to see if they make it past this year's model line. i'm surprised that more people don't see these things in public, and I'm not talking about the GN's subtle body colored ones. i'm talking about buffoons in cobalts sticking three per side onto their cars.

[repenttokyo]

hahah you guys do realize american cars are NOTHING compared to what they were almost 40 years ago? American car companies just cant compete with their forgien counterparts.

I just picked up the new issue of motor trend, the one with the G37 coupe beating the 335i coupe. Inside theres an article about how Caddy is aiming for BMW now with 2 new models they will be introducing. They are coming out with a BSX which is aimed to take on the 3 series.

Lets rewind here about 20 years. What the hell did caddy have ? those big ugly sedan le land yachs. now they decide they want to take on BMW? They have lots of ground to cover. I dont understand why amerian car compaines are starting to produce more interesting cars now. Maybe becuase they are in fact boring and losing sales?

Also why is it when another car GM or Ford brings back its totally lame? Like the dodge charger and the "new" camaro for instance. With all this retro design I think these designers arent coming up with new ideas. They say when you have to reach into the past for new ideas then you are out of them.

Lets be real here. The last time american cars were on top was about 37 years ago when the muscle cars died off from the EPA regulations. Ever since then what have they produced that was something you could be proud to own? Some will say the Z06, but geez, I see so many damn C6s driven by old farts its pathetic. Not to mention the interiors arent much better than a cobalt.

Another interesting tidbit is motor trend gave the best engine awards and BMW took 4 of them, followed by toyota and another company. All of the best engines they voted for were either german or japanese.

I understand you have a bias, but there are plenty of american cars that are pretty damn cool. The CTS-V is a sick machine, handles well, insanely fast, very moddable. The new Mustang is extremely popular, as is the 300C, with the 345 hp Hemi V8, which was every magazine's car of the year when it came out, and actually was a repeat car of the year winner. The Cobalt SS and the Neon SRT4 are inexpensive rockets that have killer perfomance and much modabbility. The Z06 is close to a Ferrari-killer. The Ford GT is an amazing vehicle. And that's just what is being produced currently. There are plenty of american cars I would have been proud to own in the last 37 years. In any case, it's not like BMW is offering any alternatives: every Bangle-styled BMW is a hideous abomination that makes me want to throw up whenever I see one on the road.

[Herb]

On the Buick the 3 per side indicate the 6 cyl. and the 4 per side indicate the 8 cyl., FYI.

So I should get a set of 6 and put them in a straight line in the center of my hood? Right?

[swenpro]

I dont understand why amerian car compaines are starting to produce more interesting cars now.

haha, what a great quote--I think because they HAVE to!! Thank you for clearing up the other side of the picture, repenttokyo. In fact Cadillac is the first of GM's brands to have finally been restructured... they've been competing with BMW since the launch of the first CTS in 2002, and now after redesigning all their cars they have returned to a new CTS for this fall. Additionally, other GM brands are making steps forward (ie Pontiac RWDs like the G8--sexy) courtesy of Bob Lutz's design authority.