Recent Comments:
More details on the 2009 Ford Focus {Autoblog}
May 13th 2008 10:15PM http://www.metacafe.com/watch/770349/jeremy_clarkson_destroys_lada/
replace Lada with 2009 Ford Focus and you're all set!
To quote...the bumper's wrong, the headlights are wrong, gearlever set in concrete, steering wheel's wrong, radiator grill is wrong...
VIDEO: Lexus LF-A racing at the 'Ring {Autoblog}
May 13th 2008 10:06PM It'll be another soulless supercar (and I'm using term supercar loosely) like the McLaren SLR.
GM to move Opel upmarket in Europe {Autoblog}
May 13th 2008 12:03PM What was the name of that manager?
GM to move Opel upmarket in Europe {Autoblog}
May 13th 2008 9:32AM Saab needs be sold...it's useless to GM.
GM to move Opel upmarket in Europe {Autoblog}
May 13th 2008 9:29AM Smart, they ought to do the same in NA market to distinguish it from Chevy, Pontiac, Saab. But not so much where it'd compete against Cadillac. Therefore 3% increase is very much reasonable, and undoubtedly will help brand's image.
As long as design and handling characterists are different from other brands then Opel should be in good shape and not worry about taking sales away from these brands.
I also think they need to kill Saturn and Vauxhall and sell Opel worldwide to take on VW brand.
[SPOILER ALERT] Turkish Grand Prix was dog gone good {Autoblog}
May 12th 2008 4:52PM Because every F1 USGP race was done half-assed. Whether it was the Phoenix fiasco, Vegas, Detroit, and yes mickey mouse at Indy. What a horrid race track that is.
I don't think that US culture is against F1, quite the opposite; there is a huge number of open-wheel fans who would love to see a proper F1 race held at a proper race track. I think California would be the place to do it, but in my mind it would require a new race track. It absolutely cannot be a street course because they allow no passing whatsoever.
Unfortunately, costs of building a new race track, organizing, promoting, and hosting an F1 race are sky high. Most US entities don't have the cash (or more likely credit line) to make (finance) event happen. And bang for buck - US just isn't all that important to F1.
Look at all the other countries, the all have built world-class facilities, and did all they could to make FIA happy.
Surely there are lame ducks and those are: Silverstone, Indy, and Sydney. From tough, but fair perspective, those three are not worthy of an F1 event. Definitely not Sydney and its pathetic attitude to a night race (or anything else F1 related for that matter), Indy management is worthless, only Silverstone is perhaps upping its game. Then again UK is an exception because majority of successful F1 teams are from there. For that UK deserves tons of respect.
Toyota responds to Ford's new initial quality ads {Autoblog}
May 12th 2008 12:37PM I think it was dumb of Toyota to make these sorts of comments public. Granted they make a valid point, but there are many amongst general public who have no clue that quality ratings can be broken down into several categories.
They should have congradulated Ford on their accomplishments, and hint at fact that Toyota's long-term quality is still above average, and that Toyota will not deviate from it's heritage of building cars that are built to last. That's how I would have phrased it.
Lastly, a family friend of mine just got a Camry, and it's interior is horrid. Uneven gaps, cheap plastics, ugly design. I would never ever buy a Camry no matter how reliable it may be. Toyota is forever destined to be a company devoid of panache.
[SPOILER ALERT] Turkish Grand Prix was dog gone good {Autoblog}
May 12th 2008 12:31PM Yeah but in an open-wheel car if driver's head hits something at 200mph then it's certain death for the animal and the driver. So GPDA has every right to be concerned. They must put up fences all over the track to make sure that no stray animals get on the track.
VIDEO: Danica Patrick hits crew member on pit lane at Indy {Autoblog}
May 10th 2008 12:52PM This guy is so lucky. We all have lapses in our judgment, especially when our minds are highly preoccupied with something else. I'm sure he was always careful on pitlane, but it almost cost him his life one time when he wasn't. Not Danica's fault, undoubtedly she is going to be paranoid next time when she enters the pitlane.
One more thing, I think that under race conditions pitlane is a lot safer because there is a code that is being followed, it is during practice when people are relaxed when crap like this happens.
Toyota expecting profit drop in 2008 {Autoblog}
May 9th 2008 12:29PM Sure, if you listen to CNBC cheerleaders then yes you could buy the "natural cycle" theory. In reality it is anything, but that.
Problem is a significant portion of homeowners borrowed against supposed equity in their homes to make big ticket puchases. Now they are finding out that they can't refinance their properties to pay them off.
And consider those who simply bought the house thinking it will be an asset and under that logic had no problem making 70% DTI payments for mortgage costs. Then there is the heating, electrical, maintanence. It all adds up. Coupled with rising unemployment it'll be a while before something good happens.
Yes I look for bad news, but I also look for good, and thus far there are no good news. The infrastructure of this country is collapsing under its massive fiscal and trade deficits. Whether it is health care, schools, roads, airlines - the severity of the situation is clear.
And to dub this as just another "natural cycle" is absurd. This is not a natural cycle, it is a result of printing and heavy borrowing from other countries, creating low interest rates.
In 1981 Volkner raised rates to 20% and it saved the country, well back then there was a lot less debt, and then it was owned by Americans. Now there a ton of it and it's being held by other countries. Eventually they'll stop propping up dollar (why would you prop up a currency of a country which has continiously borrowed and hasn't paid back a dime), and everywhere in the world there will be a giant economic boom, leaving US in a cloud of dust.
