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CitationMan

Agreed. I fully expect “old technology”, or in other words what people are buying today, to be unsupported by manufacturers in the future. This will include battery packs that are no longer made, meaning the car will be a brick, no different than an old iPhone that is out of date and unsupported. It’s too hard today to work around the electronics of an ICE car to update or modify it, you’re dead in the water if you can’t get the car’s systems to recognize a modification. Ask any German car mechanic, the biggest problem they have with old German cars is the electronics. That’s why old German cars are the newest cars you see in junkyards. It will be much worse in the future.

CitationMan

Here are two more links with great information. http://www.secondchancegarage.com/public/mopar-dash.cfm https://www.jcauto.com/services/1

CitationMan

My family had a ‘73 in Taupe Metallic (ugly color) and were excited when it was new. We really came to dislike it, however, as we much preferred our ‘68 Impala. The ‘73 had a horrible seatbelt warning buzzer and big red seatbelt warning light in the dash. The solution used by many people (not us) when this feature came out was to just keep the seatbelts permanently buckled and stuff the seatbelt between the seat cushions. Outsmart that buzzer! We finally traded it in on a new ‘77 Caprice which was a great car. Perfectly sized for a full size car and performed way better than the ‘73.

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There’s some great websites that cover the auto museums of northern Italy. That might be a good start.

CitationMan

He doesn’t need to actually say it. A trial lawyer will “explain” to a jury what he “meant”. All they need is a starting point

CitationMan

Gary did you know that the 392 badge on the Challenger is really the owner’s credit score, and not the cubic inches?

CitationMan

Autonomous cars will never work in an urban environment. I used to live in Chicago where everyone jaywalks. All a pedestrian has to do is step into the street, and all the autonomous cars will magically stop. Pedestrians will figure this out instantly. Heck, jaywalkers in Chicago do this now, assuming cars will stop. But look at the bright side, all urban streets will become pedestrian malls!

CitationMan

Because regulators never stop. After a problem is solved, they continue to make life worse for millions of people, or they just plain victimize innocent people. A government could clear up 99% of a problem (fantasy scenario, I know), but the regulators will still try to clear up the last 1%, no matter the cost. People of that ilk are nothing more than Utopians. The Greek root for the word utopia: “no place”

CitationMan

Wow, great to see a Karl Ludvigsen article at Hagerty! I still have his wonderful Corvette book from when I was a youngster.

CitationMan

I just got a dealer email and one of the tag lines was “Some models available with no market adjustment!” LOL

CitationMan

My Dad, one of the nicest guys in the world, but a really great negotiator, used to use me and my brother very effectively as props at the dealer. We would be sitting obediently in the dealer’s office while my Dad negotiated with the salesman. The salesman would eventually push the piece of paper with the car price across the desk towards my Dad. If the number was bad, he would look down at the paper in disgust, glance dismissively at the salesman, and not say a word. Dad would just turn to us and say “Boys, it’s time to leave”. We would all get up, make a commotion moving chairs and start to walk out as the stunned salesman would sputter something and try get us to stay. Dad would stop at the office door, look back at the salesman and say, “Do you have a number that will make me stay?” Then a quick, “And don’t waste my time”. I learned from the master.

CitationMan

A physics major could give us the actual difference in the velocity numbers, but in terms of customer demand, I’ll defer to you in the target market.

CitationMan

I do not say this lightly, Bentley’s CEO is an idiot. He is acknowledging that his company is selling an irresponsible and potentially unsafe product. All Bentleys are heavy, turning them into heavy missiles is sheer stupidity. Is that what Bentley customers are looking for? Trial lawyers will love his statements when the inevitable happens.

CitationMan

Yes, let’s sell our heritage to decarbonize! I learned a new word today.

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I thought the answer is always Porsche Pasha? They still make it.

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Cosmetic work can be such a slippery slope when comes to spending. Also time consuming. I would rather just buy a low mile example that is in great shape cosmetically, put paint protection film on the front clip, and drive the hell out of it. In essence, kick the can down the road. Stockpile some parts for the replacement car at your leisure since you already know the weak points.

CitationMan

I like how you think.

CitationMan

The Chicago Police policy on pursuits is 13 pages long. Key sentence is that cops will not be punished for not pursuing a thug. Cannot blame the cops for not pursuing, because if they pursue and it goes wrong, those 13 pages of rules will ruin their career, or worse. The tragic result last week was a carjacked BMW that was involved in many Chicago street holdups was located by the car’s GPS, but no pursuit was made once the car sped away from the cops, and the thugs then committed a violent holdup where the victim lost part of his leg from a gunshot, has his jaw wired shut from removing a bullet in his jaw, and is still in the ICU but off life support. Luckily the shooter is now in jail. Being a cop seems to be a no-win situation these days. God bless them.

CitationMan

There will be a backlash against these big screens. Trendy now, but people will not want to live with them long term. The larger the screen, the cheaper the interior looks. Most people don’t keep their cars clean, and having fingerprint filled germ catchers staring you in the face every time you get in the car is just gross. The NHTSA reasons for rising fatalities do not ring true.

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That Mark VIII looks great. I like the Chrysler 300 convertible, but the “What If?” column rendering by Abimelec of a 2 door version would have been perfect. I still don’t know why Dodge never did a Challenger convertible, especially since the aftermarket versions looked so good.

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Since pickups are lifestyle vehicles and not working trucks for many people these days, I’m surprised a convertible pickup has not been tried again as a halo vehicle.

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At first glance it reminds me of the Lamborghini SUV. Nothing about this SUV says Lotus, but then again, how could it? You are correct that they missed an opportunity to do something different, especially since it’s their first SUV. That front end is really a mess. These days it seems that designers have a hard time integrating headlights and making them the right size and shape.

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The Z Cammisa Drag Race Replay video on Hagerty is also excellent. The production values are over the top. He made a great point that instead of screwing up the gearing of the manual gearbox of the Z to meet noise regulations, as Porsche has done on its manuals, Nissan just used a quieter muffler, knowing owners would just replace the muffler anyway. Good job Nissan!

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Savage Geese review videos are the best online along with the Jason Cammisa videos. No one else even comes close. I’m getting tired of all the cliched YouTube clowns screaming “Woohoo!” in their reviews, but not explaining what the car actually is. Too many reviewers follow the herd and have no original thoughts.

CitationMan

I think this car is going to be around a long time, so there’s going to be further iterations and special editions to keep demand up. If you want to see an impressive deep dive on this vehicle that explains much, watch the new Savage Geese video. It’s excellent and you get a great appreciation for what Nissan has accomplished. Hopefully this car creates competition among the few sports cars left for manufacturers to up their game.

CitationMan

After a few hours of driving in my C7 Corvette on a warm day, the interior can get very hot. I will admit to running the AC with the convertible top down to cool off the footwells. When stopped you can actually feel the heat billowing out from underneath the car over the doors into the cockpit. Luckily I’m in the mountains of Western NC so we do not get many 90 degree days. Hot days make for great drives on the higher elevations of the Blue Ridge Parkway,

CitationMan

EV battery costs have not dropped below $100 per kWh. They were $132/kWh in 2021 and are scheduled to rise to $135/k20Wh in 2022 due mineral cost fluctuations.

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Totally not true. From a 2 minute online search: Porsche Cayenne: 4582-4740lbs Ford Lightning: 6590lbs Rivian R1T: 7143lbs Hummer EV: 9046lbs Not “…just a shade more…” My original point remains. As these things become more prevalent, the safety issues and deaths will increase. The government CAFE regulations caused increased deaths, just like heavy EVs will.

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Maybe interest rates will come down by the time I’m 80, then I’ll refinance!

CitationMan

The sheer weight of the Lightning, Hummer, and Rivian EV’s is disturbing and does not bode well for those of us who drive 4000lb vehicles. This is a safety issue that no one is talking about. A 6500lb Lightning hitting a 4000lb vehicle will make even a low speed crash much more dangerous. Remember that crash test star ratings are a joke. Ever wonder how a Miata can have a 5 star crash rating? It’s only judged against cars of comparable size and weight.

CitationMan

My mortgage finishes when I’m 90, and couldn’t be happier! Fixed “rent” for the rest of my life, and I’m paying that rent with inflated dollars. All the financial planners always say to retire with a paid off house, but who wants all that money in bricks and mortar when it can be put to much better use in a stick shift convertible? There’s satisfaction in owning a house, but grin inducing happiness in owning a convertible! Don’t follow the herd, follow your bliss.

CitationMan

I had to explain my Corvette to a non car guy, and when I could see that he did not understand my explanation of how it feels to drive it, simply said, “it puts a smile on my face, every time.”

CitationMan

I heard a chip expert say that since automotive chips are not advanced chips like other products use, they have lower profit margins for the chip makers. So when capacity became limited, chip makers shifted to the higher profit margin chips. Plus he said that auto manufacturers always played hard ball with the chip manufacturers thinking they had price leverage due to the volumes they purchased, so it was easy for the chip makers to cut out the auto manufacturers when they had to.

CitationMan

I thought some Italian company bought the rights to the Blackwing V8. Kind of a curious move by GM to create the Blackwing when the excellent Corvette V8s already existed.

CitationMan

Spot on. I love everything about the Ridgeline except its price.

CitationMan

Life and economics is just a series of trade offs. You’ve made a reasoned decision and made the trade. Plus you’ll get more driving hours out of the Radical in a year than the typical Ferrari owner does from his car.

CitationMan

“Better” is up to the individual. A Ranger or a Colorado may be better to you, but not to Maverick buyers, who don’t want Rangers or Colorados. Buyers also don’t care if someone thinks it’s a real truck or not. The price, better MPG, and utility works for Maverick buyers. They also don’t care or know about its Escape roots, much like Honda owners probably don’t know or care about the Ridgeline, Pilot, and Odyssey being based on the same unit platform. Buyers also recognize the value in cheap cars built to a price point. That’s why I still regularly see old cheap Rangers, S-10’s, Tacomas, Mazda B2000’s, and Nissan Frontiers down here in the South. The Maverick fills the needs of its buyers in a way the Ranger (or Escape) doesn’t. That’s why Ford didn’t replace the Ranger with the Maverick, but instead sells both.

CitationMan

I’m sure this is an amazing vehicle, and I’m glad GM is building it for the few that can afford it, but I’m really not impressed anymore by big buck vehicles or supercars where cost is no object. It would only be news if these vehicles were not good. In my mind the Ford Maverick is a way more impressive vehicle than this Cadillac. A low cost vehicle with good design and functionality that normal everyday people can afford, and this is key, that normal everyday people want to buy. Does GM have the vision to build such a vehicle?

CitationMan

Snailish, you could be the most realistic EV owner I’ve come across. You get it. I’m not anti-EV, would not be opposed to owning a hybrid, but prefer to choose ICE vehicles for my type of driving. If you want to read a current comparison between ICE and EV emissions, read the Volvo study. In the long run an EV will emit less than an ICE vehicle, but because the manufacturing process for EVs produces 70% more emissions than ICE manufacturing, the break even mileage is higher than most people would think. All in all, buy the vehicle that suits you the best. Although I think the world would be a much better place if everyone drove stick shift convertibles! That is a mandate I would endorse.

CitationMan

***choosing the kind of car I’m allowed to own.

CitationMan

You should not need to pick a side, you should be free to choose. What I don’t want is unelected regulators who hate car culture choosing the kind of car I want to own.

CitationMan

Cars need womanly curves. The 944 had those curves.

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TonyT I was searching for the acceptable description, but words failed me. Thank you!

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I used to own a Porsche 944 and its fender flares were just great, it always reminded me of a race car. Cars need curves.

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Astro Ventilation, with that lower dash vent below the steering wheel, for the guys.

CitationMan

The big picture is just another description for the the physical world, and the physical world has its limits. For example, the alchemists were never able to turn lead into gold. Throwing more money at wind and solar, especially other people’s money, can’t get the wind to blow 24 hours a day or the sun to shine longer.

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David, I just walked by a kid’s store and they had a T Shirt for a child that said “I’m the reason we can’t have nice things”. I would put that on a kid who couldn’t read.

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What an inspiration! I love the American snake on his helmet.

CitationMan

This article sounds a bit too much like a GM press release. Case in point, if the E Ray weighs 700lbs more than an a base C8, which is already 200lbs heavier than a base C7, this overweight pig’s agility is not going to be enhanced by anything except a severe diet. And can we please stop with the “this EV will beat that ICE car in a drag race” blather? We get it, EVs have instant torque, but no adult drives their car as if every stop light is a drag race. You watch, the government regulators will eventually throttle the power of EVs to save the earth, or for some other non-sensical reason. Remember, car regulators hate cars. My advice, go buy a 3400lb C7 with a manual before the Corvette turns into a Hummer. You will get to enjoy a well balanced car with 50/50 weight distribution and true agility.

CitationMan

I endorse anything that would cause the PC crowd to lose their minds!