Another coupe bites the dust

GM will stop production of the Monte Carlo in June.
No replacement is planed.

The next Chevy coupe will be the new Camaro.
Sales were way off year after year.

Five stars

All these cars just got a 5 star in the latest European crash tests.
Most of these are sold here.
Except the new Fiat.

The new Corolla (top) is coming here soon.

"New" Jaguar XJ

I guess a new bumper makes a new car...
For some.

That's the only new thing I can see.
An all new one is still a couple of years away.

I don't think a new bumper will all of a sudden set sales on fire.
And now it looks a little bit weird.
This is a great car, but I think it needs a bit more to get noticed....

2008 Subary Impreza sedan

I guess this would be closer to the model we'll actually get in the US.
Again, let's hope the real thing looks way more modern than this...

Who will get Chrysler???

Although not officially for sale, the Chrysler division of Daimler/Chrysler seems to already attract the weirdest offers.

I mean wasn't GM almost bankrupt just a few months ago?
Now that can afford billions to get Chrysler.
And a Chinese company seems interested as well.
Hyundai apparently said no, so did Renault/Nissan.

But the Vince Burlapp company hasn't said anything yet...

Some of you here mentioned the possibility. And why not.
Imagine...
I could hire Giugiaro full time and turn every sedan into RWD.
And that's just the beginning.
( I would also bring back the old logo from the 70's)

And Chrysler is a good deal. Apparently when the Germans "merged" it into Daimler, it was worth $ 35 billions.
Now it is estimated at maybe $ 5 billions. Good job.

But... $5 billions is still $5 billions....
So the dream will have to wait a little bit longer.
Unless I get off my computer and get the guts to call my old buddy Steve Jobs....
(It seems Pixar was worth way more than Chrysler last year...)

Mazda 3 Diesel

Not for here of course.

But the 2.0 Liter puts out 143hp and more torque than most V6s.

2008 Subaru Impreza

As far as I can tell, these are still just illustrations.

And it doesn't look great. Subaru should be futuristic, modern.
This looks like what the last generation should have been...
A 3 year old Mazda 3 looks like the Starship Enterprise next to this.

Let's hope these are way off.

Coming up, the sedan version. The one we'll get over here.
If the hatch looks that boring, just imagine the sedan...

New Jetta Wagon

Even in another color, it doesn't really look like a Jetta, does it.

Looks like the people who designed the back never talked to the ones who designed the rest of the car...
(Or never even saw a picture of the rest of the car)

US introduction in April.

Mercedes C class Bluetec

Seems like every new German car is going Bluetec lately.
The new second coming of the diesel engine...

This one is supposed to get 43mpg with a 170 hp engine.
That is really good considering how heavy a Mercedes is, even a small one.
Could this really compete with Hybrid cars in the US?

If this can get 43mpg imagine what a smaller, lighter car like the Rabbit could get.

Vauxhall VXR8

England could be getting their own version of the Holden Commodore.
Better known here as the 2008 Pontiac G8.
Pretty much the same car.

I am not sure if the market for a V8 large sedan from a non luxury brand even exists in Europe...

VW Golf Wagon

After almost 4 years, (The current Golf came out in Europe in 2003) VW decides to roll out a wagon version of the current Golf.
An all new Golf is due for 2009.

I guess we'll get this as the Jetta wagon over here.
The Jetta already looks generic and not German at all. This is even more of a bland Japanese like design.
The tail lights seem out of place with the rest of the car.
Weird...

2008 Honda Accord

We've seen the coupe a few weeks ago. And here is the sedan version.

This illustration (I think) shows us the larger US Accord.
Not the more modern looking and slightly smaller Euro Accord that will end up here as the next Acura TSX.

No other news yet. I guess the 3.0 Liter V6 will grow to 3.2 or even 3.5 Liter. But I hear they might keep the same 2.3 Liter engine as a base model. Adding just a little more power to it.

On sale in the fall.

More movie cars

More pictures of the Honda Crossroad

Mystery Van.

Another one I'm not too sure of.
Not sure where the picture was taken either.
All I can tell you is that it wasn't Arizona.

Could it be the next Toyota Sienna?
It would be too early for a new Odyssey. But the new Sienna is pretty much due next year.

What do you think?

Guess who's back....

I don't know what to say....
And I feel a little bit sick.

Cars in Movies

Instead of watching a TV show about the Academy Awards this week end, we should all rent movies with cool cars in it.
Like these George Barris creations:
-The car
-The ZZr from "Out of sight"
-The Golden Sahara featured in "Cinderfella"

More pictures of the new A5 and S5

Mercedes S600 Pullman

When a Maybach is just too small...

New MG!?

Well, not really.
Just like the "old" small MG was based on the Rover 25, this one looks like a version of the upcoming Roewe 250.
A clone.

More "GM goes to Hollywood"

Some of the cars from the "Transformers" movie.
A friend of mine has been working for a long tim on this.
I was never into transformers, but I must say, the trailer looks pretty good. It even has an older Spielberg movie feel to it.
Even though he's only producing.

And the Camaro.......

"Almost unknown" Hollywood babes with GM cars

It could be worse....

How about that "special edition" Camry

For those who want something really different....