GM CEO Rick Wagoner to resign

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: Strk

Originally posted by: Arkaign

Originally posted by: LTC8K6
C & D was 4.7s, which is right there, and the Buick was way heavier.

Plus we were talking about modding the cars, too...

It's pointless to go back and cherry pick cars that are "better" or "faster".

Earlier cars are less safe in a crash, anyway.

Are they carrying what a '10 model is required to carry in the form of safety equipment, etc.?

I don't think safety has changed much in auto construction in 6 years, the biggest safety change I know of is the push for side and headrest airbags.

A lot of reinforcements have been added in the last ten or so (yeah, I expanded a little ). I'm not sure when some of the bigger ones were added like the distribution stuff on the front end (the beam that makes it so the whole front will crush instead of just the part that's hit).

Hmm. I have an '08 Focus, which is based on the original MK1 Platform (1998 in Europe, 2000 here in the States), and the only safety change made from the original is the addition of side airbags. It garners a 4-star gov't crash rating, which is pretty good in its segment (equal to things like Cobalt, Civic, Corolla, etc). It is also ~2,550lbs, which is nice compared to the ~3,000lb expected from the replacement Focus (new platform debuted with the Mazda3).

I don't believe I have this distribution beam that you speak of. Everything under the hood appears pretty much identical to the old Foci (aside from the usage of the much better Mazda Duratec motor instead of the old Zetec/SPI setups).

 

[exdeath]

On the topic of "making cars people want to buy" vs "making cars that PEOPLE don't want but rather what the GOVERNMENT wants..."

Combined with union laws...

Hmm I wonder how much of the auto industry problem can be traced back to, once again, government intervention in private matters.

Someone buying a Camaro doesn't care about fuel economy...yet people who would never buy a Camaro anyway thinks it should be required by law to get 60 mpg while carrying around 19 air bags...

What was this about building cars people want again? You've got government regulation forcing them to make every car cater to the whims of everybody including the 99% of the market that would never buy that car anyway.

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: LTC8K6

Keep the drivetrain in the 2010 Camaro, but shave 500lbs, and you'd be instantly talking numbers that set a new standard.

It would probably cost a lot to shave 500 pounds.

This may be somewhat true. I would like to point out the 370Z though. With a crapton less HP, it does 0-60 in 4.7

It also lost weight in the new gen, which is really rare, hopefully we see more models follow suit before too long.

Given that GM's 'cam-in-block' V8s are amazingly light/small for the power they put out, I can't help but imagine that the Camaro would perform like a maniac with a less bulky setup. The more I think about it, there may be an element of truth to them purposefully trying to keep the Camaro out of the Vette's league, and to distinguish it as a 'Muscle car' instead of a 'Sports Car'.

 

[exdeath]

Originally posted by: Arkaign

This may be somewhat true. I would like to point out the 370Z though. With a crapton less HP, it does 0-60 in 4.7

Now that's how you build a car. 10% more power and less weight with more features.

Instead of 1000 lbs heavier with 5 more HP.

 

[LTC8K6]

Maybe they will fix it next MY with a lighter Z28? One can hope.

 

[LTC8K6]

I wonder what the weight difference is between the 1SS and the 2SS?

 

[rh71]

So is it true every brand under GM is gone except Chevrolet and Cadillac now? This whole economy thing is scary.

 

[LTC8K6]

I think wiki has been corrected.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

"New GM CEO Fritz Henderson has stated that Chapter 11 bankruptcy is very possible at this time."

LOL at the mindset of GM's new head.
is that how you win? by thinking that losing is a very big possibility?

 

[Strk]

Originally posted by: Arkaign

Originally posted by: LTC8K6

Keep the drivetrain in the 2010 Camaro, but shave 500lbs, and you'd be instantly talking numbers that set a new standard.

It would probably cost a lot to shave 500 pounds.

This may be somewhat true. I would like to point out the 370Z though. With a crapton less HP, it does 0-60 in 4.7

It also lost weight in the new gen, which is really rare, hopefully we see more models follow suit before too long.

Given that GM's 'cam-in-block' V8s are amazingly light/small for the power they put out, I can't help but imagine that the Camaro would perform like a maniac with a less bulky setup. The more I think about it, there may be an element of truth to them purposefully trying to keep the Camaro out of the Vette's league, and to distinguish it as a 'Muscle car' instead of a 'Sports Car'.

I wouldn't be surprised. A regular Corvette is basically what you're describing (same engine in a car that's 500lbs lighter). Here are Edmund's numbers:

0 - 30 (sec): 2.2
0 - 45 (sec): 3.2
0 - 60 (sec): 4.5
0 - 75 (sec): 6.2
1/4 Mile (sec @ mph): 12.8 @ 114.9
30 - 0 (ft): 28
60 - 0 (ft): 118

The 60-0 distance could be better considering the size of the car, although they said they could repeat that after several stops.

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS
"New GM CEO Fritz Henderson has stated that Chapter 11 bankruptcy is very possible at this time."

LOL at the mindset of GM's new head.
is that how you win? by thinking that losing is a very big possibility?

An organized bankruptcy might actually be the only sane path out. It wouldn't mean the end of GM, just the end of the monstrosity that it currently is.

 

[Fenixgoon]

Originally posted by: Arkaign

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS
"New GM CEO Fritz Henderson has stated that Chapter 11 bankruptcy is very possible at this time."

LOL at the mindset of GM's new head.
is that how you win? by thinking that losing is a very big possibility?

An organized bankruptcy might actually be the only sane path out. It wouldn't mean the end of GM, just the end of the monstrosity that it currently is.

no surprise that LOUISSSSSSSSSSSSSSS doesn't know the difference between Chapter 7 and 11

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: LTC8K6
Maybe they will fix it next MY with a lighter Z28? One can hope.

:thumbsup:

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: LTC8K6
I think wiki has been corrected.

you mean those are already the remaining ones? I swear NBC Nightly News reported just the 2 left yesterday.