Agreed - the 3.8 is underwhelming on the street. In low range it's fine, but it is gutless around town.
I agree that Jeep won't work as a stand alone. I think it makes a lot of sense for Ford though.
Agreed - the 3.8 is underwhelming on the street. In low range it's fine, but it is gutless around town.
I agree that Jeep won't work as a stand alone. I think it makes a lot of sense for Ford though.
Rustfinger wrote:mad_machine wrote: And honestly, I have hope for the fiat chrysler merger.I would really, really like to see the 500 sold here. The Abarth tuned edition even more so.
My wife has already said the 500 is at the top of her list for her next car, especially "if its the quick one"
I loved the 500 arbath they had on top gear. Clarkson caimed a down side was that is wasn't defectivly quirky. A Fiat merger would at least be interesting
I would like to see a few Chrysler dealers turned into Jeep/Fiat Dealers.
funny, was just reading this and my Spider is being featured on the sidebar.
and yes.. if the 500 comes here, I will buy one as my commuter
Consolodating the US automakers as part of the bailout is an interesting idea. Imagine one company, made up of selected employees of the big three. The selection process would be simple:
"You worked on the design for the Aztec? OK, you're out."
"It says here that you put the Corvette V8 into the CTS, H3, Colorado and the G8, and wanted to put it into every other GM product. OK, you're in"
"You thought the Sebring was going to compete with the M3 convertible? Bye"
"I see that you developed the SRT idea and the Stage 4 package? Sign here please."
Reduce the number of engines, GM V8, EcoBoost V6, Dodge Turbo 4...you could cut alot of costs!
If that idea can work for Airbus, it could work here, too.
DILYSI Dave wrote: In 2007 (the launch year) the 4 door accounted for 83% of all JK sales. I'm not sure what the ratio is these days. Also, the JK 4 door is in NO way a crossover. Full frame, solid axles front and rear (available with lockers in the Rubicon) a real transfer case (4:1 Low in the Rubicon), etc. It's the real deal. If I were buying a new one, I'd get the 4 door, and I don't even have kids to tote around. The long wheelbase makes it much better on hill climbs than the 2 door.
The ratio is starting to close a bit, but there are still more 4-doors coming thru than 2-doors... After the start of the year, I've also noticed that we're building a curiously high number of right-hand drive BIW's.
Personally, I'm hoping for the Fiat deal with Chrysler... Give me a JK with a Ferrari v-12, and I would finally use my employee discount and buy an American vehicle!!!
I would seriously consider the Arbath also, sweet ride..
aussiesmg wrote: I would seriously consider the Arbath also, sweet ride..
And I'd be shocked if they ever brought it stateside. Americans don't buy exciting cars, we buy Camrys and Corollas. And not even the good sporty Corollas, we buy the "S" - sporty appearance with the tame engine and suspension. Americans just want to look fast for the most part, and manufacturers know it.
True sports cars are a miniscule segment of the market because true enthusiasts are a miniscule segment.
The vast majority of car buyers want motorized Maytags: transportation appliances. They want no drama, just daily reliability with no need to ever have it serviced and that's the part that creates problems.
A few years ago Volvo showed a concept car designed by women which had a hood that could not be opened. 
It was called the YCC (Your Concept Car).
ReverendDexter wrote:aussiesmg wrote: I would seriously consider the Arbath also, sweet ride..And I'd be shocked if they ever brought it stateside. Americans don't buy exciting cars, we buy Camrys and Corollas. And not even the good sporty Corollas, we buy the "S" - sporty appearance with the tame engine and suspension. Americans just want to look fast for the most part, and manufacturers know it.
I had bought a Corolla XRS in '05 for a DD. It was decent car, zippy fun with the 6 speed and 2ZZ, at the time I had spotted one other on the road. Since selling it I have not seen another...period. Seems the new XRS package available today became what the "S" model in '05 was. A bodykit.
On the 500 in the US: I think the 500 could do well here, even the Abarth edition. I don't think Mini has trouble moving the JCW versions, and the 500 would be aimed squarely at that potential Mini buyer. Fiat just has to overcome a little bit of that "Fix it again Tony" reputation, but if they can, I really think they could sell well here even to the non-enthusiast buyer.
Jensenman wrote: It was pretty clear that Daimler was done sucking what it could off of Chrysler. Otherwise, why would they have paid $37 billion and sold it for $6 billion? As far as the Compass, here's the original concept: And here's what they actually built. What was that about a camel: it's a horse designed by a comittee?
I can't see the first pic... i hope that's the 2002 concept version, because i would have rocked the hell out of that. It was like Jeep decided to make the BMW X6 before BMW did.
Yeah, that picture went poof for some reason. This pic's a lot bigger but maybe it'll stay.
Yes it was pretty dang cool. Is it just me, or did it also show a lot of VehiCross influence?
Rustfinger wrote:ReverendDexter wrote:I had bought a Corolla XRS in '05 for a DD. It was decent car, zippy fun with the 6 speed and 2ZZ, at the time I had spotted *one* other on the road. Since selling it I have not seen another...period. Seems the new XRS package available today became what the "S" model in '05 was. A bodykit.aussiesmg wrote: I would seriously consider the Arbath also, sweet ride..And I'd be shocked if they ever brought it stateside. Americans don't buy exciting cars, we buy Camrys and Corollas. And not even the good sporty Corollas, we buy the "S" - sporty appearance with the tame engine and suspension. Americans just want to look fast for the most part, and manufacturers know it.
Not really true.... the XRS has the 2.4 litre 2az motor ala Camry/tC. Other trim levels have the 1.8 litre.
Jensenman wrote: Yeah, that picture went poof for some reason. This pic's a lot bigger but maybe it'll stay. Yes it was pretty dang cool. Is it just me, or did it also show a lot of VehiCross influence?
Sure did... just a little sleeker and meaner looking. I love me some Vehicross, so it's not a bad thing...
Rustfinger wrote: On the 500 in the US: I think the 500 could do well here, even the Abarth edition. I don't think Mini has trouble moving the JCW versions, and the 500 would be aimed squarely at that potential Mini buyer. Fiat just has to overcome a little bit of that "Fix it again Tony" reputation, but if they can, I really think they could sell well here even to the non-enthusiast buyer.
I find it amazing that I can hear "fix it again Tony" from people who were not even alive when Fiat pulled the plug on US sales. Literally, kids who have never seen one can cite that saying.
93celicaGT2 wrote: Not really true.... the XRS has the 2.4 litre 2az motor ala Camry/tC. Other trim levels have the 1.8 litre.
Ah, I stand corrected, I thought they all got the 2.4.
Jensenman wrote: Yeah, that picture went poof for some reason. This pic's a lot bigger but maybe it'll stay.
It still surprises me how much Isuzu was ahead of the curve design-wise back then. Having come from a family with an '87 Diesel Trooper, a '92 Trooper, a '93 Amigo, an '88 Impulse and an '89 Impulse Turbo...I miss them.
mad_machine wrote: I find it amazing that I can hear "fix it again Tony" from people who were not even alive when Fiat pulled the plug on US sales. Literally, kids who have never seen one can cite that saying.
I'll say it. I'm only 19. A friend of a friend--the kid was an shiny happy person--was named Tony. Tony had a Fiat. Tony was always looking for rides. I kid you not, Tony was always fixing his Fiat.
mtn wrote:mad_machine wrote: I find it amazing that I can hear "fix it again Tony" from people who were not even alive when Fiat pulled the plug on US sales. Literally, kids who have never seen one can cite that saying.I'll say it. I'm only 19. A friend of a friend--the kid was an shiny happy person--was named Tony. Tony had a Fiat. Tony was always looking for rides. I kid you not, Tony was always fixing his Fiat.
By the time your friend of a friend bought his Fiat, it was likely older than he was. There are not many 20yr old cars that retain a high reliability level - goes with the territory.
OTOH, I bought a new Fiat 128 in 1974 and drove it until I traded it in on a new CRX - yes the dealer actually gave me money for it. The Fiat never gave me problems except for usual things-wear-out issues
I'd buy a new Abarth 500 in a heartbeat (especially if it cost less than a Mini S) and smile every time I got behind the wheel.
I really think Chrysler should probably die. They produce hardly any cars worth owning with the exception of some of the Jeeps, the Challenger and the Viper and someone will buy Jeep and continue producing them. I will shed a tear for them and then move on. The same thing always happens to car companies; MG/Rover, AMC, Hudson, Studebaker, etc.
It wasn't just the VehiCross that was ahead of its time. Look at an Axiom and compare it to the current crop of crossovers like the Matrix, there's a lot of the Axiom's styling cues.
Jensenman wrote: A few years ago Volvo showed a concept car designed by women which had a hood that could not be opened.
Well Porsche beat them too it by years, try finding the engine on a 986, you can't from above. Get over it, why do you need engine access on a modern car?
Adrian_Thompson wrote: Well Porsche beat them too it by years, try finding the engine on a 986, you can't from above. Get over it, why do you need engine access on a modern car?
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