G'day Blazin' how you going today?
I'll start off by mentioning I won't once make a joke about Americans, as you seem to take them to heart far more than I ever intended. I'll just talk cars.
was being sarcastic(sorry). James2097 was referring to Landcruiser's durability in the outbacks. Landcruisers pretty much kicked Land Rover out of the market with their Toyota reliability. When I see footages from third world countries, they mostly drive Landcruisers(sometimes I see Pajeros & Nissan Safaris). If Land Rover had failed in transition to become an premium/luxury company, they could've easily gone out of business.
P.S. I'm an big fan of the Hummers(only H1's). Yes, they're amazing off-road vehicles, but not exactly an everyday SUV.......
Yep. Hummers (only H1s) are good off-road, but these are still unsuitable for the Australian Outback - you have to squeeze through narrow gaps, drive a long way before finding a petrol outlet etc. My post about stating which countries made the best car in each catagory wasn't meant to infer there were NO other cars that existed that could perform each function adequately, just show that most of the time, a non-US (buyouts by GM/Ford etc ignored) make made the best vehicle for the job, assuming worldwide use, where fuel price/bumpy roads etc come into the equation.
I'll say right now you are an idiot if you doubt either Hummer's off road capibilty.
I am an idiot then. You would be an idiot (and would probably die (it happen regularly with arrogant 4WDers coming to Aus)) if you confidently took a Hummer through the outback of Aus. Your car would get stuck between rocks/trees, or run out of fuel in the middle of nowhere, or overheat, or get flooded with water without a good 4WD snorkel. Also the winch on the Hummer had better be sturdy as the car is far too heavy, and unsuitable for articulating itself over rocks at wierd angles. It does look mean however. They are good for Iraq which is just flat desert with a good supply of fuel around. The H2 is a joke.
How are turbo chrager read outs (boost gauges) cutting edge technology?
Who else didn't realise I was joking? Looks like I'll have to lose the subtlety (and thus any sly wit) and use sarcasm tags. Also I do know Pontiac isn't really a (purely) performace brand, I was actually trying to point that out to others.
There is a replacement looking concept thing in the works, auto show tour 2007. But there won't ever be another F-body...at least not for a while.
Cool! I do like certain iconic US cars you know... like the charger (purely as a good bad-guy car), mustang, Delorean, VECTOR, Trans-Am, older Vettes, old 1970 Oldsmobiles, the obvious cool 60s/70s muscle cars etc etc. This is why I DO want American cars to get better and more inspiring again!
But to answer you question no GM shouldn't bring more Holdens over here because they ride like crap. The GTO's suspension was designed to drive through rough roads in the land down under, here in America (save for Michigan) the roads are pretty good.
The only rough roads we need to drive on are in more isolated areas and out bush. People that enjoy going out bush get a 4WD. For the most part, the roads are decent. Not as good as US roads, but perfectly fine.
You need to drive more Holdens before making sweeping statements about their handling. America doesn't have the best reputation for their opinion on 'ideal' ride and handling. Top Gear (UK) loved the Holden's ride/handling compared to the 300C. In fact they think its the best value performace car in in the UK, they love the terrifically easy to control opposite-lock etc. To understand why the Monaro's ride is a bit harsh for typical American taste, you need to drive it at the limit, and beyond. They have great communication when going sideways. That is the way Aussie cars should be driven. I attribute your view on the ride purely to different tastes. To judge all Holdens from a bastardised US version of a Monaro is pretty unfair, and uninformed.
Most of the world thinks of cars in horsepower, not watts. You say you live in America but you use words like boot? It's a friggen trunk. And that car is no different then the GTO, just a different engine. Also it is not practical, a hint of snow and that thing would blow just like the GTO does.
If I use Aussie words, its probably because I'm Australian. Only Americans use 'trunk' for the car boot.
Horsepower is an outdated term. No one uses horses anymore, so why compare cars against them? How many horsepower does the space shuttle have? It has become silly. I prefer KW, as do most Aussies, but I can easily use horsepower figures if you have trouble with KW. It shouldn't really confuse a smart guy like yourself. The conversion is 1 kiloWatt = 1.34102209 HP. Deal with it. We have to deal with outdated imperialist values for things everyday.
And just why should an Australian car be designed for snow conditions? This is the yank's fault for importing Holdens to America without reworking them for snowy conditions properly, not Holden's fault for making cars for Aussies. If we had snow, our cars would be designed accordingly. Conversely, American cars blow up in the Australian heat, and their dashboards melt.
The CTS-V will do the 0-60 (0-96.56064 kph) in under 5 seconds, looks better, has more
features, and still can't drive in the snow.
Yes, the Caddy is a very nice car, the best of the current Americans style wise. Its in a different market so direct comparison for price etc is a bit silly. I was just hoping to get more people aware of the cars made down here in Aus. HSV's cars are totally different from standard Holdens/Pontiac GTOs btw, and go, stop and corner very hard. They are driver's cars, not highway cruisers. If you drive one around a corner, looking where you're going out the side window, with a big grin on your face, you will understand my enthusiasm for them.
They would easily beat most US stuff around a track that has corners.
What the hell is a utility? I know it's what I get a bill for at the end of the month but that just looks like a bastardized modern El Camino. Or I guess it would be a mini truck since there was one in truckin magazine a few issues ago.
Again, please let me use Aussie words. I'll explain:
Utilities, more commonly referred to as Utes, are very popular here in Aus, being a big part of Aussie history. Our love of hoony versions, such as the HSV Maloo Ute evolved from Australia's past as a farming nation. They are cars that proclaim your tough-as-nails Aussie blokeyness for all to see. If you diss an Aussie's ute, he won't be as polite as me and will most likely give you a knuckle sandwich. The Maloo is as fast as a GTO from 0-60mph, but most people hot them up considerably more. The similarity between Aussie utes and El Caminos ends here. I don't really go for the Utes myself, but thought they were interesting enough to show the non-Aussies here.
The Holden Stormriders are quite amazing to see, on par with the world's best stunt driving. I highly recommend them if they come to America.
One word F-150! They are the best selling.
An F-150 couldn't survive what a Hilux can survive. Find the Top Gear Hilux durability test vid, its quite amazing. You also misunderstand that I was talking world-wide, not just the American market. Cheap cars can sell very well, it doesn't mean they're automatically good quality.
Maybe 20 years ago, the old ones were tough as nails. Cruisers are tougher these days. Land Rover Defenders are a good 4WD however. Aussies know how 4WDs handle the outback.. an area widely regarded as the toughest part of the globe for testing these cars beyond their limits. It's where manufacturers do their most extensive durability testing. There are NO roads in many places, and the going is tough as crap. If you don't get to your destination, you die. Simple. No one will be around for as far as you can see. Many 4WDs have been found with dead people in them (skeletons) years after they mis-judged their own, or their vehicle's ability.
Who wants a hybrided lawnmower thats pointless.
I don't want one yet (I did call them lawnmowers, an unflattering term), but surely its ultimately good to develop these things further. GM did do a hydrogen concept car called the Hywire. But the yanks have no production hybrids. This gives the immpression that Americans show a complete disregard for the concept of economy, future fuel shortages or environment protection. Whether the current hybrid cars are any good at all isn't the issue, its that America just isn't trying when it comes to certain issues.
I'm sorry I missed this. First off I'm not gun ho at all, I smoke cigars, I'm from Michigan, and cowboys died out a long time ago. By the way your humor blows.
I didn't want to reply to this, I'll try to not get you steamed up. I was being absurd on purpose. Surely by me using such an old-hat stereotype for a red-neck Texas red-neck, its obvious I don't REALLY think you are a cowboy etc. I was just messin' with ya. No real offense intended. Aussies can take plenty of crap like this when insulting each other, and not take it to heart. Sorry if I came across as intentionally offensive. We're just used to saying crap to each other down here. Someone would probably shoot me if I went to Texas! Hey, I don't even know you. You're probably a nice guy. Good luck with the lung cancer.
PS. Humour is spelt with a 'u'. Oh, and thanks for the compliment. 👍
Cya - James. No hard feelings!
While I've never driven the first gen Taurus, I did drive the redesigned 92 or 93. Earliest Camry I've driven was also a 92 or 93, and earliest Accord was '87. I'm just going to say, I've liked the Toyota and Honda better. It's a shame I never got to drive the Nissan Stanza(w/ 240SX Engine), I liked those. Coincidentally, my first car was '85 Maxima(w/ 300ZX V6). That '85 car was waaaaaaaaaaay better than the 90's Taurus I drove...... but I guess Maxima was bit more expensive. 
smiley.
. But ya ok, sorry about calling you a dumbass, that was uncalled for on my part.
👍.
Sign - me - up!
