[Shotimes] Pontiac unveils SHO successor?

[Donald Mallinson]

CArl,

Glad you saw that I wasn't going off the deep end...yet!  :)

Yes, GM isn't known for taking big chances.  Lots of promise 
but no follow through, New GTO is a perfect example.

Local lincoln dealer told me that they never sell any manual 
tranny cars so they won't order any.  Somehow they didn't 
see the problem with that statement.

YOu should go drive the CTS, even the basic car drives very 
well, and even if the styling is a little odd, it follows 
modern trends, and GM is selling a bunch of them.  Caddy 
seems to be leading the way for GM, as it should (finally!) 
and the CTS-V is a hit.  New STS also is a good thing.

As for other cars for Possible SHO replacement.  You really 
should go drive the new Hemi Chrysler 300C or the Magnum 
Hemi.  These are great driving cars, with top build quality, 
and great power.  No manual is a downside, but the autostick 
tranny shifts like I WISH my V8 SHO did!  Add back some fun.

Other cars include the G35 Infinity, the FWD versions of the 
Nissan Maxima and Altima are not an option for me due to the 
FWD and the ones I have driven have zero "soul" to my way of 
thinking.  Haven't driven the G-35 yet, closest dealers are 
in St. Louis and Chicago.

John Stout loves his new Mazda 6 V6 with 5-speed, 3.0L 
engine and 220 hp.  Sound familiar?  :)

These are pretty good times, we should all take advantage of 
them before the insurance companies kill off our fun again!

Don Mallinson

Carl Prochilo wrote:

> Don,  Okay, you're forgiven.  :D
> 
> The GP would have been an excellent platform to provide a sports sedan
> with an MTX.  Not sure why Pontiac doesn't finish the job.
> 
> A few years ago, Lincoln made a feeble attempt with the LS.  Down here,
> you couldn't find ANY of those cars with the Getrag tranny.  They just
> can't shake their image of bluehair customers, nor do they seem interested
> in doing so.  At least down here.  The dealers know where their revenue
> comes from.  If they had offered the manual with the V8, I would have
> ordered one, even with the obscene financing they were forcing on those
> cars.
> 
> Cadillac CTS doesn't look right to me, but I might go test drive it.
> 
> I still won't go into any Chrysler showrooms from past horror.
> 
> So as far as American manufacturers are concerned, there is nothing out
> there that is appealing in a 4 door sedan format.
> 
> As for the rest, Nissan's Maxima is a good solution.  And of course the
> german BMWs are always out there.  Even in automatic form, my brother's
> 525 is an awesome handling car to drive.  But living in Santa Monica, not
> sure a manual would be a good idea as a daily driver.