GM is Back (Dirt from the Dubai Autoshow)

[JCMach1]

The buzz at the autoshow this year was the American cars (the weak dollar and better quality means buying American is 'IN' again)... more specifically GM. The hottest cars by far were the Chevrolet Volt



The Tahoe hybrid



and the concept car (Saab EFIGY)




Outside of the GM stuff, the Daihatsu Copen is an awesome little sportster priced under $15000



Oh, and the build on Chinese models keeps improving... the Chery Tiggo



full 4x4 and under 15,000

Almost forgot the 2008-09 Ford Mondeo is absolutely beautiful... will post my pics in a few days when they are done. Until then enjoy this one... this color was the bomb!

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

1. Good God the Volt is hideous.

Also, the Efigy appears to be a Holden product, not a SAAB. It is rather cool looking, though.

[JCMach1]

6. possibly... might have slipped into that section...

[JCMach1]

7. New Camaro is similar to Volt... much better in-person

[seemslikeadream]

14. My first car ordered to my likes

only it was a 3 speed on the floor RS convertible. My graduation present to myself! $3000

[CRF450]

26. NICE!!! But it wont keep up with my car!

[zabet]

34. Suhweeeet!!!!!!

I'm a bowtie baby myself. ;)

[spinbaby]

18. The Volt looks like an evil Batmobile

Much as I value gas efficiency, I wouldn't drive that thing. I'll stick with my very cute Prius.

[JCMach1]

23. Still the concept version... keep that in mind.

[PollThis]

53. Got anything on the new Mazda6? nt

[seemslikeadream]

2. SWEET

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

11. That would go a long way...

Towards satisfying my '49 Mercury, chopped and channeled jones.

Now, if they offer fender skirts as an option...

[KittyWampus]

27. what's a fender skirt - I am clueless

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

42. A piece of metal...

That stylishly covers the rear wheels, down to where the body ends. Painted the same color as the car. Makes it look very sleek.

[Bake]

44. God no. That sux.

Looks like a 53 Plymouth.

Barf.

Bake

[MetaTrope]

3. Dubai's the only place that can afford new cars

;)

[JCMach1]

9. Can't download pics til sunday or I would show the McClarens, Bugattis

Lamborghinis, and the real exotics!

[hlthe2b]

4. Damn, the Saab looks like the old "Tucker "as made famous

in the movie with Jeff Bridges...



Interesting that these hybrids were the hit in Dubai.... I guess even the ME countries see the writing on the wall?

[seemslikeadream]

5. I actually have original Tucker stock certificates

My mother bought them

[hlthe2b]

8. interesting...

Are they worth anything now (collectors?)

[seemslikeadream]

16. I have no idea

probably not since they weren't worth anything then I bet there's a ton of them out there

[SharonAnn]

41. 1950's Buick had a front like that. 1952? My mom had one.

[TahitiNut]

46. GMTA ... 1950 Buick

[JCMach1]

47. The grill is very similar except even more- and yes the car was a Holden Motors piece

it is a GM owned company in Australia...

[CRF450]

48. Holden makes some awsome cars!

Its great that the Commodore is coming here as a Pontiac G8. We need some more good RWD cars, I'm thinking about getting one to keep the miles off my Trans Am. I looked at the Grand Prix's but the FWD just turns me off.

[JCMach1]

49. Yes, Holden has some nice vehicles... Also, would love to see the new Caprice models

return to the US.

[CRF450]

10. I'm holding out for a Pontiac G8

Cant decide if I want a v6 or v8. The v8, I know very well is an awsome motor cause its basically a tuned down LS2 like was used in the Corvettes.

[hlthe2b]

12. Outside of the Volt... were any others hybrid or similar ultra low

emission or alternative fuel type vehicles?

[JCMach1]

15. GM will have the first hybrids in the UAE... Dubai taxi fleet is buying

a score of Yukons. Honda and Toyota do not sell theirs to the UAE market.


Environment-friendly buses and taxis to take to Dubai roads

By Ashfaq Ahmed, Staff Reporter
Last updated: November 15, 2007, 21:12

Dubai: Environment-friendly hybrid vehicles will be used in Dubai as taxis and public buses as part of the government's plans to reduce vehicle emission levels.

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) on Thursday signed an agreement with US-based General Motors (GM) to operate at least 10 hybrid vehicles from January.

The vehicles have dual-mode engines that run on petrol and electricity... http://gulfnews.com/nation/Traffic_and_Transport/10167768.html


We are getting a new company here though...

Dubai to produce low-budget cars soon

By Saifur Rahman, Business News Editor
Published: November 15, 2007, 23:08

Dubai: Dubai will soon be home to a car manufacturing plant that will produce low-budget smart cars Tiger Kubs, costing $3,000 (Dh11,000).

Three Dubai-based investors have recently acquired a German kart enginemaker, Diland, that will manufacture a light weight, hi-power and fuel efficient car with a speed of 100 km/h.

"We will begin to decommission the plant in Germany in about 10 days before shipping it to Dubai Investment Park," Graham Henderson, development director of Praktiko, told Gulf News on Thursday.

"It will be a lightweight, high-powered and fuel efficient car getting 100 miles per gallon and targeting the Indian subcontinent market. We are going to match Tata's Rs100,000 car," he said. ... http://gulfnews.com/business/Automobiles/10167948.html

[JCMach1]

13. Is Ford Mondeo available in US yet?

[hlthe2b]

17. From Car & Driver:

"We get the Fusion, which we like. Europe gets the Mondeo, which we want."


So, I'm guessing the US gets stuck with the crap... Did I need to be reminded the reason why I haven't looked at an American car in 20 plus years.... :eyes:

[JCMach1]

19. Mondeo was good before... the new version is the hottest looking saloon car

in years... It is very sexy in the bluebird color I saw (same as the pic in the OP)...

It would be a huge hit in the states if the brought it in. Plus, it is top quality.

It's like the love child of a Ford Probe and a Toyota Camry!

[JCMach1]

20. One last point, Toyota and Honda seem to have reached a stasis point

their designs are not nearly as interesting as some of their competitors. Nissan, however, continues to impress.

God, I hate what they did to the RAV4. They turned it into a Mitsubishsi Outlander.

[hlthe2b]

24. Yes... I was considering a new RAV4 this year...

Yeach.... No longer cute, but practical....

Now it is just this monochromatic goliath.

[JCMach1]

30. Exactly... and compare the profile with the Mitsubishi

Can you tell them apart?

[hlthe2b]

32. boring....

I just bit the bullet and had the head gasket replaced on my 99 Subie Outback. Costly, but I don't see anything out there I want to buy or that fits my needs, so I guess I'll nurse the Subie and wait a couple of years. I have a couple of friends with 98's who did this and they've never looked back since... (Supposedly, once that gasket is replaced, they drive like a top to 300K). Besides, I don't drive much. I do need the AWD, however, in Colorado and the doggie hauling space.

[JCMach1]

38. 4x4 is almost essential with the rough roads and parking/construction nightmares

here...

I have a Hyundai Terracan... Santa Fe's big brother.

[hlthe2b]

29. The Daihatsu Copen is interesting... but they aren't brought to US

With the falling dollar, I guess we'll be getting less and less desirable imports...

[JCMach1]

31. They also have the cute 4x4 Terios

and the funky Materia

[hlthe2b]

33. wow, the terio is cute... damn it all

NOw that looks like a possible alternate to RAV4, but alas...

[JCMach1]

36. I love the safety yellow Terios and the Orange

[CRF450]

37. Looks rather similar to a Scion XB

[JCMach1]

39. Keep in mind Daihatsu is basically Toyota... So yes, could be a crossover

design for Scion.

UAE does not have Scion.

[CRF450]

40. Thought so...

[Javaman]

21. I'm holding out for a car that I can actually afford. nt

[JCMach1]

22. You could get a new Chery under 9,000

Or a Kia Piccanto...

[hlthe2b]

25. There've been some pretty scandalous crash tests

results on the Chery, from what I've heard...

[JCMach1]

35. Older models... several years back

In Chinese industry time that's about 20 years in US time.

[TheWraith]

28. It's funny looking, but not that bad.

The Mondeo is nice. The EFIGY looks kind of like a cartoon of a car, with those round eyeball-headlights, the nose, and the grille for a mouth.

[Matariki]

43. CHECK THIS OUT

Gas-free cars to hit the road

Honda, Ford and General Motors this week announced plans at the Los Angeles Auto Show to put alternative-fuel-technology vehicles on the road in California in coming months. A few drivers will even get to park them in their garages.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004017347_fuelcellcars16.html

[JCMach1]

45. Good news

[Deja Q]

50. The Volt looks cool, but PLEASE burn the Effigy...

[JCMach1]

51. Liked both... Also, I believe Holden was involved in the new Camaro design...

the one that looks like the Volt.

[CRF450]

52. Yeah they were

The new Camaro's using the same platform as the Commodore. Kinda sad it wont be known as the f-body anymore on that new body platform.