quattro digest, Vol 1 #3200 - NY Auto Show, addendum.

[Larry C Leung]

The unknown GM vehicle you spoke of is the Bel Air, supposedly reflecting
the '56 Chevy of the same name. I actually thought the butt end of the
car was the first attractive GM butt in quite awhile. Didn't know (didn't
bother to ask) that it is S-10 platform based. Did find out that it has a
supercharged I-5 based off of the truck(!) Vortec I-6. I asked why 5? The
reply, "because it was something new...." to which I said, "it's not so
new, I have one of those in my Audi". The announcer just shrugged after
that. 'nuff said.

Personally, I thought the EVO7 wasn't so crowded (as well as the entirety
of the lower floor exhibits) was because it was off of the main floor. It
was soooo difficult to get around to see what you wanted on the main
floor that I think many people missed going down to the other (lower)
floor. Guess that's what happens when you don't have financial clout.
Either that, or, as I noticed, the majority of the lower floor was filled
with trucks, which is where they belong. Perhaps (thank the heavens!)
people are loosing interest in trucks (hooray, they block too much view),
though I doubt it. Consider GM (oops, back to that again!) has two
concepts based entirely on trucks (the aforementioned Bel Air and the
SSR, which is a sort of 50's retro style El-Camino type thing, pick-up
based and pick-up in design, with a powered top). It's sad to see that GM
rear drive performance has to be based on TRUCKS (C-5, and the ugly but
apparently competent Evoq styled Catera replacement, whatever it's
called, excluded). Ugh. Perhaps Lutz can save the company (though the
"updated" tail end of the so called  Impala says otherwise. Look for it
on a local police cruiser near you....)

LL - NY