With the Pontiac G6 in refresh limbo and a probable Pontiac G5 based on the Chevy Cruze, it's a hard to argue the case for an all-rear-wheel-drive lineup at the moment. MotorAuthority contradicts an earlier GM statement saying we wouldn't be seeing the Pontiac G3 in the US. They go one step further and imagine a car between the G3 and the G5 — we're no rocket scientists, but "G4" is a good bet for a name. So, lets count it all up: No rear-wheel-drive lineup and a rebadged Aveo? We don't like this story; put it back. [MotorAuthority]

Jalopnik Snap Judgment: When we speculated on the success of the Pontiac G8 ST with only a big honkin' 361 HP V8, we wondered aloud if a V6 option might not make a lot of sense. Given the disintegration of the full size truck market, and a largely unserved compact truck market, a 3.6-liter V6-powered El Camino G8 ST could be a huge success. Is it wrong that we're almost more excited about a well designed V6 in the truck-car than the tire melting power of a V8? Note we said "almost."

GM Adds 12-Month/12,000-Mile Bumper-to-Bumper Warranty on GM Certified Used Vehicles and Saturn CPO Vehicles

DETROIT, Aug. 19 /PRNewswire/ — General Motors today announced that it will provide consumers with a fully transferable 12-month/12,000-mile* "bumper-to-bumper" warranty with no deductible on all GM Certified Used Vehicles and all Saturn Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles sold in the United States. The announcement was made by Brian McVeigh, general manager, GM Fleet and Commercial Operations, and Jamie Hresko, GM North America vice president of quality.

GM also announced it has extended the age and mileage eligibility standards for GM Certified Used Vehicles and Saturn Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles to include models six years old or newer, with up to 75,000 miles.

In September, GM Certified Used Vehicles, the industry's top-selling manufacturer-certified used vehicle brand**, will mark the sale of its 3-millionth vehicle, making GM Certified the first OEM certified pre-owned program to reach that milestone.

"This is a clear indication of our confidence in the quality and value of our cars and trucks," said McVeigh. "We're pleased to now offer that same level of confidence with every GM Certified Used Vehicle from Buick, Chevrolet, GMC and Pontiac, and every Saturn Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle. As we reach the 3-million sales milestone, this warranty enhancement adds a real point of differentiation for our program, enabling our dealers to offer customers a range of peace-of-mind assurances that compare favorably with any other manufacturer-certified program in the industry. GM Certified and Saturn Certified do an outstanding job of bringing in new GM customers, and this enhancement will only add to that."

The fully transferable 12-month/12,000-mile* bumper-to-bumper warranty, which begins on the date of purchase of the GM Certified or Saturn Certified model, is standard on all GM Certified Used Vehicles or Saturn Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles purchased from participating dealers after September 13, 2008. The warranty covers the vehicle from bumper to bumper on any vehicle defect related to materials or workmanship, including all but standard wear-and-tear components on the vehicle. All body and sheet metal components are warranted against rust-through corrosion for six years/100,000 miles***.

GM Certified and Saturn Certified also provide buyers a five-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty*** with 24-hour roadside assistance and courtesy transportation, free vehicle history report, a comprehensive 117-point vehicle inspection and a three-day, 150-mile customer satisfaction guarantee.

"We upped our game and made great strides in quality," said Hresko. "We take care of our customers by standing behind our cars and trucks. With a five-year/100,000-mile transferable powertrain warranty plus roadside assistance and courtesy transportation, we already provide the best coverage in America and now we're making that coverage even better."

Cadillac Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles, Saab Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles and Hummer Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles operate separate programs — each of those programs has a 6-year/100,000-mile bumper-to-bumper comprehensive warranty (whichever comes first), effective from the vehicle's in-service date.

Consumers can go to www.gmcertified.com to learn more about GM Certified Used Vehicles, locate the closest GM Certified dealer or search the industry's largest available certified pre-owned inventory, with 60,000-plus vehicles. Consumers can visit www.saturn.com to learn more about Saturn Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles.

[Source: GM]

First up is this Firebird, which BZR says lives outdoors at all times:
I drove by this beast pretty much every day, until one day I finally broke down and came around to capturing it via camera. Seeing as it's a baby-blue Firebird, it's pretty hard to miss - and I still remember this post on the limited-edition 'Birds, so I knew I had a sneaking suspicion...

Just as I thought, it's not only a 70s Firebird (apparently any old American tanks are rare around here, minus the errant Dodge Dart I see) but it's one of the nearly-forgotten editions, right down the street from me in Syracuse, New York! How cool is that? I was pretty impressed.

It's always parked in the same spot. I didn't get a chance to encounter the owner, however. It's a damn shame the neat "Sky Bird", er, bird is missing. It's pretty well-preserved other than that. Check out the fuzzy dice! And it's a 1978 based on the grille pattern too, as I discovered.


Now here comes this sharp Galaxie two-door hardtop, which UDMan spotted while roaming the Northeast:
While I was visiting a dealer in Syracuse NY, my right rear tire went flat on the Altima. So, I was at a tire dealer, and a customer came in with this beauty, a 1965 Ford Galaxie 500 XL 2 door hardtop. As you can see, it’s in great shape, but there is a small problem. Apparently the car has an electrical draw because the customer stated that you have to disconnect the negative battery terminal after it’s driven. But look at this car! The details that seem to be lost at today’s car manufacturers, like the tail lamps, the ornamentation, those wheelcovers!


Just to show that Syracuse isn't just about the Detroit iron, Backstept has photographed this very solid-looking early-70s Volvo 1800ES wagon. I think those Draco wheels actually look pretty good on it, correct or not.
I don't know much about this car, but it's apparently a '71-73 Volvo 1800 ES sport wagon. only 8,078 were made.
I'm surprised at the condition, given the climate here in Central New York.

10.) Toyota Estima Lucida G Luxury Joyful Canopy

Known in the US market as the Toyota Previa and in Japan as the Toyota Estima, SOS10 brought to our attention the Lucida G Luxury Joyful Canopy edition of this futuristic van. Any of these modifiers by themselves aren't necessarily ridiculous, but when combined you're reminded of the awesome exuberance the Japanese have for naming their vehicles. [Photo Credit: Tripod]

9.) Diahatsu Charade

Consumers are already wary of purchasing a new car, especially from a company that has little name recognition in their market, so giving it a name that translates to "a pretense or fiction that can be seen through readily, or a travesty" is a travesty of its own. We can't be sure this is why the Diahatsu Charade was the last vehicle Diahatsu sold in the US market, but AllBoxedUp is right to suggest it didn't help. [Photo Credit: GreenCarSite]

8.) Tang Hua Detroit Fish

We had a chance to see the Tang Hua Detroit Fish up close. And while the amphibious Chinese auto was named in honor of its debut at the Detroit Auto Show, the actual concept itself is horrifying. No matter what anyone tells you BLS, do not under any circumstances eat any fish you catch in Detroit. We don't care what Wert says about the Rouge River being clean now.

7.) Pontiac Parisienne

For most of its life the Pontiac Parisienne was sold in Canada, where people speak French and don't mind driving a car that translates to "French lady from Paris." Unfortunately, for a few years Pontiac thought it would be smart to resurrect the name in the United States for a rebadged Impala with a Caprice nose and a Pontiac grille because customers wanted a RWD car from the brand. Clearly, people who demand RWD sedans also demand to drive the French lady from Paris. [Photo Credit: Picasa]

6.) Isuzu Mysterious Utility Wizard

Though Isuzu no longer sells non-commercial vehicles in the United States, they had a pretty good run with names. This is especially true with their trucks, which had tough names like Trooper and Rodeo. In Japan, they settled for the far more confusing Mysterious Utility Wizard. Ignoring the Wizard part, what is so Mysterious about the Utility? Maybe it's great at attracting parking tickets or getting birds to crash into the window. It should make drivers like Parkington nervous. [Photo Credit: AutoTrader.uk]

5.) Nissan Homy Super Long

In a fit of fantastic Engrish, the folks at Nissan named their small van the Homy. This is comical enough as a version of the American "Homey," made funnier by the slightly perverted addition of "Super Long" to the end of it. But add to it the fact that "m" looks like "rn" and you've got one horny and long van to carry around Joelf and his friends.

4.) Studebaker Dictator

Originally called the Standard Six, the Dictator was so named because of the car's ability to dictate the standard for other cars to follow. Unfortunately, this was in the late 1920's when dictatorships were rising around the world and threatening peace. In order to not ruffle any feathers, the Studebaker Dictator was given the name Director in markets that might be sensitive to being seen inside a dictator. We think Jim7 would agree that's a less awesome but more diplomatic name. [Photo Credit: AvrilsCars]

3.) Geely PU Rural Nanny

Oh Geely, how we love your comical mistranslations. The Beijing Olympics have shown that China is willing and capable of communicating in a way that the world understands. Those skills have not yet translated to the automotive industry. Geely offers two versions of its pickup truck: Urban Nanny and Rural Nanny. We get Urban Nanny but what exactly is a Rural Nanny? In addition to being a bad name it's almost impossible to say. Try saying it three times fast Tylinol. It's not easy.[Photo Credit: GeelyCar.fr]

2.) Ford Probe

Proving that if you want to do something wrong you should to it yourself, we have no mistranslations to blame for the Ford Probe. Meant to conjure up thoughts of the space program, it instead conjured up thoughts of what space aliens might do to mytdawg. Making matters worse, the car itself was enema shaped. Really, no automaker should ever name a vehicle after an invasive medical procedure. Ever. [Photo: Consumer Guide Auto]

1.) Mazda Scrum Wagon

While most of these names are bad on their own, the little Mazda Scrum Wagon, like an English casserole, is layer upon layer of terrible. Do we not like it because it sounds like scum? Do we not like it because it's a rugby term? Neither helps, but the good Dr. Danger knows that we can't abide this name because Scrum sounds an awfully lot like a double entendre gone horribly awry. Worse, what's gross in small car-like quantities, is made even more horrifying with the realization it's a whole wagon-load of nasty.

Gawker Media polls require Javascript; if you're viewing this in an RSS reader, click through to view in your Javascript-enabled web browser.

Along with the press release on the official name of the Pontiac G8 ST, GM's press team released a bevy of photos of the new ute from the brand all about the arrowhead. Pontiac marketing director Craig Bierley told us Pontiac "didn't really have ST as the name when we engaged in the process" but the press photos from last night display a remarkable similarity to the original shots released back in March. Do they make you wonder whether perhaps "ST" was going to be the name all along, regardless of what entries were received? All we know is we're still in mourning over the loss of the El Camino name.

PONTIAC NAMES ALL NEW SPORT TRUCK THE "G8 ST"

Segment-Defining Vehicle on Target for Late 2009 Launch

Detroit - After sifting through more than 18,000 possibilities, Pontiac has chosen to keep it simple, naming the recently revealed G8 sport truck the "G8 ST."

Thousands of fans submitted suggestions during a "Tame the Name" promotion, which delayed a final announcement until each possibility was considered and cleared for possible trademark use.

"Frankly, we were blown away by both the volume and quality of the names that were submitted," said Craig Bierley, BPG product marketing director for cars and crossovers. "'G8 ST' was one of the most popular suggestions, plus we noticed a far broader trend toward simple, easy-to-remember names."

"El Camino" was also a sentimental favorite, given the G8 ST's resemblance to the classic Chevy.

"We actually thought very long about El Camino," said Bierley. "In the end, we felt it was more appropriate to honor the El Camino's unique place as part of Chevy's heritage and not use that nameplate on a Pontiac."

Perhaps the ultimate reflection of the blurring line between cars and trucks, the G8 ST will create a unique niche segment in the marketplace: a sports car with truck-like cargo and towing capabilities. Sharing the basic architecture and 361 hp V8 engine as the G8 GT performance sedan, it will offer a 73.9-inch cargo bed that has 42.7 cubic feet of cargo space and can carry a payload of 1,000 pounds (453 kg) or tow a 3,500-pound (1,587 kg) trailer.

Thanks to its six-speed automatic transmission and Active Fuel Management system, the G8 ST should offer some of the best fuel economy numbers for V8-powered vehicles with similar cargo/towing ratings while still turning in zero-to-60 times of 5.4 seconds.

The G8 ST will be available in late 2009 as a 2010 model and will be backed by GM's industry best 100,000 mile, 5-year powertrain warranty. Pricing will be announced closer to availability.

# # #

Apparently, GM has been hard at work on a system for shortening powertrain development time. The company calls it RLM: Road to Lab to Math. If you're like us, the first thing you saw in that phrase was "Meth Lab," but we were assured stimulants are not involved. Instead, RLM is marketingspeak for removing expensive road testing from the design equation, first by replacing much of it with laboratory simulation, and finally, by collecting enough data that new engines and transmissions can be designed mostly in a computer (the "math" component). The new Powertrain Engineering Center is the "lab" component in the system.

So why all the emphasis on removing as much road testing from the vehicle design process as possible? Because it's expensive. Our hosts threw out one example of cost savings, citing the use of RLM during the design of GM's new 6-speed RWD automatic transmissions. Through lab testing, they were able to eliminate a third of the prototypes that would ordinarily be needed.

The other major breakthrough featured in the Global Powertrain Center is standardization across the globe, and interconnectedness to go with it. GM has a number of powertrain design centers around the world, and thanks to new integration in the headquarters, simulation data can be shared across all of them. We thought that sort of came along with the Internet back in the '90s, but hey, it takes what it takes, so huzzah!

In fact, much of the Powertrain Engineering Development Center is designed to accomplish things that we thought they were already doing. For example, engine and transmission cold-soak testing. Yeah, they've been doing that for decades, but the only way it was accomplished was by shipping entire cars and loads of test equipment to the arctic for a few months at a time. Now they can hook a big chiller up to a crate powertrain, cool it down overnight, and test it on a stand. We don't know why we find it surprising that they couldn't do that before, but we do.

Of course, the speed with which they can swap components in test cells has dramatically improved. Rather than having to hook each engine up individually in a cell, they can shuttle them in and out using big, air-pressure-lofted pallets. The swap time for a powertrain cell has been reduced from 24 hours to 20 minutes. Plus, 95% of the emissions from the test process are burned up in massive regenerative thermal oxidizers, and 15% of the plant's power is generated by engines on dynamometers.

After the tour, Chairman Rick and a cadre of local politicians pressed a giant red button, starting a soundtrack featuring engines revving, apparently symbolizing the ridiculousness of dedication ceremonies. But all pomp and circumstance aside, the Global Powertrain Engineering Development Center is quite a place, and since we live in SE Michigan, we salute any potential rise in property values it may bring. Of course, we'd probably say as much about a brothel if it were to accomplish the same thing.

5) Plymouth Laser
There's a malt liquor called Laser. It's about as refreshing to a college thirst as a pint of warm vinegar, but it does the job. Pretty similar to the Plymouth Laser actually.

4) Merkur XR4Ti
Just because the Germans are doing it doesn't make it cool (or scatalogical). Naming cars with letters and numbers may seem like a good idea, but nobody is going to sing about how it was 'fun, fun, fun 'till her daddy takes the XR4Ti awaaaaay.'

3) Jeep Jeepster
If Jeep considers reusing the name "Jeepster," that means the lately questionably off-road brand is considering a car-like Jeep, and that's stupid. We actually think the original Jeepster is pretty cool; our only reason for nominating this one is because Jeeps should never have been so city-fied.

2) Ford Fairmont
As much as we love the Fairmont police cars of the past, and the name does conjure up images of fair mountains, it's one that needs to stay buried. This one makes the list if only to discourage Ford from it's ridiculous and annoying "F" naming penchant.

1) Pontiac Aztek
We know, GM, you're tempted to relive those halcyon days of 2001 when you besmirched an entire ancient civilization by unleashing the Pontiac Aztek upon the public. Quetzalcoatl will rain down destruction upon you should it ever make a return.

The American SUVs on the market in 1989 were quite a bit different than the generation that would take over in just two years' time. We tend to focus on their crudeness and lack of creature comforts, but more importantly, nearly all "mid-size" SUVs before the 1990s period were two-door models. The exception was the Jeep Cherokee XJ, which was developed with extra doors specifically because Chevy hadn't added them to their Blazer. The other players were either Japanese, like the Isuzu Trooper or, like the Suburban, based on a larger truck platform.

The Jeep Z5 concept will look very familiar to you.

Fortunately for Chrysler, Jeep had developed a more-refined version of the four-door SUV that we know as the Jeep Grand Cherokee all the way back in 1985, when the division was owned by AMC. Unfortunately for Chrysler, when they purchased AMC and Jeep, they put the development of the Grand Cherokee project on hold in favor of new minivans. Still, Jeep had the answer, and in 1989 they released the Jeep Z5 Concept 1, which was basically the final design for the Grand Cherokee that they would bring to market in 1992.

Contrast that with the General. For 1989, GM had two futuristic concept trucks that we assume they hoped would stir enough interest to guide them in their product-making decisions. One was the youth-oriented Pontiac Stinger compact SUV. Though it wasn't particularly powerful — its engine was only good for 170 HP — it had a high level of utility, including features such as a removable picnic table and portable radio. These types of features weren't put to use, as Pontiac wasn't going to build an SUV in the near future. Ironically, many of these ideas found a home — the ill-fated and poorly designed Pontiac Aztec.

The Stinger is certainly better looking than the Aztec, even if it isn't as practical.

The other concept truck was the Chevy XT-2 concept, which stood for the Chevy Experimental Truck #2. This futuristic-looking, performance-oriented vehicle featured a Corvette suspension, a front-engine/RWD layout built on a platform similar to the F-body Camaro, and a 4.5-liter V6 that was good for 360 horsepower and 315 lb-ft of torque. The V6 engine itself, which featured tuned port injection, was an important technological leap forward for GM. The TPI system not only provided more power than a carbureted engine, it was also relatively fuel-efficient. For an excellent discussion of the importance of this engine see this discussion of the XT-2 at PickupTrucks.com.

The XT-2 was designed as a pace car to be used in what was then the CART PPG Indy Car World Series, which is now a weird mix of words to see together. The truck itself went through two designs before engineers landed on the final one. The first version was fairly wild and had the engine mounted under the bed. The second version was a based on a passenger-car platform with a FWD/AWD layout and a smaller V6 engine, a concept not unlike the crossovers that would follow in the mid-2000s. So how did they end up with the final version? According to a press release provided by GM, "Given the consumer preference to small, sporty trucks, the evolution of the Chevrolet PPG XT-2 Pace Truck was natural."

So, in 1989, you had the Pontiac Stinger and the Chevy XT-2 from GM as the radically futuristic vehicles. The designers and planners clearly understood that, after the previous gas crisis, crossovers and sportier car-based trucks were the way forward. But that wasn't what happened.

In 1990, GM came out with four-door versions of their S10-based SUV's and Ford came out with the Ford Explorer. The design wasn't exactly revolutionary — the Explorer and others were the same basic body-on-frame trucks as before with an extra set of doors. The Explorer caught the imagination and dollars of Suburban families by offering car-like amenities such as leather interiors and CD players. Jeep suddenly had to rush their dusty Grand Cherokee to market in 1992 to catch up with the market.

Gas prices remained low, especially relative to the sudden increase in the purchasing power of the average American. In 1991 there were less than a million SUVs sold in the United States. By 1998, Americans were buying nearly three million a year. In 1998, the three best-selling trucks (F-Series, Silverado and Explorer) outsold the Toyota Camry, which was the best-selling car. Unfortunately, in this orgy of truck sales, nothing quite like the XT-2 was ever produced. Why make a car-based SUV or truck when you're suddenly making money hand-over-fist by adding a CD player and an extra set of doors to a body-on-frame platform you've already developed?

Fast-forward almost twenty years, to March 2008. The Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Toyota Camry bested the Ford F-150 in monthly sales, and you have your answer. Not long after, GM postponed development of their GMT-900 full-sized truck platform. It then leaked out that GM was considering a more Honda Ridgeline-esque pickup — not unlike the second version of the XT-2 concept that was never produced.

Then the news we were all waiting for: GM announced the Pontiac G8 Sport Truck in 2008. The Pontiac G8 ST will be built on the Zeta platform that underpins the 2010 Chevy Camaro, giving it essentially the same setup as the Chevy XT-2.

The General could have created car-based CUVs and sporty trucks; obviously, they thought the idea had some merit in 1989. But development and focus instead shifted to the cheaper and easier body-on-frame alternative with two extra doors. Almost 20 years later, with another energy crisis underway, it's fascinating to see how two versions of the same forgotten concepts from the late 1980s are now looking like the new way forward for an automaker desperately trying to grapple with age-old problems.

[Photos and press releases courtesy of General Motors. Special thanks to GM for providing the information, Mike Levine of PickupTrucks.com for tracking much of it down and to SmalleyXb122 for starting this whole search with his comment in the Five Ugliest Concept Trucks post.]

The Pontiac G8 ST proves Peter's maxim about originality.

Not much to say.. but on my way to Trader Joe's in West Hollywood, I noticed this car covered in orange blossoms... but I felt a good Karma here....Yes, I know, I'm an old fashioned romantic type!

The Journal claims GM has already taken Chevrolet and Cadillac off the table, considering them core to the company. But what about the rest of the lineup?

Saturn: GM's low-price, non-haggle, donut-loving import-fighter brand has reportedly never made a profit. Even with products like the Aura and Astra, it's having trouble making any inroads with consumers despite a loyal fan base. Coupled with the fact GM has reportedly stopped development work on the next-gen Aura, we think Saturn's got a good chance of getting to know Geo in the division dumpster.

Saab: The storied Swedish born-from-jets brand has either been vastly improved or pathetically watered-down during GM's ownership, depending upon whom you talk to. Either way, with only about 35,000 sales per year in the U.S. — about what the Accord sells each month — Saab is probably due for an ownership change.

Buick: If it weren't for Buick's gangbusters Chinese sales and the strong-selling Enclave, we'd be more concerned about the tri-shield brand. Would it go Asian-market only? Possibly, but Buick's made it out alive before, and we think it'll do so again. There are just too many old people out there to sell to.

GMC: GM's truck brand sells rebadged Chevrolets almost exclusively, and Acadia is reportedly already a goner. But the division has a strong brand presence among site foremen who enjoy driving the same vehicle their workers drive, but at a 10% premium. Will that be enough? We give GMC a 50/50 shot.

Pontiac: The performance division has Solstice, the G8, and the reasonably strong-selling G6. Pontiac has always been an image brand as well as a volume brand; is G8 enough to bring that performance image back? We're not so sure...but we don't think Pontiac is going away any time soon.

So, who's following Hummer (and probably about 25,000 current GM employees) out the door? Give us your thoughts. [WSJ]

Not much represented gaudy performance cars American muscle in the 1990s better than the Pontiac Firebird. This convertible 'Bird is decked out like he just did 120 down Findlay, Ohio's main street. [Cars Photos]

See the rest of our Jalopnik Auto Flag-Elation here and check out our pre-Fourth Jalopnik Automotive Amerigasm here.

In addition to the news on the name, we're hearing from our friends at G8 Nation that Pontiac is now considering an additional power plant offering aside from the 361 HP 6.0-liter V8 power plant that is found in the Pontiac G8 GT. It's no surprise then that this new engine would be the same 3.6-liter 256 HP V6 found in the G8 V6 sedan, giving it the same 17/25 mpg fuel economy as the V6 sedan.

Yes, yes, we know the arguments for why the V6 engine makes sense. It has something to do with commercial viability. Whatever. We want a sports ute, and we want it now.

So while it really doesn't make us all that happy to hear V6's may make it back under the hood, we'll be more than willing to ignore that if the name is what we always thought it should be — Pontiac G8 El Camino.

"GM recently canceled two GMC product programs. The next-generation GMC Acadia program is the first program to be cut from the product plans at GMC. Originally the Acadia was slated to stay on with the next generation lineup of Lambda crossovers...however, that has obviously changed.

The next GMC product program to get sliced was the GMC Lambda SUT program. GM is currently working on two Lambda SUT's to combat the truck market with higher fuel efficiency. Chevrolet and GMC were both going to get a variant of the Lambda truck around the 2011-2012 time-frame. However, like its Acadia brother, this GMC has too bit the dust within the product plans at GM. That leaves only the GMC Theta program running (to replace the Pontiac Torrent) between now and 2012."

AMC Concord AMX
Powered by an optional 5.0-liter V8, the '78 AMX was based on the otherwise boring new-for-'78 AMC Concord. You could get the 4.2-liter straight-six with a 4-speed manual, but if you wanted the macho V8, you were stuck with a 3-speed slushbox. For those wanting to rebel against the empire of Detroit's big three, while still buying American, this was the way to go. Besides, who else was gonna offer you authentic Levi's denim seats?
[source]

Ford Mustang King Cobra
With the new fox-body Mustangs right around the corner, the '78 King Cobra was a last hurrah for the old Mustang II. The Cobra-adorned hood featured a new reverse hood scoop, and tucked underneath was a 5.0-liter V8. That mill wheezed out about 140 HP, and was connected to a 4-speed manual or an optional automatic. Really, not much was mechanically different from the previous Cobra II, but if you wanted a bitchin' snake on your hood, this was the car for you.
[source]

Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am
Starring in the previous year's film Smokey And The Bandit, the T/A went mostly unchanged for '78. However, GM did make changes where it counted, as 1978 actually saw an increase in the 6.6-liter V8's compression ratio — to 8.1:1. Of course, output was still only 188 HP, but that was still more than you got in a base '78 Corvette. Plus, if you were a real bandit, you could order a special high-altitude model that used an Oldsmobile 403 CI V8 rather than the Pontiac 400 CI lump...and somehow lose 8 HP in the process. Either way, you were lucky sure to outrun any smokey.
[image source]

Gawker Media polls require Javascript; if you're viewing this in an RSS reader, click through to view in your Javascript-enabled web browser.

...We still intend to offer the six-speed manual transmission as an option on the GXP model released late this year, however we have no current plans to offer the manual tranny on any other G8 model. It's possible there was some confusion over the GT vs. GXP...

[G8nation]

The murmuring about Hummer being up for sale got credence with the news that Citibank has been retained to conduct a "strategic review" of the brand. Our little birdie has told us that Citibank's real job is to screen potential buyers. [Automotive News Sub. Req.]

The article poses a few reasons, including things we've reported like supply-chain problems and the fact that the Aveo Sucks, but what of the Pontiac G5? Is it merely marketing, as AutoNews posits, or is something more insidious at work here? Are most small cars just too lame? Is the Civic just too good and the lure of SYNC-equipped Foci so great that other small cars are off-the-table in comparison? [Automotive News, Sub. Req.]

Thanks for posting my pictures of the Datsun 710. Attached are the long promised pictures of Jim Rockford's Firebird.

This is a 77 or a 78, I don't know which, but I know where Angel hid Jim's car!

The car is in New Westminster, BC in the Queens Park area, a neighbourhood of Victorian era heritage homes.

While unit-body construction would likely reduce towing and payload capacity over current GMT900 offerings, reports show that the majority of light-truck buyers rarely use the full capacity of their vehicles. Lambda would provide GM with an opportunity to provide more interior storage space and better fuel economy while still being able to offer 2WD and 4WD packages. Since we know Americans don't want to give up their pickups, moving the "commuter trucks" onto Lambda sounds like another smart choice for the General. Now let's see if it actually happens.
[Automotive News (Sub. Req.)]

Unique is an understatement here. This is why we love the return of traditional hot rods to the scene: you never know what you're going to get. And hey, who said hot rods aren't practical. We bet that thing has a huge trunk up front. [Hemmings]

[Comedy Central]

135 horsepower from a sub-2-liter engine was pretty good in 1978, and that's what the Saab 99 Turbo managed that year. In a car weighing just 2,600 pounds, 135 horses gave a power-to-weight pretty close to what you got from a '78 Corvette... at a price tag $500 higher than the top-of-the-line Chevy. Thanks to the magic of depreciation, however, it's possible to get a Saab 99 Turbo project for a fairly reasonable price nowadays. They're not so easy to find, what with the rust and breathtaking repair costs over the decades, but we've managed to find one for- you ready for this?- just 600 bucks! Yes, this '78 Saab 99 Turbo (go here if the ad disappears), which appears to be reasonably complete (if you count random parts in boxes), is available for just six Benjamins. The seller was going to put in a black interior and paint it metallic burgundy, and that plan must add value, right? It's got rust, including an 8" x 8" hole in the floor, the engine is out of the car and has a crack in "the manifold" (we're guessing exhaust). No problem! It's been sitting for years and the registration seems dodgy, but don't let that scare you away from the incredible Swedish potential of this Hell Project!

When you're talking about Turbo Malaise Hell, is there anything that can beat a carbureted draw-through turbo system? Why yes, there is: a draw-through turbocharging system that uses a computer Quadrajet! The computer Q-jet is fun enough when naturally aspirated, but bolt it to a hair-dried Pontiac 301 (an engine which itself is the essence of V8 Malaise) and the fun really begins. That's right, we're talking about the notorious Turbo Trans Am... and not just any Turbo Trans Am. We've found a genuine 1980 Indy 500 Pace Car Turbo Trans Am (go here if the ad disappears) for you! The price tag is a grand higher than the Saab's, but that's just because this car is more complete. Now, we're not musclecar purists around these parts, but there's really no choice with a Turbo Trans Am Indy Pace Car but to restore it to its full Malaise glory, 210 unreliable blown horses and all. Oh, sure, you could drop a modern fuel-injected turbocharged small-block Chevy in there and get reliability and power, but then you wouldn't be experiencing the full nostalgic impact of 1980. This one needs some work, no getting around that; first, there's rust (from the car "sitting for years back east"), and we're not talking about harmless surface rust. It doesn't run, but the seller seems to feel that it'll fire right up with the addition of a new distributor, and maybe he or she is right!

Gawker Media polls require Javascript; if you're viewing this in an RSS reader, click through to view in your Javascript-enabled web browser.

1.) Frankenstein's Monster- 2006 Ford Mustang GT

Engine: Supercharged 4.6L V8
Ford Racing Exhaust System
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Suspension: Progress Technology adjustable coil over front struts and rear shocks
Progress Technology adjustable rear lower control arms
Progress Technology adjustable panhard bar
Wheels: 18" 2007 Ford Mustang Cobra wheels
Tires: Front- Toyo Proxes T1R 255/45 ZR 18
Rear- Toyo Proxes S/T 285/45 ZR 18
Brakes: Brembo Disc Brake System
Stunt Modifications: Roll Cage
Kirkey Aluminum Racing Seats
RCI 5 point harnesses
RCI fuel cell
CNC Hand Brake
Battery moved to battery box in trunk

2.) Machine Gun Joe's Ram- 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 4wd

Engine: 5.7L V8 Hemi
Transmission: 5 speed automatic
Suspension: Rancho 9000 Shocks for front and rear
Firestone Air Bags for front and rear
Custom fabricated rear sway bar
Drivetrain: Removed front axles and front differential
Replaced rear axle with 1 ton dually axle
Wheels: Front- Stock 20" Dodge Ram wheels
Rear- Stock 16" dually wheels
Tires: Front- Stock tires
Rear- Toyo Open Country 265/75R 16
Stunt Modifications: Roll Cage
Sparrco Racing Seats
RCI 5 point harnesses
RCI fuel cell
Tildon secondary hydraulic brake system
Battery moved to battery box in trunk

3.) Pachenko's Chop Top- 1966 Buick Riviera

Engine: Stock 430c.i. V8 "Nail Head"
Crane Ignition System
Transmission: 3 speed automatic
Suspension: Big block springs
KYB Gas Adjust shocks
Wheels: 17" Eagle Alloy Wheels
Tires: Front- Toyo Proxes T1R 255/45R 17
Rear- Toyo Proxes S/T 285/60R 17
Stunt Modifications: Roll Cage
Kirkey Aluminum racing seats
RCI 5 point harnesses
RCI fuel cell
Tildon secondary hydraulic brake system
Battery moved to battery box in trunk

4.) 14K's 1980 Porsche 911

Engine: Stock 2.7L 6cyl.
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Suspension: Front and rear Bilstein adjustable coil shocks
Eibach racing springs
Wheels: 15" NASCAR style steel wheels
Tires: Front- Toyo Proxes TPT 225/60R 15
Rear- Toyo Proxes S/T 295/50R 15
Brakes: Stock Braking System
Stunt Modifications: Roll Cage
Kirkey Aluminum Racing Seats
RCI 5 point harnesses
CNC hand brake
Jazz Aluminum fuel cell
Custom fabricated battery box

5.) Colt's Jag - 1989 Jaguar XJS

Engine: V12
Transmission: 4 speed automatic
Suspension: KYB Gas Adjust Shocks
Eibach Racing Springs
Custom fabricated front and rear sway bars
Wheels: 15" Aero Beadlock wheels
Tires: Front- Toyo Proxes TPT 225/60R 15
Rear- Toyo Proxes S/T 295/50R 15
Brakes: Stock Braking System
Stunt Modifications: Roll Cage
Kirkey aluminum racing seats
RCI 5 point harnesses
CNC hand brake
RCI fuel cell
Battery moved to battery box in trunk

6.) Grimm's 300: 2006 Chrysler 300C

Engine: 345c.i. V8
Transmission: 5-speed automatic
Suspension: Air Ride Technologies air suspension kit
Wheels: 20" American Racing Wheels
Tires: Front- Toyo Proxes 4 245/45ZR 20
Rear- Toyo Proxes 4 255/45ZR 20
Brakes: Stock braking system
Stunt Modifications: Roll Cage
Kirkey aluminum racing seats
RCI 5 point harnesses
Tildon hydraulic secondary brake system
Custom fabricated fuel cell
Battery moved to battery box in trunk

7.) 1972 Buick Riviera "Boat tail"

Engine: 350c.i. V8
Crane Ignition System
Transmission: Turbo 350 3-speed automatic
Suspension: Big block springs front and rear
KYB Gas Adjust shocks
Custom fabricated rear sway bar