First off I'd like to comment on what Darth Xed said... I agree that it's pretty strange to just abandon the styling themes Pontiac has had. The Grand Am's for example got a major boost in 1992 when their first 'outrageous' style was introduced... and the 99 (?) - 2002 Grand Am GT's are also popular. Maybe Pontiac doesn't want to take as many risks now - styling like that either works or it flops. I agree the 2003 Grand Am seems to have lost some of its flair. We shall see what that does to sales.

Anyway, today's big excitement was taking the wifey to NAIAS. Here's what I found:

1. The new GTO is a great looking car in person. I was worried about it looking like a Cavalier, from reading stuff on the web. In person it seems significantly larger and wider than a Cav, plus its rear quarter panels are more bulging and muscular. I love the engine details, and the quad yellow leather buckets. It's no Trans Am... but it's not meant to be one. BTW for the cynics here - the car seemed well received by those standing near me.

2. I sat in the new Grand Prix, very nice interior. I like the styling details on the seats, how they come to a point and have some angles in the leather headrests. Controls were all well-placed, including the cool TAPShift buttons

3. The Chevy SS looked better in person, especially the front end. Seeing the front end there, that was the first time I could picture myself owning one as it is shaped today. The front view is about a 7.5 out of 10 on a beauty scale, side and rear views are 9/10!

4. The G6 - that car is flat out gorgeous. a 10/10 from every angle. If it comes with a HUD I will buy one someday... I read somewhere that Lutz commented at the show that it is virtually identical to the 2005 (?) Grand Am. I am actually quite surprised to feel this way about a Pontiac with no side trim, not even a spoiler, which normally I consider a must on a car (every car I've owned in the last 20 years has had a rear spoiler!). It's just a beautiful, panther-like shape, very clean, modern and powerful-looking.

5. Cadillac 16 - I really don't see what the hype is about this car. I could barely get up thru the crowd to see it, and while it is impressive in size, it looked a little overdone to me. Wheels were too big, engine too big, didn't like the bifurcated hood. I wish Caddy had spent the $$$ on a buildable car like a new Eldorado concept.

6. Buick Centieme - nice-looking inside and out. My only prayer is that if it is produced, it has real power like the concept does.

7. Chevy Equinox - a great design - I believe it will be a hit. I cannot explain it, the thing just looks right to me.

8. Chevy Cheyenne - was quite a nice looking truck and reminded me of my 1978 K5 Blazer. Wifey had to drag me away. She did not like the Cheyenne's slightly thin seats, thought they looked cheap, but I thought overall the truck would be an awesome next fullsize Chevy pickup if it happens.

9. Nissan Titan - winner of my award "vehicle with fewest people looking at it"

10. 2004 Nissan Maxima - had two cute little windows in the roof, looked like front and rear mini-sunroofs, plus apparently an option for two rear buckets and full-length console. I sat in the back and it was very nice! Plus it had a really neat shade of yellow-gold metallic paint and camel leather interior. Great colors.

11. I was curious about what competes with my Trans Am. So I got into some back seats of current 2+2 sporty cars. First, a 2003 Mustang Cobra. I was very disappointed - could not even sit up straight in the back seat, my head was hard up against the ceiling (I can sit up straight no problem in my TA!) Also - was disappointed in the interior quality on the Cobra. Misaligned trim where dash met door - off by a half inch! Noticeable mold parting lines on the door pull handles, which felt light and cheap. More mold parting lines on the door panel pocket, whose edge was thin and flimsy enough to make it easy to pull it out about a half inch. Yep Mustangs are affordable alright. I also got into the back seat of a Infiniti G35 coupe. Actually first I had to stand there and WAAAAIT while the ever-so-slow electric seat mover slid the front passenger seat up so I could get in the back
...I got in the back, just like the Mustang, no headroom! I'm not all that tall either, only 5'9". When I got out the next guy wanted to sit in the front, and I noticed he seemed impatient waiting for the silly seat mover to put it back... finally he squeezed in and sat down while it was still going back. Imagine waiting around for that monstrosity on a day like today in Michigan, 15F outside!

12. My best back-seat experience of the day was in a Mazda. I got in the back of the RX8... it was easy due to the doorlet. Very roomy in the back for my head. As I was getting out, a Mazda rep asked me what I thought of it. This was the first time all day any rep came up and asked ME what I thought! That was cool! Only two bummers with this car - the seat fabric has a weird, ribbed texture to it which does not seem durable and the front passenger footwell has the cat hump so many GM cynics whine about on fbodys. Oh well.

13. Mitsu Lancer Evo V - VII - VIII or whatever it is... gads that spoiler is hideous on that car. I also really dislike the multi-ventilated front end, looks like some teenagers went wild with the sawzall at their high school workshop. The louvers embedded in the hood looked like they were salvaged from the inside of a cheap kitchen oven. And the car had red paint but black & blue cloth seats (where's a barf smilie when I need one?). One corner of the hood was misaligned and touching adjacent trim. Phooey.

14. Dodge Hemi wagon - looks very nice, until you stroll around to that hideous front grille. Please fix it before production Dodge - and a news flash for you, it does not need a ram pickup grille like your trucks!

 

G6: Cool. All I ever hear about that thing is rave reviews. I love it. I hope the next G/A looks exactly like it. GM listen up!

Equinox: LOL .. next to the Tracker, *anything* looks right. I agree though, the Equinox is a darn nice small SUV. I smell 150K+ units.

Back seats: Any chance you got into the back of the GTO? They say those rear buckets are roomy as hell but the steep glass is too low. Just curious.

GT

 

kizz - I couldn't get in the GTO since it was up on a turntable... but it appeared to have plenty of room in the back; plus the lower rear seat cushions were low like on my TA. That is what allows my TA to have adult-sized rear headroom even with its swoopy roofline.

 

Hmmm....what time did you go to the Auto Show? I went from about 8:30 to 10:00 pm (closing time). This was when most people in their 20's and 30's were at the auto show.

Perhaps if you went in the morning, when the older crowd is usually there (the younger crowd is still sleeping, hehe), that might be why you seen the crowd more enthusiastic than the crowd when I was there.

When I was there, the Mustang got most of the attention.

 

I was there from 10-noon. I looked around me, it wasn't a bunch of old geezers. But also, I do not gather the GTO is aimed at gen-Y's. They generally buy Sunfire GT's. The average age of LS1 Fbody buyers is higher than maybe you think, and so will be the case for the GTO. Younger folk should stay with a weaker car, like a Mustang GT

 

Hmm, I see.


Oh c'mon now The Mustang IS affordable PERFORMANCE, not affordable luxury, or interior amenities. I can't picture myself driving an 03 cobra, and saying: "Oh, this 390 hp is nice, but man, the dashboard is misaligned with the door by almost a half inch! And where are the woodgrain inlays? I got ripped off!"

It all related back to the GTO, really. You are most likely building your case for the GTO, but the GTO will cost several thousand dollars more than a Mustang Cobra. If you want a better quality interior, you'll be paying for it.

 

While I don't disagree with you, those are the exact same things some people were saying about our LS1 F-bodies.

 

Yeah, but the Mustangs are still here, and the F-bod's are gone. Maybe GM's F-bod marketing wasn't very good. Who knows.

 

I think the reputation and stereotypes that went along with the brands name, "Oldsmobile," were more of the reason it got axed, not poor products. For a car associatated with old people, having "old" in the name isn't going to help.

 

Oh, I definately agree... I think Olds offered a much more interesting lineup, than say Buick...

But, at the same time, it is kind of an odd move... making one of your best selling car's (Grand Am) look more like a car from a division that you are axing (Oldsmobile)...