The Mini Cooper gets a little smaller...

[SCM64]

<snip>...did I mention it rains and snows here?

SAAB Turbo X.....

Did anybody hear that??? I keep thinking I hear someone...

Did someone mention a SAAB Turbo X..?... +1 to that smart fellow.

Might be tough to find since it was an LE after all.

From SAAB:
The car will be differentiated from the regular 9-3 stable thanks to unique aero parts including a new front bumper, rear diffuser and bootlid spoiler. Other noticeable features include 18in wheels shod with 235mm rubber and chunky 345mm brake discs up front.

Powering the car is a new turbocharged V6 petrol engine developing 276hp (206kW) and peak torque of 400Nm (295lb-ft) available from 2,150rpm up until 4,500rpm. Combined with the Saab's new XWD system, the new Turbo X will go from 0-100km/h in just 5.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 250km/h.

XWD improves safety and dynamics thanks to its electronic differential, which can sense how much the vehicle is slipping within a fraction of a second and continuously adapt torque distribution to maintain stability. Up to 85% of torque can be sent to an individual wheel if the traction is lost. In normal conditions, 96% of drive will go through the front wheels to improve fuel economy.

Only 600 will be imported into North America.

[force_quit]

Agreed that Jeremy Clarkson is an entertainer first and foremost. I find him highly amusing even if I don't always agree.

Sorry for the thread hijack!

[Seth]

600? I didn't know they could sell that many!

[Rambam]

Man, that Mini looks pretty messed up Glad to hear you`re doing fine though I envy your potential new car list, any one of those cars would cost an arm and a leg up here

[Seth]

Might wanna rethink that Saab...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091218/bs_nm/us_gm_saab

[hazmatman]

Agreed that Jeremy Clarkson is an entertainer first and foremost. I find him highly amusing even if I don't always agree.

Sorry for the thread hijack!

Dude, you're fine...some threads NEED hi-jacking...and I like Clarkson for what he is, but as long as folks don't fall to their knees and start lighting little road flare votives to him like he's the messiah of internal combustion, I'm good.

[force_quit]

as long as folks don't fall to their knees and start lighting little road flare votives to him like he's the messiah of internal combustion, I'm good.

LMFAO!!! Now THAT is funny!

[hazmatman]

The current lead dogs in my new auto hunt are the following, the choice depends on if I want to keep my old Jeep Cherokee as a poor weather DD or
tweek the Jeep to a point way beyond being a regular ride.

So if we choose a car = Jeep stays closer to stock; picking an SUV means the old Jeep gets a big mill and a rock-crushing driveline:

Leading Contenders -
Challenger RT or SRT8 (current lead dog at the moment)


Jeep Unlimited Rubicon


Audi TTS


Cayman S


Second Tier ($$$ & common sense becomes less of an object) -
sDrive35i (If only they'd resurrect the M Coupe )


Audi Q7


2010 Volvo C70


2010 Lotus Evora


I am also thinking about a Corvette. I've had a couple in the past, and they are fun but I just don't know if I can make the leap into a new one.

I could go a whole 'nuther route and get a vintage refurburshed Land Rover, or Porsche, or Vette...but it's gotta be a reliable DD.

The little woman would have me driving a Prius or a Subaru Outback I don't think I could survive that.

[vbuskirk]

EUROPEAN :





AMERICAN :





Am I the only one that thinks "lazy", when they release these 60's flashbacks? Did we lay off all of the good engineers and designers a few years back? (BTW Dom, the CTS gets a good grade in my book, despite its harsh lines.)

[vbuskirk]

MY VOTE: The 3 series should always be a serious contender. While maybe not the prettiest, it isn't bad and it certainly is the best car I've ever owned.

[Seth]

Seeing as I actually own a Wrangler Unlimited on 2.5" lift and Km2s, I applaud that suggestion.

The local dealer has several SRT8s and I like the look, but I don't think Chrysler will survive.

I'm still leaning German for you!

[ezcheese]

Out of those, I would chose the Audi TTS if I went car, or Q7 if I went SUV.

I might check out the Volvo too.

[Justice]

From your last list I would chose the Cayman or the Sdrive3.5i with preference to the BMW.
I haven't had a chance to drive a new one yet, but that 7 spd dual clutch auto is supposed to be pretty sweet.

...and the convertible hard top



- Jake

[Seth]

Haz,
I live south of Richmond, VA by about 25 miles. We just got hit with about a 18" of snow.

And I want to drive this today:


And I've decided that you should too!

[vbuskirk]

Holy Crap that was fun !!!

[hazmatman]

I could always go all out with the Challenger with the HURST edition...



Of course this means buying an SRT8 at about $45K and then adding another $25-30K for the Hurst package, but it does bump the 6.1 liter HEMI from 425HP to 572HP with a Vortech supercharger.

Although this brings us into the area of Z06 Corvettes and low-end Porsche 911 pricing...and the area of me living alone

[SCM64]

Might wanna rethink that Saab...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091218/bs_nm/us_gm_saab

Yea I saw that. I didnt realize the Koenessig thing had fallen through.

It's a shame, SAAB has a nice history, and I have been a huge fans of the 6 or so I have had.

GM can lick me.

Off to Acura probably.

I would look at the Caddies, but don't think I get one with a Stick...

[hazmatman]

Might wanna rethink that Saab...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091218/bs_nm/us_gm_saab

Yea I saw that. I didnt realize the Koenessig thing had fallen through.

It's a shame, SAAB has a nice history, and I have been a huge fans of the 6 or so I have had.

GM can lick me.

Off to Acura probably.

I would look at the Caddies, but don't think I get one with a Stick...

What about Volvo??? There is some fine (while not always exciting) Scandanavian engineering in those cars!

I never understood the Volvo thing until I drove one. Even though the emblem is meant to embody masculinity, they are rather vanilla...but there is something to them. Whenever I travel and can rent from Hertz, I try to get a Volvo. Gov't frugality being what it is, it's hard to swing one, but sometimes I can use my Hertz Gold membership to get a free upgrade (No penalty to the taxpayer).

Twice I have driven the S80 from the NJ/Philly area all the way to FLA...a fantastic car. I even like the CrossCountry Wagon - XC70. I once saw a lifted one online...awesome looking machine!!! Have a look here: http://www.seriouswheels.com/cars/top-2 ... oncept.htm and here: http://www.motiontrends.com/2005/m11eng ... sema.shtml And there's another more radical version: http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2007/10/20 ... escue.html

The paint work on those is somewhat over the top, but they were demonstrators for a SEMA show. Somewhere there is a pic of a more stealthy version...very sweet. I will keep looking for it. EDIT: Here it is - http://www.forza.se/sidor/projekt/volvoxc70.htm Although I have seen a more road-worthy version, try picking up your groceries or some furniture at IKEA with this baby! It should make the whole mini-van crowd cry their eyes out!!!


Now who won't drive THAT Volvo!!! Ain't nobody gonna confuse you with a soccer mom in that!
Slap on a roof rack, some sand ladders, a few more lights, a hi-lift jack and a roof mount & swing away spare on the rear and YOU WILL BE THE NUMBER ONE PARENT AT THE NEXT LAX GAME!

[NOTE: LAX is short for Lacrosse which has supplanted soccer as the sport of choice for those who cannot play football. ]


For a while we also considered the XC90 & once my Mother-in-law saw the brochures, she went out and ordered one straight away. I really like it, we get to drive it almost whenever we want...we almost got one ourselves.

More radical Volvos: http://www.4wheeloffroad.com/featuredve ... index.html

BTW, here's a couple vids you don't want the treehuggers to see: http://www.offrd.se/video/haninge-2004-12-05

[ezcheese]

My girlfriend had an old 240 wagon when we met; The thing had no power and some insane quirks, but there was something about that car that I really liked. It had personality.

I have seen a few of these around town, and I really like them. Nice size and still very functional.

[Seth]

I CANNOT believe that in the company of some serious hardware you're discussing Volvo.

[hazmatman]

I CANNOT believe that in the company of some serious hardware you're discussing Volvo.

Well, after the last few days I've had, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THIS FRIGGIN VOLVO!!!


Now the Mini got turned into an oreo cookie, but with the snow storm that was approaching I felt safe because there were four...count'em four, SUVs in my driveway.

So two serious shoveling sessions later (with a concussion & headaches that just never cease) all the trucks are released from the grip of snow...but only one will start, so she took it to work. Thus today, after unsuccessful attempts to revive the Jeep and the old Toyotas, I dig out the worthless rental Hyundai Elantra USAA gave me after the accident...which BTW I parked in a virtual mudhole 'cuase I figured I'd never even try to drive it in this weather...bad idea.

Well today after shovel session number 3, I finally free the damn Hyundai...but that shitty little car got me to the store, the bank, etc...that is until it's reverse gear bite the dust...in the middle of the street...because I was trying to get out of the way of a snowplow.

It eventually came to it's senses after 20-30 minutes, but I was close to giving it a Viking funeral right there in the middle of the street.

SO...if you ask me right now...would I like a Volvo (like the one above) or some expensive high-HP roller skate...hmmm, not a tough question to answer after a day like today. It's been a pisser...but we did get some good news on the family health front. The mother-in-law's post-op melanoma biopsies came back good...nothing in the lymph nodes!!! So I'll dig out and deal with a sh*tty Korean car to get news like that anyday!!!!!!!!!

[Seth]

I hear ya.

Ironically, my mother in law just tested positive for Stage 3 Lymphoma and started Chemo this past Thursday. Sucks pretty bad to get news like that at Xmas.

The good news is that with all the snow, I actually DID get to do donuts in the Jeep in my cul-de-sac and the walmart parking lot. The bad news is that my wife's grand with the HO V8 is more fun than my Jk.

[hazmatman]

USAA called...The Mini is officially dead. Time of injury: 0828HRS, 15 Dec 2009; Time of death: 1430HRS, 23 Dec 2009.

However, I continue to get a clean bill of health from the doc. Concussion symptoms have diminished, so I should be able to take snaps with the Steelers on Sunday after Christmas. Well, maybe not ALL the symptoms are gone ; but, I'm back on the job, keeping the nation's small change safe.

NOW if the damn USPS could only remember to finish shipping my d*mn watches, it might feel like friggin Christmas!!! Last report, they left Baltimore on 19 December at around 6AM...it's the 23rd...I'm 30 miles away. This is starting to piss me off

Logic dictates now that I am returning to work fulltime, the postal employees will come-a-knocking for a signature while I am not at home, which means the watches will spend yet another weekend locked up in a postal facility.

Now where did I put those valium???

[hazmatman]

OK...DOXA and Longines arrived, praise God and pass the ZULU & NATO straps!

Now for the Mini, we are "in negotiations" on the total loss agreement. If I can squeeze anothe $1K from them, I'll be good.

Thus we shall begin Phase Two - the GO UGLY (& CHEAP) EARLY plan is now in effect. I'm too worried about driving a new Challenger in DC - considering traffic, road quality & weather, plus I cannot find a 2009 White or Orange SRT8 in my immediate area...so I need to see these new 2010 purple & yellow SRT8 models before I commit. (My daughter's college $$$ situation and the refusal of some long-in-the-tooth senior command staff to retire does not help either).

Thus I will revive the old Jeep XJ which has been dormant for almost 8 months. It's an old 2-dr '90 XJ Sport, looks about like about this four door model:

But I found a super-lo mileage 1999, so I will be swapping over everything worth swapping and look at locking into a Challenger for delivery in the Spring (fingers crossed).

[SCM64]

That sounds like a good plan to get you through winter. Glad to hear you are back in action and the new additions arrived safely.