Last night I read the different articles in the Motor Trend and they talked about the replacement for the HHR. It looks like ECO is the new trend but on a lower HP scale. How lame is it to go from an awesome 260 / 260 hp/tq engine to a low 130 hp engine that gets the same mileage. The whole Global Warming scare is a hoax and is now known to be. Im speaking against GM and not Ford. It seems Ford is doing what ever it takes to get more HP and TQ and reduce emissions at the same time. Only the V8 Chevy vehicles seem to be gaining HP while the 4 cyls are getting much lower. Looks like the HHR SS will be my last new GM vehicle that I'll buy. I'll most likely go Ford next.

 

Ok first put down the magazine. There is alot more than they are printing.

GM is working hard to be known as a green company and are promoting this hard. Scond Motor Trend is not always up to date.

GM has many peerformance cars and engine that we will see soon. We are getting two more 556 HP Cadillacs this year and a Camaro next year with the same HP. We wil see a Aveo RS Turbo, Regal GS 2.0 DI Tubo with a option on the Haldex AWD system. In 2012 a RWD Chevy SS sedan. Think updated G8 GXP. And even a Cruze SS is getting a once over and we may see soon.

The Orlando is not and never was a performance car. To be honest even as much as we like the HHR SS it never sold over 4600 units in its best year. The Orlanso is a efficent people mover that also will be sold in Europe and China that needs the MPG to compete there as well as here once gas goes back up as it will.

Ford has promoted the hell out of the Ecoboost but it needed too. Their line up of V6 and 4 cylinder engines has been lame and they needed help. GM already has the 2.0 DI turbo and the 2.8 V6 that is quietly showing up in more models and even more to come. The 2.8 V6 can do well over 300 HP and GM already has a 3.6 Turbo the showed in the Jay Leno Camaro that was doing 425 HP.

GM has as much or more performance coming but with the bankruptcy and loans they have been keeping them quiet. You will see much more soon.

It will not be long Turbo 4 and 6 cylinders will rule as with the CAFE rating going up in 2015 we will have to get more MPG to sell cars.

Cadillac is working on a Hybird that gets better mileage but will give 350 HP and big mileage for the new XTC AWD sedan.

The 2.0 Turbo is far from dead. The new 1.4 Turbo is the new bread and butter engine and it is just getting the press. THis was not intended to be a performance engine but it puts out good power for the average driver like the 2.4 and will have better mileage.

Note too we will see cars lose a lot of weight in the next 5 years too.

 

The next generation cady CTS may be one of the best looking cars to ever hit the road - IMO, I just wish i had like $80,000 to snatch one up.

 

This is only the first of many.

Note this car is better in person as the pictures do not show the real scale. The cars is much lower than the sedan and has the hammered chopped look. When you see it you can't believe it is a Cadillac and will not mistake it for a Lexus or Benz.

Just wait for the ATS to come. It may be smaller but it will give the BMW 3 a run for it's money. It too will be a Sedan and later coupe and Convertible.

The new Malibu will be here next yeat and it will change much with a more real euro look.

The neat thing is the people from the performance division have been tuning all the cars not just the performance brands and it show. The new base Regal has really impressed the press in their test. They feel it is just a flat out winner. Once the GS verison arrives it will make heads turn. In 5 years people will understand why Buick was spared with there fleet of cars that will be sold world wide as Buick and Opel.

 

Cadillac also has a CTS Sport Wagon that looks pretty sharp. Starts at $38,000. If it could only be had in the V-R trim.

 

I will most likely be going back to Ford as well. The combination of how well my 2001 Focus has held up, what Ford has been doing with their newer products, and the fact that they didn't take a bailout all point me into moving back to Ford at my next purchase.

 

Hey camaro98z28, I was thumbing through the new motor trend as well tonight. I guess you missed the article on the ford fiesta 1.2L ecoboost. Its a global trend right now for small cars with smaller engines. I think we are going to have to get used to this idea. Also not mentioned on the Chevy Orlando, is that it is still slotted to get a turbo-diesel, which i would find the more capable engine.

 

True, but they did take a sizeable loan from creditors right before the economy went belly up. Money that would not likely have been available to them as it was not to Chrysler or GM. Media, for some reason, never seems to want to mention that little tidbit.

They also did get a sizeable line of credit, just don't know if they every tapped it or to what extent.

 

After 5 years, I still enjoy driving HHRvey. I will be taking him on a road trip at the end of the month and I plan on keeping him until Fall of 2011. After that, I will look into the Equinox. Hopefully, the 2010 Equinox bugs should be worked out by then. The Orlando does not interest me at all. I am sad the end is near for the HHR, but it was a fun ride while it lasted!

 

As Gm was begging for a bailout, Ford was doing the same thing threw private peeps.