The competition

[NIZ30]

I'm sure I will receice some backlash, but here it goes....

Is it just me or is the local car scene looking a little more (but not much) appealing these days. Not that they compete performance per dollar wise with imports. But reading today about the new XR6 with 6 cylinder turbo. Claims of about 240kw at just 5-7 psi. And it doesn't look half bad either. Imagine what some aftermarket trickery will do to that power figure.

Even the new camry looks pretty good in the adds. So good it must surley have a 2JZ under that bonnet.

:lol:

[PranK]

i agree.

locally delivered cars are becoming much more appealing in all aspects.

[NismoGirl]

I agree.. I was looking at it today thinking ... WOW... i like a ford

I've always been a holden girl (yes a bogan) but when i saw that I actually quite liked it. Except for the price tag. Young people who are the "target" range for these cars can't afford a price tag like that..

Maybe its a good thing??

[NIZ30]

hehe

less people likely to want to race us!

[Guest TTZ32]

It's not just you:) I'm thinking turbo 4 litre six, damn thats gonna go well with some more boost.........

[turbomad]

Yeah the engine sounds awesome, GT40 BB turbo, twin cam with VCT on both of them! However I think they weigh around 1650-1700kg which isn't much fun to throw around if you know what I mean.

[GTR-80Y]

Nismo girl: everyone knows your a bogan skank! only jokin.....well kinda! lol

[NIZ30]

it might be a tubby bitch, but I think most of us agree it is a good attempt by the local guys. If only Toyata had have picked up the Chaser instead of the Avalon. People under the age of 80 might actually want to buy a Toyota.

[Warpspeed]

Yes folks, I think this is as good as its going to get though.

Apart from cars my main interest if finance and investing, and I have been watching some most disturbing trends in the car industry. As you might know, Japan has been in a worsening recession now for thirteen years. Europe is in deep trouble, and the US is going to fall over in the next couple of months.

Several of the major car companes are so far in debt now, that they are going to have to shut down altogether if they cannot borrow more money. Subaru and Ford are probably the worst off.

Just before the great depression in 1929 there were around 2,200 publicly listed companies making automobiles, or automoblie components in the USA. There were some absolutely fantastic cars made then, Cord, Dusenberg, supercharged Miller racing cars. Car heaven, just like now.

By 1935 all but three manufacturers had gone totally out of buisiness. GM, Ford, and Chrysler survived. And the cars they made were crap. There were no more DOHC 12 and 16 cylinder engines, no more superchargers. All you could buy were flathead four and six cylinder cars with three speed gearboxes. And it stayed that way till well after WW2.

So enjoy it while you can, high performance Japanese imports, cheap fuel. Lots of fun. Soon it will all be a memory.

[Pva_Glue]

Shame on you all! :eek:

Go imports foeva!

cheers

Joe

frankly I think all aussie cars are over rated...! very over rated!

[NIZ30]

NOOOO!!!!!!

This is as good as it gets?!?!

Well I guess, I do drive a skyline

[NIZ30]

So what you are saying about car companies going to the shithouse is correct. Is allready starting. Just look at the V35.

[Warpspeed]

None of the car companies have been making any money for years. There are simply too many of them, the more they compete with each other the harder the game gets. They tried to merge (holden/nissan/datsun) but this only kept the game going a bit longer.

Now if you owe the bank fifty grand, YOU have a problem. If you owe the bank five hundred million, it is the bank that has the problem. If you go bust the bank loses the lot. So the bank keeps loaning you more and more hoping the situation will turn around.

Look at what is happening, One-Tel, HIH, Ansett, just to name three in Australia. They just disappear. In the US a couple of the largest major merchant banks JP Morgan, and Citibank are now technically broke. Mainly because of Enron and other disasters.

When the big banks start to go, the whole car industry is stuffed along with everything else. This is going to be absolutely horrible.

I know most of you are interested in cars, not economics, but this is going to effect everyone here.