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Jonny Lieberman thinks SUV's should look like they're ready to win World War II or go to the moon. Shrugging off that da-da-esque assertion, we schmooze about great car names of the past and JL's recent experiences with the Ford Focus (reviewed below). As a certain automotive website recently asserted that minivan ownership disqualifies TTAC's Editor from assessing automotive cool, I ask Jonny for his choice for coolest car under $18k. Wouldn't you know: it's a BMW.
I think that guy “mounted” his Countach…another V12 that’s a nightmare to service…not a small-block powered Pantera. :-)
I forgot Buick named their flagship after a line of dairy products! Still, the new crop of Lincolns have the worst names out there.
No way.
Lucerne (Cottage Cheese)
Terraza (What?)
Rendezvous (French for “HUGE ass,” apparently)
LaCrosse (Wisconsin?)
Rainer (A shitty beer and only a so-so mountain)
Ahem: Buicks Past
Roadmaster
Grand National
Skylark
LeSabre (before the killed the product, a cool name — “The Sword”)
Centruy
Regal
Park Avenue
Again, try to remember all these cars from way back when, not from the 80s on.
Great names…
Actually you didn’t include Buick’s coolest name, but since its the subject of my road test, its probably better that way.
The Bug?
EDIT: Don’t say GNX — that was one of their better cars, but a lousy, stinker of a name.
They should have just called it “Vadar.”
Why spoil the surprise? Its not the Riveria either. Reatta? Nope.
I could give a hint, but thanks to Google its too frickin easy to solve. :-)
Wildcat?
That was a great name. Nice try!
While Kojak never pimped one, John Kerry remembers the name quite well.
Well, here are some other late, great (ok, some not-so-great) models from Buick’s past:
Apollo
Centurion
Electra (and 225)
Invicta
Limited
Estate Wagon
Skyhawk
Somerset
Special
Sport Wagon
Buick had a slogan in the 50’s
” When better cars are made, Buick will build them”
How true or false is that today?
The French that my wife and I use for wide ass is “Convoie Excepcionelle,” which you see in France on trucks that in the U. S. would be signplated “Wide Load.”
Stephan Wilkinson
John Kerry’s Buick-reference is on Frank’s list.
Can we all agree that “225” is pronounced “deuce and a quarter”???
make that increased “passive safety” when you’re talking about bigger cars, mr farago (and of course, decreased “active safety” to help your daughters get into that accident in the first place).
Note: I specifically excluded SUV's from the equation (thank you Mr. "Roof Crush" Elton). There are plenty of big cars that aren't accidents waiting to happen. Some of them aren't even German.
Actually, “225” is pronounced “Doose and a kwardur” at least in my part of the country.
If we’re talking about John Kerry (or any other politician, for that matter) then it has to be “Limited.” It sure isn’t “Special.”
Active vs. passive safety — can anyone find the link to that article detailing the active safety of a Boxster vs. a GMC…whatever the hell those things are called… not the Jimmy and not the Denali… the mutant mid-sive SUVs.
Basically, the GMC couldn’t avoid accidents much past 35mph.
The Porsche was rocking past 65mph.
Liberman, I think you’re looking for this link…
http://www.gladwell.com/2004/2004_01_12_a_suv.html
If not, it’s an interesting read.
Caffiend — that’s exactly it — My ex used to subscribe to the New Yorker.
Er, she probably still does… you get my point — she got the magazines.
What’s John Kerry’s favorite Buick? The (A-4) Skyhawk.
All this talk of Buicks, and no mention of one of their best names – the Buick Wildcat! a luxury sport coupe. My grandmother had a 1970 Wildcat with a 455 V8. We could make some serious time in that car.
Alas, I am now the owner of KBB’s coolest car under $18,000 (however, mine was north of $20,000). Just some facts for Lieberman, the Mazda 3 platform is only 2.5 years old (not 4 years as he states in the podcast). The Honda Fit’s current platform is 5 years old (introduced in Japan in 2001) and only recently brought to the US (along with the arrival of $3 gas).
Which one is cooler? ………………….whatever.