0'5s: Any thoughts on the new "disappearing" seats?/Transmissions

Factoid: (n)- An invented fact believed to be true because of its appearance in print.

Definition makes sense when you think about other "-oid" words. Humanoid: shaped like a human . Mongoloid: shaped like a mongol. Factoid: shaped like a fact.

These are facts, not factoids.

DS

Blech. Too bad they can't just regulate safer drivers (without messing with the economy).

But you're right. More and more, cars must be driver-proof. It sucks. That's my well-formed, eloquently-stated opinion, for what it's worth. it sucks.

Grinning, NthDegree

I agree that a lot of weight has been engineered into cars, but I think also car "names" are applied to heavier and heavier cars over time, until the cars image just doesn't work, and then it resets itself. I believe this is because they keep trying to resell their existing customers, who are human beings, and aging, and also getting wealthier as time goes by. I just can't think of any other explanation for the size of the 1973 Mustang, and I think most people agree that process killed the GTO. A car like the Nissan Sentra, which used to be a tin can, evolves into what would have passed as a luxury car. Toyota corrola is another good example. Car names gradually become big (and usually ugly), and then rapidly get reused on a smaller car.

Yep.

'60 Valiant: 106" wheelbase, about 2200 lbs. '67 Valiant: 108" wheelbase, about 3000 lbs. '74 Valiant: 111" wheelbase, about 3400 lbs.

The Camry. The Accord. The Mustang. There are countless examples.

Indeed:

VW Golf, Polo, Lupo...

DAS

I give in. I agree with lots that you sometimes post rubbish. (Maybe we all do?)

The feather only falls differently because of atmospheric resistance. Remember Newton (who is he, you might ask...)

DAS

I called them such because I have not actually checked all the numbers myself; they seem plausible but I did not want someone to come back with "The 1987 Legend was .2 inches taller than the Accord DX!"