time for some fun: 2016 predictions

[tor lives]

Well......I certainly didn't predict a war between Saudi Arabia and Iran, but looks like one is brewing
TOR

[F-27pax]

Okay Ray, I'm taking you seriously, more or less.

1 Saudi Arabia and Iran will go to war. This will engulf the entire middle east and be so ruinous that the only winner in the end will be Israel.

2 Putin, emboldened by his exploits in Ukraine, will begin putting similar pressure on the Baltic states, leading to a full on confrontation with NATO. Only when Russia invades Poland will it get serious

3 All attempts to control global warming will fail and real estate values in Ballarat will go up ten fold when it is declared the new capital city of Victoria

4 The Liberals will win the next election very easily and, as a result, the rich will get richer and the poor will get even poorer

5 The AUD will continue to sink, taking the cost of model kits out of the range of most modellers. They will then have to learn how to scratch build again.

6 The search for extraterrestrial intelligence will discover three sources of radio signals from outerspace. They will demonstrate that the aliens have yet to discover rock and roll. This will have absolutely no effect on global politics.

7 An asteroid will whiz past within 100,000 km of Earth and everyone will say that we dodged a bullet and the chances of it happening again as so small that we need not worry about it.

8 Hawthorn will not win the 2016 premiership.

PERSONALLY

1 I will finish the second volume of my civil aviation history

2 I will finish making all my Boeing airliners, and perhaps begin making the other Boeing heavies

3 I will finish making my collection of BAC Lightnings

4 I will get older and grumpier

5 I will continue to enjoy this group.

[tor lives]

3/ Following the overwhelming success of the introduction of the high performance Ford Mustang into the Australian market, General Motors will be forced to counter this, and announce that the Camaro will be bought to Australia wearing Holden badges, thus maintaining Holden dominance in the High Performance and Motor Sports arenas.

Might of got this one wrong . It was announced this morning that a "Buick Coup" will be imported to Australia as the "Next Generation Holden High Performance vehicle" , and will in all probability carry the name "Monaro".
Now I know that, as a former Holden Monaro CV8R owner, I am probably a little bias........but no dam Buick, or indeed any other imported car, should EVER carry the most revered and respected name of Monaro. That name, in Australian automotive nomenclature, is stepped in history and nostalgia, and should never be frivolously or inappropriately misused in a cheap, cynical grab for local "hearts and minds". GM, leave the fabled and respected "Monaro" name alone, and let it RIP.
TOR

[Wedgetail]

Ray, I read the write up re the Buick concept car this morning, interesting but not my cup of tea. Sadly any vehicle named Monaro is seen as a sure fire cash cow by some elements of the automotive industry.
I always had a soft spot for the older styled 350 Monaro's.

On a lighter prediction moment, the old Holden production facilities will be purchased by a certain bloke named Mr.Palmer who will invest in a completely new vehicle which will be called a Palmergiana.
Wayne,

[tor lives]

2/ The Essendon Bombers will return to greatness, (without chemical assistance), and win the 2016 Grand Final.


Well......so much for this one as well
TOR

[tor lives]

3/ Following the overwhelming success of the introduction of the high performance Ford Mustang into the Australian market, General Motors will be forced to counter this, and announce that the Camaro will be bought to Australia wearing Holden badges, thus maintaining Holden dominance in the High Performance and Motor Sports arenas.

Might of got this one wrong . It was announced this morning that a "Buick Coup" will be imported to Australia as the "Next Generation Holden High Performance vehicle" , and will in all probability carry the name "Monaro".
Now I know that, as a former Holden Monaro CV8R owner, I am probably a little bias........but no dam Buick, or indeed any other imported car, should EVER carry the most revered and respected name of Monaro. That name, in Australian automotive nomenclature, is stepped in history and nostalgia, and should never be frivolously or inappropriately misused in a cheap, cynical grab for local "hearts and minds". GM, leave the fabled and respected "Monaro" name alone, and let it RIP.
TOR

So the plan is to try and compete with a High Performance Ford V8 Mustang.......using a V6
http://www.news.com.au/technology/innov ... 0066afa018
Yeah Holden.....that'll work, (ya f!@king nuff nuffs what Detroit-based GM genius came up with this???? )
Note to Holden......either do this properly or don't do it at all!!!. Need I remind you how overwhelmingly successful the V6 Monaro CV6 was .....so much so you had to kill it off almost immediately. Welcome to the new "dark age" of Australian motoring .
TOR

[oz rb fan]

TOR it's a buick,so knowing GM ...it probably wont be made in RHD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
it's only 6KW less than the V8 stang,,,,,,,,and remember the base model stang only has a turbo 4

for now i'll stick with my barina RS

[tor lives]

At least you have an engine choice with the Mustang.
If you don't have a V8 as an option with your so-called "performance vehicle".... than ya just not being fair dinkum. Yeah.....lets go to Bathurst and try to take on the blue oval V8s with our 6 cylinder "high performance" vehicle, yeah that'll work Holden. FFS....why bother!!!!
TOR

[Adam the Akrodude]

The one thing I'll say in favour of the Buick is it looks great. Being a "knuckle scrapping" V8 aficionado as I have been since watching Bathurst on the ol' B/W TV when knee high to a grasshopper, I just have to agree with TOR - nothing, repeat nothing sounds better than a V8! Even the Germans know this who make what I think is probably the best and hottest sounding V8 with the 6.3l Mercedes engine - pity most of their cars look like taxis!

This I agree will not go down with GM V8 fans here, which is why I guess so many Holden V8's are being pumped out - more as a ratio of total model builds than ever it appears. Ford years ago made a horrendous mistake of dropping local V8's and it cost them dearly in sales. Sure, the market has changed, but has it? The waiting list for a Mustang is pretty long.

This Buick does come from pretty Sterling lineage. Many consider the Buick GS/GSX the best muscle car ever build - I'd sure love one!

[tor lives]

Well F@#K it!!!!.....if GM want to play silly buggers trying to pass off a 6 cylinder f@#king Buick as a "High Performance Holden Monaro" then they can just get stuffed.
I am going to Chrysler!!!!.
A 6.2 lt Hemi Hellcat V8-powered Dodge Challenger producing 707 hp seems like the way forward for this little rev head.
http://pericacars.com/2016-dodge-challenger-specs/
I have always been a dedicated and loyal "high performance" Holden man, but this could be it. If GM Holden don't get their shit together and bring a REAL High Performance vehicle to Australia, (like the Camaro), then I am switching camps. I would even prefer a Ford V8 Mustang to this Buick bullshit!!!.....who do they think they are kidding!!!
TOR
PS: geez.....I sound disgruntled