If you think about it, they are probably the cheapest way to get a big American V8 and RWD. And it seems that handling can be fixed if you put in the kind of effort the Japanese tend to apply to all their endeavors.

Minitrucks ftw! That thing looks like it could be turned into a real track beast with some chassis modifications and a new engine. How awesome would that be - a trackday machine that can also haul firewood, is easy to park and could also great mileage if done right.

I like how it's dressed up with chromed rims and white letter T/As. Sometimes I forget that outside NA, even really ordinary workhorse vehicles are cool so long as they're "US cars". Like, Chrysler LeBarons even.

I'd go with one of Chevy's oldschool giganto big blocks, like a 502. Yeah it musses up the handling, won't rev very high, will suck gas like a black hole and you'd be struggling to see the road over the huge hood bulge, but goddammit, there's just something about having 8 goddamn liters under the hood. It's kind of…

But they have such a high opinion of their own cars, to the exclusion of everything else. I mean, the last time I've been there was 8 years ago, but I doubt they have changed much in that regard.

Outside of Germany Ford stands a fighting chance I guess.

Will it really be a competitor to the 3-series though? In my experience, most people who buy a 3-series believe it to be "The Ultimate Driving Machine" and that everything else, be it from Japan, the US or even from Merc or Audi, is shit. They want a 3-series, even if they can only afford the 318.

Old tech often has this innate charm resulting from the willingness of times past to really try anything and see if it will work. No decade-long feasibility studies in the 30s.

Torch is such a commie!

He seems to live in Norway. Norway, I think, is one of those European countries with an insane "air pollution" tax, like many others. That means you pay a one time tax at registration, the amount being based on how much CO2 the car puts out.

Once again I'm reminded how badly I want an Alfa 164. It's like a classy designer suit, all business without being unexciting or humdrum.

My then bf had been in the Air Force, stationed at Rhein Main Airbase. He knew Frankfurt quite well and had some German contacts there. So naturally that's where we went.

Where exactly did you spend most of your year? Perchance on a military base? Outside the bigger cities, Germany can be extremely boring.

True, but don't forget that back in the day, most people bought the V6. You can make anything fast with an engine swap, but in stock form, the way the average consumer actually drove them back then, a Malibu was a soul-sucking car.

A propos torque-heavy vehicles getting you in trouble: I myself have a relatively torquey vehicle - a '94 Trans Am, with a mildly modified LT1. Nowhere close to GT500 territory, but no Focus either.

Modern supercars are definitely very manageable so long as you have half a brain and don't floor it in dense traffic or anything.

I was hoping for a split-second one of them would be Torch. But he's probably too much of a pinko for any channel other than PBS.

Hey, I'm ok with hardcore realism, so long as it's optional. I play Gran Turismo to to at least virtually experience all of the awesome cars I'll never be able to buy - I'll gladly leave the moist-palm hyperrealism to the iRacing crowd.

Yeah, I suppose that would be the most realistic option. I think how long the stints/the race last should be selectable, though. Players with kids often find it hard to find even a full hour to play.

You know what would help? A save feature for races in progress. I'm thinking, have a single save slot per race that the game autosaves to every 5 or 10 or so laps (make the exact number player selectable, ideally).