Everybody was equal in the “socialist workers’ paradise”, but those who were able to afford a Wartburg (as opposed to only a Trabant) were even more equal...

I’d wager that you can’t make THAT kind of money without being at least a leeeeetle bit evil...

Those flip-up helmets have the advantage that in an accident scenario their removal makes it less likely to do additional damage to skull/neck/spine structures.

these NOx-barfing Volkswagens

well - there are documents that show that GM was aware of the ignition key issues very early on, but deliberately (intentionally) ignored them.

Not necessarily for the engine, that’s true. It’s the other wear-and-tear stuff that can get costly with high mileage: timing belt, transmission, alternator, cv-joints, radiator...

Has anyone gone to jail in the ignition switch fiasco - ya know, the one where people got killed?

This is an add-on that is luxurious, but not necessary, and doesn’t mean anything for the quality of road handling. I think the more people rely on sensors-here-sensors-there, the less proficient they become in controlling a vehicle (which is a complex task...). You can see this every day in numerous situations. A few…

The problem is - the German engineers have somehow not realized yet how terrible roads are in the US (yeah - the common perception in Europe is that since the US is great for road-tripping, the roads must be great, too). As a result of this, parts of the suspension are under-engineered, and show excessive wear after a…

when I get on the ride height compresses to a scant one inch

... but maybe the attendee just pulled his finger out of his butt prior to that!

That’s why an East African can come here and “be black”. Eritrea, Somalia, Ethiopia...Dominican, Columbian..they can be black. Because they would have been enslaved.

The ‘Florida’ thing makes it tricky, though...

If you concentrate on driving, I think one can do a pretty good job at detecting potholes in advance. Of course, if you’re gazing at your phone constantly, this is too much to ask for...

How?

What about the call-out ‘ATTITUDE’ when the pilot is coming in with the nose too low?

Pfft - who needs aero at night?

Wow - this is sooo essential to making GM cars better! Forget spongy suspensions, or cheap plastic interiors when you can auction off your radio presets!

oh wow - the big guns... Just curious: how is the whole servicing/getting parts side for these beasts in the US?

...and no Pinzgauers? Probably not state-side... They’re one of the most capable off-road / camping vehicles.