I agree that Justin’s photoshop front-engine example is “wrong”. But that Jersey strip club owner’s cocaine-induced wrap-and-wheel-dip of a C8 is definitely *NOT* the answer.

I’ve just never been a fan of mid-engine exterior architecture and proportions when compared against the long, low, sleek, and feline profile that a proper GT takes on. Sure, like every other kid in the 80's I thought the Countach and Diablo were wild-looking exotics, worthy of bedroom poster art. But there’s…

Am I the only one who, at first glance, read Torch’s caption after Paragraph 1 as “Here, have a porno video:”?

I read his imagery as satirical hyperbole, not as a serious description of car salesmen in 2020.  I give him points for using poetic license to keep things light.

“Several months” is a bit of a stretch. For most domestics it’s usually only 5-6 weeks, unless it’s some brand new, gotta-have-it model like a C8 or a Demon. And I can’t speak for other imports, but both BMW’s I ordered were under 8 weeks.

Yep...no audiophile in his right mind would purchase even a $1000 set of speakers without first listening to them. Why on earth would an auto enthusiast want to spend 20-30 times that much (or more) on a piece of machinery that’s orders of magnitude more complex, sight unseen?

To end CUV/SUV-maggeddon that has infected the brains of the entire US car buying populace, of course. It was tongue-in-cheek.

I agree, when talking about everyday cars where enthusiasts wish there were available manuals. But your gripe breaks down when addressing (comparatively) low volume, enthusiast-focused, purpose-built performance cars where no manual option even exists at higher cost. See: C8, Audi RS series, BMW M >3, etc. Those…

Exactly this! The only people buying manuals today are enthusiasts, and enthusiasts want higher-end appointments, sport equipment packages, nicer wheels, etc.

The time of manual-buying stripper bargain seekers departed around 2005.

It’s not cloth, however—It’s vinyl...ugh.  Sounds like a job for Katzkins and your local upholstery shop, perhaps.

By “qualified vehicle” do you mean the new car that a buyer would purchase upon trading in their “clinker” to be destroyed, or do you mean the trade-in vehicle? If you mean the former, then I follow your logic. If you mean the latter, I’d ask you to consider the former scenario instead.

PS: My condition to be ok with a …

And even further, many of those defective cars you mention were defective such that they polluted more.

I wasn’t really speaking in the first person—no victimhood or lack of responsibility here. I was providing armchair psychoanalysis of the coal rollers. Although I can say that I also find the wokescolds to be equally repulsive in their own right.

Yup!  Came here to say this.  Great feature, but far from new, even for Corvette.

You, sir, are someone I’d love to have many more discussions/debates with! Thank you for your (mostly) opposing point of view. These are all excellent, cogent, and thoughtful points, presented in a collected, respectful, “adult” fashion. Many have made me pause and think. I agree with some, some are definitely food…

Oh no, condemn them both, to be sure. But if we successfully target wokescold behavior we get a 2-for-1, as the caveman pushback nonsense (like coal rolling) will cease as well.

I wasn’t speaking in the first person—I drive a Volt...LOL. I was providing armchair psychoanalysis of the coal rollers.  Although I can’t say that I don’t find the wokescolds to be equally repulsive in their own right.

Oh, we are indeed in agreement. It is inarguably bad and unacceptable behavior.

I have zero issue in having an adult conversation about the climate change/air pollution topic addressed in this article, or any of the hot-button topics you reference. I won’t tolerate those who choose to discuss them, scolding down with wagging fingers in an unquestionably smug, smarmy, and condescending lilt. If…

I agree with all you say. Unfortunately, their behavior is a direct response and push-back against the sort of smug scolding exemplified by this piece. When the woke-scolds stop being such pompous snarks and simply promulgate the facts as they are, this objectionable behavior will diminish to all but zero. It shouldn’t…