After driving the Mini Countryman this past weekend, I know it isn't impossible to build a small car that has that solid "thwunk" when you close the doors, is free of undue shakes and rattles, and is quiet on the highway, but it costs engineering and production money to make such a solid car.

The Mini Cooper S Countryman I tested this past weekend has about the same footprint as the Fiesta, but nearly double the pricetag at $31k. It was a vault compared to the Fiesta. And a rocket, too, with that 181hp turbo and a 6-speed manual.

Read again — I said the part and its fasteners felt cheap. That was just one example, though. I'm not going to attempt to write the review here and now — it's going on our blog in a couple of weeks.

I can totally agree with that assessment.

The shows were contemporaries, dude. Fall Guy was on ABC, Dukes on CBS — and probably at the same time, since they appear to appeal to similar audiences (i.e. all of us here).

Jesus Christ. I've never heard of The Fall Guy, though it looks a lot like Dukes of Hazzard for west coasters.

'Stanced suspension is all for show. No travel is no good, sir, and therefore lame.

I see that Gold Coast automotive thinks they have The Answer.

Whiny bitch is whiny.

Needs polished brass testes.

Kid shoulda been in a Buick.

Gods help me. I want this car. Really. Please? I've never won anything in my life, but I love crapboxes, and this looks to be a substantially better car than the outgoing Aveo.

Surprisingly, it's Bill Gates he's referring to. He and his MS cohort Paul Allen.

Daily-driving a perfectly-maintained, all-original one of these.

OK, fess up, commentariat!

Close. Mr Fusion was based on a Krups coffee bean grinder.

The only way to make electric-powered vehicles acceptable — an on-board nuclear reactor that is fueled by pretty much anything you can shove in.

Eh, I'm not saying it isn't a great photo, but they were probably going about 10 mph. It doesn't take much speed to create motion blur — just a sufficiently-slow shutter speed.

How has a Chevy Celebrity survived 20+ years of Minneapolis winters? Does Chuck own an even-shittier winter beater?

Personally, I'm eagerly awaiting the new subcompact (-1)-series.