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@SeraphimDawn  
I just watched a video about the base model, actually. it was the 2017 model though. only for $13,100 you get this cute thing
 
Mazdaspeed 3 was one of the coolest hatchbacks I remember from a few years ago. Ford definitely has a better design going on (Mazda smiley face was kinda okay) and I like the sorta-tuner design of the Focus RS.
 
 
@BarryFromMars  
Yeah I keep forgetting it’s for a diesel. 20 mpg is great for that beast. it is a great tow machine with that cold intake, for sure.
 
That pickup has a pretty great design, best score of 65 mpg makes it worth all the work… I kinda want it, but it needs to be a different color

@kleptomage
 
Thanks, I hadn’t thought of using metal flashing. Right now the air dam’s made out of floor matting and is held on the bumper from plastic “brackets” I made out of bent plastic. They’re not very durable, although the air dam never fell off I had a few of the brackets break on me from time to time.
 
@Flying Pancake
 
Because “Rear tire changing’s a pain” or something which doesn’t make sense to me; a much better skirting removal system could be used. I get the ideas from Ecomodder.com. Here’s a 1995 Toyota Truck that’s been taken much farther with aerodynamic modifications:
 

 
Here’s the article the photo’s from: http://evworld.com/blogs.cfm?blogid=1289
 
@RainbowDash69
 
Thanks. I’m glad you mentioned the headlights, I worked on all except two of them with ChrisFix’s headlight restoration tips and it worked out wonderfully; I also worked on the taillights which looked like faded paper and now they look ruby red! No, most of my driving might fit somewhere between City and HWY; although it’s not always at HWY speeds I’m often going at least 10 miles in one direction at least at 45 MPH due to living in rural Pennsylvania.
 
One other modification; I added a cool air intake by cutting a hole in the air filter box and putting a tube from it down to the air dam which is why you see a hole in the dam on the passenger side. Though the hose broke it still works well, I can read the intake air temperature with the Scangauge II. I don’t know if it makes a big difference in fuel efficiency but it at least keeps the turbo cool so I won’t get turbo failure.

@RainbowDash69  
It’s the economy car on steroids.
 
Meanwhile, Mazda should really bring their Mazdaspeed series back. Ford pretty much has a monopoly along with VW in the Hot Hatch market.

@SeraphimDawn  
a 3-banger engine is sure insane. Ecoboost will make it cool, I know. turbocharging is a fad and I’m happy for it.
 
though I can’t imagine how fun it would be to get a base model with a naturally aspirated 3 cylinder

in its current generation, the Suburban is longer (about 20 inches) and has been around since the 30s while the Tahoe was just made in the 90s

2018 Ford Fiesta ST
 
 
@RainbowDash69  
What are the differences between Tahoe and the Suburban? I always get them mixed up.

@kleptomage  
Can’t really compare luxury cars back in the 90s to luxury cars today, especially with the different economics these days.
 
Compare 2017 Genesis G90 vs 2016 Lexus LS 460  
Their prices aren’t really that much off IMO.

@BarryFromMars  
That Suburban looks amazing. I love how new the chrome looks. Perfect headlights as well
 
I agree that the airdam might work better if it was curved on the sides. It’s interesting to see for sure. Do you do mainly city driving? I’d imagine 20 mpg is a good combined driving number.

@BarryFromMars  
You’re cowling the rear wheels too? That’s awesome. I’ve never understood why more cars don’t come that way from the factory (aside from purely stylistic reasons). They’re just big holes ruining your airflow, so why not cover them? Plus, done right they can look really good, too.

@BarryFromMars  
It would probably help if it was curved to divert air away from the truck. I mean, the truck is basically as aerodynamic as a brick but it would help a little. You know the metal flashing used for waterproofing houses? You could probably take a roll of that and spray paint and shape it into a better air dam.

@kleptomage
 
I can’t really tell from experience as I’ve never A-B-A-B tested it on the highway or filled the tank up all the way since I patched it. The air dam’s hanging on there without gentle curves on the sides; air dams other people have that are reported to work have gradual curves, seen below. Removing the roof rack which I never used helped though according to my not calibrated Scangauge II. I did put screws in the roof rack holes and silicone on the top of them too, it won’t leak.
 

 
(The air dam on “Big Red” above looks a bit too low to the ground for me.)

@Flying Pancake  
Not sure. Maybe the seat in the 300 was not down fully.
 
@SeraphimDawn  
Lexus entered the market as a value proposition and their vehicles are still priced reasonably compared to their competitors. Hyundai’s starting price of $69,000 for the G90 is not exactly a value.
 
 
@BarryFromMars  
Do the aerodynamics of the bumper make a difference in mpg?

@Flying Pancake
 
Thanks. The reason is for aerodynamics, I also plan on putting skirting over the rear wheels like this Insight while not rotating the tires. I don’t know what my fuel consumption has been exactly but it’s at least close to 20 MPG.
 

 
@SeraphimDawn
 
Yes, it could be used for that. There’s a lot of room, sure; not only from front to back but vertically it’s comparable to a 1970s Station Wagon. I prefer the seats in it much more than those in the Caprice and Wagon too even if the ride’s different.

@BarryFromMars  
Looks like you can turn that into a snow plow in the winter.
 
I used to see a lot of those on the road in my middle school years.
 
Is it like a living room inside?

@BarryFromMars  
Very nice looking! Im curious, though, what’s the story behind the bumper modifications? Mount points for a snowplow and better aerodynamics?

Photos of my 1999 Chevrolet Suburban K2500 LS with a 6.5 Turbo Diesel engine. They were taken 2 days after I finished waxing.
 

 

 

 
Really, the vehicle looked dull before with a penchant for attracting dirt to the rear windows; now that I’ve supercleaned and waxed it the rear windows aren’t getting dirty anywhere near as quickly as they used to. Big improvement, now I have to replace the stock oil cooler lines; OEM ones feature a “Quick Disconnect” feature and if the C Clips holding them on go there goes your oil!

@kleptomage  
Maybe back in the day, those full-size sedans would garner much attention. These it seems like people are more into crossovers.
 
Perhaps the public perception of the Genesis brand is the still see it as the old Hyundai.  
They seem to be trying to replicate Toyota’s entry into the luxury market with their Lexus brand a couple decades back.

@kleptomage  
That’s interesting, I would have guessed it would be the other way around. I wonder what FCA did differently between them?

@SeraphimDawn  
The rumor is that Genesis will add a crossover and a coupe to their lineup by 2021.
 
I think the biggest problem for Genesis is that they lack a brand identity. The G80 and G90 are fine cars but they’re just good enough for the segment and lack an original design language. In the luxury market you have to stand out.
 
I can’t see anyone paying over $60,000 for a Lincoln.

I’ve been getting mixed messages on what Hyundai is going to potentially offer as a successor to their recently discontinued Hyundai Genesis Coupe.  
On one end, I hear the coupe will remain branded as Hyundai, but under a different name to avoid confusion with their luxury brand.  
But on the other side, the successor model would be more upscale and released under the Genesis brand.
 
@kleptomage
 
Man, I worry for that brand. Especially for their sedan model. Their crossovers sell decently, not as well as other luxury brands. But I almost never see any Continental. Probably because Lincoln is putting their bets too high with their obscene price tag for the car.

@SeraphimDawn  

 
The blue paint is pretty? I don’t know. I couldn’t get in the Continental for the crowd.

@kleptomage  
The Taurus was once an American favourite in the sedan world. But somewhere in the 90s, the Camry has out sold them since. Especially after Ford made their car look like a USO submarine or something.
 
My neighbour has a Flex. I’ve been wondering for awhile now on whether it was an SUV or a van. But yeah, that thing is HUGE. I don’t see them driven around that much anymore though. It looks a little like the Land Rover from a distance.
 
Anything on the Lincoln side?

@SeraphimDawn  
I said the Mustang GT was my favorite at the show and I stand by that. I like the retro vibe of the Challenger but the Mustang GT is the complete package. Of all the bargain sports cars it gets the most right.
 
The Flex is like a living room on wheels. The front seats and storage are comparable to those in the F-150 and it has a cavernous cargo space with the rear seats down. It’s basically a minivan in wagon form.
 
The Taurus is in dire need of an redesign.

I finally saw a current gen Fiat 124 on the road today…
 
They are very seldom sight on the road. Almost non-existent.
 
I want one!
 
 
@kleptomage  
Is it me? or do Japanese luxury cars tend to go for cushy seats like leather sofas while German ones are more often firmer like memory foam beds?  
I have yet to sit in a Genesis.
 
Anything on Ford’s side in the auto show?

@Flying Pancake  
Nope. Plain roof and the seat was low. Oddly, the Challenger felt more spacious.
 
 
@RainbowDash69  
I like how Alfa is trying to bring back passion to cars but they have a lot to overcome.