NPC: Dan Neil's latest prose from the WSJ
Dear Forum, No Pantera content, but as usual with Dan Jones' prose and passion, there is particular appropriateness for Pantera aficionados. I will quote excerpted sections from today's WSJ column on his review of the Chevy SS. The Chevy SS: Hello, I Must Be Going ".....So, I brought the right car: the Chevy SS, a four-door, five0seat muscle sedan, with a 415-hp pushrod V8, six-speed manual transmission, limited-slip rear diff, and a provocative proclivity for acceleration that will certainly jerk a knot in it. All for $48,570. I know, sounds interesting, right? Oh, It is. The Chevy SS comes to these pages with-how to put it delicately?---the reek of death upon it. The car, a re-badged Holden Commodore, is destined for extinction because GM is closing the Holden assembly hall in Elizabeth, South Australia. Aussies are bummed, obviously. I feel for them. If I bought one of these cars I might feel a twinge of guilt, even as I was laughing my head off. I have never seen a sedan so underpriced, relative to its performance and equipment. Please, old timers, let's compare notes. When has a car company ever given it away like this? Look at the boxes this thing ticks. First and most important: a rare Tremec six-speed manual transmission , with a real foot-pedal clutch and bolt action-the taut, thrumming gearshift lever connected to something mechanical-a throwback to a time before mechatronics. The press materials say a paddle-shifted automatic is also available. Only a psychotic would order this car with the automatic transmission. The Chevy SS is like an African game reserve filled with endangered technologies. Above the gearbox is a naturally aspirated 6.2 liter V8, with an output quoted at 415 hp and 415 lbs-feet of torque. That's right a naturally aspirated overhead valve V8, none of them tea kettle turbos and piccolo exhaust notes out of puny V6s. Responsive, rev-loving, throaty, twisty and shout-y with big torque and three-octave range, the Chevy's small block presence is irresistible. Too bad it's a dinosaur with an asteroid incoming." Warmest regards, Chuck Engles Dear Forum, No Pantera content, but as usual with Dan Jones' prose and passion, there is particular appropriateness for Pantera aficionados. I will quote excerpted sections from today's WSJ column on his review of the Chevy SS. The Chevy SS: Hello, I Must Be Going "...........So, I brought the right car: the Chevy SS, a four-door, five0seat muscle sedan, with a 415-hp pushrod V8, six-speed manual transmission, limited-slip rear diff, and a provocative proclivity for acceleration that will certainly jerk a knot in it. All for $48,570. I know, sounds interesting, right? Oh, It is. The Chevy SS comes to these pages with--how to put it delicately?---the reek of death upon it. The car, a re-badged Holden Commodore, is destined for extinction because GM is closing the Holden assembly hall in Elizabeth, South Australia. Aussies are bummed, obviously. I feel for them. If I bought one of these cars I might feel a twinge of guilt, even as I was laughing my head off. I have never seen a sedan so underpriced, relative to its performance and equipment. Please, old timers, let's compare notes. When has a car company ever given it away like this? Look at the boxes this thing ticks. First and most important: a rare Tremec six-speed manual transmission , with a real foot-pedal clutch and bolt action--the taut, thrumming gearshift lever connected to something mechanical--a throwback to a time before mechatronics. The press materials say a paddle-shifted automatic is also available. Only a psychotic would order this car with the automatic transmission. The Chevy SS is like an African game reserve filled with endangered technologies. Above the gearbox is a naturally aspirated 6.2 liter V8, with an output quoted at 415 hp and 415 lbs-feet of torque. That's right a naturally aspirated overhead valve V8, none of them tea kettle turbos and piccolo exhaust notes out of puny V6s. Responsive, rev-loving, throaty, twisty and shout-y with big torque and three-octave range, the Chevy's small block presence is irresistible. Too bad it's a dinosaur with an asteroid incoming." Warmest regards, Chuck Engles
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Charles Engles