> From: tjhiggin@alpine.b17a.ingr.com (T.J. Higgins)
>
> Geo Metro = Suzuki Swift
Though I'm not 100% up to date, Suzuki doesn't sell the 3 cyl model, and GM
has a turbo instead of the 16 valver. you can still get it here as the
Pontiac firefly, and it used to be known as the Chevy Sprint. These names
did not change when Suzuki went from the Forsa to the Swift.
> Storm = Isuzu Impulse
The Storm is generally a cheaper version of the Impulse. GM sold the real
impulse under two badges in Canada, first just as the Isuzu Impulse then
as the Asuna Sunfire (this is before we got the Geo line here. That's
another story). You can't get the real Isuzu through them anymore (neither
through Sabb Saturn Isuzu up here), but is not Isuzu out of building
cars altogether, and the Storm is a sort of bastardized remnant??
> Prizm = Toyota Corolla
Here, it was also called the Chevy Nova for a while.
> Tracker = Suzuki Samurai
Nope, it's the newer one, the Suzuki Sidekick.
> The Isuzu I-mark was sold as a Geo model a few years back, but I can't
> remember the name; neither the I-mark nor its Geo counterpart are sold
> in the U.S. anymore.
We had the I-Mark here when we still had the Passport dealers, but again,
I think that Isuzu just got out of building and/or selling cars. Can anyone
confirm this?
While we're on the subject of GM's stupidities regarding selling imports,
I lament the passing of the Passport Optima/Pontiac LeMans (very silly
name)/Asuna ??? = Opel Kadett (the one *after* the Chevette). I almost
bought one a couple of times, both times deciding to nurse my ageing Olds
a while longer, and now they don't sell the cheap, good-handling, well
thgought-out little beast anymore. It was so poorly marketed that it has
awful resale value (so I could still get a used one cheap) despite being a
pretty decent little car, designed by Opel, built in Korea.
Of course, despite how easy it is to bash GM, the real problem is that my
'82 Olds Ciera refuses to die, and though I can't stand looking at the rust,
I still enjoy driving the thing, especially in the winter. And unlike the
Triumph, the wipers work, the heater heats up real fast, the interior is
still in great shape, the steering is light (all right, no fair), the
brakes really *work* (blow here for four wheel lock; great once you get used
to it ) and it can haul a huge pile of stuff! They talk about the quality gap
between the Americans and the Japanese, but you ain't seen nothing 'till
you've experienced British Leyland! :-)
Jody
tr7@io.org-Toronto, Canada-glutton for punishment, still looking for a Rover SD1
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