Lufu was shaking as she walked up the spiral stairs from your bedroom, her legs weak and stomach fluttering at the love making she had just experienced. She paused at the top of the stairs and caught a glance of herself in the mirror. Her makeup was running and her lipstick smudged, traces of cum still lingering on her partly exposed chest, and her legs still quivering from her intense orgasms. Pulling down her leggings ever so slightly, a line of dark marks were forming, leading down from just above her waistband to her pussy, still swollen and wet. She could hear voices rounding the corner and she hurried up the stairs to her own room, but not before a flash of purple hair turned the corner and caught sight of Lufus wild hair, ruined makeup, her shaking legs, and the faint smell of cum floating around her. A faint smile crossed the face of the woman with purple hair before ascending the stairs after Lufu. Watching quietly as Lufus slim ass swayed from side to side, she took a bold step and grabbed it from behind. Lufu jumped forward before turning around. Her expression went from indignified to humorous as she saw who it was.
'Jesus Melly, don't do that you'll give me a heart attack!' On the stairs below Lufu was Angelmelly, grinning to herself as she winked at Lufu. 'Oh come on Kath, you love my little surprises. Certainly didn't mind it last time.'
Kath looked at the ground as she blushed furiously as she put a finger to her lips. 'Not so loud dummy, you want everyone to hear?' 'You weren't so pressed about being quiet last time were you now? I don't think there was a single person that day who didn't hear us scissoring like that.' Melly said as Kaths face turned an even deeper shade of red.
Taking a step back, Melly noticed how flustered Lufu was, and not because of her own actions. She put two and two together, the messy face, shakiness and the heavy smell following her, and a slight dampness to her leggings gave her a clear idea of what she'd been up to. Kath, having recovered from her embarrassment tipped her head to the side and beckoned Melly to follow. She obliged and joined her side.
'So, who was it then?' Melly said to Lufu. 'Emm I don't know what you're talking about Mel, nothing happened.'
'Yeahh, sure.' Melly paused a moment before grabbing Lufu by the chin and tilting her head up before locking lips with her, tongue reaching inside her mouth and feeling Lufus fight back against it before giving in and letting the kiss deepen. Melly pulled away after a second or two and licked her lips.
'Oh Kath, that sweet and salty taste on your gorgeous lips, who's cock have you been sucking today honey?' She leaned in and raised her knee to Kaths pussy that started to heat up, and get almost uncomfortably sensitive as Mellys knee rubbed along her slit. Bringing her hands around she grabbed Lufus ass and pulled their hips tight and bending her neck around to nip at Lufus ear. 'Wanna pick up where we left off honey?' Melly felt Lufu shake as she slid her leg slowly out from between hers, and gently took her hand and let Lufu guide her to her room. As soon as the door shut, Melly dropped her shorts and bikini top, before rubbing her fingers along her perfect tits, playing with her nipples, sucking on them and moaning from her own efforts. Removing her lips from her round breasts, she sought out Lufu only to find a trail of clothes, leading towards the bathroom and the sounds of gasps and a soft wet slap could be heard from within.
Melly walked over and opened the door, finding Lufu perched on the bathtubs edge with her legs spread, pussy pink and dripping, fingers deep inside her own tight slit. The smell of cum only intensified as she spread her pussy lips, revealing her sensitive area that begged for attention. Taking her time, Melly strode slowly over, watching as Lufu pleasured herself with four fingers in her pussy and those on her other hand wrapped around her perky tits, fondling and pulling at her nipples. Melly bent over and put her lips to Lufus pussy. Before she got to work, she noticed thick sticky cum was flowing from Lufus pussy and said to Kath, 'So you gonna tell me who this mysterious guy who seems like he's hung as a horse is?'
'Make me' Lufu stated, challenging Melly.
Mellys eyes were drawn down to Lufus pussy, dripping with her own cum and someone else's thick white jizz. She dropped to her knees and stuck her tongue inside of Lufu, extracting a moan from the gorgeous brunette. Cum flowed from her pussy and trickled into Mellys waiting mouth, the taste driving her insane as she sought more, driving deeper inside Lufu in search of cum. Her hole was spread wide as Mellys slim fingers entered Kaths pussy over and over, pulling more thick cum from inside her, and into Mellys waiting mouth. She decided to change up her tactics, and let her cum soaked hands find her own aching pussy and push hot, sticky cum inside her snatch. It felt amazing as she felt a complete strangers cum enter her pussy alongside Lufus. Feeling that she was about to cum, Melly stood up and turned. She backed her ass up onto Kaths face and lowered her ass so it was just over Lufus waiting lips. Spreading her pussy wide, she let it leak and spread the mixture of juices onto Lufus face, and she had to cover her mouth to stop herself from shouting Kaths name as she came, tightening around Lufus fingers that jackhammered inside her pussy.
Her legs gave way and she sprawled to the floor, pussy still occasionally spraying cum as tiny orgasms shook her body. Her mind was spinning and she lazily rolled onto her back and let herself relax. Her relaxation was interrupted when pussy was spread back open and a hungry tongue joined by a pair of soft lips locked against her slit, and she felt the last of her cum get pulled into Lufus mouth, and with that Kath moved along Mellys body, tongue feeling her way up past her toned stomach and towards her perfect tits. Her hands grasped Mellys breasts and ran her hands gently on them and played with the perfectly sized lumps. Her eyes found Mellys and she moved closer, face only inches away. She leaned in close and whispered 'Fuck me Melly. Make me cum against that slick pussy of yours.'
Shivers ran down Mellys spine as she grabbed Lufus ass firmly, feeling her cheeks squash under her grip when she pulled her in closer so that they were now grinding their wet pussys against each other. They both started slow, enjoying the sensation as it slowly built up, soon making them rub faster and harder, wet slapping sounds accompanied by soft breathy gasps as skin met skin and soft pink flesh was rubbed all the right ways. It started to get frantic as Lufu neared her orgasm. Pulling Mellys leg close to her and swinging her leg over her shoulder, Kath began to bounce and sway her legs against Mellys, feeling the pleasure bubble within her. Her eyes rolled as Melly forced her hips upwards to lock with Lufus, and draw out the orgasm she had been building.
Kaths eyes rolled as she let go of Mellys leg and feverishly rubbed her pussy, spraying Melly in a short stream of her fluids. 'Oh Melly, I'm cumming! Ohh fuckkkk, finger me hard baby.' Wasting no time, Mellys fingers found their target and fingerbanged Kaths sopping cunt, and watching as her eyes closed in bliss. Lying back down opposite Lufu, Melly slowly rubbed her own pussy, relishing the sight in front of her. She stood up and left a now dozing Lufu on the bathroom floor. Before leaving, she draped a towel over her and kissed Lufu. 'That was real fun honey. But I need something more, substantial, more filling. And I know just where I can find it.' She stood up and walked out of Kaths room, fully naked and feeling more alive then she had in so long. She felt her ass bounce as she descended the basement steps. No light was to be found as her feet hit the cold concrete floor of the basement. A half built home gym stood off to one side, a kitted out recording setup to the other. And on the far wall, curtains partitioned off where she knew her pleasure was to be had. Only soft purple lights gave her any sight as she neared the velvet walls of the private bedroom. The curtains felt good against her bare skin and she took a moment to relish the feeling of soft fabric against her supple body. She took a breath and threw the curtains open, just to find your sleeping figure sprawled over the bed, a thin sheet your only piece of modesty to be had. Lifting the sheet and preparing for what was to come, Melly took a breath before looking at the shape of your limp dick in the darkness, easily five inches even though it was soft. Her breath caught as her hand wandered to its base and tried to wrap around it, a two handed job she found out. She took one hand away, and with that she threw away the sheet.
And what greeted her was not your sleeping body, but just pillows and rolled up blankets. Irritated, she threw the sheet back over the bed and went to storm out of the room. She walked past the bathroom and was met by the sound of running water, and sounds of water dripping and splashing as if it were running off of someone and falling to the floor.
She crept to the bathroom and cracked open the door. And her eyes found your body immersed in steaming water.
You could still feel Lufus fluids staining your dick and your face as you washed it all off under the hot water. You stretched down to pick a scrubber up from the floor, and you felt small pinching feeling on your back. You turn and look at your back in the mirror. Sighing and chuckling to yourself you admire the red lines that Kaths fingers had carved into your back, evidence from your hard session. You thought you heard the bathroom door creak but ignored it. It creaked again and when you turned to look properly, and before you was a gorgeous figure; thick thighs leading towards a set of curvy hips and a seductive dip towards a tight slit, and from there a slim stomach towards perky tits, and a stunning face with a wild purple mane flowing to her shoulders.
Her lips curved into a cheeky smile as she put her hands around your shoulders and raised one leg and wrapped it around your waist, pulling your bodies against one another. 'Oh em, hi, you are in the shower, I am the shower my shower actually. Who are you again?' You were completely confused as she didn't say a word, just moved her hands along your back, crept down along your shoulders and wide chest, feeling each ridged ab beneath her prying fingers. She lifted her head and with her chin barely brushing yours, she nipped your ear and whispered, 'hmmm, that's not important honey, but you can call me Melly. What's important right now is this' she said, hands going down to feel your dick stiffening under her grip. She leaned fully against your chest, feeling the heat rush towards her pussy as your thick cock pressed harder and harder between her thighs, throbbing as she rubbed her legs up and down its length. You looked down at the gorgeous woman in your grasp and felt around until your hands found her ass, full and round as your spread it open and rubbed your dick along her pussy as she got wetter and wetter. She dropped to her knees and for the first time saw how big it actually was. At least 13 inches, balls the size of walnuts dangling, heavy and full. She could barely fit her hands around it as she felt along its thick length and each vein was hot and pulsing under her hands. She was suddenly apprehensive about taking the whole thing, her mouth wasn't physically big enough to take it all.
'You sure you can handle this Melly?'
This set her off and she grabbed the base, almost painfully, but her fingers wrapped around your cock felt so good, and her other hand was massaging your balls as she took in every moan you let out. She let her tits fall either side of your cock, and grabbing shampoo from the shower wall dripped it over your dick and lubed it up as she gave you the best titfuck of your life. The hot and soft feel of her breasts sent you into heaven and she played with the tip, tongue flicking over your slit and gently blowing on the sensitive head. She lifted her hands away from her tits and started to bounce, hands behind her back and mouth sucking on the tip, breast bouncing wildly with your cock snug in the middle, twitching and throbbing as you felt your orgasm rise. Back pressed against the wall, cum poured from your dick and splattered onto her chest. She grinned as she pushed her tits together and greedily cleaned her chest, tongue bringing cum into her mouth and swallowing like a good slut.
She stood up and kissed your chest, nipping at your collarbone as she did so, teeth sending shocks along your body. She stepped back and turned, showing off her ass as she pushed it up against you. Shaking her ass she grinded against your cock, still hard and ready for more. Her moans floated to your ears as her body quivered, pussy dripping now and begging for attention. 'Ohhh, fuck. I need that cock inside me honey. Fill me with cum and make me squirt.'
She bent over and spread her ass cheeks, fingers spreading her pussy wide. It was a light shade of pink, fluids coating the sides. But there was another hole that looked even more inviting, her asshole was a tiny hole, winking slightly as her pussy quivered, inviting you in. 'So honey, you gonna put that monster inside me or not?' She opened her legs even wider and gasped as you rubbed your dick gently between her legs. Enjoying the feeling, you raised your hand and brought it down across her ass, leaving red handprints on her pale cheeks. Over and over you spanked her bouncy ass, watching as it jiggled with each hit. Her moans echoed within the shower and your cock was leaking precum as you rubbed your tip around her asshole. Melly began to say something but was cut short by heat and pain blossoming inside her sensitive ass.
'Ohhh, what the fuck are you doing, that fucki...' her protests were cut short as you pushed past the first five inches and buried eight inside of her, drawing moans from her lips and making your dick throb, each vein pressed tight against her walls. Grabbing a bottle of conditioner, you opened it up and slathered your cock and her bouncing ass in conditioner, turning the whole experience into a whole new level of pleasure.
Her lubed up ass gave into the overwhelming pleasure and she began to move, her hips thrusting back into yours, slapping her cheeks against you, each thrust sending waves of pleasure through your body. Her ass was hot and tight, squeezing around your dick as you started to pick up speed. You were thrusting furiously now, balls slapping against her thighs and fluids dripping down Mellys thighs, a mixture of conditioner, precum and Mellys slick cum running down her legs. You grabbed her arms and twisted them behind her back, dominating her as she took your dick balls deep and loved every inch of it. Holding her arms with one hand, you slid the other onto her throat and gripped gently, making Melly shake as her head went fuzzy and she was lost to the sensation. Bringing her close, you pushed her head to rest on your shoulder and bit her collarbone, eliciting whines from the gorgeous woman before you.
'Mmmm, honey I'm gonna cum, fuck my slutty ass harder, make me scream!' You dropped your hands from her arms and throat, moving them to her hips and taking a hold. Bracing her hands against the shower wall, Melly shook as you pounded away at her, legs shaking and tongue plank out in delight. Ohhh, oohh fuck. Fuck me harder honey, make me squirt all over, harder harder!' Her moans drove you insane and you smashed your huge cock into her and with one last deep thrust, you felt her legs buckle and her insides shake as she came, cum leaking as she squirted on the floor. You slid your cock out of her and looked at her ass, ruined from your efforts. The shower was running and in the steam and water, her body was flushed red as she rode ot the last of her orgasm. Sitting down with your back against the wall, your still hard cock begged for relief, and you slowly stroked as you watched Melly still shaking and gently playing with her pussy. She was laying on her side, and you started to pump harder as she felt herself up, hands bouncing her breasts and fingering her slit.
She giggled and looked at you wanking to the sight of her 'ohhh, like the view do you?' Your only response to this was a moan, as you shot hot sticky ropes of cum onto her face, leaving strings of cum dripping onto her tits from her chin. She got to her knees and looked at the mess you made, before stepping over to you and joining you under the shower head. After a minute or two of just enjoying the post sex glow, you stood and offered her a hand, her hand joining yous as you pulled her up. You washed the cum from her body, running your hands over every part of her. Supple breasts were treated like gold, each getting fondled and washed with care, the same going for her shaven clit, shaved and tight. Her long purple hair was plastered to her back and hugged her thin body perfectly. She turned and gave the same treatment to you, hands feeling tight muscles and smooth hardness all over. She took a dollop of shampoo to her hands and lifted them to your head, scrubbing your hair clean. The warm water was running between the two of you as you shared a kiss and stepped out of the shower. A towel was produced from the hot press in the bathroom and you rubbed Melly up and down, drying her and then letting her do the same as you.
You kissed her once more before giving her a cheeky slap on the ass as she departed from your company. You flopped down onto you bed and flicked on the wall lights, letting shades of green diffuse into the space. The sound of claws on concrete got your attention as a dog leapt up onto the bed beside you. He yawned and put his head onto your leg and stretched out across the bed.
'Christ Alfie, your hardly a big dog and yet you manage to take up half the bed. What I'll do with you when you're older and bigger I have no idea' you said scratching his ear and running a hand along his back. His breathing slowed and he fell asleep, head now beside your leg and curled up at the foot of the bed. You let the days events float away and you drifted off to sleep.
The next morning you were sitting in the Dining room of the Click house, eyes drifting between the TV, something Cray was saying, and some other growing noise in another part of the house. The chat show that had been on was interrupted by emergency news, and all attention was turned to the screen.
The newsreader was reporting on an apparent virus spreading through Asia, and officials were worried about it spreading to Australia. Cray bumped a hand against your arm and you turned to look at him. 'Now what do you reckon that means for us guys goin to Pax west in a few days? Surely it won't stop us from going.'
'I'll be honest with ye Cray mate' you said back to him, 'either you go and it's all fine, or you don't get to go. I'd say it's well worth the risk.' He thought about your words for a second and processed them. 'Yeah, your right. No point wasting time though, cos if this disease thing is gonna get in the way of us going we best get a move on and beat it.' He stood up and walked away, turning and looking over his shoulder at you 'Best I tell the guys to start packing now then.' 'You do you dude, doesn't matter to me anyways, not enough clout my ass.' You replied, mumbling the last part under your breath. Cray pouted at you and in the most childlike voice he could muster said, 'Awwww, is the widdle baby upset he doesn't get to go to Paxy Waxy?' You lobbed a pillow over your shoulder as he jumped up the stairs out of the way. You finished watching the news and cleaning up from breakfast, just in time to hear footsteps storming down the stairs. Liv turned the corner, eyes a mess and hair looking like a rats nest. She said nothing, deciding to pull out a stool and sit at the counter, head down on the marble surface. She didn't move until you shoved a cup of coffee under her nose and managed to rouse her.
'More Elliott trouble hun?' She blanked you until the mug was half empty and she felt like answering. 'Unfortunately yes, I happened to catch him in the act of taking dick pics in the bathroom and I can guarantee they weren't going to me' she said with defeat in her voice. You walked behind her and wrapped your arms around the mess of emotions in front of you. You put your chin on top of her head and thought out loud to her. 'Now what can we do to take your mind off of this shitty situation hmm? Got any interests?'
'I stream, sing and take pictures of things. And that's all that comes to mind right now.' You went over to the couch and stretched back out onto it, feeling Alfies fuzzy ears ticking at your fingertips. Liv went to the seat opposite and sat, steaming mug still in hand. 'You into photography? I never knew that.' 'Yeah, I've done the odd bit and always wanted to get seriously into it but never had the right amount of time, motivation or convenience all at once. If there was some opportunity to dive into it I would but I just don't know enough to do so.'
You smiled without saying anything, making confusion visible across Liv's features. 'What's the big grin for?' You sat up and replied to her 'If its opportunity you're looking for I have that and you'll have all the time in the world when half the house is at Pax this coming week. Theres a contest on internationally for the best use of snow and it seems theres some coming in New South Wales in the next few days. So I say we make the most of it and go there, stay a few days and take some pics. Her foul mood had vanished by the time you were finished speaking, and she was giddy at the opportunity presenting itself.
'Yes, absolutely I will do that. When's it to snow this week? Doesn't matter don't answer that, it's gonna snow soon so heres the plan, I'll book us somewhere to stay and you start packing while I do.
Her excitement was palatable and overflowing to you at this point, mind racing and getting ready for the trip that was to come.
So, that's that chapter done now, hope he enjoyed it. As usual, upvote and comment thoughts, what you wanna see next and anything else
submitted by What do you mean 'Pre-Recession'?
After the year 2000, but before the economic recession of 2008, GM was making some weird cars. Retro styled cars, cars with high performance trims (for seemingly no reason), cars with LS motors mounted sideways, and of course, Saabs.
Why these cars came about is complex. If somebody is willing to offer a theory, I'm all ears. However, I'm not here to explore the roots of this issue, only what fruit it ended up bearing. While many of these cars may have continued production after the recession of 2008-2010, most if not all were born of the white heat of stupidity that lost GM $82 billion before this time. I say stupidity of course, because most of the following vehicles I would like to own one day.
GMC and Chevy Trucks with 'Quadrasteer' Quadrasteer was a rear-steering system developed by Delphi Automotive Systems, a subsidiary of GM. It was called 'quadrasteer' because, you guessed it, all four wheels were steerable at once.
Available on the '02-'05 Chevy Suburban / GMC Yukon XL & Chevy Silverado / GMC Sierra,
the system greatly reduced the turning circle of the long trucks. The system worked via a series of microprocessors that would asses the driving situation, and then turn the rear wheels with an electric steering rack. At slow speeds, like in a parking lot, it would turn the rear wheels in the opposite direction of the fronts, reducing the turning radius. At highway speeds, it would turn the rear wheels in the same direction as the fronts, making the big trucks more maneuverable and less prone to rolling over. The most it would actually ever steer the rear wheels was something like fifteen degrees.
The option was primarily aimed at people who tow frequently. Having rear steering makes driving with a trailer much easier, as it allows for the vehicle-trailer combo to take tighter turns (in a nutshell).
The Quadrasteer trucks were also equipped with
some manner of adjustable rear suspension, which you could tighten up when you were towing a heavy load, further increasing the truck's stability at speed. I'm not sure how these shocks worked, if they were magnetic, or had a type of internal valve adjustment. There's very little information about them online.
The Vortec 8100 / L18 The Vortec 8100 was a naturally aspirated, 8.1 liter big block V8 introduced as an option in 2001 on full-sized trucks, vans, RVs, and SUVs. Also popular as an engine in boats, the Vortec 8100 was marketed as an alternative to GM's Duramax diesel engine. This motor had a cast iron block, and cast iron heads. This gave it a gross weight of... 761 pounds. At the time, it was competing with Dodge's 8.0 liter V10, and Ford's 6.8 liter V10.
In stock guise, the engine had 9.1:1 compression and only 340 horsepower due to torque-optimizing truck heads. Speaking of torque, it made 450 ft/lbs at 3300 RPMs.
Pickup trucks equipped with this engine get around nine miles per gallon. For this reason (among others), the engine was discontinued in 2009.
Unusual Vehicles That Came Northstar-Equipped The first generation SRX ('04-'09), was available with the 4.6 liter, 320 horsepower Northstar V8 engine. Strange for a mid-sized crossover. It could also be had with magnetic shocks. It was available in either RWD or AWD.
The Buick Lucerne sedan could also be had with a 4.6 liter Northstar from '06-'11. Really, it's like a successor to the Buick Lacrosse Super. I say this because it is front-wheel-drive, just like the LS4 equipped cars were. You still get four 'Ventiports', and it makes about the same power, too (275-292 horsepower). It's also called the Lucerne Super, so there's that.
The tenth and final generation
Pontiac Bonneville (yes, they made a GXP) was also available with a 4.6 liter Northstar, albeit only producing 275 horsepower. A four speed automatic transmission was the only option. A modified version of this car set a FWD speed record at the Bonneville salt flats at 204 mph.
Both generations of the
Oldsmobile Aurora ('95-'99 and '01-'03)
(the first generation definitely looks the best) were also available with a FWD Northstar. It was the smallest eight-cylinder Northstar at 4.0 liters. It made 250 horsepower, and was strictly backed up by a four-speed auto. This transmission could not be shifted manually, but had two ferocity settings called 'Normal' and 'Power'. At the time this car was released, it was well-regarded for its nice ride, excellent build quality, and refined engine. Its body structure is also apparently extremely rigid.
Just look at that shifter. Looks like a beige leather Gumby. A highly modified (still 4.0 liter) twin-turbocharged version of this engine was used in a racecar spec of the Aurora for the Indy Racing League and IMSA. It made 650 horsepower. The engine is cool, but the car (The Aurora GTS-1) looks absolutely amazing. It
has a big wing, shoots flames, and has
gold wheels. It won first in its class at the '96 24 hours of Daytona.
This great picture of it was taken by reddit user robwoodham. Never thought my new wallpaper would be an Oldsmobile Aurora.
Chevy Colorado Xtreme The '03-'12 Colorado is on the GMT355 platform, and shares its basic architecture with five other cars. The
Colorado Xtreme is like the SS version of the Colorado, but its called the 'Xtreme'. What is it with marketers removing vowels from buzzwordy names? Why the fuck is 'Activ' a thing?
The Colorado Xtreme gets different front and rear bumpers, new side skirts, some fender flares, a different grille, altered headlights, and 18 inch wheels.
Mechanically, the car's suspension was lowered and stiffened up a little bit. This generation Colorado was available with a series of engines (including a 2.5 liter 4cyl, a 3.5 liter 5cyl, and a 5.3 liter V8), but as far as I know the Xtreme package didn't specify any particular one that you had to get.
You could get this trim on any body-style of the Colorado, so you could have it on the regular, extended, or crew cabs.
Tahoe / Silverado / Suburban Hybrid Most of you probably know they made a Hybrid version of the Tahoe and Suburban. They also made a Hybrid version of the Silverado pickup. Launched in 2004, It was GM's first hybrid passenger car. Really, this system seems pretty useless. It sounds like a sort of very aggressive start-stop. Interestingly however, the Hybrid Silverados were equipped with four regular 120v outlets (two under the rear seats and two in the bed). Construction crews apparently liked that kind of thing.
The pickup was discontinued in 2008, and according to Wikipedia, replaced with a new version on the GMT900 platform that had a CVT. This truck apparently sold very poorly, and sounds like an engineering nightmare.
"On its own, the V8 is rated at 332 horsepower and 367 pound-feet of torque. GM engineers say that combined output with the electric motors is 379 hp. The unique transmission houses the electric motors along with three different planetary gear sets and four traditional clutches"
(Wikipedia).
As far as the Tahoe goes,
Daddy Doug did a video about this car that's really gonna do a better job of explaining them than I am. I recommend you watch it.
They also made a hybrid version of the Escalade, and a pickup truck version of the Escalade, called the EXT. I don't think they made a hybrid Escalade pickup, though. What a shame.
Silverado SS & VHO / Vortec Max package The Chevy Silverado SS visually looks like a mix between the Trailblazer SS and the Colorado Xtreme. Launched in 2003, It is based on the 1500 Silverado Extended Cab. It was equipped with the 6.0 liter LQ9, backed up by a four speed auto. AWD was initially standard, as was a 4.10:1 final drive and four wheel disc brakes. In 2005 a RWD version became available, but this version ditched the rear discs for drums. After 2006, the RWD version was the only one offered. Buyers could also choose a cloth interior and/or a bench seat. Lowered suspension was standard, as were 20 inch alloy wheels. All the SS trucks, both RWD and AWD, used torsion bar style front suspension.
They also made a Silverado SS 'Intimidator', to honor the late Dale Earnhardt. It had different badging, a subtle rear spoiler, and some slightly different upholstery. According to a period piece by trucktrend.com, "It will include a lowered ride height, performance suspension, two-stage multi-leaf springs, Tenneco shocks, a stiffer front stabilizer bar and harder front jounce bumpers. It will also be rear wheel drive with a 3.73 locking rear differential."
It was only available in black. The VHO and Vortec Max packages are a total rabbit hole to research. First of all, they are not necessarily the same thing, however I don't know why they had to rename what are essentially to reasonably similar performance / aesthetic packages for the Chevy Silverado / GMC Sierra. These two packages are essentially just slightly different Silverado SS' without the aesthetic changes.
The Vortex High Output (VHO) package became available in Texas and other surrounding areas in 2004. The single biggest change from the regular trucks was the 6.0 liter LQ9 V8 This engine was shared with several other trucks, including the Silverado SS. VHO equipped trucks also got the Z60 High Performance suspension package, 4L65E transmission (four speed auto), and a 3.73:1 locking rear diff. Aesthetically, you got new chrome 20in wheels. This package could only be had on extended cab standard box 2WD trucks, and lasted until 2005.
In 2006, it was replaced the the Vortec Max package. It could now be had in 4WD, got different suspension than the VHO, and could be had with a 4.10 rear gear. There were a few other changes as well, but none major. It lasted until 2007. If you would like to read more about these confusing trucks, the
Silverado Wikipedia page is a great place to start. '00-'04 Cadillac Deville DTS' Equipped with Night Vision People like to shit on Cadillacs from this era, but the truth is that any issues with interior fit and finish were more than compensated by the technology they got. GM invented magnetic shocks, and a lot of the first cars to get them were Cadillacs. That must've hurt for a
SPORTY European brand when they had to license the technology from... Cadillac. Makes me smile thinking about it. Anyway, they were also the first cars to ever receive a night vision system.
That's right, night vision. The system utilized an infrared sensor behind the grille, which relayed data back to the vehicles heads-up-display. You got a black and white 'thermal' image, in your Cadillac, on your HUD, in the year 2000. The system was co-developed with Raytheon (the defense contractor) and lasted until 2004 when it was discontinued.
Here's a period television advertisement for the system. Pontiac G8 GT and GXP The Pontiac G8 is like the GTO, as it was a re-badged Australian import. More specifically, a Holden Commodore. They're a reasonably big and comfortable RWD sedan. It was for sale in the states from 2008-2009.
The base model has a 3.6 liter V6 and it's automatic only. We do not care about it.
The next trim up was the G8 GT, and it came with a 6.0 liter, fourth gen LS. It had about 360 horsepower, but still no manual transmission. On the outside, it looked a little different. It got clear (as opposed to red) taillight lenses, and quad exhaust tips. You could also get a fresh set of 19s.
The top dog was the G8 GXP. It recieved a 6.2 liter V8 out of the Corvette (the LS3), and finally; a six-speed manual transmission. This meant 415 horsepower and 415 ft/lbs of torque. It could reach sixty miles-per-hour in just 4.5 seconds, and complete a quarter in 13 seconds. It got GM's FE3 sport suspension, and big Brembo brakes. These brakes were definitely necessary, as the G8 weighed very near 4000 pounds. It of course got its own unique front and rear fascias, twin-scoop hood, and wheels.
If you're gonna get this car, I would say get the GXP. However, they only made about 1,800 of them, with 846 being stick. So uhh... good luck. There is one stick GXP for sale on Autotrader for around $19k, with 135k miles on it. Other cleaner examples go for upwards of $30k, even without a stick. Most of them are between $20k and $30k.
There was also some speculation that a 'Ute' (ElCamino car-style pickup) version would be imported. The thing actually showed up at the 2008 NY auto show, but was never sent to the United States.
It looked like this. There was also speculation they would release a wagon version, because they already made a wagon variant of the Commodore in Australia. This never happened either, but people often swap the fascias of these cars,
so we at least know what it would have looked like. You also have Bob Lutz to thank for this car, just like the GTO.
GMC Envoy XUV The Envoy XUV perhaps deserved it's own article, but honestly, it's really dumb, really boring, and it looks like shit. So I didn't want to write it. I'll struggle through a short description here.
This 'truck' seems very similar to the
Studebaker Lark Wagonaire from 1963-1966.
I'm gonna climb up onto my niche car knowledge high horse right now. Wow! I can barely see anything from up here!
The Wagonaire had a very similar arrangement to the XUV. A big sliding panel could telescope into the front area of the roof. This essentially provided the same functionality as the Envoy, and it also leaked like a colander.
The Envoy XUV's whole shtick was that you could put tall shit in the back of your Envoy--like you could in a pickup truck. Stuff like... I don't know... Ladders, grandfather clocks, a ficus--I don't get it. Why not just fold down the rear seats? Unless you have like, a big Tetris-style L shaped refrigerator box, this whole idea is pretty stupid! There's a reason why only one other car did this. GM expected to sell a lot of these--like thirty thousand a year. They sold more like 28 thousand
total after a brief 18 months in production.
Hummer H3 The Hummer H3 shared a platform with the Colorado. You could also get a pickup version of the H3 called the H3T. Both of these cars could be had with a 5.3 liter V8, or a 3.5-3.7 liter, five cylinder Atlas engine, making around 220-240 horsepower. The five cylinder could be had with--get this--a five speed stick shift.
So yes. You could have a 240 horsepower, five speed, five cylinder Hummer H3 that weighed at least 4600 pounds. Thanks GM!
Pontiac GTO / Holden Monaro / Cadillac Catera The Holden Monaro-based
Pontiac GTO was actually a great car. They're still popular today in and out of muscle car circles. They could be had with either a 5.7 liter LS1 (350hp), or a 6.0 liter LS2 from the Corvette (400hp). A stick shift was optional, they were rear-wheel-drive, and they were quick as all hell.
They were brought to the states as a Pontiac after the Holden-badged version received great praise from auto journalists when they drove it in Australia. Bob Lutz fought the good fight and got them imported over here so we could enjoy it.
The GTO in the states weighed about 3800 pounds due to its big V8 and sturdy suspension. It has four-wheel disc brakes, and independent rear suspension. The seats in all of these cars are apparently very good. They also pull .88g on a skidpad , and magazines at the time described them as soft, but good handling cars. They imported about 41k, and prices today are reasonable. Nice ones can be had for around $15k or less.
I recommend reading the Wikipedia article concerning these cars, as its well done, and contains every detail you would ever want to know about them.
Here's a link to that. I included the
Cadillac Catera because everyone forgot about it and it's on the same basic platform. It was actually just a re-badged Opel. Very sad car to look at, and drive. The only available engine was a 200hp 3.0 liter V6, and the only transmission was a four-speed auto. The last one was made in 2001, so it's just barely in my pre-recession threshold.
A Saab 9-3 SportCombi Rabbit Hole The 9-3 SportCombi is the wagon version of the 9-3 sedan. There were two different styles of front fascia for this car. The version I'm going to focus on is the final one, made from 2008-2009.
I found myself in this rabbit hole because I was going to combine the 9-2X article with a 9-3x Sportcombi article. I knew they made a 9-3x SportCombi Aero with AWD, which had an identicle 0-60 time as the 9-2X Aero. For all intents and purposes, they were nearly the same car (both AWD 'Saab' wagons with similar performance specs). I thought it would be a cool thing to do, however I ran into a conundrum.
Now, all of the following production numbers come from 'esaabparts.com', so don't come after me if my counts are not to your liking.
They made 2,060 9-3 SportCombi Aero wagons, but only 356 were AWD. It's complicated, too. Besides the regular Aeros, of which there are 221, they made the "Turbo X" cars. These are just black 9-3, AWD Aeros with a special badge. They made 135 AWD wagons in the "Turbo X" guise. That means we have 356 cars of identical spec, besides the transmissions and colors. Of those 356, there are 90 available in stick (these 90 are the ones I was looking for)
My new mission was finding one of these 90 SportCombi, Aero, AWD wagons with a 6spd stick. It's essentially a Saab 9-2X Aero, just much rarer and more niche.
Even finding automatic versions of this car was difficult. I found only one on Cargurus.
Frustrated, I broadened my search to ANY manual, AWD Sportcombi Saab (they also made the non-Aero 2.0T). This made me realize that, actually, the most uncommon version was the 2.0T stick, at just 76 total (so there's a total of 166 AWD stick SportCombis). Well I looked and looked, and only found sold ones. I think everyone who knows what this car is snaps them up as soon as they come up for sale. Besides the automatic Aero I found, I located two 2.0T AWD wagons with automatic transmissions. If you really want one of these cars, PM me and i'll send you the links.
Just get the 9-2X, though. I wasted my life looking for these cars.
Saturn Astra The
Saturn Astra was a re-badged Opel Astra, and it was imported in the United States in 2008 to replace the Ion. Available with just one engine, a 1.8 liter four cylinder with 138 horsepower, it was pretty bad. Transmission options included a five-speed stick or four-speed auto. The version pictured is the five-door, but they also came in a
three-door that didn't look half bad.
Doug DeMuro wrote a somewhat interesting article about them three years ago on
Autotrader's Oversteer. Apparently Doug used to be a Saturn Salesman.
He claims it's the coolest Saturn ever, but that's just plainly not true. How could this hold a candle to the mighty LSJ-powered Ion RedLine? Plus,
The interior on this car is truly dismal. Looks like somebody spray painted some clamshell packaging silver and glued Oreos to it. Everything I read about this car anywhere says it's a total piece. Parts are apparently very scarce, so you can get them for absolutely nothing. I wouldn't if I were you.
Conclusion The best part of this series was hearing the stories in the comments, and the feedback you gave me concerning the many assumptions I had to make. The threads are really a wealth of information concerning the cars themselves, and the human side of them.
I recommend anyone interested in this era of vehicles from General Motors (and why they went bankrupt) either read or listen to Bob Lutz's book Car Guys vs Bean Counters. Lutz was GM's chairman at the time. He spends some portions of the book patting himself on the back, and other portions disputing the merits of climate change. At other times, he's extremely critical of the media, and the left wing in general. That being said, he also has a good sense of humor, a genuine care and interest for cars, and he has a unique behind-the-scenes perspective on the whole situation. He's the sole reason why we got the Solstice, GTO, and G8 to name a few examples. There's a lot of great stories in the book I'm sure you would all be glad to hear. I recommend getting the audiobook. The narration is good and I listened to it while I was driving.
If you would like to read more of these sorts of stories-- I'm open to writing more, It's just tough for me to justify without being compensated. That however, does not mean you have to pay anything for them. Send a tip to somebody like Jalopnik or elsewhere, and they may give me a little cash to contribute pieces like this (with a little luck). The only reason I could do these posts in the first place was because I'm on break before my final semester of college.
Anybody who gave me encouraging or kind words I thank. In fact, I thank you very much. It made writing these a lot easier, and the thought that I could sit down and write something people actually look forward to is still a concept I am unfamiliar with. I apologize to anyone who thanked me for writing these posts and didn't get a response.
I will be backing up the final versions of these articles on my personal blog, [peterholderith.com](peterholderith.com). They will be corrected with all of the feedback you guys gave me, and I will likely add in a few stories you guys had to tell, with credit to your username. They will also have regular images instead of the annoying little formatted links I had to make when I translated the posts onto reddit. This will be done before I go back to school around the 5th, but probably sooner.
These posts may be over, but I still write the car satire site bald.tires as well. Me and the great people who write with me try to put stuff out three times a week, and we usually succeed. If you enjoyed the humor component of these articles, I suggested you either follow
@_baldtires on Twitter, or just subscribe via email on the site itself. Twitter is really the best place to get updates about this sort of thing when I'm able to make it happen.
Happy Holidays,
Peter
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