My Thoughts on NAIAS '06

[The O.C.]

Well, I just got back to southern California after spending three whole days at NAIAS and I wanted to share my thoughts, for better or for worse, and see if anyone agrees/disagrees with me......

My overall feeling was that, with a few exceptions (Camaro, et al) I am more and more (unfortunately) convinced that General Motors and Ford, if they continue on their current course, will be a fraction of the entities they are even today.

There were some bright spots so let me talk about those first.......

Buick Enclave - I voted it best-in-show (even over Camaro) and most-significant of the domestic companies. It's simply as beautiful in person as it was in pictures and if it DOES hold true to it's 95%-production-ready claim that Lutz gave us, then this will be a Cadillac-renaissance-level bright spot for Buick. Knowing we have two more of these coming is great news for GM.

GM Full-Size SUVs (all configurations) - Winners, all of them. They (alone) won't save GM, but they've got real eye-appeal outside AND inside.

Saturn SKY and AURA - They ought to just trash the rest of the Saturn lineup.....as these two cars look to be 100-times more appealing.

Camaro and Challenger - Duh.......

Lincoln MKS - Actually liked it in person....it's a big car and brings a nice dose of style back to Lincoln....even if it is derivitive....

Disappointments?

Buick Lucerne - After spending much more time in and around the car, my impression of it keeps going down and down. The quality of the materials inside the car is an embarrassment at $26,000 (CX) not to mention $39,000 (CXS.) GM is truly fooling itself if they think this car can compete with Lexus (not to mention Toyota.) Plus, it lacks way too many features that are becoming more-and-more commonplace in the competition.

Pontiac G6 Convertible - You can't access the trunk with the top down. VW and Volvo showed how to do a folding hardtop MUCH better....and the VW will even be in the same price range....with an entry-level 2.0T coming in BELOW G6.

Ford Edge/Lincoln MKX - What do these entries bring to the table to entice you to consider purchasing them over the myriad of options already out in the marketplace?

GM - ANY GM passenger car, even Cadillac. Fit-and-finish, quality of materials, and overall execution pale in comparison to the imports. Sorry, it's true. Take Impala for example....when I saw the new interior, I thought it was quite a smart design for GM. NOW, you see what Toyota has done with the new Camry interior, or the current Avalon interior, or look at how well executed the new Hyundai Azera's or the new Kia Optima's interior is, and the Impala looks to be a decade late to the party.

For me, the imports were out in force this year and with a few exceptions, seem to have quite a few "hits" on their hands. The new LS was simply magnificant.....something that I would expect Cadillac or Lincoln to offer.....but alas, they don't.

As far as GM in general, taken in isolation, there appears to be GM cars that I DO like....LaCrosse, Lucerne, G6, any Cadillac except the DTS, even Cobalt. BUT when you spend three whole days comparing those GM cars you like to what everyone else is offering, you get a real feeling for the true magnitude of what GM is facing.....and they have oh-so-far to go.....

I've got other opinions on the show that I'm more than willing to offer, but I wanted to kindof give an overall idea of how I felt......

[Flybrian]

Pontiac G6 Convertible - You can't access the trunk with the top down.  VW and Volvo showed how to do a folding hardtop MUCH better....and the VW will even be in the same price range....with an entry-level 2.0T coming in BELOW G6.

How closely did you inspect the G6?

Trunk IS double-hinged

As far as the Azera, I have to reiterate my laughter at the thought that its really that outstanding. The example I saw November at the Tampa Auto Show was downright laughable with far too many typical Korean cost-cutting signs like deadplates, a $.49 quartz digital clock, and the hillarious door chime speaker smack dab in the middle of the dash, not to mention uneven seams and bad door-to-dash matchup. Not like I expect much, though.

[The O.C.]

How closely did you inspect the G6?

Trunk IS double-hinged

As far as the Azera, I have to reiterate my laughter at the thought that its really that outstanding. The example I saw November at the Tampa Auto Show was downright laughable with far too many typical Korean cost-cutting signs like deadplates, a $.49 quartz digital clock, and the hillarious door chime speaker smack dab in the middle of the dash, not to mention uneven seams and bad door-to-dash matchup. Not like I expect much, though.

The actual trunk hinge is not the problem.

With the top stowed, when you open the trunk lid, you cannot access the luggage compartment.

You have to put the top up....then re-open the trunk lid, and get your stuff out/etc.

[VenSeattle]

Disappointments?

Buick Lucerne - After spending much more time in and around the car, my impression of it keeps going down and down.  The quality of the materials inside the car is an embarrassment at $26,000 (CX) not to mention $39,000 (CXS.)  GM is truly fooling itself if they think this car can compete with Lexus (not to mention Toyota.)  Plus, it lacks way too many features that are becoming more-and-more commonplace in the competition. 

Okay... Beside the powertrain (which an update should be coming), what standard & available "features" are becoming common place on $26k-$34k sedans that the Lucerne is lacking?

I can only think of one feature: Power telescoping Steering Wheel

--

Other than the hard lower dash plastic (which is low gloss and nicely textured) I really can't see how you can fault the entire interior as an "embarassment at $26,000."

[The O.C.]

Okay... Beside the powertrain (which an update should be coming), what standard & available "features" are becoming common place on $26k-$34k sedans that the Lucerne is lacking?

I can only think of one feature: Power telescoping Steering Wheel

--

Other than the hard lower dash plastic (which is low gloss and nicely textured) I really can't see how you can fault the entire interior as an "embarassment at $26,000."

The interior I liked at first but the more time I spend inside of it, the materials and soft, sofa-like buckets really are starting to disappoint me. In many ways, it's not even competitive with many midsize sedans out there (Camry, Fusion, Accord, even LaCrosse in some ways) hence my "$26,000" comment.

Features lacking? Other than lacking a 5-6 speed automatic, and a HF V6.....and RWD.....(which are BIG negatives I might add.....)

1) Power tilt-and-telescope (as you mention.)

2) Xenon headlamps

3) Articulating/tilting front headrests

4) Actual rear headrests (as opposed to molded-in headrests)

5) Power rear sunshade and/or side-window sunshades

6) Navigation system (reported to be coming....but it's not here yet.)

Some of them are big to me (T&T, xenons, nav) others are small details (headrests, sunshade, etc.) but these are features becoming commonplace in the $30K-$40K pricerange....at least as options.

I still like the styling, and think it's a decent car...and you get good room for the money. I just think that compared to the competition, it's lacking too much to actively entice import buyers to once again consider a $30K-$40K Buick.

[Flybrian]

O.C., I can say what disappoints me about the Lucerne is not necessarily a lack of those little features, but the presence of many of them on older GM G-bodies.

For example, my father's 2000 Bonnie has articulating headrests and my '96 Aurora has three-position lockable articulating headrests. His Pontiac has a HUD, so did the LeSabre and PA (among others), yet no option in the Lucernce for this excellent feature.

His car also has the load-leveling suspension as does the Lucerne, yet has has an air compressor hookup so one can inflate your own tires. I completely fail to understand why this is not a feature on the numerous 2000+ GM cars that also feature rear load-level as its perhaps the best, most useful feature I've seen on any car. To my knowledge, none of the import competition has this.

I also don't understand how the 1998 Seville and 2000 DeVille have express-down windows all around, yet the Lucerne doesn't? Oh, but it has push-down/pull-up switches. Wow. Color me impressed about this meaningless alteration.

To me, things like sunshades and rear headrest are trinkety and don't matter. The molded ones look better, IMO, and allow better visibility. In either case, GM vehicles never really had these features (DHS did have a power sunshade, but how many DHSs have you seen?), so it doesn't bother me. But all these other things that cars on the exact same platform have had for 5 years, 7 years, a decade? That's the saddest of it all.

[The O.C.]

O.C., I can say what disappoints me about the Lucerne is not necessarily a lack of those little features, but the presence of many of them on older GM G-bodies.

For example, my father's 2000 Bonnie has articulating headrests and my '96 Aurora has three-position lockable articulating headrests. His Pontiac has a HUD, so did the LeSabre and PA (among others), yet no option in the Lucernce for this excellent feature.

His car also has the load-leveling suspension as does the Lucerne, yet has has an air compressor hookup so one can inflate your own tires. I completely fail to understand why this is not a feature on the numerous 2000+ GM cars that also feature rear load-level as its perhaps the best, most useful feature I've seen on any car. To my knowledge, none of the import competition has this.

I also don't understand how the 1998 Seville and 2000 DeVille have express-down windows all around, yet the Lucerne doesn't? Oh, but it has push-down/pull-up switches. Wow. Color me impressed about this meaningless alteration.

To me, things like sunshades and rear headrest are trinkety and don't matter. The molded ones look better, IMO, and allow better visibility. In either case, GM vehicles never really had these features (DHS did have a power sunshade, but how many DHSs have you seen?), so it doesn't bother me. But all these other things that cars on the exact same platform have had for 5 years, 7 years, a decade? That's sad.

Crap....I forgot about the HUD....(LOVE it now that I have it in my C6) and the auto up/down windows are big too......add those two to my list. Even my $62K C6 convertible only has auto down on the driver's side....ugh.

Also, the overall dash design is nice....but bland and conservative (compared to cars like the Avalon, new Camry, and some Lexus designs.) Materials leave alot to be desired still IMHO.

I'm a proponent for gated-shifters....I like them. Maybe I don't know WHY I like them, but I just do.

[Flybrian]

I'm a proponent for gated-shifters....I like them.  Maybe I don't know WHY I like them, but I just do.

Heh. That depends with me. Some gated shifters feel too small and too...tiny? It hard to describe, but in many (namely imports) I've been in with gated shifters, it feels like I need to move the shifter with my fingers instead of wrapping my hand around it and I really don't like that feeling.

The downsized E-body Toronado had a throttle-style shifter. Man, that's awesome.

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[The O.C.]

it feels like I need to move the shifter with my fingers instead of wrapping my hand around it and I really don't like that feeling.

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Oh.....oh.....that's too tempting to pass up.......talking about using your fingers on the "shifter" as opposed to wrapping your hands around it.....

But maybe that's a comment that belongs in The Lounge......

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

Ford Edge/Lincoln MKX - What do these entries bring to the table to entice you to consider purchasing them over the myriad of options already out in the marketplace

That's a very vague and general statement... The same could be made for COUNTLESS vehicles, especially asian models. As long as there is competition, there will be 'like' entries.

I think the Lucerne is quite nice...

Sure, overall I think Detroit has a ways to go (As always-- I mean, that's our 'conditioned' pop culture opinion) But I think we're seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. That is, of course, unless the media keeps pop culture opinion the same (Which they probably will.

The imports are just better "because" or "because they say they're better"

It's always something... Next it'll be: because domestics don't offer digital dashes. We all know it's not an innovation until it's debuted by the asians.

[BuddyP]

I did miss quit a bit while I was there but also saw a decent amount to say that I thought GM was on par (or better than) most of the other comparible vehicles in the interior design/fit and finish dept. The new Civic is no better than the Cobalt, the new Tahoe is 10 times better than the Armada (or Infiniti's version), the Ridgeline was a joke for the price they are asking. I really had to put deep thought into how the media could bash GM's "materials/fit and finish" over the imports??

[The O.C.]

I did miss quit a bit while I was there but also saw a decent amount to say that I thought GM was on par (or better than) most of the other comparible vehicles in the interior design/fit and finish dept. The new Civic is no better than the Cobalt, the new Tahoe is 10 times better than the Armada (or Infiniti's version), the Ridgeline was a joke for the price they are asking. I really had to put deep thought into how the media could bash GM's "materials/fit and finish" over the imports??

The Tahoe I'll give you......100%.

But the Cobalt? It's a JOKE compared to the fit-and-finish and quality of materials. Now, interior STYLING may be a different thing....but as far as quality and fit...? Nah....GM has a LONG ways to go.

I don't think Ridgeline is a "joke." It's got hard plastic all over the dash. But you know what? So does the new Tahoe. It's the interior styling that is so different......so different strokes for different folks. Personally, I like the new Tahoe's interior way better style-wise....but I can't say that Ridgeline is any less well-put-together....