Fourth-Quarter 2018: General Motors

[William Maley]

GM’s U.S. Crossover Sales Topped 1 million in 2018

• CHEVROLET AND GMC TOGETHER LEAD U.S. INDUSTRY
• PICKUP SALES FOR THE FIFTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR DOUBLE-DIGIT GAIN IN COMMERCIAL DELIVERIES VS. 2017
• RECORD FOURTH QUARTER AND FULL-YEAR AVERAGE TRANSACTION PRICES

DETROIT – General Motors (NYSE: GM) announced today that it delivered 2,954,037 vehicles in 2018, including more than 1 million crossovers, almost 974,000 pickup trucks and more than 280,000 large SUVs.

“We have built the most successful pickup, SUV and crossover business in the industry and we gained considerable momentum in the fourth quarter of 2018 as dealers began delivering the all-new Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra and Cadillac XT4,” said Kurt McNeil, U.S. vice president, Sales Operations.

GM’s fourth quarter deliveries totaled 785,229 units and the company’s share of the industry’s retail sales grew every month from October through December.

“We feel confident heading into 2019 because we have more major truck and crossover launches coming during the year and the U.S. economy is strong,” McNeil added. 

GM delivers more than 1 million crossovers in the U.S. in 2018

• GM crossover deliveries totaled 1,034,808 in 2018, up 7 percent versus 2017, and the following five nameplates had record calendar year sales:
• GMC Terrain up 34 percent 
• Chevrolet Traverse up 19 percent  
• Chevrolet Equinox up 15 percent 
• Chevrolet Trax up 13 percent 
• Buick Encore up 6 percent  
• The first-ever Cadillac XT4 became the best-selling vehicle in its segment just two months after launch. Cadillac will be introducing all-new models every six months, on average, through the end of 2021.

Total sales of all utility vehicles, including large SUVs, totaled 1,295,700, up 7 percent. The Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban were up 5 percent and 7 percent, respectively, and the Cadillac Escalade ended the year with a retail segment share twice that of its closest domestic competitor.

Chevrolet and GMC pickup sales leadership continues

• The Chevrolet Colorado had its best year ever, with 134,842 pickups sold, up 19 percent versus 2017.
• Combined sales of the Chevrolet Silverado and Colorado, and the GMC Sierra and Canyon, rose 3 percent versus 2017 to a total of 973,463 pickups.
• GM has now sold more pickups in the United States than any other competitor for five consecutive years. Through November, the next closest competitor had sold 821,558 pickups.

A fast start for new Chevrolet and GMC pickups  

GM’s all-new light-duty pickups, the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, have invigorated the segment and helped the company pass its domestic competitors in key areas:

• GM’s retail share of the light-duty pickup segment has increased every month since August, according to J.D. Power PIN estimates, and GM led the segment every month during the fourth quarter.
• GM has had the highest ATPs in the segment since October, according to J.D. Power PIN, driven by incentive discipline and a strong mix. More than 90 percent of the all-new 2019 model-year sales in the quarter were crew cab models, and at GMC, more than 70 percent of deliveries were premium Denali and AT4 models.
• GM’s incentives as a percent of ATP were the lowest among domestic competitors during the fourth quarter.

These results reflect the successful sell-down of the previous generation Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500s, and strong demand for the all-new models. During the fourth quarter, the all-new models accounted for 17 percent of GM light-duty deliveries, as planned. By the end of January, the new models are expected to be the majority of light-duty sales.

“We are very bullish on pickups heading into 2019,” McNeil said. “The light-duty launch has been one of the best in our history, with a very smooth production ramp-up of the new models and a faster than expected sell-down of the old models. We are following that up with all-new HD trucks, and the first-ever Chevrolet Silverado medium-duty chassis cab trucks for commercial customers.”

In December, Chevrolet confirmed that its next-generation Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD will be on sale in the second half of 2019. The medium-duty Silverados are now shipping to dealers.

Double-digit Commercial delivery increase

• GM posted an 11 percent year-over-year increase in Commercial deliveries in 2018, following average annual growth of 7 percent from 2012-2017.
• Fleet sales for the year were up 9 percent versus 2017, and were down 4 percent for the fourth quarter.
• Commercial and government deliveries in 2018 were more than half of fleet sales, as planned.

Chevrolet Bolt EV sales

• GM increased production of the Chevrolet Bolt EV during the fourth quarter to meet strong global demand, including higher than expected demand in South Korea and Canada, and to begin rebuilding U.S. dealer inventories.
• GM expects higher year-over-year sales in Bolt EV’s major markets in 2019. 

GM operating highlights

• GM estimates that the light vehicle SAAR in the fourth quarter was 17.7 million units. Light vehicle sales for the calendar year are estimated at 17.3 million units.
• GM’s retail mix was 80 percent for the fourth quarter and 79 percent for the year.
• ATPs were a record $36,974 in the fourth quarter and a record $35,839 for the year, according to J.D. Power PIN estimates.
• GM’s incentives as a percent of ATP for the fourth quarter were 12.7 percent, down 1.0 percentage point year over year, according to J.D. Power PIN estimates. For the year, incentives were 13.0 percent of ATP, down 0.3 percentage points.
• Year-end 2018 inventory was 755,000 units, essentially equal to a year ago.

[Drew Dowdell]

1 hour ago, William Maley said:

Cadillac XT4 became the best-selling vehicle in its segment just two months after launch

Woah!

[smk4565]

23 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Woah!

XT5 sales dropped 7,747 in 2018, they sold 7,785 XT4's.  Hmmm, I think that isn't a coincidence. 

 

Overall the sedans got beat up for the quarter an the year, no surprise there.  Acadia and Envision down over 20% for the year in a crossover market is a bit worrying, although that Envision is dated and overpriced, they need to rethink that model ,or just push people toward Cadillac dealers for crossovers.  Terrain, Traverse and Equinox had strong years, they do advertise he heck out of those but I also wonder if rising car prices and rising interest rates has people looking more at a Terrain vs an Acadia because of ow the payments have spiked.

[Drew Dowdell]

2 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

XT5 sales dropped 7,747 in 2018, they sold 7,785 XT4's.  Hmmm, I think that isn't a coincidence. 

 

Overall the sedans got beat up for the quarter an the year, no surprise there.  Acadia and Envision down over 20% for the year in a crossover market is a bit worrying, although that Envision is dated and overpriced, they need to rethink that model ,or just push people toward Cadillac dealers for crossovers.  Terrain, Traverse and Equinox had strong years, they do advertise he heck out of those but I also wonder if rising car prices and rising interest rates has people looking more at a Terrain vs an Acadia because of ow the payments have spiked.

7

Envision is overpriced and small compared to the Terrain sitting in the same showroom. Feature for feature, even though the Terrain itself is pricey, it is a better value than the Envision.  The Acadia is such a snoozer of a vehicle.  If you're looking for a 5-passenger crossover, the Terrain is probably sufficient and looks better. If you need 7 passenger, there is the lovely looking Enclave sitting next to it.  Plus, the base engine in the Acadia sucks, so anyone wanting to get the good V6 has to cough up the money to get to at least a mid-level vehicle.... and then they get hit with GM's assinine pricing.   If you're buying something the Acadia's size, you go to the Jeep or Honda dealership and don't look back.

I think the issue with the XT5 is that it is time for a visual refresh.  I never really cared for the looks of it from the start, but refreshing it to the new Cadillac face would help significantly.  I still prefer the previous SRX over the XT5.

[smk4565]

All true and with the Envision you can get an Acura RDX or Lincoln MKC for the same money and those are better cars, or get a Volvo and that is probably the best of the bunch.  These crossover segments are so saturated too and they just keep adding more.

[Drew Dowdell]

34 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

All true and with the Envision you can get an Acura RDX or Lincoln MKC for the same money and those are better cars, or get a Volvo and that is probably the best of the bunch.  These crossover segments are so saturated too and they just keep adding more.

The RDX is a fine car on paper, but I do not like the way it drives...the brakes on it are scary. 

[riviera74]

WOW.  Assuming those numbers are accurate, GM sedans are not selling well at all.  Fewer than 700,000 sold for 2018?  No wonder GM is ditching FWD sedans for FWD crossovers.

It is good that the XT4 has found an audience without completely cannibalizing the XT5.  Some Cadillac buyers wanted to go smaller I guess.  Save the CT6.

I do wonder why (given the Buick/GMC dealerships) the Envision AND the Terrain are on sale on the same lot.  Same with the Enclave and the Acadia.  The Buick/GMC dealerships should just sell the Enclave and the Terrain since both are the better vehicles in their respective segments.

[Robert Hall]

2 hours ago, riviera74 said:

 

I do wonder why (given the Buick/GMC dealerships) the Envision AND the Terrain are on sale on the same lot.  Same with the Enclave and the Acadia.  The Buick/GMC dealerships should just sell the Enclave and the Terrain since both are the better vehicles in their respective segments.

Buick and GMC with regard to CUVs seem to be like Buick and Olds in the 80s-90s with sedans.  Two slightly different flavors of essentially the same product....two middle filler brands between Chevy and Cadillac. 

[riviera74]

22 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

Buick and GMC with regard to CUVs seem to be like Buick and Olds in the 80s-90s with sedans.  Two slightly different flavors of essentially the same product....two middle filler brands between Chevy and Cadillac. 

If all the crossovers were built in the same factory, I completely agree.  Problem is is that Buick has the Encore built in Korea and the Envision built in China.  I get the Encore, but the Envision could be SO MUCH BETTER.  The truly sad part is that GM (and Ford and FCA) are essentially justified in ditching sedans for crossovers and SUVs because sedans do not sell well anymore.  Even Toyota and Honda and Nissan cannot sell sedans like they were accustomed to 10-15 years ago.

[Robert Hall]

 Too many boring AWD/FWD transverse 4cyl or V6 automatic appliances...I know that is what the market seems to want, but does GM really need 4 brands worth of them?   Different styling, same boring hardware underneath... 

Not that different than GM in the 80s-90s when they had so many similar, overlapping subcompact, compact and midsize FWD transverse 4cyl and V6 sedans and coupes...so much forgettable mediocrity.

Edited January 5, 2019 by Robert Hall

[Drew Dowdell]

I wonder how much of the SUV change over is just the general aging of the population. Hauling Albert's parents around it is much easier to get them in and out of the Encore than it is to get them in and out of the Cruze. 

[ccap41]

9 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

I wonder how much of the SUV change over is just the general aging of the population. Hauling Albert's parents around it is much easier to get them in and out of the Encore than it is to get them in and out of the Cruze. 

I'm still on the younger side of life and getting in and out of a smaller SUV/CUV is much preferred than getting out of my Focus. I thought my Escape's seat height was perfect for my height. The step in and out was almost exactly my standing height so I didn't step up or down to get in and out of it. 

I want another. 

[Drew Dowdell]

21 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

I'm still on the younger side of life and getting in and out of a smaller SUV/CUV is much preferred than getting out of my Focus. I thought my Escape's seat height was perfect for my height. The step in and out was almost exactly my standing height so I didn't step up or down to get in and out of it. 

I want another. 

You're getting old. ?

[Robert Hall]

43 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

I'm still on the younger side of life and getting in and out of a smaller SUV/CUV is much preferred than getting out of my Focus. I thought my Escape's seat height was perfect for my height. The step in and out was almost exactly my standing height so I didn't step up or down to get in and out of it. 

I want another. 

I get it...after almost 25 years of having an SUV as a daily driver, I find it perfectly natural.  My WK2 GC sits a bit higher than my WJ GC (20 vs 16 inch wheels/tires), but it's still very easy to get in and out compared to a car.. I was 24 when I first started driving SUVs daily (Bronco II)...and now I'm 48..and feel my age in my knees and hips.. though I do miss driving cars w/ manuals. 

Edited January 7, 2019 by Robert Hall

[ccap41]

20 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

You're getting old. ?

RIGHT?!?

*sigh* 

[G. David Felt]

On 1/5/2019 at 8:51 AM, Robert Hall said:

 Too many boring AWD/FWD transverse 4cyl or V6 automatic appliances...I know that is what the market seems to want, but does GM really need 4 brands worth of them?   Different styling, same boring hardware underneath... 

Not that different than GM in the 80s-90s when they had so many similar, overlapping subcompact, compact and midsize FWD transverse 4cyl and V6 sedans and coupes...so much forgettable mediocrity.

I do wonder if the next major change of GM will be to retire a couple name plates, which ones is up for debate, but since China seems to love Buick over Cadillac, Could we see a future GM that is Chevrolet / Buick only? 

Makes me wonder what the Escalade would look like with a Waterfall nose on the SUV. ?

[ccap41]

11 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

I get it...after almost 25 years of having an SUV as a daily driver, I find it perfectly natural.  My WK2 GC sits a bit higher than my WJ GC (20 vs 16 inch wheels/tires), but it's still very easy to get in and out compared to a car.. 

They're just nice entry/exit heights.. Trucks aren't the same. My dad's Taco I have to step up into and jump out of a bit and it's stock height. Getting in and out of that isn't as nice as I feel like it should be for a "small" truck. 

[smk4565]

19 minutes ago, dfelt said:

I do wonder if the next major change of GM will be to retire a couple name plates, which ones is up for debate, but since China seems to love Buick over Cadillac, Could we see a future GM that is Chevrolet / Buick only? 

Makes me wonder what the Escalade would look like with a Waterfall nose on the SUV. ?

Can't retire Cadillac as it is supposed to be a global brand, at least it is here and in China.  GMC could be retired as it is an American market product, and you pretty much have a Chevy or Buick clone of everything they sell, and you can always utilize Cadillac for more SUVs also.

Originally the plan was to make Buick cars and GMC trucks and they wouldn't fight over each other in the dealership.  But now that Buick is mostly an SUV brand and sedans are going away, they just overlap.

[Drew Dowdell]

I think Buick could be in danger in the US.  One thing is clear is that they will be an all SUV brand in the US soon. 

[Robert Hall]

29 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

They're just nice entry/exit heights.. Trucks aren't the same. My dad's Taco I have to step up into and jump out of a bit and it's stock height. Getting in and out of that isn't as nice as I feel like it should be for a "small" truck. 

Yeah, some trucks were low..I remember the S10s and Rangers my Dad and brother had were easy to get in and out of...my Dad's old Power Wagon I learned to drive in had a high step up.   I've never been a truck person, though..never needed to haul stuff more than I can fit in an SUV. 

5 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

I think Buick could be in danger in the US.  One thing is clear is that they will be an all SUV brand in the US soon. 

Which then begs the question do they need both GMC and Buick in the US, since they overlap so much. 

[G. David Felt]

23 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

Which then begs the question do they need both GMC and Buick in the US, since they overlap so much. 

That has been the other thinking is could we see GMC / Buick go away in the US leaving a Chevrolet / Cadillac brand for the US market and a Buick / Cadillac setup for China or would it be a Chevrolet / Buick lineup for China.

[Drew Dowdell]

They won't be closing GMC in the US anytime soon. It prints money for GM. How else are they going to convince people to pay $45k for an Equinox with a different face?

[Robert Hall]

7 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

They won't be closing GMC in the US anytime soon. It prints money for GM. How else are they going to convince people to pay $45k for an Equinox with a different face?

Heh-heh, Chevy is trying to convince people to pay $50k for an Acadia that looks like a Camaro mated with a Murano (Blazer)....  

Edited January 7, 2019 by Robert Hall

[A Horse With No Name]

48 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

Heh-heh, Chevy is trying to convince people to pay $50k for an Acadia that looks like a Camaro mated with a Murano (Blazer)....  

Why do you think I love Jeep so much...such a good value for the money in comparison IMHO. 

[Suaviloquent]

I saw the new Edge and Blazer in person, I didn't snap pics cause they're that ugly. Spare you the eye strain.

The Edge looks exactly like the EcoSnooze...EcoFlail...The UNEconomicalSport... Not a good look. 

And the Blazer is a Frankenstein. Why...just whyzzz... Even my brother - he's into SUVs with X6 and Merc crossover coupe style  because I qoute he 'likes their fat asses'

WTF... The two domestic automakers, they cancel their best looking stuff left and right and leave behind in exchange really questionable looking crossovers....BUTT that is the reason...

[G. David Felt]

2 hours ago, Suaviloquent said:

I saw the new Edge and Blazer in person, I didn't snap pics cause they're that ugly. Spare you the eye strain.

The Edge looks exactly like the EcoSnooze...EcoFlail...The UNEconomicalSport... Not a good look. 

And the Blazer is a Frankenstein. Why...just whyzzz... Even my brother - he's into SUVs with X6 and Merc crossover coupe style  because I qoute he 'likes their fat asses'

WTF... The two domestic automakers, they cancel their best looking stuff left and right and leave behind in exchange really questionable looking crossovers....BUTT that is the reason...

Sadly all those cars have such pathetics Asses and lack luster interiors, space and performance. Let them R.I.P.

[ocnblu]

Real nice '19 Edge SEL AWD in Baltic Sea Green with Dune vinyl interior at a local dealer.  It is hard for me to get excited about the Blazer in lower trims that I could afford.  The RS looks the best.  Even in PA where AWD is "needed", the Blazer RS models in the pipeline are all FWD... tells me that dealers know there is going to be price resistance, and with GM touting "incentive discipline", they're apt to sit on the lots... Edge ST can be bought cheaper and has way more power, with standard AWD.

 

[ocnblu]

Blazer Build&Price is finally up, and one detail I find odd, yet telling, is you can either click on a black nameplates kit, or the black bowties, but not both on a Blazer 2LT, it is like they don't want customers to dress Blazer in sport apparel unless they pony up for RS.  Also, the silver painted alloys... there is no machined wheel option, as with the Edge SEL for about $800... Chevy offers a black 20" wheel package for $1995.  Again with GM's pricing structure...

Edited January 8, 2019 by ocnblu

[Cmicasa the Great]

Quick point of facts. The Acadia sells. Its obvious. The issue with a 20% drop in sales stems from one major issue that not one of U have even brought up... 2017 and some of 2018 had a mix of two Acadias.. the big one and the lil one. The Big one is no longer avail.. sales drop. go figure.

The Envision is bland but it also sells. GM would be foolish to get rid of it because despite its sales it is profitable simply because of the price point and the low labor cost country of origin not utilizing UAW $$$ workers. It is a perfect bridge vehicle between the Encore and the Enclave until something else arrives. 

The Camaro is a huge worry. And the reality of things is that American buyers have spoken and said plain and clear.. they do not want the best handling mainstream sports coupe on the market and to hell with all that advanced bullcrap. Chevy should literally unmothball the Zeta platform Chevy SS, and for 2020 introduce the Camaro on the Chevy SS bones, size and all, with sleeker styling and AWD optional. The Challenger is a boat in my opinion that resides on a platform that literally goes back to the CLINTON ADMINISTRATION .. I'm talking before we really knu who Britney Spears was.. When Trump was considered cool... The platform for the Challenger was introduced before planes flew into the World Trade Center.. and Americans buy it because its big and has a big engine.. and GM needs to recognize this and understand that Americans cried for Euro handling, but really didn't want it. Except me. I prefer these current cars way more than the straight line bull$#!+ that I grew up with and FCA is currently selling. 

Cadillac. The XT4 would of course steal some XT5 sales.. ,much to the delight of @smk4565. No different than the GLA stealing sales from the GLC which stole sales from the GLE.  Or the NX stealing a few RX sales over at Lexus. GM is doing the right thing by also bring that XT6. Here's the beauty of it.. as long as its executed properly.. THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME VEHICLE JUST DIFFERENT SIZES and HEIGHTS. I bet good money that they cost literally no wide difference in cost to build. Anyone else notice that thus far, without Q4 Earning announced that GM has, pulled in about $7 Billion. They seem to be making proper decisions, unlike days of old and listening to us enthusiasts. 

 To the XT6 coming.. What were your expectations? An Omega based CUV? Even if, would it matter? Cadillac didn't fail in this decision. We as consumer did. While Cadillac was building quite possibly the best large sedan on the market under $100K on an advanced RWD based super-lite platform, sales of the FWD based XTS held fast and strong. BTW, I had a chance to take a ride in a new Navigator. Cadillac could simply make a few tweaks to the 5 year old Escalade and again be on top of that one. Nothing special, and when we pulled up to the Costco, I heard a lady tell her BF or Husband how ugly it was compared to the Tahoe.. THE TAHOE, they pulled up in. I felt a little sorry for my friend who had just spent $95K on it. Never hear that in reference to an Escalade, Yukon, or Tahoe.

 

[ccap41]

13 hours ago, Suaviloquent said:

I saw the new Edge and Blazer in person, I didn't snap pics cause they're that ugly. Spare you the eye strain.

The Edge looks exactly like the EcoSnooze...EcoFlail...The UNEconomicalSport... Not a good look. 

And the Blazer is a Frankenstein. Why...just whyzzz... Even my brother - he's into SUVs with X6 and Merc crossover coupe style  because I qoute he 'likes their fat asses'

WTF... The two domestic automakers, they cancel their best looking stuff left and right and leave behind in exchange really questionable looking crossovers....BUTT that is the reason...

You might not like the Edge, and that's fine, but I don't see how it looks "exactly" like the EcoSport.

I don't find the new Chevy and Ford offerings as questionable.. They seem perfectly acceptable in the CUV-heavy market. 

[Cmicasa the Great]

Also. Special note. After reading an article by the Auto Extremest, I have become of like mind with his ranting self. CADILLAC SHOULD KILL THE VSERIES PROGRAM.. Yup.. I said it. Cadillac's Platinum trim should be the top trim in HP as well. The VSeries program as great as it is.. its inconsistent. Unless U are going to have a VSeries on all vehicles.. kill it.  All Cadillacs should be great handlers, while still retaining a cloud like ride, via button. In my CTS-V, along with the XT5 and CT6 the driving mode button literally changes the attitude and feel of the vehicle. Touring is the Cadillac ride. Sport and Track are not. Same for the Corvette BTW.

As I've said all along.. Cadillac should have always been more like Mercedes than BMW. I think things got cloudy when Pontiac died as at one point the Pontiac brand was supposed to be the BMW competitor to a point. Even the G8 (Commodore) was being compared to the 5Series in Oz, from what I remember. I mean lets face it.. Benz really is what Cadillac once was. And its an easier sell to sell luxury from a known luxury brand than Sport.

To be clear. BMW was not originally considered luxury in any real way. Mercedes was the luxury brand, and Audi was kinda like Buick. BMW=Pontiac. Benz=Cadillac. Audi=Buick. Build the CT3 still. CT5 Still. CT6 still. radical styling lifted straight from the concepts of the Ciel, ElMiraj, and Escala. Use those names as well. The CT6 being the Escala . The CT5 being the Ciel. And the CT3 being the Elmiraj. All avail in Convertible and coupe. The Platinum models being the most powerful. The VSeries? Bring in your Corvette Division finally. That is where U compete with BMW and even Porsche. Some will squawk on this but its seemingly what's happening. And truth be told the name Cadillac and Corvette are both highly coveted names, despite issues seen with the latter in terms of marketing the sporting edge. I've just come to except it. My CTS-V, styling (sans the CB spoiler), handling, power.. would all be more acceptable if it just was a CTS Platinum. The upcoming CT6-V really shouldn't be called VSeries. U put a Black-Wing logo on the side and let it do the talking. Same for all upcoming Cadillacs moving forward. 

[Drew Dowdell]

3 hours ago, ocnblu said:

Real nice '19 Edge SEL AWD in Baltic Sea Green with Dune vinyl interior at a local dealer.  It is hard for me to get excited about the Blazer in lower trims that I could afford.  The RS looks the best.  Even in PA where AWD is "needed", the Blazer RS models in the pipeline are all FWD... tells me that dealers know there is going to be price resistance, and with GM touting "incentive discipline", they're apt to sit on the lots... Edge ST can be bought cheaper and has way more power, with standard AWD.

 

Oddly, Chevy is making the Traverse RS in FWD only.... I wonder if the same thing is happening at least in terms of production mix with Blazer. 

You're right though that the RS is the looker of the bunch.  The rest of the trims don't excite me much, but I do like the RS. 

[Cmicasa the Great]

5 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Oddly, Chevy is making the Traverse RS in FWD only.... I wonder if the same thing is happening at least in terms of production mix with Blazer. 

You're right though that the RS is the looker of the bunch.  The rest of the trims don't excite me much, but I do like the RS. 

Definitely.. Sexy lil whip. Dunno why Chevy just doesn't make only this trim. Wouldn't it some time just make sense to make all your vehicles look the same within a name. Does Mazda really change any of their models from trim to trim

 

[Drew Dowdell]

3 hours ago, ocnblu said:

Blazer Build&Price is finally up, and one detail I find odd, yet telling, is you can either click on a black nameplates kit, or the black bowties, but not both on a Blazer 2LT, it is like they don't want customers to dress Blazer in sport apparel unless they pony up for RS.  Also, the silver painted alloys... there is no machined wheel option, as with the Edge SEL for about $800... Chevy offers a black 20" wheel package for $1995.  Again with GM's pricing structure...

In order to get adaptive cruise control, you have to pony up $3,575 for the ENHANCED CONVENIENCE AND DRIVER CONFIDENCE II PACKAGE. Also means a minumum of RS or Premier trims before that package becomes available. 

Adaptive Cruise is standard on Edge and Passport and RAV4 and Highlander and Pilot.

[frogger]

High MSRP's on the Blazer with low standard equipment on the Blazer.   By the time you option it with niceties like a pano roof, adaptive cruise it is 50k plus, why not get a premium brand at that price with more tech.  It is not like the Blazer gets you a tonne of space compared to cars like the Q5, XC60 etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Robert Hall]

1 hour ago, Cmicasa the Great said:

Definitely.. Sexy lil whip. Dunno why Chevy just doesn't make only this trim. Wouldn't it some time just make sense to make all your vehicles look the same within a name.  

 

That would be pretty boring...the point of offering different trims is to give consumers choice.  Look at all the variations available in the Grand Cherokee, Challenger, etc...choice is good. 

 

2 hours ago, ccap41 said:

You might not like the Edge, and that's fine, but I don't see how it looks "exactly" like the EcoSport. 

The Edge looks much the same as it's been since 2015...just minor front/rear fascia changes for 2019 that I can see...

Edited January 8, 2019 by Robert Hall

[ccap41]

4 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

The Edge looks much the same as it's been since 2015...just minor front/rear fascia changes for 2019 that I can see...

Yeah just tweaks to the front  and rear. I don't think the '15's looked aged yet but the '14's look almost 20 years older. 

[Drew Dowdell]

25 minutes ago, frogger said:

High MSRP's on the Blazer with low standard equipment on the Blazer.   By the time you option it with niceties like a pano roof, adaptive cruise it is 50k plus, why not get a premium brand at that price with more tech.  It is not like the Blazer gets you a tonne of space compared to cars like the Q5, XC60 etc.

 

It's not just the Blazer, the whole GM lineup is spartan on the low end and pricey on the high end. 

[oldshurst442]

2 hours ago, Cmicasa the Great said:

Also. Special note. After reading an article by the Auto Extremest, I have become of like mind with his ranting self. CADILLAC SHOULD KILL THE VSERIES PROGRAM.. Yup.. I said it. Cadillac's Platinum trim should be the top trim in HP as well. The VSeries program as great as it is.. its inconsistent. Unless U are going to have a VSeries on all vehicles.. kill it.

He does go a bit further than that.

He wants Corvette to be a brand. And he says that the Cadillac V Series cars would benefit more if Corvette took over those and sell them too.

Id agree with him on that as well!!!

 

Its not as if the checkered flags did not go on vehicles other than the Corvette...

Intead of the V Series badge, a chekered flad emblem could adorn the cars and sold as Corvette tuned GM vehicles. From there, the Escalade could get done...

And of course other vehicles from GM like the Blazer. Or even Tahoe. Different mods for different GM brands? Maybe?

And from there, Corvette tuning could branch out to other performance makes. Hyundai's Genesis maybe?

Hennessey does it with the Escalade. Hennessey does a Hellcat too I think along with the Exorcist Camaro. (I cant stand the man, he is a crook, but, for all intents and purposes of this conversation...)  why not the Corvette racing and performnce team at GM?

Edited January 8, 2019 by oldshurst442

[smk4565]

2 hours ago, Cmicasa the Great said:

Also. Special note. After reading an article by the Auto Extremest, I have become of like mind with his ranting self. CADILLAC SHOULD KILL THE VSERIES PROGRAM.. Yup.. I said it. Cadillac's Platinum trim should be the top trim in HP as well. The VSeries program as great as it is.. its inconsistent. Unless U are going to have a VSeries on all vehicles.. kill it.  All Cadillacs should be great handlers, while still retaining a cloud like ride, via button. In my CTS-V, along with the XT5 and CT6 the driving mode button literally changes the attitude and feel of the vehicle. Touring is the Cadillac ride. Sport and Track are not. Same for the Corvette BTW.

As I've said all along.. Cadillac should have always been more like Mercedes than BMW. I think things got cloudy when Pontiac died as at one point the Pontiac brand was supposed to be the BMW competitor to a point. Even the G8 (Commodore) was being compared to the 5Series in Oz, from what I remember. I mean lets face it.. Benz really is what Cadillac once was. And its an easier sell to sell luxury from a known luxury brand than Sport.

To be clear. BMW was not originally considered luxury in any real way. Mercedes was the luxury brand, and Audi was kinda like Buick. BMW=Pontiac. Benz=Cadillac. Audi=Buick. Build the CT3 still. CT5 Still. CT6 still. radical styling lifted straight from the concepts of the Ciel, ElMiraj, and Escala. Use those names as well. The CT6 being the Escala . The CT5 being the Ciel. And the CT3 being the Elmiraj. All avail in Convertible and coupe. The Platinum models being the most powerful. The VSeries? Bring in your Corvette Division finally. That is where U compete with BMW and even Porsche. Some will squawk on this but its seemingly what's happening. And truth be told the name Cadillac and Corvette are both highly coveted names, despite issues seen with the latter in terms of marketing the sporting edge. I've just come to except it. My CTS-V, styling (sans the CB spoiler), handling, power.. would all be more acceptable if it just was a CTS Platinum. The upcoming CT6-V really shouldn't be called VSeries. U put a Black-Wing logo on the side and let it do the talking. Same for all upcoming Cadillacs moving forward. 

The problem for Cadillac is they had old retirees in Palm Beach buying cars and they realized they had to change course.  They saw Mercedes in the 1980s being the car for country club elites (Bobby and JR Ewing on Dallas drove them, the old lady on Falcon Crest had one, etc).  Thus Mercedes had a bit of an old stodgy image where as the BMW 3-series in the 90s and early 2000s was a huge seller and young people were gobbling them up and Cadillac wanted to get young buyers.  So they chased the 3-series, 5-series, and X5 with their early 2000s renaissance.  Then the Lexus RX got hot, so they changed course and went after that.  Inconsistent strategy, marketing and branding.

Mercedes stayed the course, the philosophy of now isn't really any different than the 1980s Mercedes, rock solid build quality, smooth ride, technology, safety, and powerful engine available in every car.  

Cadillac should be more like an American Mercedes, but that car is now Tesla it seems.  I would agree if you can't make a V-series of every Cadillac (which they can't with the platforms they use) then you might as well shut that down and focus on luxury with smooth ride and smooth acceleration.  An S560 does 0-60 in 4.5 seconds, that is pretty fast for any car let a lone a full size sedan and it isn't an AMG car, doesn't have any boy racer wings on it, etc   Cadillac can build torquey, smooth accelerating and riding cars, Battery-Electric can play a big role there, that is what Tesla is doing.  And Tesla don't have a "sport trim" either, unless the little P badge is a sport trim, but all the cars look the same.

52 minutes ago, frogger said:

High MSRP's on the Blazer with low standard equipment on the Blazer.   By the time you option it with niceties like a pano roof, adaptive cruise it is 50k plus, why not get a premium brand at that price with more tech.  It is not like the Blazer gets you a tonne of space compared to cars like the Q5, XC60 etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I read a fully loaded Blazer is $57,000!  They are nuts.  That is a well equipped XT5 that has the same engine and is the same size.   It gets you a bare bones GLC43 but that says AMG on it, not Chevy.  And there are a slew of Lincoln, Infiniti or Acura SUVs for $50k also, or a Jeep Grand Cherokee.

They have way overpriced the Blazer, the Honda Passport will probably outsell it.

[Robert Hall]

13 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

 

I read a fully loaded Blazer is $57,000!  They are nuts.   

Hard to comprehend...I could see maybe $35k for a AWD/FWD/transverse engine appliance, but $57k for such lowly hardware? 

[G. David Felt]

Talk about a Head Scratcher of choice. The only way I would buy a Blazer is as follows costing me an RS price of $53,755:

AND CHEVROLET JUST LOST THE WAR!!!

Built a Trailhawk 4x4 pretty much fully loaded with V8 compared to V6 at $54,015. I get so much more auto for the money. GM clearly is overpriced their CUVs. Love the look of the Blazer, but will take the Grand Cherokee over it.

[Drew Dowdell]

$800 a month lease for that Blazer is insane. Not that I'm one to run to Mercedes-Benz, but you can get a nicely equipped E450 4matic (MSRP $59950) for $776 a month. 

In fact, you can just go to the Cadillac dealer, get a $59,285 XT5 for $704 a month for the same platform vehicle.

 

 

Chevy will have to put cash on the hood of these Blazers soon enough.

[smk4565]

GM seems to think Chevrolet is the performance brand and people will pay for it.  That might work for a Corvette, but Camaro sales are down.  And they want to price a Blazer like a Cadillac.  It used to be the top end Chevys were still cheaper than a Cadillac.  Trying to move Chevy up market is stupid because it ignores the entry level buyer for other brands to pick up and puts Chevy on top of Buick and Cadillac.

[Robert Hall]

47 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

GM seems to think Chevrolet is the performance brand and people will pay for it.  That might work for a Corvette, but Camaro sales are down.  And they want to price a Blazer like a Cadillac.   

I could see them selling a Blazer as a performance SUV if it were built on the Camaro platform w/ the same engine choices (as the Camaro), but not some weak transverse engine FWD appliance...

Edited January 8, 2019 by Robert Hall

[smk4565]

1 hour ago, Robert Hall said:

I could see them selling a Blazer as a performance SUV if it were built on the Camaro platform w/ the same engine choices (as the Camaro), but not some weak transverse engine FWD appliance...

Well true, if it was an Alpha platform with a 335 hp V6 and 450 hp V8 option then I could see the $57k price for a V8 "camaro SUV."  But as it stands this is a Jeep Cherokee, Ford Edge, Honda Passport competitor which are like $28-$40k with exception of the Edge ST that is about $45k.

[Drew Dowdell]

3 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

Well true, if it was an Alpha platform with a 335 hp V6 and 450 hp V8 option then I could see the $57k price for a V8 "camaro SUV."  But as it stands this is a Jeep Cherokee, Ford Edge, Honda Passport competitor which are like $28-$40k with exception of the Edge ST that is about $45k.

1

but then you'd complain about the pushrods.

[A Horse With No Name]

6 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

but then you'd complain about the pushrods.

...and lack of Warp drive....lets be honest.

[Robert Hall]

I guess they think the Camaro/Murano mash up styling will attract customers and is worth a premium.  Time will show if this is a good idea or not.

[ccap41]

24 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

But as it stands this is a Jeep Cherokee, Ford Edge, Honda Passport competitor which are like $28-$40k with exception of the Edge ST that is about $45k.

While I agree the Blazer is priced ridiculously the Edge ST and Grand Cherokee easily surpass 45k. 

A Grand Cherokee Overland($48,745),  High Altitude($51,240), and Summit($55,040) are all above 45k in 2WD and 4WD. 4WD prices are what I typed out.