Flybrian

I'm sure its a bit more sophisticated than consumer runflats.

2004 Cadillac DeVille Protection Series-8

Heh. Its true. I'd rather see GM save some money to save Buick rather than be able to order leather seats with manual locks or some dumb option that no one would ever choose like that.

Personalization at that level would be inefficient nowadays.

I'd argue the Compass will end up low-selling because of its degaussing looks (men think its feminine, women think its crap), its illogical equipment configurations, highish price, odd-driving CVT, and lack of power. The Patriot (remember, its FWD, too) could've been done by making the NG Liberty lighter with a good 4cyl along with a closed-body Wrangler. *Actually, the Patriot is okay. Its the Compass that's such a waste.

Well, LaSorda claims he's interested in high margins off of low investments. The reasoning behind striking this yet building the Patriot and Compass is questionable.

"ARE YOU NOT BEING BUILT?!?!"

Yeah, though the last Riv wasn't as fat (too narrow, though) and the Velite had an awesome ass.

I had to stop the salesman from putting 5 gallons of 87 octane into my Aurora. "You'll get more gas, though." "What? Half a gallon? No, 93, please."

If it was a Buick, it would look better and it would seat two full-scale people in the backseat.

Yeah, that's...that's a pretty bad response regardless of what was written.

Every modern Nissan interior is ruined by that hideous three-spoke.

The best concept car in the history of man...

- Louis Chevrolet - Financier to David Buick's first car - Lincoln. He then sat around and laughed as they fought.

GM powertrain plans: Variety - but no diesel yet Richard Truett | | Automotive News / August 21, 2006 - 6:00 am General Motors' powertrain division is rolling out a variety of fuel-saving, high-tech engines; hybrid powertrains; and six-speed automatic transmissions. Because of high costs, GM does not plan to add diesels to passenger cars and light trucks before at least 2010. Here's a look at GM's strategy: Hybrids: GM plans a dozen hybrids by the end of the decade. But only eight models have been named thus far. GM's hybrid plans are much like its engine strategy. Some hybrid powertrains will be high-value and some high-feature. GM's first real hybrid, the Saturn Vue Greenline, is on the way to dealerships. The Vue Greenline, a mild hybrid, boosts fuel economy by 20 percent and gives the compact SUV a best-in-class highway figure of 32 mpg, GM says. The company will market the vehicle as the first affordable hybrid. The option is priced at only $1,995, putting the cost of the vehicle in the low $20,000s. The next hybrids in the pipeline are the Saturn Aura in the first half of the 2007 model year, followed by the Chevrolet Malibu later next year. Both cars use the Greenline's belt-alternator hybrid system. GM says it can install this system in any vehicle that uses the Ecotech four-cylinder engine. Next, GM plans to roll out its first full hybrids in the Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade. The 2008 Tahoe hybrid arrives in late 2007, followed by the Yukon. In 2008 comes the Escalade, which may be a 2009 model. Those vehicles use a rear-wheel-drive transmission with two electric motors. GM calls the transmission the Two-Mode, and it is being developed with BMW and DaimlerChrysler. The Two-Mode is also slated for use in GM's crew-cab pickups around 2008. GM is likely to round out its planned dozen hybrids by expanding the Two Mode into other truck-based vehicles. The automaker is testing a diesel-electric hybrid powertrain for the Opel and Saab brands. A GM insider says costs could be brought under control, and production is possible. Diesels: Unlike Ford and the Chrysler group, GM has no plans to install fuel-saving diesel engines in North American cars or light trucks. GM has built and tested a V-6 version of the Duramax diesel V-8 but shelved the engine two years ago. The barriers were technical challenges and the cost of an emissions system that meets upcoming air quality regulations. "We think we can do it, but it is going to mean that light-duty diesels are going to have several thousand dollars worth of additional control and after-treatment technology," GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said recently. One possibility: GM could use Saab to break into passenger-car diesels in the United States, as Ford Motor Co. might with its Volvo brand. GM's lone diesel for the United States, the Duramax V-8 used in heavy-duty pickups, is being revamped for 2007. The engine, due in the first quarter of 2007, may grow in size and power. Production at the Moraine, Ohio, engine plant is limited to about 180,000 engines per year. GM does not plan to add capacity, even though it could sell many more, said Tom Stephens, GM Powertrain Group vice president. Gasoline engines: Look for GM to boost its corporate average fuel economy numbers and lower emissions by equipping more gasoline engines, both push-rod and overhead-cam, with high-tech features. That includes such things as direct fuel injection and variable valve timing. Turbochargers also could gain wider use as GM boosts fuel economy by shrinking engines. The optional 260-hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged, direct-injected four-cylinder in the Pontiac Solstice GXP and Saturn Sky Redline could signal GM's future strategy for ultrapowerful small-displacement engines. Meanwhile, GM in 2007 plans to expand the availability of its fuel-saving cylinder cutoff technology from V-8 truck engines to the 3.9-liter V-6 in the Chevrolet Malibu. GM plans to offer 14 vehicles in 2007 that can run on E85 ethanol. It is the only automaker certified to sell E85 vehicles in all 50 states. Transmissions: GM's plans to boost fuel economy also include using a greater number of six-speed automatic transmissions. In July, production of a new front-wheel-drive six-speed automatic started in a Detroit area factory. GM expects a 4 percent fuel economy gain from the six-speed over the four-speed it replaces. GM plans to use the gearbox in numerous models, including the Pontiac G6, Saturn Aura and GMC Acadia. The gearbox also can be used in all-wheel-drive applications. GM is also moving to six-speed automatics in rear- and all-wheel drive vehicles such as the Cadillac SRX and STS.

Saturn: A new kind of Aura Automotive News / August 21, 2006 - 6:00 am Ion: Production ends in March. Astra: General Motors is expected to replace the Ion with an imported model, a rebadged Opel Astra. The 2008 Saturn Astra is expected to go on sale at the end of 2007. A sticker price of about $16,000 is likely. That would be nearly $3,500 more than the 2006 Saturn Ion 2 sedan, the base model. Three- and five-door models are expected and possibly a four-door model. The U.S.-bound Astra likely will be built in Antwerp, Belgium. Aura: The Aura sedan is arriving at dealerships. The Aura is built on the current Epsilon mid-sized architecture. But it is the lead vehicle showing Saturn and Opel design that will carry through to next-generation vehicles on the front-wheel-drive Epsilon 2 platform. The car is assembled in the United States. GM plans to launch the car with two V-6 engine choices: a 224-hp 3.5-liter and a 252-hp 3.6-liter. A hybrid debuts later in the model year. A model based on the next-generation Opel Vectra wagon is expected to be offered here as a 2009 or 2010 model. The wagon will be assembled in Germany. Sky: The rear-drive roadster debuted this year. The high-performance Sky Redline, coming this fall, has a turbocharged, 260-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. A supercharged model is expected to follow in the 2008 model year. Vue: Saturn plans to offer a hybrid model for the 2007 model year. GM Daewoo Auto & Technology will re-engineer and restyle the Vue for the 2008 model year. Outlook: For the 2007 model year, Saturn gets a crossover called the Outlook on GM's new fwd mid-sized Lambda architecture. The vehicle seats eight with a third row and will come with an automatic six-speed transmission. Relay: Saturn drops its minivan during the 2008 model year.

Pontiac: Relying on G forces Automotive News / August 21, 2006 - 6:00 am G5: Pontiac adds the G5 coupe, an entry-level model built on GM's small-car Delta architecture at the Lordstown, Ohio, plant. The G5 will be priced just under $15,000; sales begin this year. The vehicle is a sibling of the Chevrolet Cobalt coupe. A sedan will not be offered. G6: The G6 is scheduled to be re-engineered and restyled for the 2010 model year on GM's front-wheel-drive Epsilon 2 architecture. Some GM executives want to make all of Pontiac's cars rear-wheel drive. But that strategy has not progressed beyond the talking stages. Grand Prix: GM will discontinue the Grand Prix after the 2008 model year. Mid-sized sedan: GM has targeted the 2010 model year for the introduction of a sporty new sedan. GM is considering a V-8-powered, mid-sized rwd sedan based on its rwd global vehicle architecture. GM insiders say the vehicle would be "one notch up" from the Grand Prix in terms of performance, content and price. One possible name is G8. Solstice: A coupe is scheduled to be added for the 2008 model year. Higher-horsepower engines are planned for the future, but a V-6 is not. The Solstice likely will be re-engineered for the 2011 model year. GTO: The 2006 model year was the last for the GTO. Company insiders say the rwd architecture on which the Chevrolet Camaro will be based could provide a similar product for Pontiac. But Pontiac will not revive the Firebird name and likely not GTO. There is no time frame when such a car for Pontiac would be introduced. Torrent: The freshening planned for the 2008 model year has been canceled. If Pontiac gets an all-car, all-rwd lineup in the next five years, the Torrent likely would become a GMC in the 2008 model year. Montana SV6: The minivan will be dropped at the end of the 2006 model year.

Hummer: H1 is done for; H4 being studied for 2009 Automotive News / August 21, 2006 - 6:00 am H1: The big, military-inspired H1 has been dropped. Sales in 2005 totaled just 374 units. H2, H2 SUT: With the demise of the H1, the biggest Hummer is the H2. The H2 will be restyled and re-engineered for the 2010 model year. It will be developed on the GMT900 full-sized-truck architecture. The smaller, lighter-weight vehicle is expected to start production in July 2009. H3: Hummer's smallest SUV, built on GM's compact-pickup architecture, is likely to get a 5.3-liter V-8 version for the 2007 model year. A crew-cab version is likely for the 2009 model year. H4: GM is considering a Jeep Wrangler-sized vehicle for the 2009 model year but must find a platform for it.

GMC: Crossing over this fall Automotive News / August 21, 2006 - 6:00 am Acadia: GMC adds a mid-sized crossover called the Acadia for the 2007 model year, built on General Motors' new front-wheel-drive Lambda architecture. The Acadia will be GMC's first crossover and will hit dealerships this fall, soon after Saturn launches its new crossover, the Outlook. The vehicles share the same architecture. The Acadia has three rows of seats and can seat up to eight people. It will be powered by a 3.6-liter, V-6 engine capable of 267 hp. Small crossover: GMC will not get a small crossover. Such a vehicle had been penciled in for the 2009 model year, developed on a shortened version of the Theta architecture used by the Chevrolet Equinox. Chevrolet won't get a small crossover either. With the crossovers on the Theta and Lambda architectures, executives now believe the automaker has enough crossover models. Envoy: The Envoy likely will face the same fate as the Chevrolet TrailBlazer: It will be discontinued. High gasoline prices and disappointing sales are to blame. No time frame has been set. GM executives believe the Acadia will meet the needs of most Envoy and TrailBlazer buyers. Additionally, the Acadia will offer better fuel economy and more interior space than the Envoy. Yukon/Yukon XL: The restyled and re-engineered 2007 models are on sale. Canyon: Styling of the mid-sized pickup will be freshened for the 2008 model year. Sierra: The light-duty Sierra pickup will be restyled and re-engineered for the 2007 model year. (See Chevrolet Silverado entry on Page 31 for details.) The heavy-duty Sierra will be re-engineered and restyled as a 2008 model. The Sierra is likely to be freshened for the 2010 model year. Minivan: When GM's current minivans die, only two GM brands will offer the next generation: Chevrolet and GMC. The 2010 GMC minivan will share GM's Lambda vehicle architecture with the 2010 Chevrolet minivan. Front-end styling is expected to be unique. The GMC model may be called the Sorrano. Savana: No major changes planned.

Chevrolet: Silverado is vital Automotive News / August 21, 2006 - 6:00 am HHR: The 2009 HHR will be freshened. Small crossover: Chevrolet will not get a small crossover built on a shorter version of the Theta architecture used for the Equinox crossover. The vehicle had been considered for the 2009 model year to compete against the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. Equinox: The 2007 model receives a freshening. A third-row seat designed for children may be added. The 2010 model will be re-engineered and restyled. TrailBlazer: The TrailBlazer was scheduled to be restyled and re-engineered for the 2009 model year. That plan has been canceled, and the TrailBlazer eventually will be dropped. Rising gasoline prices and disappointing sales prompted the shift in strategy. The phaseout time frame has yet to be determined. Tahoe, Suburban: Chevrolet's full-sized Tahoe and Suburban were restyled and re-engineered for the 2007 model year. Sales began earlier this year. A hybrid system is expected to be offered for the 2008 model year. The two-mode system uses a pair of electric motors to drive the vehicle. Avalanche: The 2007 Avalanche was restyled and re-engineered; sales began this year. A hybrid model is expected later in the model year. Colorado: A freshening is planned for the 2008 model year. Silverado: Simply put, the full-sized Silverado and the GMC Sierra pickups are GM's most important vehicles. Last year, combined sales volume was 935,468 units. The 2007 Silverado and Sierra light-duty pickups have been restyled and re-engineered. One noticeable difference is that the Silverado and Sierra no longer are clones. Each has unique front and rear fenders, hood and headlight modules. Two styles of interiors have been created - what GM calls pure pickup and luxury-inspired premium. The Silverado LTZ, Sierra SLT and Sierra Denali fall into the luxury category, with styling inspired by luxury SUVs. These three pickups have their own distinct instrument panel, a first for GM. Extended cab and crew cabs go into production in October; regular cabs are scheduled to follow in November. The heavy-duty models will be called 2008 models, arriving in January. The Silverado is likely to be freshened for the 2010 model year. SSR: The SSR was discontinued during the 2006 model year. Uplander: For the 2010 model year, General Motors finally will give its brands a real minivan competitor. The redesigned vehicle will be developed on the fwd Lambda architecture, and it will be considerably wider than today's Uplander. The Uplander name likely will be dropped. The architecture used for the current generation of minivans debuted in 1990. It was purposely engineered a few inches narrower and shorter than competing U.S. makes because GM planned to sell the minivan in Europe under the Opel and Vauxhall brands. The strategy put the U.S. models at a disadvantage, reflected in disappointing sales. Finally, about 20 years later, GM will get it right. The minivan's styling will have the flavor of an SUV. Inside, a large amount of interior space is planned, along with seats that fold into the floor. Awd is a possibility. Express: No major changes are expected.

Chevrolet Automotive News / August 21, 2006 - 6:00 am Aveo: The Aveo will be redesigned for the 2008 model year. The car will be developed in South Korea by GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co. with assistance from the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center in Shanghai. The current Aveo is based on the Daewoo Kalos. Cobalt: GM plans to freshen the line for the 2008 model year. The company no longer is exploring an all-wheel-drive variant that would be aimed at the Mitsubishi Evolution and Subaru WRX. Such a model would be too costly. Malibu, Malibu Maxx: The Malibu sedan will be restyled and re-engineered and will get bigger for the 2008 model year. The car will be about the same size as the 2007 Saturn Aura. The 2008 Malibu is expected to introduce Chevy's new design, which is a more upscale appearance. One key styling element will be Chevrolet's new horizontally split grille. A hybrid powertrain will be optional. Chevrolet plans to drop the Malibu Maxx at the end of the 2007 model year. Impala: The current Impala will be offered through the 2009 model year. The 2010 model year is a question mark. The GM board has yet to decide whether to restyle and re-engineer the front-wheel-drive car or develop the next generation on a rear-wheel-drive architecture. If the Impala goes rwd, its name may be discarded, and a slightly higher price may be set. Some GM executives think the larger 2008 Malibu will attract value-conscious Impala buyers. Monte Carlo: Monte Carlo dies in the 2008 model year. With a Camaro coupe on the horizon, there is no longer a role for this car. Camaro: The much-talked-about Camaro concept will turn into production reality beginning at the end of 2008; the coupe will go on sale in the first quarter of 2009. Chevrolet has not said whether the rwd car will be designated a 2009 or 2010 model. A convertible is being considered. The car is being developed on GM's new rwd global vehicle architecture - which Holden, the automaker's Australian operation, is developing for several brands. The four-passenger car will feature an independent rear suspension and V-6 and V-8 engines. GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz has said GM could sell well over 100,000 units a year. Corvette: If 505 hp is good, will 600 hp be better? Chevrolet will emerge with a "super Corvette" for the 2008 model year. The vehicle, code-named "Blue Devil," is expected to have considerably more power than the 505-hp Z06 and a price "well in excess" of any existing Corvette, company insiders say. The most expensive Vette today is the Z06, with a base price of $70,000, including shipping. How much horsepower? The number 600 has been bantered about, although no one at GM is saying.

Cadillac: Small crossover is coming, but no small car Automotive News / August 21, 2006 - 6:00 am BLS: The next generation of the small sedan (on sale in Europe since April) had been under consideration as an entry-level convertible and coupe in the United States, positioned below the CTS. But it turns out the "baby Cadillac" will have no future here. The vehicle's price would be too close to the larger CTS. The BLS is assembled in Trollhattan, Sweden, on the front-wheel-drive Epsilon platform it shares with the Saab 9-3. A station wagon is expected to be added in Europe in mid-2007. CTS: The CTS will be restyled and re-engineered for the 2008 model year. The high-performance CTS-V will skip the 2008 model year, returning for the 2009 model year. A horsepower boost is expected. A key change for the 2008 CTS is the dramatic look of the front end, centered on a tall, ornate, nearly checkerboard-style grille composed of wide horizontal and narrow vertical bars. A large Cadillac crest is in the center of the grille. The front fascia will take cues from the Cadillac Sixteen concept car shown in 2003. A coupe is scheduled to expand the CTS line for the 2010 model year. At that time, GM will likely freshen the sedan. DTS: The DTS sedan is Cadillac's only fwd model, and the current generation is likely to be the last. The redesigned car likely will be developed on GM's global rear-wheel-drive architecture, debuting for the 2011 model year. A name change is likely. STS: The reskinned 2008 STS gets an Escalade-inspired grille featuring a more detailed chrome treatment that includes a subdued mesh housed within individual grille slats. The taillight design ditches the full red lenses in favor of clear, smoky covers that showcase the light-emitting diodes. GM might introduce a higher-horsepower STS-V. The STS sedan will be restyled and re-engineered for the 2010 model year. Flagship sedan/coupe: GM continues to study an ultraluxury, rwd sedan or coupe for Cadillac, priced around $120,000. But GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz says such a vehicle is a low priority. Nothing has been approved. XLR: A freshening is scheduled for the 2009 model year; a redesign is planned for the 2011 model year. BRX: Cadillac wants to market a small, five-passenger crossover, but the timing is unclear. It could come as early as the 2009 model year, or it might be pushed back to 2011. GM plans to develop the BRX on a mix of vehicle architectures: the Theta architecture, used for the Chevrolet Equinox, but adapting the front clip from Epsilon 2 so it can fit a V-6. SRX: The 2007 SRX has a redesigned interior centered on a new instrument panel. A six-speed automatic is standard. Insiders say GM has delayed plans to re-engineer and restyle the SRX for the 2008 model year, blaming high gasoline prices and lackluster sales. The SRX may be restyled and re-engineered for the 2011 or 2012 model year; it might be redesigned, using GM's global rwd architecture; or it might be dropped from the line, if sales do not grow and Cadillac buyers shift to the BRX. Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT: The three full-sized Cadillac SUVs were restyled and re-engineered for the 2007 model year. The vehicles might be freshened for the 2010 model year.

Buick: A brand rechanneled Automotive News / August 21, 2006 - 6:00 am LaCrosse: Buick plans to offer a 5.3-liter V-8 for the 2007 model year. A redesign is expected for the 2010 model year, possibly on General Motors' front-wheel-drive Epsilon 2 architecture. To reduce costs, all vehicles developed on Epsilon 2 (Chevrolet and Opel, for example) will be engineered by GM Europe in Ruesselsheim, Germany. U.S. operations are to provide specifications for such things as ride and handling. Styling will be determined by the region that will market the car. The LaCrosse will be styled by GM North America. Powertrains will differ by region. Lucerne: A rear-wheel-drive Lucerne is expected, likely bowing for the 2010 model year. GM's global rwd vehicle architecture is being developed for several brands by Holden, the automaker's Australian operation. The Lucerne name may be replaced at that point. Coupe, convertible: Buick is no longer considering a halo vehicle based on the rwd Velite convertible concept it showed at the New York auto show in 2004. As GM pushes Buick to align with Pontiac and GMC under one channel, Pontiac will take over as the sporty coupe/convertible brand. Pontiac has the hot-selling Solstice convertible roadster and recently introduced the G6 convertible hardtop, for example. Terraza: The Terraza minivan will be offered until July 2008, at which time Buick will exit the minivan segment. Rendezvous: The 2007 model is the last for the Rendezvous. Enclave: The mid-sized 2008 Enclave crossover essentially will replace two Buick nameplates, the Rendezvous and the Rainier. The Enclave will be developed on GM's new fwd mid-sized Lambda architecture, which also will be shared by crossovers for Saturn and GMC. A V-6 engine initially will be offered; a V-8 is expected to follow in several months. Rainier: The 2007 model year is the last for the Rainier.

I uploaded them to YouTube, so enjoy! ----------------------- New Cadillac TV ads hit the air Jamie LaReau | | Automotive News / August 15, 2006 - 6:00 am DETROIT -- General Motors has launched two new 30-second TV commercials for Cadillac. For the first time in four years, Cadillac commercials will not feature Led Zeppelin's music or the voice-over work of actor Gary Sinise. The two commercials are "Crest" and "Heart." Both use different music, and "Crest" has no voice-overs. "Heart" is about the supercharged Northstar engine that GM uses only in the Cadillac STS-V and XLR-V. The engines are built by hand in GM's Wixom, Mich., plant. "People don't expect Cadillac in 2006 to be an automotive brand that has hand-built engines that are crafted from the start to finish by one craftsperson," says Kevin Smith, a Cadillac spokesman. "Heart" uses New Age music, and the voice-over says, "The engine is connected to the tool, the tool is connected to the hand, the hand is connected to the body, the body is connected to the mind, the mind is connected to the heart." The commercial "Crest" is specifically about Cadillac and craftsmanship, quality and precision. It opens with acoustic guitar music. The viewer sees a jeweler intently working, pouring metal and selecting jewels. It's not until the end, when the jewel is done and raised on a pedestal, that the viewer sees it is a Cadillac wreath and crest. "The idea is to reignite the love affair with Cadillac and to put the wreath and crest on a pedestal," Smith says. The print ads began appearing in national publications in late July and early August. The campaign is the first for Cadillac's new ad agency, Modernista. Cadillac ended its 71-year relationship with Leo Burnett in June.