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smk4565

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Everything posted by smk4565

  1. smk4565
    What is troubling for Ford is Escape, Flex and Explorer are down over 20% last month. Granted those are all long in the tooth models with replacements coming, but once all those sedans are gone, and all that is crossovers, if 3 drop 20% you are pretty screwed.
  2. 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.
  3. smk4565
    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.
  4. smk4565
    Correct, Section 179 in the tax code, some car companies were actually advertising it on their sites because if you bought a work van or truck you can write that off and get over $5,000 tax savings. I don't plan on buying a 6,000+ lb GVWR vehicle nor do I own a business. But there could be a commercial application to the Pacifica hybrid, more so for airport shuttle or taxi or Uber I would think vs cargo or anything like that.
  5. smk4565
    I wonder if the Pacifica Hybrid qualifies for a business tax deduction? The tax law changed for 2018 that you can write off $25,000 in one year for a purchase of a vehicle over 6,000 lbs GVWR and if this thing is 4987 lbs, the GVWR is probably over 6,000. On a side note, maybe this platform will be used for an Aspen SUV or a new 300/Charger sedan if they drop the current platform.
  6. smk4565
    He probably has $14.7 million four times over hidden in different bank accounts in different countries. They better give him the 10 years in jail, I don’t think he is sweating the $89,000 fine.
  7. smk4565
    Daimler and Tesla are making electric semi trucks. I bet those weigh more than a Bentley and they figured it out. If they can make an electric Audi I don’t see why they can’t do a Bentley version, most of the Bentley’s sold anyway are glorified A8’s.
  8. smk4565
    Since Bentley and Porsche have the same owner, I don't see why they really care who buys what, unless the profit margin on a Bentley EV is higher than a Porsche EV. I know Bentley's are big, but a Tesla Model S isn't a small car, and Mercedes is making near S-class sized EV, so how can they do it and Bentley can't make the same thing with an extra 6 inches of wheelbase and length? And you probably don't need over 250 miles of range either, Bentley owners have a private plane for when they travel over 100 miles.
  9. smk4565
    I just thought this is like the $4,000 add on for a Lexus F-sport package, although that has no power upgrade it is all appearance. Not worth it.
  10. smk4565
    Right, I didn't think it was on sale yet but maybe it is. The 4Runner is still old but I am sure the new one is coming in 2020. Toyota needs new engines still, they still use that 3.5 liter V6 that is about 12 years old at this point, and makes 4 cylinder power with V8 fuel economy. Still that previous Gen Tacoma was around for too long without any update because there was no other competition other than a Frontier that is even more dated.
  11. smk4565
    They are better off re-newing the Tacoma, 4Runner, Tundra and Sequioa. Land Cruiser which are all really dated. They have CH-R, Rav4 and Highlander that are fairly fresh. A Prius derived crossover could work plus they have an all wheel drive minivan. There isn't really a shortage of truck, van, SUV type vehicles at Toyota, some are just dated.
  12. smk4565
    I think the wheels look decent, after that, yawn. However, I bet sales of the Corolla are up next year and they sell over 300k of them since Ford and Chevy are leaving the segment in 2019.
  13. smk4565
    $5000 for 15 hp and off road tires and shocks seems a bit steep. You aren't going to feel the difference between 420 and 435 hp. And unless you are a hardcore off roader, you probably won't notice the difference in off road ability either.
  14. smk4565
    Alfa, Maserati and Fiat are one recession away from death, much like Jaguar is. But FCA needs a new engine to replace the Pentastar, so they can all share it. GM can use a turbo 4 anywhere they have a V6 now, and half their FWD V6 product gets killed in 2019 anyway. I think that Atlas engine was large and or heavy even for the time. It probably would not have fit in a CTS or STS. Regardless they would need a clean sheet design now. Plus if they share parts and tooling with their 2 liter inline 4, you have cost savings.
  15. smk4565
    I didn't want to quote the whole post to save space. But the inline six could go in these products: Cadillac CT3, CT5, CT6 Cadillac Escalade, Chevy Tahoe/Suburban, GMC Yukon. Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra Chevy Colorado, GMC Canyon Chevy Camaro, Corvette Possible future Cadillac Omega platform SUV or possible future rear drive XT5/XT6 Obviously those products would have another engine choice also and you'd have a couple different levels of tune for various products, but that seems like enough volume. Impala, LaCrosse, XTS die so no V6 need. The V6 can be replaced with a turbo 4 (with hybrid option) in Blazer/Acadia/Traverse/Enclave. And 3 of those are base 4 cylinder already. The only reason not to develop an Inline 6 is if GM thinks the current V6 is the last 6 cylinder they will ever have and they are going to electric in 5 years, but I don't think the switch will be that fast.
  16. smk4565
    They should, there is no reason to spend any development dollars on a V6 any more. The V6 was used for packaging in front drive cars. But you can get 300 hp from a 4 cylinder engine now and there is no reason to ever put more than 300 hp in a front drive car. Thus any 6 cylinder will be a rear drive vehicle and square packaging isn't an issue.
  17. smk4565
    I would imagine a V8 remains in FCA, but who knows. They can get 400 to 500 hp out of a six cylinder, and with CAFE, displacement taxes, emissions, etc, that may just kill the V8 because how many cars over 500 hp is FCA really going to sell, and will that justify the development cost of a V8 engine line. If you had a pair of electric motors to a six cylinder then you have a 600+ hp engine with off the line torque, then you don't need a V8. Or you go with pure EV's that can make whatever power you want. Pinanfirina has an electric sports car coming with 1,700 hp and 1,900 lb-ft of torque or something crazy like that. You can never do that with a gas engine.
  18. smk4565
    Sounds like an excellent idea, they can replace the Pentastar and Hemi with this new engine in any of their rear drive vehicles. I imagine they will use the e-torque system from the Ram with this.
  19. smk4565
    Ford and GM give more choice as they eliminate the Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, Taurus, Cruze, Impala, LaCrosse, Volt, XTS and CT6? They are combined killing off 10 models in one year.
  20. smk4565
    The GLS is made in America, I am sure this is it’s best sales country with China 2nd. The smaller SUVs do better in the EU.
  21. smk4565
    GLS probably outsells every big luxury SUV globally. The GL outsold the Escalade in the USA for a few years around 2012 and 2013. The Escalde is no doubt a successful product, I am just saying they can’t rest on their laurels and expect it will stay there with an Audi Q8 and BMW X7 now I’m the mix. Cadillac can’t be complacent.
  22. smk4565
    Everything I read says the Mercedes V8 is the lightest in its segment but they may be comparing it to Audi, BMW and Porsche, the Audi V8 is 494 lbs. Rhe Mercedes V8 is relative compact too so they can fit it in a C-class or low under the hood of a GT. Things that don’t matter on a GLS though.
  23. smk4565
    The Mercedes/AMG M178 (4.0 bi-turbo) is 461 lbs. The LT1 V8 is 465 lbs but the LT4 with the Supercharger is 529 lbs. When you compare boosted to boosted the AMG engine is lighter more fuel efficient too. But Cadillac could care less about Escalde weight, so why not put the CT6-V engine in there? Do something.
  24. smk4565
    I imagine a 500 hp mid engine Corvette will be faster around a race track than a 755 hp ZR1 that just spins it’s tires. And yes to an EV Escalde or Cadillacs SUV. The Escalde is not the biggest, baddest, wealthiest SUV anymore. Rolls-Royce has a much bigger much more luxurious much more powerful SUV, Bentley and Lambhave them, ther is the G-wagen that starts $25k higher than the Escalde stops and there are more $200k plus SUVs on the way. I actually think Cadillac needs an SUV that starts $50k above the Escalade Platinum and operates in the $150-200,000 price range.
  25. smk4565
    The 755 hp Corvette ZR1 is slower around the Nurburgring than a 577 hp AMG GT, because the Corvette can't put the power on the ground, it has useless power. That goes back to chassis, suspension, lack of all wheel drive, etc on the Corvette. Although the AMG GT doesn't have all wheel drive either, nor does the 911 GT2 RS, but they have enough tricks up their sleeve to use all their power. And GM has these supercharged V8s, why didn't they put one in an Escalade yet? Makes no sense. Bentley, Rolls, Porsche, Mercedes, Range Rover, Lamborghini, etc all have 550+ hp SUVs, Ferrari and Aston Martin are coming, Maserati has over 500 hp, it might be 550, I forget, but it has a lot too.
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