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smk4565

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Everything posted by smk4565

  1. smk4565
    They could do a Buick version of the Blazer in a coupe-like SUV. There is a lot of space size wise between the Envision and Enclave. And a coupe-like crossover that is Blazer size could fetch Enclave prices, they could even call it Riviera. 2.0T base and 3.6 liter optional, then you get the Regal and Regal GS powertrains in a coupe crossover. Then when LaCrosse dies, you still have 5 products over at Buick.
  2. smk4565
    CUV buyers don't really care about space, they care about sitting higher up and having the image of driving an SUV. Toyota is going to sell 450,000 RAV4 this year, and it isn't like the Rav is winning any cargo capacity or hip and leg room competitions.
  3. smk4565
    Pilot is sorta big, they need something in between CRV and Pilot. Or to downsize the Pilot and do a 3 row full sizer. When you look at Ford they have Ecosport, Escape, Edge, Explorer, Flex, Expedition, Bronco coming soon. They could have 7 SUVs, and they all sell pretty much.
  4. smk4565
    FCA has pension and debt liabilities still too. Something a Chinese car maker probably doesn't have to worry about. Which is what makes the Jeep brand by itself so valuable.
  5. smk4565
    No brainer move, they need another crossover, and mid-size crossover is a huge segment. I think they could get another crossover in between Traxx and Equinox if they really wanted to.
  6. smk4565
    I doubt Dodge or Chrysler get a new product ever again, the Pacifica was probably the last one. If they are still around past 2020, they'll probably get a mild refresh with new trim pieces and the Alfa Romeo turbo 4 as the main engine. Rumor is they can spin off Alfa/Maserati though for $8 billion, if the tis true and Jeep is worth $33 billion, then Chrysler/Dodge/Ram is worth negative $9 billion, which I think is true and why FCA isn't sold yet.
  7. smk4565
    It is possible that they could end up with two R8 70 tsfi with different engines if they had a 536 hp turbo V8 and a 620 hp turbo V10. I think the current R8 is under 500 hp though. Good luck having people tell he difference between an SQ7 55 tdi and an SQ7 60 TSFI.
  8. smk4565
    This is ridiculous, the amount of badging on the back of the car will he put of control, I also think they want to be like AMG and have a 45 or 65 badge. Here is question what happens to a car with 390 hp? That isn't on their scale. Why don't they just put a sticker on the back of the car with the actual horsepower total.
  9. smk4565
    But I think smaller. And no doubt cheaper than a Colorado or Ridgeline. There is opportunity there, not everyone that buys a pick up needs to tow 10,000 lbs or haul ton of bricks in back. $40k for a Tacoma or Colorado isn't uncommon. If Hyundai can sell this at like $20-30k, look out.
  10. smk4565
    I read 4,079 lbs somewhere, then I see Road and Track has 4,255 lbs. Maybe the Euro market is first one, or maybe that was a mess up, I'd like to see what BMW puts on their website when it is all official.
  11. smk4565
    Why does the CTS-V use the same V8 as Chevy? A lot of companies use the same V8 or versions of the same V8 in multiple cars. This car is like 4,070 lbs, that is insane for a V8 all wheel drive mid-size sedan, and the 5-series is a big mid-size sedan. I still give them props for that weight reduction, the 0-60 time beats the E63 and CTS-V. They got some things right, depends on how it drives, the 540i had a poor showing in a comparison with the CTS and E43 last year. Batteries and electric motors would add weight, drive up cost, V12 would be too nose heavy, might not fit, etc. They did the right powertrain here, I am surprised they only got 550 lb-ft of torque, when Mercedes gets 627 lb-ft from a smaller engine. However BMW is know for under rating engines. I think the E63 will still beat this car in all the comparisons, the E-class kills it in interior, and the E63 won't be the fastest Mercedes sedan for very long. The M5 will probably always be the fastest BMW sedan.
  12. smk4565
    The problem with all that is the 200 wasn't competitive with a Malibu, let alone a Camry. To get the 200 competitive with an Acura or Lincoln is a huge leap. The other problem is FCA can't make a good interior. They could have taken the Maserati Ghibli interior and put it in the Dart, and the fit and finish and quality would have still lagged way behind an Accord. The current 300/Charger is beyond saving, that needs a clean sheet redesign, with a new engine line up, the Pentatar is 7 years old, that Hemi is pushing 12 years without a lot of updates. FCA has zero interest in spending the money to do upgrade all that. Sergio just wants to milk out whatever money is left in these dated cars with Hellcat engines. He either has to cut the fat first then sell FCA as a package or sell Jeep first, give Exor the $33 billion and let the of FCA rest collapse.
  13. smk4565
    A very good idea to sell this. I would assume this would be a whole size class below the Colorado/Canyon and like the size of the 80s S10. Which is huge opportunity because no one makes a small pickup.
  14. smk4565
    Sergio is set to retire in 2019, I thought I read somewhere and maybe it was on this site that he is in line for a pretty big bonus if he can sell FCA or parts of it. They spun off Ferrari into a $9 billion business so they aren't opposed to doing that. The problem with a single sale of Jeep is you are stuff with the rest of FCA. And Alfa/Maserati could never make it alone they are too small. I think Sergio is going to everything possible to find a buyer though.
  15. smk4565
    What is really impressive is this car weighs under 4100 lbs. It looks like the M division got some mojo back here. I think the interior looks the same as the previous generation though and even the generation before that. Thumbs up for the super car performance, thumbs down on that interior for $110k.
  16. smk4565
    To sell all of FCA, Sergio would first have to close Chrysler and Dodge. Ram trucks are useless in China or Europe, they probably make sense for a Chinese maker that wants US market sales. Problem with selling Jeep alone is the rest of FCA is worthless. If they sell Jeep now what do they do with the rest of the company? This is like when a baseball team trades a top prospect but makes the receiving team take a dead weight contract.
  17. smk4565
    Seems like a good idea to put it on sale, this could catch on again. Once autonomous cars get more common, a van makes the most sense. Because if you aren't driving and just lounging around or even sleeping until you get to your destination, a van has the space. And for autonomous ride sharing, a van could hold more people.
  18. smk4565
    Everyone ever looking to buy something, says they are not looking to buy it.
  19. smk4565
    Yes it is.
  20. smk4565
    That was a W140 chassis car, they were still selling when the W221 S-class was on sale with the same V12 and the Maybach was double the price. I bet they had profit on the Maybach, but they had no reason to keep it going. It was a failed experiment, and over reaction to BMW having Rolls, and VW having Bentley. It made more sense to dump the Maybach brand rather than do another $400,000 sedan that won't sell and doesn't bring any cache to the Mercedes logo. It is better to focus on the S-class as their ultimate sedan and offer the Maybach trim to bolster the S-class and the 3 point star.
  21. smk4565
    Seems like most of FCA is skipping out. Mercedes has a lot planned for this show. I imagine BMW will push the 8-series and Z4, and maybe X7 concept or something. They should have some stuff.
  22. smk4565
    Z8's now cost double what they did 15 years ago.
  23. smk4565
    Not every car Mercedes makes has to be profitable though. They can build low volume one offs or loss leaders just for the sake of doing it. At most car companies the bean counters will kill off a 6 wheel drive SUV or a Laundelet limo or a hyper car well before it even gets off the sketch pad. And the hyper car might not even lose money, the powertrain development is already paid for and the $2 million price might cover the materials and production cost. If it doesn't, Mercedes obviously doesn't care.
  24. smk4565
    EV's for all. This band wagon will start to fill up fast, the technology is just coming to where it is affordable and scaleable.
  25. smk4565
    Yes but they don't have to design something new, they already have most of that work done from the F1 car. Speeds up the R&D time. If they want to make an 800 hp AMG GT sedan, or an e-turbo C300 that is more efficient than the current car, it won't be that hard to do.
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