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smk4565

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Everything posted by smk4565

  1. smk4565
    The Durango is a full size SUV though too, the X3 is the size of a Buick Envision or Jeep Compass.
  2. smk4565
    Won't hurt them one bit. C-class sales have gone up since the CLA launch, E-class sales are up this year, and this is when sedans at most luxury brands are down 25%. S-class is still #1 in its segment by a comfortable margin. 2015 was a record years in sales and net profit for Mercedes, 2016 they broke the 2015 record. So the numbers say the CLA has not hurt. What is important about the AMG GT sedan, and Project One, is that electrification is coming to AMG. And what will spread through out the line, all the way down to the CLA eventually. This will allow for smaller, more fuel efficient engines with more power. So no, the high end hybrids won't sell big numbers, but they pave the way for the technology.
  3. smk4565
    Not like a Lexus RX, Lincoln MKC or Acura RDX can go off road either. This thing can do 0-60 in 4.6 seconds, that is pretty strong for a crossover. And an M version is coming because Mercedes makes a GLC63.
  4. smk4565
    Very impressive off road ability to drive on top of that 3 inch high rock.
  5. smk4565
    I ment Envision before when I said Encore about people thinking an Envision is roomier than a LaCrosse. Buyers see crossovers, even small ones as more room than a full size sedan. Every mid-size sedan is pretty good now, but the Camry hybrid beats the Volt by 10 mpg when the Volt isn't charged ahead of time. That is pretty crazy, and exciting because 50 mpg is the new standard for the mid-size segment, you'll see everyone there within a couple years.
  6. smk4565
    Well a Maybach S-class has 120 cubic feet of interior space, but now a days when people want interior space they buy an SUV. I bet a lot of people that walk into a Buick showroom find the Encore roomier than a LaCrosse just because of the body shape, it plays tricks on people's minds.
  7. smk4565
    I don't know if it is down sizing, but shift in preference. Look a 90s Corolla or Civic compared to a 2005 compared to now. The current Civic looks huge compared to an old one. Look at a Cavalier parked next to a Cruze, huge difference. So some segments they are making cars bigger, but fun size cars are just disappearing.
  8. smk4565
    Correction to my earlier post, I forgot the Fusion sport has the most horsepower in the segment, the Camry's 301 is 2nd I think.
  9. smk4565
    Chevy is getting a version of the Acadia as their middle crossover. Chevy has room for another crossover but really GMC could use an off road or off road looking SUV or crossover. Cadillac needs a minimum 3 crossovers. Whether you are selling t-shirts, French fry orders or crossovers you have to have small, medium and large. The Escalade serves at the XL, but there could be room for an xtra small too. The 2018 Camry blows away the Malibu and everyone else in that segment. And I always thought the Camry was a miserable car, but the new one is best inclass power, best in class fuel economy, it has like 6 trim levels, the interior looks good, and we know it is reliable because it is a Camry. Supposedly it even drives well now.
  10. smk4565
    They should do a 2-door MacGyver edition in slate gray with a winch and Swiss Army knife and medical kit accessories.
  11. smk4565
    Exactly, "cars" that don't sell. Crossovers and trucks make up 67% of the auto industry now. If you have crossovers, you make money, you can pay for R&D and advertising, etc.
  12. smk4565
    To the first question, Mercedes did as the GLK came out in 2008, that was their 4th SUV at the time. They were ready. I actually think Chevy could get 2 more crossovers in their line up, one between Equinox and Traverse we know is coming, and I think they could get a crossover below Traxx or drop Traxx down in price and get one in between that and Equinox. Cadillac has the XT4 already coming, I would also do an Alpha crossover, an Omega crossover and depending on the price point of the Omega, I could see a Cadillac version of the Enclave. Cadillac could put out 5 crossovers, and all 5 would outsell their best selling sedan. It happened at Buick, all those crossovers kill the sedans in sales, it is happening at Jaguar, and even Maserati's #1 seller is a crossover.
  13. smk4565
    The GL/GLS are probably similar to Escalade off road, but the G-wagen in unmatched. A G550 has 30 degree approach and departure angles these go to 51 front and 43 rear on the 4x4 squared model. G550 can wade 23.6 inches of water, 39.4 on the 4x4 squared.
  14. smk4565
    You can get portal axles on the G550 and get 24 inches of ground clearance which I believe doubles what the F150 Raptor has. Think about that, double the ground clearance of a Raptor which is made for off roading. The GLE and GLS share a platform updated in 2012 from a platform shared with the mid 2000s Grand Cherokee and ML. I read GLE and GLS may move to a version of the MRA platform next year, which will cut serious weight.
  15. smk4565
    An Escalade has limited off road ability. It doesn't have great approach or departure angles, it doesn't have locking differentials, and it even has a solid rear axle, doesn't have adjustable height suspension, etc. Escalade would never keep up with a Range Rover or G-class in severe off roading. I think only a Wrangler could match the G-class off road.
  16. smk4565
    That is probably very accurate. Mercedes as brand has a high 50s buyer age and has for the past decade or so. CLA at 46 makes sense, it is going for people that never bought a Mercedes and the younger buyer. And the industry average new car buyer is near 50 as it is. Young people can't afford new car prices.
  17. smk4565
    No, a 4 door coupe is pretty much a sedan. But Cadillac has 1 coupe and 0 convertibles. Mercedes has 4, 2-door coupes and 6 convertibles, which I even think is a bit excessive. Hard to criticize Mercedes as bland though, when they have ten 2-door cars, 20 some AMG products, hard core off roaders, etc.
  18. smk4565
    I liked the Seville STS, but it wasn't the car to beat the Germans, it was full size American car. The XTS is about the same size as a 1998 STS, there is still a market for a big American smooth riding car. And I think the people that are going to buy an XTS, are going to buy an XTS and won't care if it has a 6-speed or a dated chassis or whatever. They aren't going to care, so there is no point is putting a lot of money into the XTS, Cadillac did the right thing here doing the minimum cost MCE, and just let the car soldier on The money needs to be spent on crossovers and EVs.
  19. smk4565
    Notice all Cadillac's "exciting" cars are 4 door sedans. And the Escalade can't go off road, it is GLS competitor. The AMG GT R can beat any Corvette ever made on the Nurburgring and a faster Black Series is coming. Which is why Cadillac needs a sports car above Corvette.
  20. smk4565
    Excellent post, I agree. i actually have no problem with the XTS sticking around a while because it sells and they can fleet sale it without disturbing the core line. I will point out people say the XTS prints money, the S500 has an options list that is $55,000 if you pick everything and that doesn't include an engine upgrade. That is a whole XTS worth of options, that is how you print money.
  21. smk4565
    The lack of crossovers goes to show the poor management that has plagued Cadillac for 20 years or more. Even the first SRX was about 6-7 years after the ML and RX and about 4 after the X5. Even the Escalade is here only because the Navigator hit big in 1998 and Cadillac lost the sales crown. Cadillac's boss in 1998 said Cadillac will never build a truck because they are a car brand, 6 months later the Escalade arrived as a Yukon with a badge swap. crossovers have been hit for years and Cadillac still only has one. Why don't they have 5 of them? GM fans praise Denali because it makes a profit, a Cadillac version would make twice as much. GM has introduced new Chevy, Buick and GMC crossovers, so they have the ability to put new product out, they are just ignoring their most profitable brand.
  22. smk4565
    Boring, bland lineup, yes. I hope they can find some more excitement to compete with all the fun over at Audi or the spindle grills and front drive crossovers at Lexus.
  23. smk4565
    I actually liked the Seville STS redesign of 1998. It was my favorite car of the late 90s. But it didn't win the battle, and then when they did the 2005 STS, I seem to remember they rounded it off and dumbed it down, they didn't use the original car Bob Lutz wanted, and it lost the battle. Now the CTS is in it's slot, losing the battle again. I wish we still had the Seville, I don't like the alpha numerics, and I think a Seville done right would be a bigger threat to the imports than the CTS is, CTS was always pushed as an entry level car, now they want it to be their middle car. It would be like Honda deciding to make the Civic a Camry fighter, it doesn't make sense.
  24. smk4565
    While everyone was concerned with Mercedes move down market, they forgot the other half of this story, also coming in 2018 is this nice 805 hp V8 hybrid sedan. Which is actually the 2nd most powerful car they are releasing in 2018, and also when what ever the track record on the Nurburgring is goes down.
  25. smk4565
    If "Seville" was a success, it would still be here, if STS was a success it would still be here. I actually still think the current ATS should have the CTS name, and the mid-size car should be called STS. They botched that. Mercedes is building 10 EV's by 2022, Cadillac should be able to stir up 5 of them. I am holding them to half the standard of the worldwide leader. Volkswagen makes about $700 per car profit, while Audi makes $5,000 per car profit. Which car do you think VW wants to sell? GM has a similar set up to them, they should want to sell luxury cars like crazy. And I think Cadillac could go further up market than where they are. They are held back by GM bean counters, old ways of thinking, lack of R&D budget, bad marketing department, etc.
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