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smk4565

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Everything posted by smk4565

  1. smk4565
    Because I am interested in autonomous car technology, even though I like driving and would prefer to drive myself. I also think it would be really neat to have a car that you could drive to the airport and then have it drive itself back home and park itself in the garage. Pushing the limits of technology interests me.
  2. smk4565
    Well that is why I want to know how long Super Cruise is. Plus it is highway only. These current "autonomous" drive systems are really just crash avoidance nannies which are good for safety, but aren't really "self driving." Freightliner has a level 3 autonomous truck on Nevada roads now. But the real finish line is when you can get in a car, type in a destination and it just goes there.
  3. smk4565
    Hands free for how long? You can drive an E-class "hands free" for about 45 seconds before it wants hands on the wheel again.
  4. smk4565
    But isn't the important thing here how a 241 hp turbo 4 GLC is faster 0-60 than a 310 hp V6 XT5 or a 300 hp V6 MKX?
  5. smk4565
    But a downsized turbo 4 all the time is going to be a V6 with cylinder cut off. For V-series cars, or expensive sports cars and luxury cars the CAFE numbers are less of a concern, because they are getting profit margin, which can in turn help pay any fines for missing CAFE targets or any other country's targets. And the volume is low anyway. But when you look at something like a Fusion, Camry, Rav4, etc, they are selling 300-400,000 of those a year, they need ever 1 mpg improvement they can get. And even Acadia/Enclave/Traverse combine for 150k a year, maybe 200k units, Ford probably sells that many Explorers. The pickups are going to be the killer to Ford and GM, you are going to see 2 liter turbos in F150s and Silverados by 2025. The ATS-V is rated at 17/25 mpg, there are V8s that do that or beat it. I love V8s, but this engine downsize trend isn't over. If you think about it, the carmakers have more ground to cover from 2017-2025 CAFE than they did from 2008-2015 and crossovers and SUVs are outselling cars, so they lost the ability to offset thirsty trucks with cheap cars.
  6. smk4565
    That is probably all true, but manufacturers are still going to go with the turbo 4 because they get better gas mileage, weigh less, and take up less space. If a car is designed for 4 cylinder only they can cut weight on the body and cut space under hood and apply that to the cabin. And even on something like an E-class wilhich is made to fit a V8 they dropped that 3.5 V6 in favor of 2.0t because of fuel economy regs, emissions regs and displacement tax. It isn't about what the consumer wants it is about meeting regulations to a lot of these cars.
  7. smk4565
    I thought that too, a Model X is faster. The Stelvio may not beat it in a straight line, but would destroy it on a track and that is from FCA.
  8. smk4565
    I think it would start over $70,000, not below. This was expected and it is cool that they make these 700 hp vehicles. But at the same time, FCA doesn't have mass market cars/crossovers that people want. Chrysler, Dodge and Fiat sales are falling off the map, even Jeep has been down this year.
  9. smk4565
    Which is still $35-40k, and the Regal costs more than a Fusion. They'll probably want $45k for the 3.6 V6 Regal, a turbo would go $5k over that easily. Why not make a Enclave Avista 3.0TT and price it at $76,000, they would sell more of those.
  10. smk4565
    They aren't going to put a twin turbo V6 in a Buick, that is saved for top end Cadillacs. And look at what they charge for an ATS or CTS with a twin turbo V6, they are into the $70k range, a twin turbo Regal would be like $50k, no one is buying a $50k Regal because they struggle to sell $29k Regals. I would guess by 2022 the 3.6 V6 is dead, it is too thirsty to keep up with CAFE. CAFE is calling for 4-5% per year increases until 2025. Everyone is going to continue with engine down sizing and mild hybrids to get the numbers up.
  11. smk4565
    Mid size cars have grown and by designing them to be 4 cylinder only like a Sonata is, you need less hood space, you get more space in the cabin. As they stretch out these wheelbases, you get something like a Malibu that has interior space close to an Impala and thus the Impala becomes pointless, just like Azera and Taurus become pointless. Regal is big enough to replace the Lacrosse, large sedans are shrinking and never coming back. I don't see the need for a V6 Regal, it won't be any faster than a turbo 4.
  12. smk4565
    I like that they have the guts to put a V8 in a small SUV, crazy fast for a crossover. I prefer the classic Mercedes grille to the vertical one but I imagine they want to make the 63 stand out. They don't really have to cut anything because a lot of Mercedes are built off the MRA platform and they are moving toward an inline 4 and inline 6 that share parts and one V8. They make 3 different displacement V8s right now. If they cut a model it will be something like a E-class convertible if it doesn't sell. These crossovers keep selling though, coupes are getting cut by everyone.
  13. smk4565
    They should call it the Buick Regal Montana Look how rugged it is
  14. smk4565
    The price seems pretty compelling if you stay away from the Premium trim. The SE and SEL still give you a lot and keep it under $40k, which seems good compared to other 3 row SUVs. VW needs this thing to sell, they have sort of missed out on the crossover boom because the Toureg is more money than a BMW X5 and no one buys it.
  15. smk4565
    The cladding looks bad, but some market research probably told them it looks more rugged and more SUV like with cladding so they went with it The Sportback looks like a Malibu body fused with a 5-series GT rear end, not a good look. No one buys wagons anyway, I don't think this gives anyone reason to start, not really feeling the almost 4-door coupe Sportback.
  16. smk4565
    Ford has a problem in that Escape, Edge and Explorer were all down at a time when people are buying crossovers like there is no tomorrow. And Fusion was down 37%, Taurus is dead in the water, that is basically a fleet sale car until the day they cancel it. Good thing they have the F150 kicking butt, because the rest of the brand is in trouble. And Lincoln is flat, and doesn't really have anywhere to go, luxury sedan sales aren't going up unless they have a 3-point star on the hood, and Lincolns crossovers can't match the performance of the Euros, and Lexus and Cadillac have more sub $40k crossovers about to hit the market to go after MKC and the segment below MKC which puts a block on Lincoln introducing and MKA based on the Ecosport. Zero growth opportunity for Lincoln right now. Subaru just keeps chugging along, I read something like they sold 250,000 cars in the US 10 years ago, and they could top 600,000 this year. People like that all wheel drive.
  17. smk4565
    But the take rate is already there for performance EVs, in time it will spread down. Tesla is selling 2,000 Model S per month or around that, no Cadillac sedan can sell at that rate or that price. Ditto for Audi A6 and A8. What if Tesla sells 5,000 Model 3 a month? That would beat ATS, CTS and CT6 combined. So then what does Cadillac do? And Tesla doesn't even have the production capacity or dealership network to move big numbers, but BMW, Mercedes and Audi/Porsche do. Once they dive in, they still steer the luxury market that way.
  18. smk4565
    The Volt has added range and gotten cheaper. I doubt the Bolt is selling for $50k base in 2025. These things will get more cost effective. And if you want performance you'll have to have electric or plug in. The emissions and fuel economy standards around the world will kill V8s and larger engines. So the future sports cars and sport sedans, big luxury cars etc, will have to have some form of electrification.
  19. smk4565
    XTS down 34%, CTS down 41%, ATS down 26%. It is near time to make Cadillac an SUV brand. Sort of like how Buick has become an SUV brand.
  20. smk4565
    Probably why a 640 hp CTS-V does 0-60 in 3.6 seconds and a 444 hp Audi S6 does 0-60 in 3.8 seconds, and the Audi weighs more.
  21. smk4565
    Cars don't get cheaper, but EVs will to some degree and they will add range and power. The problem with most EV's now is poor range. If a Nissan Leaf starts at $30k now with 125 mile range or whatever it is, supposed in 5-to years it is still $30k but has a 350 mile range. By that point in time an Altima will be $30k also, and the Leaf looks like a good buy. The shell and interior of the car are going to cost the same, once you can build batteries and electric motors for the same price of a gas engine and transmission, the EV takes over.
  22. smk4565
    Rear drive crossover sales are booming! You can see the end of coupes coming, the 4-series is dropping fast
  23. smk4565
    640 horsepower isn't any good if you can't put it on the ground. The Hellcat has 707 hp, doesn't make it a better car than a CTS-V. The E-class will crush any mid-size sedan in interior, refinement, interior noise, luxury amenities, etc. The new E63 is going to surprise some people on it's performance data. Credit to the CTS V-sport for being 2nd place in C&D's recent comparison, it had good performance numbers and handling, but again, Cadillac build quality plagues it. Until they fix their refinement, interior and build quality issues, doesn't really how much power they put into the CTS or ATS V-series.
  24. smk4565
    C, E, S all up, and at a time when people don't buy cars. The red flag is the GLC, it is still pretty new and in a booming segment, they should move at least 4,000 of those a month, especially if they can sell 5,000 of the more expensive GLE.
  25. smk4565
    $2,500,000 hyper car to be fair. I was looking at the CTS line overall, CTS is not a high end car. E-class isn't either, it is the mid-level Mercedes, they have a CLS, S-class, SL, AMG GT, and G-wagen above it. Escalade starts near $75k so even if it tops out at $99k, there isn't a low end model out there. Escalade is the top level Cadillac right now. The E43 AMG starts at $72k yes, and it did just win a Car and Driver comparison beating the CTS V-sport, 540i and A6. But the E63 which isn't on sale yet will probably start at $100k. Looking at CTS sales numbers though, how much longer will the car even be around? E63 not on sale yet, goes on sale this summer. The E43 should be compared to the CTS turbo V6. E63 S is on sale now in UK for £88,295 for whatever that is worth.
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