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smk4565

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Everything posted by smk4565

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. smk4565
    They should call it the Buick Regal Montana Look how rugged it is
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. 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.
  13. smk4565
    Rear drive crossover sales are booming! You can see the end of coupes coming, the 4-series is dropping fast
  14. 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.
  15. 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.
  16. 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.
  17. smk4565
    It won't whoop up on an E63 S, and AMG has several offerings above the E-class with the 65 series cars and the GT series. Plus they have the Project 1 Hyper car that will beat everything, LaFerrari included, however at a crazy price.
  18. smk4565
    By high end I mean cars with base price of $80 or even 100k. CTS-V is like a $90k car but based on a $46k car. it is still a mid size luxury segment car. Cadillac lacks the S-class, SL, Porsche 911, Audi R8, BMW i8, M760iL sort of cars in the $100-200k range.
  19. smk4565
    I could see Police departments going to Edge and Acadia size vehicles, even Escape and Equinox for city use when you don't really need highway acceleration power. Even an Explorer is pretty large and thirsty; Police cars will downsize in time just like every thing else. Holden could be gone soon too. EV will rise, it hasn't hit that tipping point yet. EV is still too expensive, but when the price eventually drops, it could replace gas cars in a hurry, so car makers have to be ready. All the more reason for Cadillac to be on board with EV's and this product plan doesn't include any.
  20. smk4565
    That is an interesting take, it probably would spur sales a lot, but would be a different direction for Cadillac. There is a good argument for that plan, or you could argue raising prices by $10,000 across the board and putting in more content and power. Even the current price structure undercuts BMW and Mercedes, so undercutting by a little clearly doesn't work.
  21. smk4565
    They don't have anything high end except the Escalade though. That has always been a struggle since the Allante in the 80s, they can't crack into that top tier of high end cars.
  22. smk4565
    But if they can make $4000 profit on a Cadillac Traxx vs $700 profit on a Chevy Traxx, what do you think GM will want to do? Cadillac needs more volume because selling 1 Cadillac can make as much money as selling 5 Chevy and GM wants profit at the bottom line. That was said about luxury sedans in the 80s and 90s also. Front drive was better in snow, etc, and by the time Cadillac switched to a rear drive heavy line up aroun 2004 it was too late.
  23. smk4565
    Tesla Model S sold like 25k units in the USA last year, 50k world wide. The Model S is also a mid size car, with a starting price $30,000 below the S-class before the $7500 tax credit. But Mercedes recognizes the threat of Tesla for sure, that is why they are launching this 10 model assault aimed directly at Tesla.
  24. smk4565
    And the CT6 range topper engine is 116 lb-ft shy of the S-class's base engine. They should have developed a CT6 exclusive V8 and made the 3.0TT the base engine for livery and rental spec cars. They brought a knife to a gun fight.
  25. smk4565
    In 2016 (in usa) Mercedes sold 158,600 SUV and 181,637 cars. Cars still make up the majority of their business. I didn't add all BMW and Audi's full year sales, but Audi puts a new SUV on sale every 6 months, and any car they make above A4 doesn't sell here. Regardless, C, E, and S class are all #1 seller in their segments, so it makes perfect sense to make electric cars of equal size, because they know how to sell sedans in those segments, and they want the Tesla Model S and Model 3 business. People buy the Tesla because it was the new thing and nothing else is like it, when Mercedes sells Tesla performance with a Mercedes interior and build quality, goodnight Tesla. And that is what this push is half about, half is about the European Eco-mentalist green movement and the other half is about taking out Tesla.
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