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smk4565

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Everything posted by smk4565

  1. smk4565
    I'm sorry, did they say starting in the mid $30k range? So with any options this is a $40k Civic. And I don't care what struts and differentials they put on it, a front drive car isn't going to out handle a rear drive car, or deliver power as well. $40k gets you a bare bones Alfa Romeo Guilia if you want performance and style, or a fairly well equipped Camaro or Mustang.
  2. smk4565
    XC90 is also not selling too well right now. I think the XC60 will bring some serious competition to the Lincoln MKC and Lexus NX.
  3. smk4565
    I think it looks pretty good, and you basically get the same interior and powertrains from the XC90. Inside and out and with the powertrains it looks like a really strong entry into the segment. Although you sort of wonder why it is worth spending way more on an XC90 when you can get it all here.
  4. smk4565
    I don't like the look of it, it looks a bit ugly. But perhaps they assume Panamera buyers have no style, and will find this appealing. The shape of this looks off, I think it would look better if they just added back doors on the GT and called it a day. The powertrain sounds awesome though, that would make this different than an E63 or CLS63. I'd like to see the EQ Power+ thing added to the inline six because not everyone needs 800 hp.
  5. smk4565
    2018 Volvo XC60 7.jpg
    I like it, it looks good inside and out. You basically get the same interior from the S90 and XC90 and the same engines but at less money.
  6. smk4565
    It makes sense, GM doesn't make money in Europe, PSA does make money in Europe, and can consolidate Opel/Vauxhaul in and through platform and engine sharing, HR and financing sharing, etc, can keep this all profitable. Makes PSA #2 in Europe, it makes sense for both sides. GM can build Buicks from Chevys, no big deal. They Opel Buicks (or Opel Saturns) never sold well anyway.
  7. smk4565
    While they do need a 500 hp version of the Q60 to compete with C63, Jag XE and Alfa Romeo, they also need some other performance products. And Infiniti is lazy in some areas, like their version of the Pathfinder has the Nissan 3.5 liter V6, not the Infiniti 3.7 liter V6, or one of the new turbo V6s. The Q70 seems like it has been on market forever with no update. So good to see them bringing a new 500 hp V6 hybrid, I think powertrains like this are the future, and I know they want to tie it to F1, but no way could they put an F1 KERS system on a Q60 it would be too expensive.
  8. smk4565
    Merecedes sold inline sixes up until like 1996. Inline sixes are smoother than a V6 or V8, and they have better economies of scale with it because it shares 70% of the parts with the inline four. So it makes engineering sense and economic sense. They also don't need to hold on to V6 development, because they have something better. They went from 5.5 liter NA V8 to 4.7 liter turbo V8 to 4.0 liter turbo V8 on the S-class in a span of 2011-2018, they have no problem introducing a new engine every 4 years if it gets them better power and fuel economy. In that 8 year span the V8 gained 95 hp and 125 lb-ft while increasing fuel economy. They went from a 268 hp V6 in 2010 to 302 direct injection in 2012, to 329 hp turbo 3.0 V6 to 396 hp turbo V6 to 408 hp inline 6 for 2018. 140 hp gain in 8 years while increasing fuel economy. Unlike Lexus that sold the same 306 hp V6 from 2007 to 2017 with no changes. Cadillac dumped the rear drive SRX in favor of a front drive SRX sized almost identical to the Lexus RX. They even copied 2/3rd of their name. There should be a CTS-V engine in the XT5, laughable that Cadillac doesn't have a 500 hp crossover. But they are like Lexus, lame front drive chassis that can't handle any power.
  9. smk4565
    Mercedes had a direct injection inline 6 in 1954. BMW copied them. Mercedes is going back to what they have done in the past. With the ATS Cadillac was trying to get the same wheelbase, lengeth, width etc as the E90 3-series or whichever one people liked before the current car got big and added electric steering. like with XT5 instead of saying how can we make it like the Lexus RX, they should be saying how can we make a smaller version of the Escalade and make it uniquely Cadillac.
  10. smk4565
    Autoline reported that a day or two ago. The MKZ is likely getting cancelled in 2019 when it's life cycle ends and the factory where it is built will be used to make crossovers. Lincoln will be adding more crossovers to the line up instead. Autoline did say that Lincoln might add another sedan to replace MKZ, which it would be hard to imagine the Continental as the only car at Lincoln.
  11. smk4565
    Which is why Cadillac should have a sports car for $100k with Corvette performance and CT6 Platinum level (or better) interior. GM's lineup isn't like VW's because Chevy isn't just the mainstream brand, it has become the performance brand of GM also. And Buick and GMC overlap Cadillac a lot. VW's brands are more spread out, they are actually more the model of how GM should do it. GM is more like FCA with a truck brand and a lot of car brands that step on each other.
  12. smk4565
    ATS and CTS have been designed from the get go to mimick the 3-series and 5-series. Both are tanking right now, 3-series sales have fallen off too. Right now Lincoln is growing, and Cadillac is shrinking, and Lincoln a year or two ago was thought be be getting shut down. Lincoln is bringing more crossovers, maybe killing MKZ and becoming a luxury truck brand, so they could have a future. I still feel like Cadillac lacks focus, when the 3-series was hot they thought, let's copy it, when the Lexus RX was hot, they thought lets copy it. Now MKC, NX, Q3 and these small utes pick up so Cadillac says let's do XT3. But they are always a little late to the party rather than setting the trends.
  13. smk4565
    Benz is one brand, so they sell all on one lot. GM is not one brand, they have 4, more similar to the VW-Audi-Porsche-Bentley-Lambo set up with tiered brands. Use Toyota-Lexus as an example, different dealership, Toyota doesn't have $100,000 cars, Lexus does that.
  14. smk4565
    The Continental is outselling the CT6. Perhaps where Cadillac made an error was trying to out German the Germans. Lincoln is catering to those that want plush car ride and hardly any other luxury brand is doing that now, Lexus is even moving away from it, and their sales are tanking too. Cadillac advertising has been terrible even since they dropped Led Zeppelin also, and Lincoln seems to have some appeal going with Matthew McCaughnehy.
  15. smk4565
    They don't have to be. This is why VW doesn't make the Phaeton anymore after that flop and why VW doesn't make a $100k sports car, or why Audi doesn't make a $250,000 car. VW has a price point, Audi has a price point, Bentley and Lambo have a price point. Each carries out their mission.
  16. smk4565
    Ugly car made uglier. And where is the power? The other full size sedan from Stuttgart has way more.
  17. smk4565
    And I disagree with $100k plus C-classes because Mercedes has other cars to step up to. Which is why I don't like $100k Camaros because you have Corvette in the same showroom and Cadillac in the portfolio.
  18. smk4565
    But how many Taurus did they sell?
  19. smk4565
    $100k for a C-class is nuts too. I think the C63 S tops out around $94k now, which to me is about $10k too much, but if you skip carbon ceramic brakes that helps keep cost in check. But at $100k you are at E63 money, or S550 money and an AMG GT or SL550 in the low 100s, so no reason to ever push a C-class above $90k when there are other better options in the same show room.
  20. smk4565
    Chevy shouldn't be in the $100k market, because Cadillac should be, and Cadillac has long struggled with anything over $70k that wasn't an Escalade. We've seen the STS-V and XLR fail and they priced the CT6 low because of it. And I have zero concern from Chevy competing with MB, Chevy has cheap plastic interiors for one, and 2: Mercedes's hyper car will have over 1,000 hp, weigh 2,200 lbs and have F1 car suspension and active aero, so not worried. The LaFerrari and Bugatti aren't even going to compete with Mercedes.
  21. smk4565
    All wheel drive does help sales, I agree there. I have long said cars like Malibu, Impala, Fusion, even Camry and Accord should offer all wheel drive. People are fleeing those sedans because they can get all wheel drive in a crossover. When that is easy profit to charge $2,500 for awd on a Camry or Malibu. If the 300/Charger were rear drive only they'd be dead right now, look at how the Avalon, LaCrosse, Impala and Taurus are dying on the vine, I imagine all 4 of those cars are dead by 2025. Just read the new BMW M5 will be all wheel drive, so even the car that founded the rear drive sports sedan has succumbed to the consumer desire for all wheel drive. This is what will make electric cars appealing I think, you can put a motor on al 4 wheels and have all wheel drive. Consumers will like that, once the batteries deliver the range.
  22. smk4565
    Cadillac should build sports cars, they are only half a luxury brand without them. If they are top tier where is the stuff to compete with Porsche, Aston Martin, Ferrari, Bentley, the top half of Mercedes line up, etc. Even dopey Lexus did the LF-A and now has the $100,000 LC which is slower than an S-class coupe by the way, and sized like an E-class coupe.
  23. smk4565
    Wait, Chrysler will pay me $249 a month to drive a 300? Intriguing deal, but still not worth it.
  24. smk4565
    Cadillac has nothing to do with sports cars period. The G-wagen starts at $120,000 though. The Camaro starts at $25,000 and they want to run it up to $100,000. That is a big gap, that is like selling a $100,000 Impala. The G-wagen does have amazing off road ability, but I suspect 90% of the buyers aren't going off road, in which case the GLE is a better vehicle overall. However an all new G-wagen comes out next year, so it will be on a zero year old chassis with a new 4.0 V8, and the new 9-speed automatic, so then maybe it is a different story.
  25. smk4565
    There are a lot of reasons for rise o the CUV, it is very possible that in 2025 sedans, coupes and convertible are less than 20% market share and CUV is like 60% with trucks the other 20%.
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