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smk4565

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Everything posted by smk4565

  1. smk4565
    Not only Benz, as I said Alfa Romeo's SUV has 505 hp from a 2.9 liter engine. Tesla's SUV has like 650 lb-ft or torque and can do 0-60 in less than 3 seconds, BMW has a plug in hybrid X5. If you go back to 2010 the Mercedes GL had 4.7 and 5.5 liter natural aspirated V8s while the Escalade had a 403 hp 6.2 V8. The GL went to 3.0 and 4.7 liter biturbo engines and in 2019 will have a new inline 6 and 4.0 V8. That is 2 generations of new engines, the Slade will still have the same engine.
  2. smk4565
    The CT6 in the comparison was $70k so it is hardly a base car. And I suspect even a Platinum CT6 is going to lose an interior battle with a lot of cars in the $70-90k range. But why is the CT6 so compromised in the first place? Why did they have to cut corners at all? This is just Cadillac mentality on display. They cut corners on the bones of the XT5, it is just the Cadillac way to take shortcuts.
  3. smk4565
    But they don't even sell the Escalade in China, so they have no sales at all. I do hope in 2022 Cadillac is still pushing the Escalade with a 6.2 liter V8 pumping out 420 hp at 5,800 lbs getting 15/20 mpg. Makes it easier for the GLS to win since they keep advancing with new powertrains. At some point I'd expect Cadillac to make an Omega based SUV, or some sort of performance SUV. They can't just sit around and let Porsche, BMW, Audi, Jaguar and Mercedes rack up profits on performance crossovers, even Alfa Romeo and Maserati are getting in that space, and they'll get some sales. The Stelvio has 505 hp from a 2.9 liter V6, sort of makes the Escalade's 6.2 V8 look weak and out dated.
  4. smk4565
    But the Audi, BMW and Mercedes six cylinder engines are all like 2.99 liters, so they are under 3, the Audi and Mercedes V8s are 3.99 liter so they are under 4. A GLS450 is taxed at the 2-3 liter rate. So that is like 8% vs 20% on an Escalade. Plus they have an annual displacement tax. I found a tax table for annual taxes. 2400 RMB is $349 per year the 5,400 RMB for over 4 liter is $785 per year tax. And this is why they don't sell any Cadillacs with an engine larger than 3 liters in China.
  5. smk4565
    A V8 Escalade is 5,520 lbs, a V6 should be a little less. The GLS450 has a V6 and is 5,335 lbs and does 0-60 in 6.5 seconds, so the physics must be possible. And that is with a 362 hp engine, when 400 hp is possible from a V6. And they have a new GLS about 1-2 years away with more power and less weight.
  6. smk4565
    When I first saw the comparo in the magazine, I thought it was a CTS, but I guess they went with the CT6 since it is newer. Given the CT6 has more room and equipment than the CTS, that should have helped it. And the CT6 was the middle priced car of the 3 and they made it a 4 cylinder comparison. They could put an E43 in a comparo with a CT6 3.0 and same result would happen as it did with the 4 cylinder engines. The CTS would have done worse than the CT6, the interior and fit and finish and build quality were the biggest reasons the CT6 was in last place, and the CTS is worse than the CT6 in all of those categories.
  7. smk4565
    The Escalade isn't sold in China, the Mercedes GLS and Audi Q7 are. So in world's largest auto market the Escalade doesn't even compete. All the more reason Cadillac needs an XT7 and more crossovers. And an 8% tax difference to go from 3 liter to 4 liter is a lot on a $150,000 car which is about what the GLS sells for in China, that is $12,000 tax. To be clear, I think the Escalade should always have a V8 option, but they could easily make the base engine a 3.0TT V6. If we aren't concerned about 0-60 SUV times, a V6 Escalade that does 0-60 in 6.5 seconds will sell just as well as a V8 model doing 0-60 in 5.9 seconds. This is part of Cadillac's problem for the past 30 years though, they are stuck in the past, and don't adapt to the market changes fast enough. Always a step behind, always playing catch up.
  8. smk4565
    China (which happens to be the world's #1 auto market) taxes displacement every 0.5 liters, anything over 2 liters is taxed heavily, over 4 liters it is taxed a lot. An S400 V6 in China costs $181,366, but an S500 with a 3.996 liter V8 is $290,360. On the E-class going from the 2 liter four to the V6 adds $19,000. A GLS V6 Luxury trim to a V8 is $31,000 increase with all other equipment being the same. Crazy taxes! Eventually they'll make a Q9 3 row SUV and sell 37 of those. The X7 and Maybach GLS are going to bring the competition.
  9. smk4565
    German luxury sedans are the only ones that sell. The Escalade should impact CAFE, the F150 will. Large trucks have to be 23 mpg EPA sticker by 2025. But if they want to continue to offer 15/20 mpg with 420 hp while Mercedes I-6 offers 408 hp with way better mileage, they can go ahead. BMW X7 and Audi Q8 are on the way too, the Euros are going to attack that segment with lighter, better handling, better braking, faster, better equipped SUVs the the Escalade is. They can't live on name forever.
  10. smk4565
    Motor Trend has a comparison this month of the E300, CT6 and Volvo S90 and the CT6 was last place. I don't think it is near perfect if it can't even beat the mid-size luxury cars, it is a far cry from the real flagships.
  11. smk4565
    The Escalade 4wd is rated at 15/20 mpg, not like it is much better, and the GLS550 is more powerful and faster. The current GLS is too thirsty though, the GLE's hybrid engine would help. I imagine on the next generation GLS due in 2018 they will fix fuel economy. Weight should drop a few hundred pounds, the inline six and 4.0 V8 with the 48 volt electric system will be a big improvement over the 4.7 liter V8 that is a gas hog.
  12. smk4565
    Fuel economy would matter more, which would be the argument for a turbo 4 or hybrid going into the XT5. In general though, across ATS, CTS, XTS, XT5, etc, the 3.6 isn't the best option anymore. Same goes for Lexus with their 306 hp 3.5 liter V6 that they have been selling since 2006. It is tired and dated. XT5 is a new product and the only crossover at the Cadillac lot, that helps it sell, plus GM has a big SUV following. But all the more reason that Cadillac should have about 4 crossovers on sale to capitalize on American's willingness to buy American trucks and crossovers. Americans don't seem to want to buy American made luxury sedans.
  13. smk4565
    CAFE says it will need a V6, and they could easily get over 400 hp and lb-ft from a V6 that would drink less gas than a 6.2 liter. I would still offer the V8 as an option, and I'd probably make it a turbo or supercharged V8. The original Escalade had a 255 hp V8 while the age of the same year had a 300 hp V8. The CTS has replaced the STs with a 4-cylinder, if they cut cylinders in half there, they can cut 2 off the Escalade. I am in favor of a six cylinder S-class too which i think is happening this year, you don't need to offer a standard V8 just because. And there isn't a reason a base S-class needs 476 hp which the 4.0 V8 will make in it when they replace the 4.7. Just like you don't need 450 hp ina truck with poor handling. The average buyer doesn't care. Just the the Corvette could offer a base V6. But in all cases I support the optional V8.
  14. smk4565
    But everyone has 8 and 9 speed transmissions and Audis are much quicker than Cadillacs with comparable power. Compare an XT5's performance to a Jaguar F-Pace or Mercedes GLC43 and it isn't even close. The GLC43 does 0-60 in 4.5 seconds, that is CTS V-sport performance out of a V6 crossover. The 3.6 V6 just can't match any of the Euro sixes.
  15. smk4565
    I agree, Cadillac should have an all turbo line up at this point. Even with Escalade they could do a turbo V6 and a turbo V8 option. The 3.6 V6 is useless, it has no torque and doesn't get good gas mileage.
  16. smk4565
    You can't build any brand equity with sedans and a couple crossovers based on a Chevy. That is why they need a convertible, to get some image. That is why they need some sort of sports car too. And to your point about volume, it is why they need to sell in more countries and build product that can compete in places outside of North America and China.
  17. smk4565
    Except an Audi A6 Prestige with the V6 does 0-60 in 5.1 seconds and gets 21/29 mpg. While the XTS V-sport does 0-60 in 5.3 seconds and gets 16/23 mpg. And you can get the Audi for $65k too and no doubt the A6 will handle better and has a better quality interior.
  18. smk4565
    I agree that cars should stay the same size, I don't like size creep either. I am just stating it is what car companies do. I think they are wrong for doing it, but they keep doing it, which all that does it force out your top end model, as Chevy and Ford are about to do when they kill the Impala and Taurus because Malibu and Fusion will get too big.
  19. smk4565
    Cadillac definitely needs a convertible, every luxury car company needs one. Buick and Chevy have convertibles, how does Cadillac not? It won't cost that much to make a convertible ATS or CTS, they already make a convertible on that platform, it isn't that hard. I think the ATS will grow in size, as every car grows in size, and they easily could make a smaller than ATS car, although people don't buy the ATS because they say it is too small, so I don't know how many sales they are going to get. Not sure why even bother with an XTS refresh, unless it is really mild and costs very little. They have an abundance of sedans and the XTS is probably only being kept around to sell to funeral homes. They need crossovers and more crossovers. Like Cmicasa said, Mercedes is up to 7, and yet they are all selling better than they did when they had 3. Lexus, Audi and BMW have more crossovers coming, the market is crazy for them.
  20. smk4565
    Tall hatchbacks and tall wagons sell in the USA, like hatchbacks and wagons have sold in Europe the past 20 years. With the exception of the GLE which I assume you mean the coupe version, is still pretty large, the rest are basically hatchbacks on stilts. Lexus is coming out with a product for that segment also to replace the CT200 or whatever that hatchback thing they had was called.
  21. smk4565
    You can turn just about anything into a hybrid so it makes sense to have it as an option. The 2.0T with a hybrid system making like 300 hp seems like a no brainer.
  22. smk4565
    There are gaps because there is only so much lipstick you can put on a Rav4 or Camry to make Lexuses out of them. They don't really have much of a performance line at all, the LX570 and GX are older than dirt and don't sell. They need a 3 row crossover to replace the 2002 4Runner based GX, and a crossover below the NX is a given. Toyota is getting a sub Rav4 crossover, there will be a Lexus version.
  23. smk4565
    Depends on how fast battery technology advances and cost comes down. If Tesla could sell the base Model S for $45k and the Ludicrous Mode car for $75k, V8 sport sedans would be dead right now. 2025 might be too soon for hybrid and plug it to hit 50% but there will need to be a lot. Cars need to add 10 mpg and trucks need to add 5 mpg to their current EPA ratings to hit CAFE in 2025. And people aren't buying cars anymore, trucks are over 50% of the sales now, so for manufacturers to hit CAFE they need trucks that get good mileage. How do you get 10 more mpg out of a Malibu or Fusion that are already using sub 2 liter engines? They gotta all go hybrid.
  24. smk4565
    I imagine in 10 years plug in hybrid will be about as common as a turbo engine is today. Once batteries get cheaper and CAFE is 50+ mpg, half the cars sold will be plug in.
  25. smk4565
    I smell a 2.0 turbo base engine coming with a 3 liter turbo SRT model.
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