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smk4565

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Everything posted by smk4565

  1. smk4565
    While we talk prices, I hope everyone realizes that GM has sold about 120,000 plug-in or electric cars already, and will be at at least 125,000 by the end of the year before the Bolt even goes on sale. If Bolt and Volt combine for 70,000 sales next year, come 2018 those incentives dry up. GM has used more EV tax credits than any other auto maker so far. The average $40-50k car buyer is buying 3-series, C-class, IS250/350, Acuras, Infinitis, etc. They'll like a Model 3, they won't touch a Bolt. Notice they aren't touching the i3 even with the BMW badge on it. The average $40k crossover buyer wants a 3 row Traverse/Explorer/Pilot/Highlander to haul the family, Bolt can't do that. So they need to steal away MKC, NX250, XT5, X3 MDX type buyers, that seems unlikely. If Bolt was Equinox size, and a crossover, I think they could have a hit.
  2. smk4565
    70% of Mercedes total sold since 1954 are still on the road, that is incredible. In another study of percentage of cars still on road sold since 1985, Porsche was #1 which makes sense since they are low milage type cars. Mercedes was #2. Granted this study was done in 2010, but in 2010 over 60% of 1987 model year Mercedes were still on the road, over 70% of 1990 Mercedes were still going against an industry average of 15%. Let's think of that, after 20 years, only 15% of cars in general are still on the road, but 70% of Mercedes are. Lexus, BMW and Audi also ranked really high. Here is the graph: http://s248.photobucket.com/user/ocscion/media/Untitled_zps357462cd.png.html
  3. smk4565
    Good review, I like the Chex Mix analogy. I never drove one, but I imagine the problem comes down to trying to cram power into a front drive chassis and make a family sedan sporty. It wasn't designed to compete with an A4. Gotta have a rear drive biased car if you want performance. Quite the sales experience they have going on at the Ford dealership too. That is pretty embarrassing really. It isn't hard to greet some one, introduce yourself and shake a hand. I do that when dealing with customers, I'd expect the same when I am a customer some where.
  4. smk4565
    I'd say the 2016 leftover X3 or even certified used 2014 or 2015 as the X3 has been pretty much the same the past few years. A certified used one would have taken the first year depreciation hit already, still have warranty coverage and then they can get the "I want a BMW" bug out of their system. If they love it and keep it 10 years then great, if they don't like it after a few years they could sell it and not lose much since BMWs hold value pretty well.
  5. smk4565
    That definitely does not Rock. But I guess when you need a city car on the cheap in Europe it will fit the bill.
  6. smk4565
    Maybe $60k then for that level performance, but the $35k target car is 0-60 in 6 seconds, which puts it in line with a base 3-series or C-class or A4. Even if the Tesla is $40k that is what most of those cars cost. The turbo 6 versions are near $50k, if Tesla was targeting $35k and 6 seconds 0-60 I think $50k and 4.5 seconds 0-60 is doable. They'll be competitive for sure as far as price and performance and brand image goes. Interior is where they might drop the ball compared to the Germans.
  7. smk4565
    Probably no one thought Tesla would make a sedan that does 0-60 in 2.5 seconds, but they did. If they can make the Model S accelerate as fast as a Bugatti Veyron, I am sure they can make a Model 3 accelerate with a Camaro or Mustang.
  8. smk4565
    But the Model 3 is a larger car than the Bolt and will be made for performance. Tesla could make a Model 3 for $50k that does 0-60 in 4 seconds. That is M3 performance. That is how they will get sales. Toyota could make a 200 mile range Yaris EV for $40k and no one would buy that either.
  9. smk4565
    Oh right, I was thinking of the Sonic 5 door, and wrote Spark, that was my mistake. The Prius has Camry level pricing, The Prius is actually $2,000 less than a Camry hybrid and the Prius beats it by 15-20 mpg. Prius has 58 mpg for $25,000, If GM had a Cruze hybrid that was $25,000 and got 58 mpg, GM fans would run through the streets singing it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. You can buy a Prius and enough gas to travel 120,000 miles for the price of a Bolt, and the Prius is larger than the Bolt is. That is a hard value proposition to overcome. Tesla doesn't have to argue value, they sell performance.
  10. smk4565
    I am pro electric car, I just think the Bolt is small and ugly and isn't going to light up the sales chart. Hopefully the 2nd electric car is a mid-large sedan to replace Impala or even call it Impala, because the Impala as we know it will be dead post 2020 as crossovers take over, making the Impala a $35-40k EV sedan could save it, and they could make a roomy, good looking car that people would buy. The Bolt is basically a Spark 5 door for $37,000, that isn't a good deal.
  11. smk4565
    Nissan sold 17,500 Leafs last year, BMW sold 11,000 i3's. That is about the size of the EV market for this price point. It is less than 50,000 cars a year, vs how many million gas cars are sold between $30-45k? Bolt has to steal sales from gas burners, therefore it has to be better than gas burners, at least some of them.
  12. smk4565
    How big is the EV crowd? My point is the Model S is better than many of its gas counterparts. Is the Bolt better than most gas cars at $35k?
  13. smk4565
    They need to give it up, these guys aren't going to take on BMW and Mercedes. Maybe they could put Alfa in the VW, Buick price point and try to sell $25-45k sedans and crossovers and have the 4C as their exotic car.
  14. smk4565
    It all seems pretty awesome, car looks great, good power, etc. They clearly are after the 911 coupe and convertible. But my question is what about the SL? The next-gen SL is supposed to be designed and engineered by AMG, but I feel like the SL is getting lost in the shuffle a bit with the AMG GT and the S-class convertible. The SL I think needs some retro feel, the 50s and 60s SLs are iconic, the current car is not.
  15. smk4565
    Corvette should go back to a base V6, I have for years said they could do a base V6, they could price it at $49,995 for the affordable model, even with the 3.6, 335 hp engine and 8-speed, the Corvette doesn't weigh much, it would still be under 5 seconds 0-60 and get over 30 mpg. That is a lot of performance for $50k in a car that has that kind of handling, and you could use all the power. I think Z06 should have 600 hp max, the car can't even put the power down to use it at that point. This also keeps Corvette $50-100k which is plenty of price for a Chevy, the value, mainstream brand of GM. Part of the problem of GM thinking is they think the Corvette has to be the best performing, fastest, most powerful car at GM. But why? Why can't they make a sports car above Corvette? When Porsche wanted a 210 mph hyper car, they didn't try to put a 10 cylinder in the back of a 911, they made the mid-engine Carerra GT followed by the 918 Hybrid. Mercedes didn't try to make an a grand touring SL hit 215 mph, they had the SLR McLaren for that. They didn't throw away what the 911 or SL were because they wanted more performance, they just added a model above them. That is how GM should be thinking, let the Corvette carry out it's mission, which is really successful doing, and make something above it to go after the hyper cars. And where does it end? They bring out a mid-engine Corvette, but then Aston Martin-Red Bull bring out the 001 with 1,000 hp weighing 2,200 lbs. Then Mercedes-AMG start selling the R50 with a Formula 1 V6 and 3 electric motors making 1,300 hp. Do they push the Corvette to 1,000 hp and $1,000,000 base price to keep up? They can't have the mentality that Corvette will compete with the best in the world because it can't. They shouldn't even want to price it like an Audi R8 because the Audi R8 has crap sales.
  16. smk4565
    The Accord V6 isn't that fast, but regardless, the Model S has appeal due to the brand name and the looks and top trim performance. I am not comparing the Bolt to the Model S, I am just saying the Bolt isn't that good looking of a car, which I think will hurt sales. It isn't a spacious crossover either, the people spending $35-40k on vehicles have a dozen crossovers to pick from, that will look better and do a lot of things better than a Bolt does. What Tesla did was make a car that looks as good as any of the competitors, better than any Lexus or the Panamera, it has more cargo space than a 5-series or Lexus LS460 or Panamera or Ghibli, and the Model S is faster than all those cars too in a similar price bracket. The Model S isn't selling because just because it electric, it is selling because it is better than many of the competitors cars. Bolt shoppers can get an MKC, Envision, Edge, Tiguan, GLA, X1, Q3, Q5, 3-series, Lexus NX, RDX, Q50, QX30, QX50, CX-9, Volvos, Subarus, etc. There is a ton to pick from in the $30-40k range, the Bolt can't beat the field on looks, performance and cargo/passenger space like Tesla does with the Model S.
  17. smk4565
    Corvette should be front engine/rear drive. Mid-engine should be a Cadillac super car. Mazda didn't make the Miata mid-engine, Porsche didn't make the 911 front engine. They still with the formula. I am all for GM offering a mid-engine car, but not a the expense of 60 years of front engine - rear drive Corvette.
  18. smk4565
    I think the cracks are in the dam, and it is about to burst as far as EVs go. There are a few out there now, but I think around 2020 they are going to be coming fast and furious, as everyone will have EVs and they'll be good ones that are fast and have range, and you can charge at home, never go to a gas station, awesome stuff.
  19. smk4565
    The Leaf isn't a good looking car, in fact it is an ugly car, that hurts it sales just as much as the range does. The Bolt isn't a very good looking car either, it looks kind of like a lifted Sonic hatchback. Tesla makes a good looking car that can accelerate like a Lamborghini, that's why it sells. I think 200 miles of range is enough to squash range anxiety, most people are not driving 200 miles in a day, you'd have to spend 4 hours in the car to get to that. The Bolt has the range it needs, I don't think it has the looks. When the Tesla comes, it will look cool, and the Tesla brand name is like Apple when it comes to phones. People just want it.
  20. smk4565
    This sounds like a pretty awesome bus, to have no emissions and no noise and 1/4 the operating cost of a diesel that is amazing. Seems like it could recoup the additional cost to purchase in fuel savings. The Tesla is only 100 kWh battery, with 600 kWh battery they could put an insane ludicrous mode on this bus.
  21. smk4565
    But the Camry won't break down all the time or lose 50% of it's value in 1 year like a 200 will.
  22. smk4565
    It was meant to be a joke. I have no idea how big a discount they are shoveling on Darts and 200s.
  23. smk4565
    V8s are smoother and make less noise than a boosted 6, especially the GM 3.0TT which has gotten knocked for be unrefined, although I never have been in a car with it. Either way, if you are going to spend $70,000 on a car, get a 2 year old S-class off lease, it mops the floor with anything else at $70k.
  24. smk4565
    I think Chrysler 200s are selling for $9,995 right now.
  25. smk4565
    You could argue the CT6 has better looks or interior, or better equipment for the price for sure. The 2 cars are close, but you can argue the V8 is better than a turbo V6 if you like V8 sound or smoothness. I am not saying I would take a G90 over a CT6, I actually think there are better buys than both for $70-80k, but I don't think the Genesis pricing is out of line.
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