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smk4565

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Everything posted by smk4565

  1. smk4565
    Funny that GM makes a Corvette Z06, a Camaro ZL1, a CTS-V, Ford makes a GT350, Dodge a Hellcat Charger, and SRT Grand Cherokee, etc. There must be some reason they do that. Assume the CTS-V has a 10% take rate, that is 2,000 CTS-V's a year. That isn't very high volume, yet they build it because they want it for marketing purposes, they want all the magazines to write about it, etc. I bet if there was an XT5-V they could sell more than 2,000 a year. Mark my words, the performance crossover market will grow, because the high dollar spenders will want the most powerful or fastest thing, just like the high dollar spenders do with sedans and sports cars.
  2. smk4565
    E43 will smoke that CT6 3.0TT all day long and twice on Sunday. Has more luxury and more autonomous drive features too.
  3. smk4565
    You could try to sell your car at We Buy Any Car .com They will probably give a better value on it than a dealer will on a trade. Then just put the cash down. Might want to get financing through your bank too if they have good rates so the dealer can't try to hose you on that. Take away their trade in and financing variables, then all they have left is the price of the car.
  4. smk4565
    Not at all surprised by this. Lane departure warnings, or even an autonomous steer system to avoid accidents will probably become mandated in the 2020s also. This will of course keep pushing the cost of cars up. On a related not, without meaning to get too political, we can mandate auto braking to cut down on the 35,000 people a year killed in car accidents, which I support. But then we can't mandate a fingerprint or handprint recognition pad on the handle of every fire arm, so they can't be fired unless the registered owner's fingerprint is on it? Seems like that would cut down the 35,000 gun deaths a year in the US.
  5. smk4565
    My issue with the CT6 was all the fan boys saying that the CT6 V6 would be faster than the German V8s. I all along said that V6 wasn't enough and the car needed a V8. But so many still said, no way, because it weighs the same as a CTS it would be fast. Well the TT V6 is slower than all the German V8s, the S550 is the slowest one. The CT6 is just an odd car anyway, it doesn't really compete with an of the big German sedans, it is priced more like an E-class but is a foot longer. Maybe it is better compared to an E-class. As far as the Benz transmission goes, you use all 7 gears in the standard setting, only if you use comfort does it skip first gear, and not when under full throttle. They have 2 reverse gears because they are engineered unlike any other car. What if you wanted to go 55 mph in reverse? Mercedes engineers their cars beyond the limits of normal driving.
  6. smk4565
    Who the hell needs to compete with niche vehicles like the C63 and X5 M? Seriously? Why worry about the 0.5% volume? I love how you have to continually try to compare anything Cadillac does to the most expensive examples from the German competition, when that is just a fallacy argument. So why is there an ATS-V or CTS-V, those are .5% volume cars. Seeing as crossovers have over taken sedans in sales, there is not more volume in the crossover market than there is in the sedan market. Since BMW built their image on the M3 and M5, while Cadillac sold front wheel drive boats, one brand soared and the other sank. Same thing will happen with crossovers. The luxury crossovers with the prestige will draw appeal, people will buy the better performing vehicle as well.
  7. smk4565
    I probably would have gone with C400 and GLC400 for the turbo 6 models, but they do have symmetry within the line. C43 sedan and coupe, convertible on the way, GLC43, and SLC43 all with the same powertrain, E43 and likely GLE43 with a slight power bump. They are creating an entire AMG-lite line up, I think the enthusiasts will like this, and I think their sales will rise. 0-60 in 4.8 is pretty quick for an SUV and there is supposed to be a V8 model on the way. That will really stick it to the SQ5 and X3.
  8. smk4565
    The ZL1 I am sure will smoke a GT350, but the GT350 I bet will be a lot cheaper. The GT350 is $48k base, Chevy will probably charge $60k for this. I think these 2 cars mostly sell on Ford vs Chevy loyalties and styling. I think the Mustang has a better interior and better sight lines, you can actually see out of it. But the Camaro whips it on power and the 10-speed auto is a big step up from the 6 in the Mustang. I know there are fans of these cars, and collectors of these cars that will pay $60-70k for a top end Mustang or Camaro, but at the end of the day it is still a Camaro or Mustang to me. You could get a Corvette or Porsche Boxster for that kind of money, maybe a used 911 that will hold value, etc. $70k can get you a lot of car, I just wouldn't put that kind of money into either the Mustang to Camaro.
  9. smk4565
    Will there be an LT4 V8 in the XT5 to compete with the GLE63 and X5 M? I'd guess no V8 fits in he C1xx platform, maybe they can get the XTS V-sport engine in there, that is as good as it gets, and you still have FWD handling and FWD weight bias. You have a Grand Cherokee SRT with 475 hp, Levante with 424 hp, Range Rover SVR with 550 hp, GLE63 with 577 hp, X5 M with 560 hp, Cayenne Turbo S with 570 hp, Jaguar F-pace only has 380 hp, but you know they'll drop a V8 in there eventually. There is a wave of performance crossovers out there, probably more coming. Cadillac isn't in this arena, they are basically a Lexus-Lincoln fighter in the $40-50k range.
  10. smk4565
    Any new Lincoln is a horrible buy. However a used Lincoln can be a very good buy as 2013 models could cost 50% of what it did new. Plus it should still be under warranty even if it isn't a certified one. You could get a 2013 MKZ for low $20s, I've seen 2012 MKZ's for $16,000. At those prices they look like a good deal, but it is still a fancy Fusion.
  11. smk4565
    I think U hit the nail on the head.. but I also believe that we will see 2017 Caddys with the tranny as well. In particular a simultaneous launch of the TTV8 and 10Speed in the CT6 "VSport." Keep in mind simple logic.. the ZL1 is the first 2017 high-end V8 model announced. The GS, another announced '17, doesn't have the same config as other cars.. and has the exclusive TR6070 7speed Manual Tranny due to the tranny being behind the driver instead of under him/her. It could arrive with the V8 in CT6, the risk Cadillac has is they can't have any flaws or issues with a new transmission. They are on fragile ground as it is, anything faulty and the press will pick it apart and they can't risk buyers leaving for the import brands. The Camaro's fan base is pretty set, there is really one other option which is the Mustang, perhaps Corvette. But it could be good to work out any bugs on a low volume Camaro rather than on the prestige products that need to maintain the high image. I'd expect that 10-speed to go into every rwd product GM makes from Silverado to ATS to Corvette. Anything to help CAFE, and I think also the 10-speed in the Silverado could signal the end of the V8 in the Silverado except for HD versions. They can't have the #1 selling product at GM with a 5.3 liter V8 and hit a 50 mpg CAFE number.
  12. smk4565
    Tesla uses a 1-speed transmission. With electric motors you don't need gears.
  13. smk4565
    As far as XT7 goes, (which reminds me of Suzuki XL7) I guess this means no alpha or omega platform crossover. Cadillac just gets a fancier version of the Buick Enclave, to go with their fancy Acadia, and no doubt the new Equinox will shrink in size to D2xx and spawn a Cadillac XT3. And as DeNysschen says "we can do it really quickly, rather than starting from scratch." PR spin for badge jobs are quicker and cheaper to put out than building a Cadillac crossover on a Cadillac platform. How does Cadillac go against BMW, Mercedes-AMG, Jaguar, SVR Land Rovers, Porsche and Maserati SUVs with FWD V6 product? Any credibility gained by the ATS-V and CTS-V sort of goes out the window then the crossover side of the stable lacks performance.
  14. smk4565
    A 4 cylinder in the XT5 makes total sense. Lincoln has a turbo 4, Lexus probably will soon in the RX. If the CT6 and CTS which are both more expensive than XT5 and more geared to performance than XT5, then I don't see why the XT5 wouldn't have the same engine. Plus the 2.0T has a better torque curve than the 3.6 V6, and most of these crossover buyers don't care about the engine, they might prefer a 4-cylinder to get better gas mileage. The GLC 4-cylinder makes sense since the GLC is a small vehicle. The GLC is the size of an ATS, the turbo 4 is adequate for the size vehicle and type of buyer. There is an AMG GLC43 with a 362 hp V6 and 0-60 time of 4.8 seconds. That probably beats any small crossover other than the Macan Turbo which is like $80,000. There have also been spy photos of them testing a GLC63 with a 500 hp V8. Not sure why you'd want a 500 hp V8 in a compact crossover, but they'll build it, and they'll destroy the X3, Q5 and Porsche Macan.
  15. smk4565
    The 2016 S-class has a 7 speed actually, the 2017 models will switch to the 9 speed that is in some cars already. But I did check my owner's manual and test it. In comfort setting from a dead stop, if you floor it, the car will launch in 1st gear. However if in comfort and rolling at 5-10 mph and floor it, it stays in 2nd. If you want to use first then just keep it in sport. The benefit of that comfort setting is 2nd gear launches in snow or slippery roads, which is more beneficial to the rear drove cars bug could help with add ones too. It also is favorable to the elderly that want a more sedate drive. Also to consider is every Mercedes has paddle shifters so you can pick your gear also. And they also have two speed reverse, so comfort setting would reverse in 2nd gear and not be as quick.
  16. smk4565
    I think the Mercedes transmission in comfort mode still kicks down to 1st if you floor it. I will try it later on. I always use sport mode because my car has a dead pedal feel on initial tip in.
  17. smk4565
    I am in agreement with everyone else on the 10-speed. I was surprised to see them put it in production so soon when they just started using 8 speeds. So that was unexpected. I also wondered why Cadillac or Corvette wouldn't get it first. Unless they wanted to work the bugs out first on a car with a less discerning buyer. I wonder if there will be a fwd version of the 10 speed anytime soon. Because a transmission like that has more benefit to a small engine like a 150 HP to maximize the powerband.
  18. smk4565
    I'd take a 90s Ferrari 355 over an NSX. The NSX is lame, always was lame. I'll pass on a $200,000 car with a turbocharged Accord V6.
  19. smk4565
    3.0TT isn't the fastest CT6. 4.0TT is coming.Right and I all along said they need a Dohc V8, I'd like to see it in a CTS VSport or Escalade too. But there were several people on CT6 threads a few months back saying the TT V6 would outrun their German V8s because of lower weight, and I knew that wouldn't be the case and it isn't.The German three also all offer a 6 liter 12 cylinder. That might not be for the CT6 to worry about but they need to remember that on CT8. You just looooooove cherry picking. The RWD S550 with a twin turbo V8 is 0.1 seconds faster than an AWD CT6 3.0TT. A statistical tie.. Cadillac caught a RWD 4.7 liter Bi-Turbo Benz V8 using an AWD 3.0 liter twin-turbo V6 and did so with a 49hp and 116 lb-ft of torque deficit. yes, the weight matters. It's funny that you only see the 0.1 seconds while I see all of the extra grunt Mercedes has to use just to catch a Cadillac V6. Mercedes is throwing a lot more metal to get to 4.9 seconds than Cadillac is to get to 5.0. Astonishingly, that also means that the CT6 AWD 3.0TT is only 0.3 seconds slower to 60 than the S65 V12... The fastest S-Class is the S63 though, because it has AWD. It's best 0 - 60 is 4.6 seconds. That gives Cadillac lots of room to maneuver. If they cared about the 0.1 seconds that much, then the 3.6TT is just an email from JDN away. Then there is the 4.0TT also coming and that's not even the V-series model. S550 with or without awd has been clocked at 4.8 seconds, the coupe for some reason is 4.5 seconds, even though it doesn't weigh any less. The 9-speed cars are faster though, I think when the sedan switches transmissions it will be closer to 4.6 seconds. But if we want to cherry pick, an Audi A8L 4.0 (not an S8) can do 0-60 in 4.0 seconds and posts better fuel economy than a CT6. 29 mpg highway on the V8 Audi, 26 on the CT6, both are 18 city. But as I said, many thought the 3.0TT V6 would outrun the Germans, it doesn't. I'll listen to and agree with that the 3.0TT V6 is a nice mid-level engine choice on a Cadillac sedan or could be good on a large crossover. And I know the V8 is coming, I hope it comes soon.
  20. smk4565
    3.0TT isn't the fastest CT6. 4.0TT is coming.Right and I all along said they need a Dohc V8, I'd like to see it in a CTS VSport or Escalade too. But there were several people on CT6 threads a few months back saying the TT V6 would outrun their German V8s because of lower weight, and I knew that wouldn't be the case and it isn't.The German three also all offer a 6 liter 12 cylinder. That might not be for the CT6 to worry about but they need to remember that on CT8.
  21. smk4565
    Until they price the Continental we can't compare it to a CT6. If the Continental is CT6 money, forget it, the Continental will be dead on arrival. But if a 400 hp all wheel drive Continental is $48,000 and a 400 hp CT6 awd is $78,000 then maybe the Continental has an argument. Speaking of the CT6, Car and Driver tested the 3.0 TT Platinum model, and the 0-60 time was 5.0 seconds. So even the fastest CT6 is slower than the S550, all that talk about weight loss is meaningless when you don't have low end torque. The CT6 was 4,371 lbs, vs 4,620 for a BMW 750 with all wheel drive. So we are talking about 150 lb weight savings, but the 750i has a V8.
  22. smk4565
    Interesting points from Reg about the CT6. I would have expected better space and materials in the interior, although hearing his review doesn't surprise me. It is a theme with all their cars. The Mazda 6 has a really good interior for the money, better than most Lincolns or Acuras. As far as the Continental goes, they haven't priced it yet, so we don't really know if it has good value or not. The Continental might be priced below the CTS and XTS, then maybe it doesn't look so bad. Cadillac chassis and powertrakn engineers have stepped their game up in recent years, the interior people have not. And the marketing department is non-existant. The CT6 could out perform a Tesla Model S come with a 10 year warranty and somehow the marketing guys wouldn't figure out how to sell it.
  23. smk4565
    The CTS shouldn't be 196 inches long though, the old one was 191 inches long. If they get any more size creep on the CTS, it will be the size of a 2nd gen Olds Aurora. What happened to mid-size? And it is wasted exterior space anyway, as current CTS is 5 inches longer than Gen 2, yet has less interior room. When you look at that list, the A6 and E-class are smaller than the CTS, but have more room.
  24. smk4565
    132 lbs lighter than the 2016 E400, and this has more equipment. So well done there. The transmission seems to be another big difference maker, E400 was 0-60 in 5.6 seconds, this is 4.5, even the last bi-turbo V8 E550 was about 4.5 0-60.
  25. smk4565
    The ATS is just poorly packaged, like many GM cars. A 2003-2007 era C-class was 178.2 inches long, yet had the same rear seat legroom and a larger trunk than the ATS does. The ATS is sized for the market 10 years ago on the inside, but by todays size on the outside. The ATS is 182.8 inches long, the 3-series sedan is 182.4 inches long. The ATS is 71.1 inches wide, the 3-series 71.3. The 3-series still has more rear seat room and a bigger trunk. Even the CTS isn't well packaged, it is as big as the STS was at this point, the longest car in the segment and it doesn't seem like the roomiest at all.
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