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smk4565

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Everything posted by smk4565

  1. smk4565
    IF (and a big IF) Corvette was it's own brand then it couldn't be at a Chevy dealership, it would still be a Chevy then. They'd have to have Corvette stand alone dealerships like Porsche has, or Corvette/Cadillac dealerships. Chevy dealers would riot if they lost the Corvette, and GM doesn't seem to want to make V-series Cadillac crossovers, yet people want them to launch a Corvette brand with 500 hp crossovers? GM had 9 brands before and they went bankrupt. More brands isn't GM's answer to success. They need to put those high power crossovers into Cadillac, fill out that line up, make a Cadillac sports car, a Buick Riviera, etc. Work on the brands they have. Heck, GM can't get the Malibu right, they can't launch a new brand.
  2. smk4565
    Well you said Mercedes doesn't make an electric car. Yet they do, and that is all I was saying. I never said it was a good electric car or it had a long range. But the B250e range is double the Volt and in the Volt thread the Chevy fans were saying how the Volt's range meets 90% of drivers needs and Volt owners buy gas 3 times year, etc. So 85 miles must be enough range for most electric car buyers. I wouldn't buy any of these electric cars because you pay a $10-20,000 premium over a similarly performing gas car. The range isn't the problem, the price is. An E250 diesel has an 886 mile range, does that make it the best luxury sedan on the market? As I said, no one is car shopping for range.
  3. smk4565
    Mercedes is working on an electric vehicle architecture that will underpin 4 vehicles, 2 sedans and 2 crossovers. The smaller ones would be C to E class size, and there 2 would be full size. Supposedly a 300 kWh batter pack, 400 hp for rear drive models and 600 hp for all wheel drive models. These are coming in the 2018-19 time frame. So they'll have 5 full EV's and 10 or so plug-ins. But if this stuff has a huge price premium people won't buy it. The AMG line will probably outsell the electric line, however if the electric line buys them enough CARB and CAFE points to build V12s then bring on the green mobiles.
  4. smk4565
    Maybe GM should expand Cadillac's line up. Cadillac being the top GM brand should in theory have the highest profit margins. Putting your ducks in the Buick-GM basket and ignoring Cadillac is like VW group seeing $20,000 profit per car on Porsche and Bentley and $5,000 on Audi and saying, quick build more Audis, add an A10 sedan and forget about Bentley and Porsche. I have no doubt that the Denali trim level is a good profit margin since it is fancy Chevy, just like Lincoln or Acura are a high trim level of Ford/Honda mechanicals. However, how much profit are these GMC's really making? General Motors reported a $1.4 billion dollar profit in the 3rd quarter of 2015, while Toyota posted a $5.1 billion profit during the same 3 month period. And Toyota doesn't have nearly the pick up truck sales that GM does they are doing that mostly on Corollas, Prius, and Camrys. If Buick is all profit, GMC is all profit, Cadillac is making profit, how is Toyota 300% more profitable than GM? Chevy can't be losing a billion dollars per quarter.
  5. smk4565
    BMW beats Mercedes because the 3/4 series sells in such huge volumes. The C-class is gaining, maybe with a plug-in, convertible and coupe being added to the C-class range this year they can close the gap more. In most segments, especially the higher priced ones Mercedes beats BMW. BMW is a strong brand, they have good image, loyal fan base, a super smooth inline six, some pretty good tech. I think the GLC is what Mercedes needs to be successful to top BMW. Jaguar sales are frighteningly small. You'd think they would be doing better by now, and you sort of wonder how they stay alive. They could easily double or triple their sales next year with the F-Pace and XE though. Selling 15,000 XE's in a year shouldn't be too big of an ask. I am surprised Lincoln and Acura were up, who buys those? Why do they buy them? So many better choices out there. And lastly, Buick is not a luxury brand. The lowly CLA is more expensive than 80% of their line up.
  6. smk4565
    I like the looks inside and out. But it is still FWD in a RWD luxury world. 5,000 sales in a year? that is 1 month of the E-class. I don't seem them stealing much from the Germans. I think the Volvo product is better than what Acura or Lincoln are putting out though, they should try to steal off them.
  7. smk4565
    Make a GMC Denali Avalanche, call it the Yosemite. There is your luxury trim SUV/truck thing. Cadillac doesn't need it. Cadillac needs a sedan above CT6, a coupe bigger (or more expensive) than the ATS, some sort convertible, and 2 more crossovers after XT5. I could even see an ATS Hot Hatch catching fire in Europe as people like hatchbacks and when they trade up from their Golf GTI they got to go somewhere. As far as Mercedes selling a commercial van goes. 1. Mercedes doesn't have an image problem or sales problem. 2. It is the best commercial van in the world.
  8. smk4565
    Mercedes makes an electric car, it has been on sale in the USA for over a year, is $42,000 before tax credits and no one buys it. But by offering it they comply with California's laws and likely get some carb credits. Mercedes also made an electric SLS with 737 horsepower a few years ago, but only sold it in Europe and it was crazy expensive, they didn't produce many of them.
  9. smk4565
    But Cadillac can't sell sedans/coupes to the Euro-import-country club crowd with a redneck pickup on the lot. They have to build an image that appeals to the bulk of luxury car buyers. There are a lot of buyers out there that won't consider a Cadillac just because of the brand image still lingering form the 70s and 80s. They have to be careful.
  10. smk4565
    The VW Golf is a huge global seller as well. Hatches don't have a lot of sales in the USA because there is basically the Focus and Golf. There aren't a lot of choices. I think if there were more hatchbacks out there, there would be more sales. People like the way a sedan drives, but also want more space and utility so they might go to a crossover to get that. But this body style gives another option. Car and Driver had a survey for most desired features among car enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts. For non-enthusiasts the #1 desired feature was cargo space, #2 was all wheel drive (which is why I argue for an AWD malibu) and #3 and #4 are adaptive cruise control and automatic breaking. If cargo space is the #1 desired feature, the hatch back hits that mark. Conversely the least desired feature by enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts was electric cars and 2nd least desirable was plug-in hybrid.
  11. smk4565
    Ford sells a luxury F150, Chevy can sell a luxury Silverado and they have a GMC Denali. There are your luxury pick ups. Cadillac doesn't need a pick up. Cadillac needs sports cars and crossovers and convertibles to go with their army of mid to full size sedans.
  12. smk4565
    I like the looks, I think it looks better than the Cruze sedan. It also gives buyers more practicality and cargo space than a sedan, but handling or fuel economy than an SUV. I like the design and the standard powertrain is adequate for daily driving. As I said in the other thread, there is one problem with this car. You need a "Hot" engine. This car is begging for a 2.0T with 250 hp. A lukewarm hatch is okay, a hot hatch is where it is at. I actually think this is one of the best looking Chevys right now. Makes me think what a Malibu hatchback would look like. And not a Malibu Maxx, I don't want to revisit that, but imagine if they turned the Malibu into a hot hatch, that could be epic.
  13. smk4565
    One day the electric car will replace the gasoline powered car. But that day isn't today, or any day in 2017. I feel like this is an ELR repeat. If they priced it at $30k before the tax credits it would be a winner, but at $37,500 they over shot the market. Just like if the ELR was $55k and not $75k it might have sold.
  14. smk4565
    Again there is nothing wrong with the price and if you are griping about its price then you should gripe even more at the pricier, with far less range, i3. Let's see. Has the same range as $100K Tesla yet is only $37k. Yeah, real overpriced there. Comparing this to an i3 is also like comparing a Sonic to a 3-series. One is a BMW, one is a Chevy. The Tesla has slightly better range, but the Model S is also faster than a Corvette Z06. I don't believe the Bolt will do 0-60 in 2.8 seconds. The Bolt is similar in interior, size, performance, etc to a Sonic, but it is double the price. That is a big premium for electric. This is another problem with electric cars in general. You pay more for range. That is like paying an extra $5,000 for a Chevy Cruze with a 23 gallon tank vs the standard car's 14 gallon tank so you get more range. No other car is sold on the basis of range. And that isn't just an attack on the Bolt it is on all electric cars.
  15. smk4565
    $37,500 before the incentives is a bit steep. You could get a Leaf or Focus electric for less money, although you won't have as much range. If you want to sell electric cars, they have to be price comparable to gas powered car. There are a lot of good cars for mid $30s money. But perhaps these manufacturers don't really want to sell electric cars.
  16. smk4565
    I like it, I think it looks better than the Cruze sedan and the added cargo space is nice for people that want versatility and don't want a crossover. The base engine is fine, but you have to have something "Hot" in a hatch. A 250 HP 2 liter turbo would be nice.
  17. smk4565
    You don't think if Cadillac had a $110,000 sedan, that it wouldn't lose 60% of value in 3 years? The CT8 will have even worse resale value than an S-class.
  18. smk4565
    I think the majority of crossover buyers won't even know where the Envision comes from or care that it comes from China. It is a small crossover, that is what buyers want, they'll buy it if they like how it looks and drives regardless of the country of origin. If it becomes cheaper to build Buicks in China and ship them here, I wouldn't be surprised if GM made every other Buick there and shipped them here. They'll do what makes the most money. Sadly they are in business to pay the stockholders a dividend, not create jobs in Detroit. I am all for American jobs, and wish companies would keep them here, but that isn't the case most of the time. Buy your Envisions now though, under President Trump any Chinese made auto will have a 5,000% tariff put on it, making the price of an Envision the same as a Bugatti Veyron.
  19. smk4565
    Cadillac needs product. During bankruptcy I said they should kill off GMC or make it a work truck and commercial truck brand, sort of how Ram has become pickups and commercial vans. Then Chevy would sell the retail vehicles, GMC the fleet and commercial. Put the product into the flagship brand, that is where the profits are.
  20. smk4565
    The 2017 E-class was awarded an autonomous car driver's license by Nevada today, the first production car ever to receive one. This new car is cutting edge,
  21. smk4565
    An Escalade ESV Platinum loses $48,540 in 3 years. Is the Escalade not the #1 most profitable GM product by a long shot? People still buy the Escalade, it is the corner stone of the Cadillac brand. The Escalade has 50% value after 3 years, and trucks hold value better than sedans. If Cadillac had a $100,000 sedan, it would lose $60,000 in value after 3 years just like the other big cars do. All these $100k vehicles lose money because people the make an average salary buying used cars can't afford the gas, maintenance, insurance, etc on them. As far as leases go, I don't see them as any more crazy than 0% for 75 month financing that some brands are offering. The finance wings of car companies are always looking for ways to get monthly payments low so they can sell people on a monthly payment, not the price of a car. And wasn't this a complaint of Cadillac dealers a few years ago? That they couldn't match the lease deals on Mercedes, BMW or Lexus because Cadillacs didn't hold value well enough, and they felt they were losing customers. Personally I look to buy a 3-4 year old used car after the depreciation hit, and then pay it off in 4-5 years and keep it for 4 years after that. I am not a lease fan myself, because you own nothing after it and forever will have a payment, but they do put people into a new car with a warranty for a low payment.
  22. smk4565
    I like the premise, especially if it is $30,000 before tax credits. The exterior looks funky, but all these electric cars do for some reason. The interior looks bad, looks cheap. Which is why I think it needs to be $30k before the credits and not $40k minus tax credits to be around $30k. For a $40k sticker you can get a BMW i3, which at least says BMW on it.
  23. smk4565
    Cadillac should be the pinnacle of everything at GM. I still believe the worst Cadillac should be better than the best Buick or Chevy. As far as the Regal/Insignia goes, they are closer to E-class size than CLA size. And the Envision is larger than a GLA, it is closer to a GLC. But again, GM is pushing the luxury crossovers and SUVs to Buick and GMC, when Cadillac should be getting the luxury product. This is sort of why I wished post bankruptcy that GMC became the commercial truck brand, the Buick line now has 3 crossovers, they could make a Buick version of the Equinox/Terrain to make it a 4th. If you have 3-4 Buick crossovers at a mid-level, why do you need 3-4 GMC crossovers at the same level? GM keeps trying to push Buick and GMC up market, but Cadillac is in the same price range and product starved. That makes no sense, give the product to your top line brand.
  24. smk4565
    People want crossovers, and the CLA and GLA are the same price. Same chassis, engine, transmission, interior, etc, in 2 different shapes. I'm sure Mercedes doesn't matter which one people buy. And neither appeal to the traditional Mercedes buyer, they aren't losing C-class and GLC sales, I think the A-segment cars are bringing more new people in. They can't kill the B-class because California law mandates you sell an electric vehicle. Wouldn't surprise me if California was the only state that actually had B-classes on a dealer lot.
  25. smk4565
    The average S550 buyer is 62 years old with a $324,000 median income (also 83% male). The average AMG S63 buyer is mid 40s and income of $500-600,000. I don't think these are the types of people that care about depreciation. $54,000 in depreciation is 2 months salary for an S550 buyer. According to MotorTrend, the S-class overall has an average buyer age of 61 and median income of $371,000. Which interestingly enough, the average income an an E-class wagon buyer is $375,000. And that probably explains why they still make it, when he A6 Avant, 5-series wagon and CTS wagon are gone.
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