Jump to content
News
Reviews
Discussons
Activity
Create New...
Close

smk4565

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    13,686

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    11

 Content Type 

Everything posted by smk4565

  1. smk4565

    Continental Uncovered

    smk4565 replied to a topic in Lincoln

    They should price the Continental the same as the MKS is now. $40-49k seems reasonable, even with 400 hp this car won't be worth $50k. They should price the Continental the same as the MKS is now. $40-49k seems reasonable, even with 400 hp this car won't be worth $50k.
  2. smk4565
    It is slower for sure, but the GL450 stops quicker, handles better, gets better gas mileage, has higher top speed, and the Escalade tows more. I meant overall the numbers are similar. The two vehicles are in the same ball park in terms of size, price, overall performance and sales. The GLS550 with the 455 hp and 516 lb-ft and 9 speed transmission is there, I think that is a better comparison to go V8 to V8. But if I do that, it is unfair because the Mercedes costs more. But that isn't my problem that Cadillac can't get Mercedes prices. The diesel GL is getting a slight power bump to 255 hp, 455, lb-ft, that should help.
  3. smk4565
    Let's look at the sales front, GL vs Escalade (and I combined Escalade and ESV) 2015 to date: GL 24,858 Escalade 31,262 2014: GL 26,597 Escalade 30,469 2013: GL 29,912 Escalade 20,542 2012: GL 26,042 Escalade 20,698 2011: GL 25,139 Escalade 23,467 The GL has beat it 3 of the past 5 years. GL is losing now, but for a while it was winning, and the revised GLS might close the gap.
  4. smk4565
    I think the Escalade and GL are equals as far as size, price, sales, market position/status, etc. The Range Rover isn't quite full size, but there is a new long wheel base model, so if you want to throw that into the argument, those are the top 3. It is big drop to the Navigator, LX570, QX80, etc. I pulled the Car and Driver tests of the GL450 and Escalade. GL was $66,125 base, $87,860 as tested. 0-60 in 5.9 seconds, top speed 130 mph, 7,500 lb tow capacity, 70-0 braking 179 ft. 17/21 mpg, 16 mpg observed. Escalade $76,565 base, $89,360 tested. 0-60 in 5.6 seconds, top speed 113 mph, 8,300 lb tow capacity, 70-0 braking 188 ft. 15/21 mpg, 14 mpg observed. So for similar money you get similar performance. The GL550 offers more performance for $95k, but most Mercedes cost more than their rivals because they have the best brand image and can charge more. Personally if I had to drive a GL I'd get the diesel, because all these big SUVs can't really be driven fast anyway, and the diesel gets like 27 mpg and has low end torque you want in a truck.
  5. smk4565
    Except you are comparing APPLES to ORANGES. The GLS is NOT a Full Size Body on Frame. Lets keep this to the only Body on Frame SUV that MB makes and is junk. The G Wagon. Till they build a new one from the ground up to compete with the Escalade you are only dealing with Badge Snobs that are idiots in overpaying for a junk built SUV. The Town Car was body on frame, how did that compare to other full size luxury cars? The Ford Explorer was a segment leader as body on frame from 1995-2006 or so, then it died for a while before they brought it back. A lot of body on frame vehicles meet their demise over time. Pick-ups are really the only vehicle that is best on body on frame. The G-wagen is a mid-size vehicle, but if you want to compare it to the Escalade because they are body on frame. The G-wagen will beat the Escalade off road, and the G-wagen offers an optional V12 engine that is much more powerful and much faster than the Escalade, if for some bizarre reason you want to compare straight line performance on tank like SUVs. But the G-wagen doesn't even compete with the Escalade, the cheapest G550 is $119,900 and the G65 is $217,900. And something like 60% of G-wagens are AMG models. If Cadillac would like to make the base Escalade $120,000 and $150,000 for a Platinum, bring it on, and we'll see how the Escalade does against the old G-wagen in sales. The GLS is full size, it has a 121.1 inch wheelbase, 202.6 inches long, 72.8 inches tall, and 84.3 inches wide. The Escalade has a 116 inch wheelbase, 203.9 inches long, 74.4 inches tall and 80.5 inches wide. Those 2 are pretty close in size, GLS is the Escalade competitor.
  6. smk4565
    A GL63 does 0-60 in 4.7 seconds and a 13.1 second 1/4 mile. More impressive is it stops from 60 mph in 104 feet, which is only 1 ft more than a CTS V-sport. And that was the 2013 model before the 27 hp power bump for the new GLS63. The GLS is more than capable to compete with any other full size SUV.
  7. smk4565

    Continental Uncovered

    smk4565 replied to a topic in Lincoln

    Looks a little boring, but it is too early to tell. Need to see the whole thing.
  8. smk4565
    Audi has a Q6 e-tron coming in 2018 with 500 HP and a 310 mile range. According to autobild the Mercedes GLC will arrive in late 2018 and have up to 530 HP and a 250 mile range, it is built on a GLC chassis. They said $54k is the target, I assume that is a base model. GLS is totally on par with the Escalade, you could argue it is better since they have a 577 HP engine option and a fuel sipping diesel option. We'll see how the CT6 twin turbo does. I don't think it competes with the 750i or S550 but for the sake of argument those cars do 0-60 in 4.3 and 4.5 seconds respectively. The S550 has a new 9-speed that shaved some time of the 4.8. I do hope Mercedes keeps making V8s, but fear the inline six will replace it most cars. The good news is AMG boss Tobias Moers said they are increasing the power of the V12 to create a "meaningful gap in power" between it and the 577 hp V8. All wheel drive is being added too.
  9. smk4565
    Well a DOHC V8 is ideal, but they don't have one because GM doesn't take Cadillac seriously or invest properly in it. If the DOHC V8 is coming soon, I would just start with the 3.0TT V6 as the standard motor, make the CT6 like $62k base, wait for the V8 to arrive in year 2. If the 3.0TT V6 is too thirsty for some buyers, that is why you have the plug-in hybrid model. I think they should get an electric crossover in the works ASAP also, word is Mercedes is working on a 500 hp electric crossover with a 250 mile range for $55k, at least that is the target. Audi has the e-tron stuff coming. Perhaps an Electric Escalade could be put in place for 2020 and beyond.
  10. smk4565
    Well my car is a 2008. And a Titan probably isn't 3,815 lbs.
  11. smk4565
    An LT1 V8 CT6 would run 0-60 in 4.5 seconds, maybe less. They should make that CT6 run with a Corvette, not grandpa's Lexus LS. If they can put an LT1 in a Camaro and charge $38k or whatever, I am sure they could put it in an CT6 for $65k. The Corvette is another strong seller, it outsells the CTS some months. The people want V8s, give them V8s! And not that I want to put pushrods in Cadillacs, but it is the only V8 they have right now, it can be a place holder until the doc V8 arrives. Cadillac likes place holders anyway. And the people want cars with names that have equity. S-class has 40 years of being the gold standard, so S550 might be boring sounding, but that S means something. Just like Escalade and Corvette mean something. CT6 and XT5 mean nothing, they inspire no emotion. It is as forgettable as Pontiac G6 or G8. Eldorado and Fleetwood mean something.
  12. smk4565
    Heck with airbags, Mercedes invented the automobile! To surreal's point, I know the Escalade sells and that is what people want. It it the rest of the line up that is the problem. They make a bland full size car with a turbo 4, and say it is low weight so we don't need a big engine. That car should be called Fleetwood and have a 3.0TT V6 as the base engine and an LT1 as the middle engine engine (since it is the only V8 they have right now) until they get a DOHC V8 to put in there. No one wants a CT6, they want a bold looking Fleetwood.
  13. smk4565
    You could argue the G-wagen is the best off roader (but maybe the Range Rover or Wrangler is). You can get the G with a 621 hp V12, so it has the best horsepower. The G-wagen is a retro throwback, or I guess it is just still retro, but Mercedes has always embraced their history. They don't run and hide from it (aside from maybe the 1935-1945 years). So the G-wagen is like a living piece of Mercedes history, and it is a very capable off roader, very powerful, very exclusive. Beyond that the G-wagen represents how Mercedes listens to their customer. They were going to kill off the G-wagen 10 years ago, but the customers wanted them to keep making it. They build the G-wagen because their customer base wants it and they don't want it to change. Cadillac could learn a lesson from building what their customers want, and not just trying to clone BMW's sedans. The Escalade is what their customers want, it makes sense to keep building it that way. Until CAFE or market forces kill off the Tahoe and Yukon, which at that point you move the Escalade to a new platform, because they can't build only one product on that platform.
  14. smk4565
    5.6 liters and they got 390 hp, that's it? The engine in my car came out in 2007 and has 382 hp and 391 lb-ft and is 5.5 liters. They could have used a 3 liter turbo and got 390 hp. Seems like they took the Infiniti V8 which is now dated, and tuned it for less power, but more at the low end.
  15. smk4565
    I think Johan will be a bust. There are easy fixes he could do on the current cars that he hasn't done, such as options, pricing, trim levels, names, etc. There will be a new rebuilding plan in 2020 when Johan is gone. The Mercedes G-wagen has had increasing sales over the past 5 years, the volumes are low, but they are rising. Plus they outsource G-wagen production, so it isn't going down any of their assembly lines, doesn't interfere with the other products in the portfolio.
  16. smk4565
    The Mercedes GL is 5,300-5,600 lbs depending on V6 or V8 and equipment. But ehe GLE/GLS chassis goes back to 2011 model year, and the recent Mercedes models have used more aluminum to shed weight. If that keeps up and they cut 200-300 lbs off the GLS for the next generation, then they are more like 5,100-5,300 lbs, so they could get a bit more of a performance and fuel economy edge on the Escalade. Buyers in this segment may not care at all, but there could be an argument made to move Escalade to Omega for the 5th generation in the early 2020s.
  17. smk4565
    This car is sized and priced closer to the mid-sizers, it is quite the tweener. That wouldn't be a bad thing if Infiniti had a Q40 below this for around $35k. At least you get a V6 in the base Q50, but $54k for a Q50 seems like a lot, you could get a Q70 with limited options for that price. When Infiniti moved the G37 up in size and price, they sort of forgot to move the Q70 up and get a new entry level car.
  18. smk4565
    The super rich will buy the Rolls and Bentley, even Mercedes GLS and Range Rover can only climb to $150,000 or so. The Escalade may lose some of that celebrity/hip hop appeal, could lose a little bit of image when the 1% move elsewhere, but regular rich people still won't be able to afford a Bentley or Rolls, and then it comes down to Escalade or GLS, or maybe Navigator if they really improve it. But Lincoln doesn't have much brand image left in it to justify $80-90k for a truck. This generation Escalade should be around until 2021 or so, going into that 2022 model year is when you really have to consider Omega because CAFE is going to change the way these companies build and power cars.
  19. smk4565
    I too would leave the Escalade on the Tahoe platform for now. I think on Omega you could get better performance and fuel economy, and I think as the 2025 CAFE target nears that move may be necessary. The Escalade is not competing with Bentley or Rolls Royce though. The Bentley Bentayga does 0-60 in 4 seconds and does 190 mph, that is serious performance for a car, much less a full size SUV. Secondly the Bentley has an optional clock that costs twice as much as an entire Escalade, waaaaaaay different strata of buyer. As far as Rolls-Royce goes, the short wheel base Phantom is longer than an Escalade ESV. I imagine their SUV will be massive and massively expensive. I do agree that Escalade buyers don't care about weight or fuel economy. And Cadillac has virtually no threat from Lexus, Infiniti, or even Lincoln anymore in that segment. I think Cadillac has other holes to worry about, they can probably keep the BOF until 2020 at least and see where the market is going.
  20. smk4565
    Chrysler is a US/Canada brand not a global brand. Volkswagen could sell zero cars in the USA and still sell 8 million elsewhere. FCA just has too many niche brands that are too localized to certain regions. Sergio wants industry consolidation, but he can't even consolidate his own house. And they can't keep product fresh across 7 or 8 brands, they are like GM of 10 years ago without the sales volume. Alfa should be killed and all those cars to Maserati, then they'd have 3 sedans, a coming crossover and the 4C sports car. I still think Dodge and Chrysler could merge to one brand, unless Ram is killed and Dodge becomes a truck, van and muscle car brand. Jeep is fine, Chrysler would be car and crossovers, no crossovers to Dodge. There was a time when people thought, how can GM kill Pontiac or Saturn or Hummer, etc. Where will that volume go. Well those brands are gone and not really missed, and they still have volume, and they are more profitable. If FCA cut half their brands in time they would not be missed.
  21. smk4565
    I most likely see this as the preamble to moving the Escalade off a body-on-frame platform and not sharing it with the others. I'd be all for a move to Omega for the Escalde to make it unibody and lighter. The Mercedes GL is not that mass efficient, but it still about 300 lbs less than an Escalade V8 to V8. The GLS should drop a couple hundred pounds on the next generation since all other Mercedes in the past few years have. Escalade will need less weight and or more power to keep pace. The rest of the segment is hopeless though, has Lexus put a new engine in the LX since like 06? The Navigator's body panels look like they are from an 07 Expedition. It is a 2 horse race at this point.
  22. smk4565
    I am not trying to move a goal post. I'd rather Cadillac use all rear drive platforms, if the Camaro is built on Alpha that is no big deal because it is a Cadillac chassis first and a Camaro is not competing with Cadillac. And Camaro is a performance car. For the sake of this argument, the first bullet point in the original post was that the Escalade shares a platform with Chevy/GMC and Cadillac would like to leave that behind. But they share platforms all through the line up already so what is the difference if Escalade does too. If the Escalade was the only product on a Chevy platform then that argument could hold up. I believe the ATS should have a turbo 4 standard, CTS and CT6 3.6 liter V6 standard. More people want a V8 tank of an Escalade than they do a lightweight 4 cylinder turbo CTS and the Escalade is double the money. Maybe the CTS needs more power and bling, that seems to be wha the Cadillac buyer wants.
  23. smk4565
    But there will be a Buick or Chevy or GMC version in a couple years. Camaro is on alpha, there is a lot of Cadillac shared with the corporate parts bin, so the fact that the Escalade is a based on a Tahoe can't be too big a cause for concern. The reason Escalade doesn't fit with the brand is they think for some stupid reason XT5 and CT3 are what the people want, when really they want Escalade, Fleetwood, Eldorado. Cadillac thinks people want light weight cars with a 2 liter turbo. The Escalade is near 6,000 lbs and has a 6.2 liter V8 and outsells the CTS which costs half as much. Luxury buyers want luxury and a V8 and name recognition and status.
  24. smk4565
    Do they really need Chrysler and Dodge? They could move the 200 to Dodge as an Avenger, give Dodge a new crossover, Dodge has the minivan already. You could argue that they don't need Chrysler at all anymore. I could argue they don't need Fiat or Alfa either, or Maserati for that matter. Maybe they should just have Jeep, Ram and 1 car brand.
  25. smk4565
    507,000 hybrid sales out of a 17 million unit market. There is no doubt that the Malibu should offer a hybrid, but it is not like it is a game changer, when Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, Ford, etc have one also. But you have to make it for buyers that only want hybrids. My question is how many all wheel drive (or 4 wheel drive) vehicles were sold last year? I'd guess over 8 million, seems like that is an option that buyers want and the Malibu should offer. Especially since you can't get it on Accord or Camry. And I know Subaru sales are low, but look at how many people buy a Subaru solely because it is all wheel drive.
×
×
  • Create New...

Hey there, we noticed you're using an ad-blocker. We're a small site that is supported by ads or subscriptions. We rely on these to pay for server costs and vehicle reviews.  Please consider whitelisting us in your ad-blocker, or if you really like what you see, you can pick up one of our subscriptions for just $1.75 a month or $15 a year. It may not seem like a lot, but it goes a long way to help support real, honest content, that isn't generated by an AI bot.

See you out there.

Drew
Editor-in-Chief

I've whitelisted
Continue without support

Write what you are looking for and press enter or click the search icon to begin your search