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smk4565

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Everything posted by smk4565

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. 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.
  13. 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.
  14. 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.
  15. 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.
  16. smk4565
    If other Cadillacs had word names and some bolder styling, then the Escalade wouldn't seem so much like the outsider of the brand. And Johan can't be against using a Chevy chassis, because the XT5, XTS, ELR, and whatever they build XT3 or XT4 on are Chevy/Buick platforms. There is platform share everywhere else, what is the difference if Escalade does it too. In regards to the dealer that said the import buyers aren't afraid to buy an Escalade, that is for 2 reasons. One is does have name recognition, people know they are expensive and you must have some money if you drive one. Secondly, there is only 1 other competitive full size SUV and that is the Mercedes GL. The Infiniti QX and Lexus LX are extremely dated, and they were build off inferior Nissan and Toyota pick up truck chassis to begin with. The Navigator is tired and dated now, they haven't kept it fresh in the past 5-10 years. BMW, Audi, Acura don't make an SUV of that size, and the Range Rover is a mid-size. I think you leave the Escalade alone for now, should buyers demand better fuel economy from it, that is when you put a plug-in hybrid powertrain or something in there. If CAFE and regulations become a concern, or buyers quit buying monster SUVs, then you move the Escalade to Omega as a last resort, and that might be beyond 2025 if things really change. Cadillac has a lot of other problems to worry about before worrying about the Escalade.
  17. smk4565
    I think there should be a Malibu hybrid, as others in the segment have it, and the Mazda 6 does not but it has the i-e-loop thing with capacitors that acts as a mild hybrid system. That actually makes the most sense for fuel economy gain in a cheap fashion without adding much weight either. Ford, Toyota, Hyundai have hybrids, so Chevy needs one too. I just don't think it is anything to be excited about. Let's see 30 mpg city on the Silverado, that is something to get excited about since it is their number 1 selling vehicle and it would actually help the push to meet CAFE and trump the F150.
  18. smk4565
    Why not make some crossover hybrids since they get worse fuel economy to start, they could use the bump, and it would give a bigger advantage. If the Equinox got 36 mpg city vs 23 for the other guys that is a huge advantage. The other guys have hybrid sedans already, and they don't sell. 5-10% take rate on the Malibu hybrid, that doesn't really move the needle too much. And probably half that 5-10% would have bought a Malibu anyway. I think all wheel drive would bring in more buyers than a hybrid would.
  19. smk4565
    With a couple options the Malibu hybrid is going to be over $30k. I think size creep hurts a lot of these sedans. The Cruze is now like 185 inches long, Malibu like 193, they keep getting bigger and the price keeps going up. The Cruze is now sized and priced like a Malibu was 10-15 years ago. I don't get why car makers always try to push cars up market. Cadillac did it with the CTS, the establish "CTS" as entry level, then all of a sudden they want it to be mid-level. Buyers don't want to pay mid-level price for and entry level name plate. Chevy should dump the "Spark" name, rename it Sonic, the gamma platform car becomes the Cruze, Delta platform becomes Malibu, and Epsilon car becomes Impala. That way you are charging like $15-22k for a Cruze, $19-27k for a Malibu, $26-33k for an Impala. Those are good values for the name plate. The size creep that happens will make the next gen Epsion car like 195 inches long anyway. You don't need a 200 inch long Impala at that point and you have the Lacrosse for a full size car.
  20. smk4565
    The Camry Hybrid runs a 10-12% take rate, and Toyota is the #1 hybrid brand. Given that number, I would be surprised if the Malibu Hybrid has more than 10% take rate. The majority of buyers are still not willing to pay a premium for hybrid or electric technology since gas is so cheap and most mid size sedans are in the 30s in mpg anyway. What makes Tesla different is it is a performance car. You can buy a Tesla SUV (after sitting on the waiting list) that can accelerate as fast as a Corvette Z06. Think about that for minute. Tesla works because not only do you never have to go to a gas station, you have Ferrari level acceleration as well. And for all the concerns of it takes 1 hour to recharge if on a trip, a lot of people don't take long car trips. Plus think of how much time is spend by people in gas stations (and driving to them) even at 10 minutes a week, that is 520 minutes a year, nearly 10 hours of time standing in a gas station, vs plugging your car in to the garage outlet. A Tesla provides convenience of never having to go to a gas station.
  21. smk4565
    I bet the Hybrid has less than a 10% take rate and probably more like 6% take rate. So not a lot of sales, not going g to get people excited about a Malibu or bring them in the showroom. If fuel economy was the #1 concern of most buyers the top selling vehicles would not be pick ups and SUVs.
  22. smk4565
    This new Malibu looks sort of ugly I think. $28k for a hybrid seems reasonable, but gas is also dirt cheap right now so why bother buying it. Might as well just get the regular gas engine. Should offer all wheel drive, more people want that over hybrid tech.
  23. smk4565
    Well we don't know how a G90 drives because no one has driven it yet. All we can do now is judge by photos and the spec sheet. The question is how will Hyundai make in roads to the luxury market and will they be abel to sell more G90 and G70 than they sold Equus and Genesis. When Lexus started they had industry best reliability and quality, their V8 had more power than most, they had a well executed car, and it was much cheaper than a Mercedes. That got them noticed and let them get traction. This at a time in the early 90s when Acura, Infiniti and Audi were low volume and Lincoln and Cadillac were resting on laurels and not building the best product in the world. It was easy for Lexus to move in an capitalize. I don't think Genesis has a better car than Lexus or the Germans, so what's the hook they use to overtake those brands?
  24. smk4565
    I think Hyundai will get there in time, but this car still looks like they took styling cues from other luxury cars (and the current Genesis) and didn't come up with anything unique. Genesis brand needs to come up with some bolder styling or something that makes them stand out. And I am not saying go for Pontiac Aztek level shock value, they need to have an elegant luxury look, but they can't disappear into the market. Step two on the path to ascension is 100% all turbo line up. That 3.8 liter V6 can be found in Hyundai's and Kias, if they make the 3.3 turbo v6 the base engine for Genesis brand, it creates some separation from the Hyundai cars. And turbocharge the V8, there are turbo V6s of 400 horsepower now, a 420 hp V8 isn't all that special, especially not for a top engine, even if the turbo V8 was 460 hp, they'd have a better torque curve.
  25. smk4565
    They don't need a letter name and a word name. I think it was fine with Boxster and Cayman. Unless they wanted to go back to all numbers for cars, like the old 944, 928, 911 days, and you'd have 718 and 911. But a numeric and a word is a lot for a name. I think they should bring back the 959 and build cool cars again, not 4-cylinder boxsters an a bunch of SUVs and that fat whale of full size hatch back they make.
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