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smk4565

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Everything posted by smk4565

  1. smk4565
    Until we see the production version of the Continental and get a price tag I don't think we can evaluate it at all. A lot gets cut from concept to production on any car, and you can't predict how it will sell until you know what it costs. People thought the Cadillac Converg concept was cool, then the ELR got priced at $75k and was DOA.
  2. smk4565
    I think the Continental looks a bit like a jelly bean. The Avenir has a terrible rear end, it is part SUV and part Panamera. And the Panamera might be the ugliest sedan on the market.
  3. smk4565
    The Cummins Titan will be interesting for sure. I think the Jeep Renegade is an intriguing car right now. It has a cool, sort of classic Jeep look, that removable roof section, and more capability than the typical compact SUV. I am curious on what the production Continental looks like and how they price it, and how the Cadillac CT6 is priced. I feel like both cars if done and priced right could have some impact, but one little mistake and it could be a disaster like the ELR.
  4. smk4565
    That is true.
  5. smk4565
    Well personally I don't think you can do better than this 2012 certified E350 4Matic for just under $30k. Only 22k miles and under warranty. http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?zip=17601&endYear=2014&modelCode1=E_CLASS&showcaseOwnerId=0&startYear=2010&makeCode1=MB&searchRadius=75&maxPrice=30000&showcaseListingId=0&mmt=[MB[][E_CLASS[]]]&listingId=406647478&Log=0 If the choice is limited to Buick and Chevy, and you and your wife want a larger car, then I'd say the pre-owned LaCrosse Premium is the way to go. If she wants the white diamond, I am sure CarSense will get one in within a month. Not like the LaCrosse is a hard to find car.
  6. smk4565
    The new Lexuses are butt ugly, I don't get why people buy them. I am just glad now that they can't make an ad about how it has more standard horsepower than the Germans. Because for years the GS had one engine choice, the 306 hp V6 which was indeed more than competitors base model, but all those competitors had 400 and 500 options that Lexus failed to mention.
  7. smk4565
    The pushrod V6 not only lost to the DOHC V6, it lost out to the DOHC inline-4 as well. Most mid-size sedans have a 4-cylinder, the Camry is 93% 4-cylinder, while Malibu, Sonata, Optima are 100% 4-cylinder. The full size sedans and mid-full size crossovers are now V6, and DOHC is what the people want, because they want power with refinement when paying $35-40k for their Avalon or Acadia or Pilot. The pushrod works on Chevy trucks because Chevy truck guys that are brand loyal will buy it regardless of what is under the hood. With the Corvette it is sort of a heritage thing, they use the small block V8 they have used for 50 years because that is what the Corvette faithful want. Audi and Mercedes are both introducing 4.0 liter DOHC V8s with 600 hp next year, that is quite a hp/liter argument and allows them to meet emission regs, , displacement taxes, etc. You need 6.2 liters of supercharged pushrod to make that power and you have to put a dome in the hood because the engine is so tall, so much for packaging.
  8. smk4565
    I think if a model is called "sport" then you can pretty much be sure that it isn't sporty. They don't make a Porsche 911 "sport" or Nissan GT-R "sport" yet they do make a Hyundai Sante Fe Sport and a Ford Fusion Sport.
  9. smk4565
    "sport" packages are what marketing types do to appeal to younger buyers. Except younger buyers don't want a Camry Sport or Buick LaCrosse Sport. And younger buyers have this thing called the internet and they can look up horsepower ratings on it.
  10. smk4565
    The difference between the Hyundai concept and the Avenir (aside from number of doors) is Hyundai probably has the guts to build their car, the Avenir will probably sit on the shelf because the bean counters won't be able to "build a business case" for it. If you want a full size, V8, rear drive coupe, there is the Challenger, or spend over $100k for an S-class coupe or over $200k for a Bentley. Pretty limited choices.
  11. smk4565
    Lexus needs a more viable 3 row crossover for that reason. If you drove an RX and now need something bigger, you have to buy American or spend a lot more on a German 7 seater.
  12. smk4565
    ST sounds like a Ford. Lexus puts dark finish allow wheels and a spoiler on a car and calls it F-sport, so Buick might as well too.
  13. smk4565
    The Enclave is 15 inches longer and 800 lbs heavier than an RX350. That is about the gap on a CLA and 300.
  14. smk4565
    Vehicles compete mostly on size and price. The Enclave for example is a 3 row full size SUV. The Lexus RX is on the small side of the mid-size SUVs and seats 4 adults. That is why I don't think they compete with either other. Just like a Mercedes CLA and Chrysler 300 despite being the same price don't compete with each other, because one is full size, one is compact.
  15. smk4565
    I like how it looks from the front or side, but the back looks odd. Looks like they stole Jag XJ tail lights, but it also looks like a mish-mash of Regal and XTS from the back. I like that there is no B pillar, but somehow I guess if this made production the B pillar would be in there and it would be less cool. Good engine with the V8, a V8 luxury coupe would be cool since Lincoln won't do a Mark VIII successor and Buick has no Riviera and Cadillac no Eldorado.
  16. smk4565
    Oh no, the Chevy truck won't be safe against bear attacks. Love how Chevy makes ads about how aluminum is bad, while Cadillac uses it, and now Chevy will do it themselves.
  17. smk4565
    If the Enclave is RX350 competition then the Enclave must compete even more so with the Cadillac SRX. The SRX is larger than the RX350 and priced below the Enclave. RX350 is priced above Enclave.
  18. smk4565
    If Buick has so many "loaded" sales, why continue to sell the $31k model? Why not make the base Lacrosse $37,000 so premium 1 is the new standard trim. Either way we are talking about Buick's most expensive car versus what has usually been the Lexus entry level car until the CT200 came along. I guess I could argue a Hyundai Azera is on par with a Cadillac ATS because an Azera has a higher price, thus making Hyundai a luxury brand, but it just isn't true. Buick is still not a luxury brand, never will be, never should be. Cadillac is the luxury brand.
  19. smk4565
    Maybe if the LS wasn't so forgettable and boring, with the same engine it had in 2007 on the 2016 model year car, they wouldn't need another flagship.
  20. smk4565
    Consumers might notice the $7,000 price difference between the LaCrosse and ES350 though. And that is sticker. I think we all know where the bigger rebate will be when it comes to Lexus and GM.
  21. smk4565
    Probably one of the contests should be best 3800 V6 equipped car for rural Uber driving where some off roading could be needed. I think a rugged Grand Prix would be fast enough to get people there quickly and tough enough off road because the plastic body moldings would protect against flying rocks.
  22. smk4565
    Ford Transit Connect passenger version
  23. smk4565
    I know the Avalon and ES ride the same chassis now but the ES is 192 inches long the Avalon is 195. The Lacrosse is like 197 or 199. The Lexus ES since launch in the 90s has been a mid size car.
  24. smk4565
    I think with the 8-speed and the 335 hp engine, that should help a little. I'd still drop that 2.5 liter base engine. What would be better than a V-sport (which I think would have tiny sales volume) is a plug-in hybrid. If you took the 2.0T hybrid system that makes 335 hp and over 350 lb-ft I believe, then you'd have a fairly well performing car, plus you get the fuel economy benefit and can appeal to the green crowd with electric range. I think you could get more plug-in hybrid sales than twin turbo V6 sales. And pricing isn't out yet, but I get the feeling Mercedes will be positioning the C-class plug-in hybrid as the middle engine, with the C450 as the top. Audi has e-trons on the way as well, BMW is doing hybrids too. Hybrid/electric is a low volume segment too, but I think if a you add $3,000 to the price of the turbo 4 car (regardless of brand), most luxury customers would pay that for the extra 50-70 hp and the fuel economy gain.
  25. smk4565
    Lacrosse competes more with Avalon, similar size and price although the Avalon base price is a little higher. The Lexus ES has a base price of $38,000, and is closer in size to the Malibu than the LaCrosse. Maybe they get cross shopped, but there is a $7,000 price gap on those 2 cars. I don't know if there needs to be a sporty Buick, they aren't a sporty brand, and the car is basically invisible in the market.
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