smk4565
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Everything posted by smk4565
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Ford Transit Connect passenger version
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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.
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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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I like the idea of no-haggle pricing. Cars are about the only new product you negotiate price on. You don't negotiate on price of a washer and dryer set, you compare the price of Kenmore, Whirlpool and Maytag and pick one. The car buying process is lousy, and you do often talk to a sales person or two, then the manager, then the fiance person, then the sales person again, it takes forever. I'd rather buy a car online at a no haggle price and skip all the crap that dealers put customers through.
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I probably sat in the Avalon at the Auto show this year, if not I did for sure last year. All I remember was that it was roomy, and the seats were cushy and beige and the carpet was beige. But that is what the old folks like, the sales charts don't lie. They buy the Camry and Avalon, they don't buy the Regal. Cadillac ATP is up because the ATS and CTS sales are in the tank. If BMW sold 1,500 3/4-series a month instead of 12,000 ATP would skyrocket. A better measure would be to compare ATS and CTS ATP vs 3-series and 5-series ATP. Then you are getting more of an apples to apples comparison.
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From the album: smk's
Mercedes center console -
Buick isn't quite moving up market, they are cutting the price of the Regal for 2016. Anywhere from $1,000 on the base car to $3,300 on the GS. Not sure that that will do anything for sales, I think the Regal is too much of a Euro-sport (not the chevy from the 80s) car, and it just doesn't appeal to the main stream market, or to the people going in Buick show rooms. If you want a sport sedan, you aren't buying a Buick, the Regal should be a luxury car, rip off the Toyota Avalon interior, old people buy that, they'll buy a Buick.
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BMW and MB had a sales increase. Mercedes is waiting on the new GLC as the small crossover segment is probably the fastest growing. New E-class next year and that has historically been their #2 seller. I am surprised at Mazda, they make a good car, way better than many of their competitors but they don't get noticed.
