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smk4565

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Everything posted by smk4565

  1. smk4565
    Wait.. so BMW can peddle a 180hp 4-cylinder 320i, Audi can peddle a 220hp 4-cylinder A4, Mercedes can run a 241hp 4-cylinder C-Class.... but Cadillac must have a 335 hp V6 minimum? The bottom end Infiniti has 328 hp, so why not. BMW doesn't have a sales problem, hey can pretty much do whatever they want and they keep on selling. But how does Cadillac get more ATS and CTS sales? Cadillac is already priced cheaper than Jaguar, Lexus and the Germans, they have to generate excitement some how, so why not more power. And they'll probably make the alpha chassis Camaro with a standard 325 hp V6 for $25,000, yet not put a standard V6 in a Cadillac, that's whack. Let's see the outrage if they put a 200 hp 4-cylinder in the Camaro and made the Camaro SS a 330 hp V6. Because if that engine lineup is good enough for Cadillac then it should be more than enough for Chevrolet. And the 90s Camaro had 200 hp base, 305 optional, so they can get those same numbers with better fuel economy now with smaller engines. In the 90s the Seville/Deville had 275-300 hp, and today the CTS/XTS are making 270-304 hp, so if 90s level horsepower is okay for Cadillac, why not do the same for Chevy.
  2. smk4565
    I would argue to replace the 200 hp 2.5 liter four cylinder and 270 hp 2.0T with the 335 hp V6 at those price points. Make the V6 the value engine rather than the step up. This way the least powerful Cadillac on market is 335 hp, and save the four cylinders for Chevy and Buick.
  3. smk4565
    Cue needs to lose the touchscreen in favor of a clicky wheel. Engines are the next phase that needs improvement. In last months Car and Driver comparison the ATS coupe 3.6 got a 5 out of 10 in engine NVH, and a 5.6 seconds 0-60 time. The comparable Audi S5 did 0-60 in 4.5 seconds and got a 9 in NVH. The 335i (now 340i) was not in that test, but you know a BMW straight six is the gold standard of NVH and the 335i and C400 can do 0-60 in 4.8 or less. I'd propose removing the 2.5 L and the 2.0T from the Cadillac lineup, making the new 335 hp V6 the base engine in the $35k ATS and $45k CTS, the plugin hybrid 2.0t becomes an option for the greenies with the 3.0 tt v6 making 400 hp an option. The coming 500 hp TT V8 would be the ATS-V and CTS V-sport. They need to drastically increase power. Even Infiniti dropped the G25 model in favor of making the 328 hp V6 the base engine priced against a 240 hp BMW 328i because they knew they had to have wow factor just to get sales.
  4. smk4565
    Porsche charges $360 for a rear wiper on a 911, another $3,850 for alantera seat inserts and $1720 for painted air vent slats. With stupid overpriced options like that, I can see why they make $20,000 margin per car. Are you suggesting that Cadillac follow Porsche and become primarily an SUV maker? Then we wouldn't need GMC, you could just have 4 crossovers with the Escalade at Cadillac. Cadillac is so hell bent on going after BMW, but it isn't working. They would have an easier time getting people spending $40-50k on a domestic SUV to buy a CTS than getting a 5-series driver to buy a CTS. They should re-target the advertising.
  5. smk4565
    Porsche still makes big margins on SUVs, you can run a Macan up to $100k. I mean SUVs in general. People are spending $45-50k on a Jeep, Tahoe, Explorer, Pilot, etc and those aren't luxury brand products. Cadillac should be able to steal those type of buyers and get them into a luxury car rather than a non-luxury SUV that costs the same money. I think it easier to steal crossover buyers than 5-series/E-class buyers. But Cadillac has to make sedans seem cooler and better than crossovers, and take those buyers away from Ford, Jeep, etc.
  6. smk4565
    CTS isn't priced too high, it is the cheapest car in the segment. E-class: $52,650 Jag XF: $50,175 5-series: $49,950 GS350: $48,600 Audi A6: $46,200 CTS: $45,345
  7. smk4565
    CTS sales in 2014 were the lowest ever. And the ATS is selling at a slower rate than the 2004-2006 CTS that used to be good for 4,000 units a month at the same price point. Both cars need upgraded interiors, a better take on the Art and Science look and both need to replace CUE. GM should just pay Google or Apple $100 million to have them make an in car info-tainment system and be done with it. The big problem is marketing, and after years of GM and others convincing everyone they need a crossover (because they got better margins on them than cars) they now have to convince people to buy a RWD (or AWD) sedan. From the early 90s when the Explorer and Grand Cherokee hit, automakers made SUVs = luxury in advertising. So now, how does Cadillac make sedans cool and convince people to buy sedans instead of crossovers? Because people are spending $40-50k on Honda Pilots, RX350s, Buick Enclaves, Tahoes, Grand Cherokees, etc. And a lot of them don't use the 3rd row or tow anything. Cadillac needs to get that crossover market buying their cars and say this is more luxurious, better handling, safer, better braking, more fuel efficient than a crossover, and bring those buyers in.
  8. smk4565
    They already have the V8, makes sense to put it in the XE. Funny how BMW dropped the V8 in the M3, then Jag and Mercedes come along with 500 hp V8s for that class. Also funny how the Lexus V8 makes so little torque, if they could get more power from that engine the IS-F might actually be a contender.
  9. smk4565
    Wasn't the GX a 3 row SUV, or does he want a unibody crossover? Either way, they had the GX, it just sucked for so many years because it was based on an old 4Runner. They should replace the GX with a Lambda-like 3 row crossover but in the $50-65k range. The NX has the $30s, the RX has the $40-50k range. As far as down market goes, the CT200h is cheaper than a CLA, and the IS, ES, RC and NX are cheaper than a C-class. Aside from the RX, the bulk of Lexus sales volume is cars with a base price under $37k. I don't think Lentz wants to put his average sale price against the Germans or even Cadillac.
  10. smk4565
    I'd like to see a Transit Connect SHO with the 3.5 liter Ecoboost. People love performance models of coupes and sedans, why not a van.
  11. smk4565
    Pay the minimum because the rate is so low. The interest you'll pay on a $22,000 car loan at 2.24% is $1,382. Even if you got just 1% return on a savings account in 65 months you'd make $1,218. If you could get a 2% return it is $2,491, you make over $1,100 by having the $22,000 in a CD at 2% and paying the monthly payments. That is assuming you had a lump sum in the bank and could pay it off now or make payments. Even if you are just putting the extra $100 a month in the bank, better to do that, because interest rates will eventually go up, in 4 years your car loan will still be 2.24% and savings accounts might be 3% by then. No sense paying off a loan quickly right now when loan rates are at historic lows.
  12. smk4565
    In the world. VW as a global company cares about global sales. It is easy in the USA to think of Audi as a small brand, until you look that they sold 763,000 cars in Europe last year and another 579,000 in China. VW brand sold 6 million cars last year, but they only have 2% market share in the USA. Buying FCA and leveraging some of those products/dealers could bolster their position in the USA. VW doesn't need the American market, but it would be foolish to turn their back on it. On the flip side, how long is FCA going to survive with their limited product lines and cars like the 300 and Charger that go back to 2005. If not for Jeep they'd probably go bankrupt again, and I still think Sergio's grand plan is to sell off the company at some point to cash out, since they bought Chrysler on the cheap in the first place.
  13. smk4565
    Lexus styling is awful. I think the 90s BMWs look better than the current ones, but why would BMW change the look when people keep buying it. You don't fix what isn't broken. When they strayed off the path in the Bangle era people hated it, so back to the basics BMW styling came in.
  14. smk4565
    The Audi A6 outsells the entire Chrysler brand. 300,000 is not a lot of cars to VW who sells 10 million cars. They could repackage products to different brands. Pontiac sold 400,000 units a year, GM is making more money without them than they did with them. The only reason for VW to buy FCA is Jeep and Ram pickups because of the profit margins on those, they don't really need the rest, which is why they won't buy them. I've driven a 300 with the Pentastar and 8-speed. The transmission is fine, non complaints about it, the V6 is average. Not as smooth or quiet as others, not really all that punchy either. I'd rate the Pentastar better than the Hyundai 3.8 liter or the non ecoboost Ford 3.5 liter V6, but there are a lot of better ones out there. When I drove the 300 I wasn't impressed.
  15. smk4565
    I found a chart that shows a breakdown of fuel types in the world. Hybrid and Diesel are each about 3% of market share in the USA. Gas and flex fuel are 94%. China is 99% gas. In Europe though 53% is diesel, in India 51% diesel, Japan is 20% hybrid. I think though the Germans will get the take rate on hybrids and plug-ins to rise because as engines downsize, it will be the path to added performance. Look at in another way, how many engines were turbocharged in the 90s? Volvo and Saab used turbos on most models, some of the sports cars like the 300ZX or Mitsu 3000 GT had optional turbos, but turbocharging wasn't widespread because it was expensive and gas was cheap so they could just use a V6 or V8. Now turbo engines aren't just in BMWs and Audis, but in most Fords, Cruze, Malibu, Sonata, etc. Turbo engines are rather common. I think in 15 years hybrids and plug ins will be common because as batteries get cheaper, and fuel economy and emissions regulations toughen, there will be more 3 and 4 cylinder engines with electric help.
  16. smk4565
    ​This is your prediction that the plug-in 3-series will outsell the gas 3-series. OK; let's wait & see how THAT pans out. It won't outsell the gas 3-series because the gas model will be cheaper. But in Europe over 50% of BMWs sold are diesel, the plug-in take rate might be pretty good over there since people are already paying a premium for diesel and the $7-8 a gallon fuel prices. The plug in broadens the appeal, and prevents current 3-series owners from defecting to another brand with a hybrid.
  17. smk4565
    I think consumers will buy whatever the Germans build. Because they will be first to market, they will advertise it right, they will convince people that it is the best technology and what they need. And really it is just an extension of existing powertrains and existing models for all of them. People already like the 3-series, they'll like a plug-in 3-series more. They are giving people more fuel economy, more power, plus the new technology to brag about. They'll sell them.
  18. smk4565
    The A8 has some track record. The 7-series and S-class have 30-40 years of name recognition and history to fall back on. People know what an A8 is, they know what an S-class is. The CT6 is new, so people don't know what it is. The number in it doesn't matter, the name just sounds like CTS, I think people will think it is just a bigger or longer CTS or worse a V6 CTS, that should be $50k, but will be shocked when it costs $75k. I still stand by if Cadillac really believed that alpha-numerics were the best thing, then Escalade needs to be renamed XT8, for continuity. The fact that they won't rename the Escalade proves that Cadillac doesn't even believe in their own naming scheme. Johan preaches that CT5, CT6, CT7, etc is what is needed, but their #1 product has a word name, why don't all products take the Escalade's lead?
  19. smk4565
    They must think they will sell, if there will be a plug-in 3, 5, 7 series, a plug in C, E, S, GLC, GLE, GLS, A3, A4, A6, A8, Q7, R8, Panamera, Cayenne, Bentley Continental, etc. Unlikely that BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Porsche and Bentley will all be wrong.
  20. smk4565
    VW already has a massively profitable luxury group, adding Ram and Jeep to their mix would make them stronger, because Ram and Jeep are profit centers. If they bought FCA they would not need Fiat, Chrysler, Dodge, Skoda, Seat, and Lancia. They could dump half the brands, and rebadge the models they want to existing brands. Then you take 6 brands into maybe 2 or 3, and VW brand obviously stays, so you get 3-4 strong mainstream brands to go with the luxury powerhouse they already have. The Problem with GM's 8 brand strategy is Pontiac, Saturn, Oldmobile, Buick and GMC were all on some level competing with Chevrolet and each other. VW with FCA could cover the entire market from 3rd world city car, to American pickup truck to $300,000 luxury sedan to $2 million sports car. They can go from Fiat Panda to Bugatti Chiron and everything in between with massive economies of scale and dealer network.
  21. smk4565
    That we are, I think every German sedan and SUV by 2018 model year will have a plug in hybrid.
  22. smk4565
    For the 50 years Cadillac was the sales leader, they had Fleetwood, Deville and Eldorado pretty much the whole time. They are a 5th or 6th place luxury brand now with their alphabet soup and the Escalade is what keeps that brand alive. And how exciting can advertising be for "CT6" and I can see consumers confusing it with "CTS" which for years was an entry level model. Good luck to Cadillac trying to convince people the CT6 is on par with the big Germans. At least "Fleetwood" and "Eldorado" have some weight to them and they might be able to draw on heritage a bit in the advertising. Lincoln is in the same boat. Their cars are lousy, and the alphabet soup names are forgetable and easily confused with an Acura MDX. If they had Continental, at least it is a memorable name and would stand out. Cadillac and Lincoln need to draw people into the showrooms and you need recognizable products to get traffic in the door.
  23. smk4565
    And some googling shows Skoda took a $570 million loss in 2013. And that is with a line of products based on the Golf platform, and the Superb is a Passat. They are losing money to resell what they already designed and paid for at VW. VW could replace most of the Skoda line with VW brand cars, and if they owned Fiat, the Panda, Punto and 500L could fill in the gaps that the Golf, Jetta and Tiguan don't cover. Skoda is just VW's Pontiac, and volume does not equal strength.
  24. smk4565
    I bet in the 2020s Cadillac goes back to word names and goes back to the heritage. Once they piss away what little equity they have with CTS and ATS for possibly even lower selling CT3 and CT5, and the CT6 disappears in the higher end of the luxury market, they will go for another change. By 2020 Johan's naming experiment will have failed, and GM will do what GM does and go with new product and a new name to make people forget about the last product that didn't sell. I predict Fleetwood, Eldorado, Seville, and maybe even Deville are back in business by 2025.
  25. smk4565
    They can dump SEAT and Skoda also. Jeep and Ram are the profit centers of FCA, at least in the USA. I am just saying if VW were to buy them, then you don't need VW, Chrysler and Dodge brands, so either Chrysler or VW has to go away. The other option is move the 300 and repackage it as a $35-45,000 Phaeton, move the 200 to be a new Dodge Avenger and kill the Chrysler brand. Then Dodge would have the Dart, Avenger, Charger, Challenger, a real 4 car lineup, plus the Journey and Caravan. VW would get a full size car and resurrect the Routan to replace Town and Country.
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