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smk4565

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Everything posted by smk4565

  1. smk4565
    The Range Rover did set the Nurburgring lap time for an SUV at 8:14, but that puts it just behind a 2004 M5 or a current Porsche Boxter S. The fastest SUV ever is still not going to match up to an average sports car, well maybe above average.
  2. smk4565
    The leather and suede trimmings are well done, the materials and build quality look first rate. What glares at me though is that shiny black plastic center stack with Cue and the HVAC touch buttons. It looks like it belongs on a Chevy, I hate it on every Cadillac. Other than that, job well done on the interior, although why massage on only the driver's seat, both fronts seats should have that, maybe even the rear seats too.
  3. smk4565
    Cadillac, along with Acura and later Lincoln went to these 3 letter names to copy the Germans I suppose, but none of the Germans use 3 letters in their names. Maybe it was to copy Lexus because they had ES, RX, LS, but then they also put numbers after the name because they wanted copy Mercedes. Infiniti is doing what Audi did, perhaps that is why Cadillac is copyrighting CT5 and CT6, to have a letter then number like A4, Q50, etc. I am in favor of Cadillac using names and using some of their heritage. Cadillac seems to run from their past, rather than embrace it. Although let's be honest, this car doesn't have a chance against the S-class, I am surprised the 7-series LS460 and A8 are still hanging on, although only by a threat at this point.
  4. smk4565
    I think for sure the biggest Cadillac sedan should be called Fleetwood, and if they make an Omega coupe that should be Eldorado. Escalade keeps its name, SRX and whatever 3rd SUV they choose to put in there could use Imaj or Provoke or some modern names. I actually think the ATS could be renamed CTS, and the CTS renamed STS. Had they downsized the CTS and kept it their entry level car, then it would still be $35k base price, and what we currently have as the CTS could have been Seville or STS which was always their car priced like an E-class or 5-series. Instead what used to be the entry level car is now their most expensive car when fully optioned. The downside to using something like "CTS" is the "S" implies sedan, so making a coupe or convertible with that name doesn't make sense. Where as there could be a "Seville" sedan, coupe, wagon, etc.
  5. smk4565
    I don't think an Escalade is going to out-handle a Range Rover. The Range Rover is a great SUV, although any 500+ horsepower SUV is sort of pointless because it isn't going to be able to perform like a car.
  6. smk4565
    They should call it Fleetwood and the coupe off this platform Eldorado. Dump the alphabet soup names, otherwise Escalade should be renamed ETX or something to make it consistent with the 3 letter names. And that would make no sense. Names aren't bad, as Drew pointed out a lot of high end cars have names.
  7. smk4565
    It drives, but they could have put a 3.6 V6 in the concept car. I haven't seen any pictures with the hood open or where they detail the engine. Plus what a concept car has isn't what a production car will have. I think though what they release next April will be near production ready, so time will tell.
  8. smk4565
    I remember that, but they also gave almost no specifics on that engine, I think it was more a hypothetical engine. I wonder if they will actually build an all new V8. Cadillac ought to make a 3.0 liter straight six turbo based on the 2.0T, but that would probably be more suited for an ATS or CTS, it might not be enough for a base engine for the LTS. Even though a lot of the other guys have a 3 liter six as the best engine in their flagships, I think Cadillac has to go bigger than them.
  9. smk4565
    I saw 2 different Tesla Model S this weekend, one had the P85+ upgrade.
  10. smk4565
    So back to the LTS (which is a horrible name if they really use that) does anyone think it will have a new engine? My guess is 3.6 twin turbo V6 base and some optional supercharged Corvette engine with 550 hp for a V-sport model.
  11. smk4565
    I know they sell 1.4 million cars in the whole line, that is what I said, although this year it looks like they are on pace for 1.6 million. I also said the A8 is a weak seller, Audi lives on the volume of the cars below the A6 in most parts of the world and the A6 in China sells well. The A6 was the number 1 selling luxury car in China in 2012, they sold 138,000 of them. They are now selling about 14,000 A6's per month in China. The A8 on the other hand is pretty much a non-factor in most parts of the world, China is its best market too with 18,500 sold in 2012. But in the USA the A8 sells about 5,000 cars a year, and in Europe they are down from 10,700 per year in 2006 to just 5,400 last year (financial crisis I suppose). I'm sure the A8 has a decent profit margin on it because they do rip parts of other VW products, mainly the A6.
  12. smk4565
    2000 a month? That is what the ATS and XTS sell per month. The S-class sells 2,000 per month in the USA. Keep in mind that Audi, Lexus and BMW all have starting prices in the $70k range to undercut the S-class class and they still manage to sell about 500 each per month, 1,000 on a good month. Cadillac can't undercut the A8 or 7-series in price, otherwise they'll be with the Hyundai Equus in price, and that is not where they should be.
  13. smk4565
    The A8 though has a V8 and a W12, neither of which are found in any of the VW cars, they are found in Bentleys, though modified. The A8 interior is pretty good too, also not found in a VW. It does ride on the VW modular platform thing, but the A8 is aluminum unlike other Audi or VW models. So there is a lot to make the A8 unique, but it is still outsold by the Panamera, 7-series and LS460 most months, and the S-class outsells it like 5 to 1.
  14. smk4565
    Audi has already sold 1.4 million cars this year, in the United States they have only sold like 120,000 this year, Audi could sell zero cars in the USA and turn a profit. The American market isn't that important to Audi, but crucial to Cadillac who has little global presence. Plus the A8 platform is used for Bentley which has crazy markup, so they get to recycle some engineering there. Halo effect does work, and is needed not only to sell more of your lower end cars, but also to expand globally. Cadillac needs the Omega car, but if they botch it and it is one and done product it won't have the desired Halo effect. Whether or not Cadillac can pull off a success here is the question, but I look forward to seeing the debut.
  15. smk4565
    They should raise the gas tax, but not on diesel, if diesel was the same price as 87 octane and cheaper than premium gas, people would buy more diesels too.
  16. smk4565
    V-TECH!!!! MUGEN!!!!! TYPE-R!!!! FTW!!!!
  17. smk4565
    It could cost over $1 billion to develop a new model on a new platform. Some car companies spend more. But lets suppose GM spends $1 billion on the Omega/LTS. If they sell 300 per month at a profit of $10,000 per car (over a 10% margin which is better than what Audi or Mercedes operate at) Cadillac over a 6 year life cycle would make $216 Million in profit, against the cost of $1 billion, a loss of $784 million. They can't only sell 300 a month. Surely though some at GM has "built the business case" which makes you wonder if the budget is more like $500 million, in a hope that if they sell 500 a month they could break even on it.
  18. smk4565
    I'd be surprised if they aren't competing with the Hyundai Equus, Lexus LS460 and the 6 cylinder A8. More in that $70k range of 2nd tier big luxury sedans. Even the 7-series is an ambitious target, and none of these cars are giving the S-class much competition right now. If they parts bin the engines and interior of the LTS and price it over $80k they are going to get ELR like sales volume. Even the A8 only sells about 400-500 cars a month, and it is an established car from a growing brand.
  19. smk4565
    If the X6 and 5-series Gran Turismo couldn't bring BMW down, then I doubt M-sport packages will. BMW drivers love getting a 328i that looks like an M3 because they want it to look fast and show off in it. I don't know that Mercedes really needs to call anything AMG-Sport, since they already offer "sport" styling on the C-class and E-class and you can get AMG wheels as an option on pretty much any car they make. The trim packages are already there, plus Mercedes is a luxury car maker first. The more exciting news is the C-class diesel and plug-in hybrid are going to be sold in the USA next summer, about time we get a diesel C-class here.
  20. smk4565
    What is amazing about DCU is that they don't seem to care about the year of the car. I work for a bank, and we and I think everyone else in Pittsburgh price new car loans at a lower rate, and used cars are higher then as the car gets older the rate goes up a bit. 6 year 1.99% is unheard of, especially on a used car.
  21. smk4565
    The Honda products look like more of the boring same. Toyota finally updated the Tacoma/Tundra and the corresponding SUVs, so that is about time. That current crop of truck is way outdated. The Supra is the big news, I do think they need to bring that back, I assume that will be co-developed with BMW, so it could be good, as long as it isn't overweight like most BMWs.
  22. smk4565
    I would be fine with no gas guzzler tax on any car, and a higher per gallon tax. Although I think that doesn't push manufacturers to boost mileage as much. Because the tax makes you hit 22.5 mpg or have your price go up while your competitors might not. Although CAFE is supposed to push manufacturers up, although I don't know how well that works either. The higher gas tax per gallon I think would hurt businesses and individuals more, because they wouldn't be able to avoid it. But ultimately if gas costs more, consumers would gobble up fuel efficient or electric cars and flee the gas hogs. I definitely think it is stupid that a car that gets 19 mpg combined would get taxed, but an SUV that gets the same is exempt. That makes no sense, if anything it rewards people to buy less efficient SUVs. I agree with Drew's point on the Lamborghini, most of the gas guzzler taxed cars are high performance exotics that probably only log 2,000 miles a year, so they aren't using that much gas.
  23. smk4565
    Digital Credit Union does 1.9% financing for up to 84 months on lease-buyout cars. Anyone can become a member for a $5 fee. A 7 year car loan?!?! And I thought the 6 year loans were sort of long. I can see the 6 year on a new car, as new cars cost a lot and people may keep it for 10 years. But 7 years on a used car seems insane, also at that rate.
  24. smk4565
    Diesel cars should be fairly quiet too because the operate in a low rpm range for the most part. A lot of the BMW diesels are more quiet than the gas counterpart, maybe by only 1 dBA but still if you do a diesel right, it should be just as refined or quiet as a gas engine. And the fuel economy advantage is undeniable. Cadillac has low volume, but since the Germans have them, and the Germans set the tone in the luxury market, Cadillac should have them too. I think a diesel for the Impala is a no brainer, especially since it still has some fleet/commercial use. I'd also say Equinox and Terrain since the 4-cylinder models have no power anyway, the diesel would give it more torque and boost mpg. Really any SUV would benefit from a diesel option. The Malibu is a tough call, probably no one would buy a diesel Malibu, but the Malibu needs something to make it stand out, it gets clobbered by its competitors.
  25. smk4565
    For $20k though you get the same engine in a Cadillac ATS that costs $35k! A Cruze is like 16-25k, I don't see a problem with a pickup being $20-30k, they have to offer bigger engines and it is a bigger vehicle. These are cheaper than an Equinox too, so I think the price is okay. I could agree with the argument that instead of the mid-size, they could have made the Colorado more like old school S10 size and sold it a cheaper price point for greater separation from the Silverado.
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