smk4565
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Everything posted by smk4565
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The 3-series is the number 1 selling car in the segment, so I was saying the C-class will give it a run in sales. The now dated C-class is easily outselling the ATS, A4, and IS350, so they only have one car left to compete with. The 3-series did get a bit numb, it isn't as good as the old 3-series, I think it the C-class might dethrone it. Mercedes sedans are on a 7 year cycle with a re-fresh after 4 years. S-class came out for 2007 model year (2010 refresh), C-class was 2008 (2012 refresh), E-class was 2010 (2014 refresh), so S-class was 2014, C-class is 2015, E-class is 2017 model year. The S-class and E-class are #1 seller in their segments in the USA, so what they do works. The W-body lived on for like 20 years with that 3800 V6, Mercedes isn't using an engine from 20 years ago, the C-class is getting new engines, the turbo V8 and DI V6 came out around 2011, those are their oldest engines.
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No, C-class is in model year 7 and production has stopped on the 2014 model. The 2015 C-class isn't at dealerships until the fall, I think the sales will pick up at that point and they'll be gunning for the 3-series.
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Why on earth do they need 6 SUVs? Gas prices are going up, not down, and even Ford has 5 SUVs and the Flex is totally pointless, and does anyone still buy an Expedition? VW could use a 3rd SUV because the Toureg is pretty expensive and sort of big, I could see them adding something to the Tiguan at the lower to mid price points. VW cars are mostly boring though, the diesels get great mileage, but a lot of American buyers don't shop on gas mileage or want a diesel. Americans want pickups and full size SUVs, (VW has neither) and Americans want Cam-Cords, reasonably priced appliance transportation.
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Any Jaguar looks good, if you want a big sedan though you have to go S-class. It has the class, the status, the technology, the power, it has it all. If you want a sports car however, I gotta say the F-type coupe might be the best looking car on the market in any segment at any price.
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I am surprised they even still make this thing. It is way out dated, even when it was new it was a beast, now it is really a dinosaur. What is sad is a 5.6 liter V8 making 317 hp, when there are V6s making more than that and turbo 4's pushing near 300 hp, granted without the torque. Basically what we have in the Armada is the Ford Crown Vic of large SUVs and the Infiniti QX80 is the Town Car. Too big, too weak a V8 that is 10 years past its prime, too heavy, too thirsty and should have been cancelled 5 years ago.
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Cadillac shouldn't be in every niche, BMW goes overboard trying to create body styles for the sake of creating body styles. I don't think the other auto makers do that so much. Cadillac does need 3 SUVs though, and they need a convertible and/or sports car. Can't survive just on sedans, especially when 2 of their 3 sedans have the same price.
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Might not be that much more in weight, since the S-class dropped weight compared to the old one, the C-class is dropping about 200 lbs compared to the old one. Plus you would be going from a V8 to a V6 or V6 to a I-4, so the engine downsizing should cut a little weight. Add an electric motor and 200 lbs of batteries and you are about the same, but I suspect it might have 400 lbs of batteries or more.
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I doubt the Camry is fleeted anymore than any of the Detroit 3's cars, the Camry i just a sales force and has been for about 20 years. Only Ford has gotten serious about the mid-size segment. The Avenger is almost all rental sales, the new Chrysler 200 sold less than 1/10th what the Camry sold. GM spends their money on developing trucks still, Hyundai/Kia stepped up their efforts from 10 years ago but they have sort of leveled off. Until these companies build a better car and then convince the public to buy it, the Camry will keep winning. I think Ford has done the best job at challenging the Cam-Cord duo.
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It still says Buick on the front, plus the A3 is way smaller than a Regal, hard to compare those two.
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The CLA is one of the worst selling Mercedes, unless you count cars over $100k, so it isn't like the CLA props up Mercedes sales, the E-class was their #1 seller the past 2 months. The A3 will boost Audi sales because younger buyers like that small, sporty look and they need to trade in the Jetta or trade that WRX or Mitsubishi Lancer from their 20s that they have outgrown. Marketing, badges and nameplates can sell cars though, look at the Toyota Corolla, possibly the worst car in the class and it outsells everyone else. The Audi badge is becoming a hot thing, Mercedes is a bit too old guard or stuffy for some people, and that is why the CLA was put on sale to appeal to a younger buyer that never bought a luxury car before. Personally I don't care much for the CLA, I would advise people to either go up to the C-class or just get a 2 year old used Mercedes for the price of a CLA, it's a Mercedes, it will last a while.
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I don't like BMW or Audi, I like Jaguar and Mercedes. The German trio are seeing record sales over the past few years and record profit levels, I think I read Audi makes nearly $10,000 per car, and Porsche makes nearly $20,000 profit per car, people are obviously paying money for them even if some of them are dressed up VW's. Personally I'd never buy an Audi. Mercedes was #2 in quality according to JD power last year, only Lexus was better. Mercedes doesn't have over capacity either, the S-class is being built at 100% capacity, the C-class sold in the USA will be built in the USA because the German factory is maxed out and they are building a new factory in China. I would imagine with BMW sales climbing, they don't have all kinds of excess capacity either. Maybe the ATS's problem is marketing, but to ehaase's point, Cadillac has to spend to keep up with the Germans. BMW spent 4.8 billion Euro on R&D last year, Mercedes is usually around $5-6 billion, a couple years ago Mercedes spent more on R&D than any other car maker except Ford. Cadillac's problem is they don't have a $4 billion annual budget, but if they don't at least try to keep up then Cadillac will turn into what Acura and Lincoln have become. You either spend big or go home.
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I forgot the EX still existed. I am also not sure why the Q50 and Q70 replaces the G37, then they just decide to keep selling the G37 anyway.
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The ATS looks a little bland I think, and it is a bit cramped inside. On the outside it may be the same size as the Germans, but on the inside I feel like there is a bit more room in a 3-series or C-class, although the C-class is sort of a narrow car too. The Lexus IS is way up, perhaps it is stealing off the ATS or perhaps people don't like CUE or all the glossy bling on Cadillac interiors. The SRX could almost get a little smaller to create more space between it and the Escalade for the new SUV to slot in the middle. I hope it is an Alpha SUV though and not just a stretched wheelbase SRX with a new name like SLX. To ehaase's point, I don't think Cadillac is spending billions, where is the money going? Yes they did the Alpha platform but that spawed 2 cars and the transmission was carry over, and the 2.0t and 3.6 V6 were already in house so no new engine to develop. The Escalade doesn't cost too much in engineering since most of the work is shared with other trucks. Mercedes passenger car division R&D budget is huge and Mercedes now has the 400 engineers that built their F1 car (that is undefeated) working on AMG road cars because they don't have anything else to do for the next few years. Cadillac doesn't spend what it takes to truly compete with BMW and Mercedes, GM doesn't have that kind of money to make that happen, but if they don't spend what they have, Cadillac will be Acura and end up a dead brand. Because if GM ever has to ax another brand it will be Cadillac since GMC is just a Chevy and Buick shares all its platforms and engines and some interior components with Chevy also. Honda doesn't kill Acura because they have no Buick or GMC, Acura serves that purpose of badge job vehicle.
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May 2014: Mazda North American Operations
smk4565 replied to William Maley's topic in 2014 Sales Archive
It is a shame that the Mazda 3 and 6 don't sell better. Both have one of the best interiors in their class, both also get good fuel economy and both from what I have read are fun to drive. The Mazda 3 interior theme and style reminds me a bit of BMW, they have a nice modern design theme to their sedan interiors. It is amazing that a Corolla that is awful outsells the Mada 3-1 because I think the Mazda 3 is probably the best small car out there right now, with honerable mention to the Focus. -
I still don't understand how they have such and awful Lincoln line up and never bothered to take the Mustang chassis and V8 and make a rear drive Lincoln coupe, or a small rear drive sports sedan with a 2.3 ecoboost to compete with the ATS, IS350, etc. What I don't understand even more is why anyone would buy a Lincoln, except for a funeral home getting a nice discount.
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Where's their luxury brand? That 850 MKS they sold is pretty impressive. Sounds like a sustainable business model to me, with a dealer network of about 325, they are selling nearly 3 cars per month per dealer, NICE!
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S-class outsold the LS460, 7-series and A8 combined by about 400 cars. That is owning your segment right there.
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The Corolla is crap, but Toyota buyers know nothing about cars, they just assume that since it says Toyota it gets the best gas mileage and is the most reliable. When for a lot of years the Corolla had the worse mileage in the segment, and even midsizers like the Sonata and Altima were getting better gas mileage than the Corolla a couple years ago. The Camry is a sales force, it has been for a long time, could be a while before someone figures out how to dethrone it. Unless a mid-size car comes out with 50 mpg and a bumper to bumper 10 year/100k mile warranty, I think the Camry will keep winning. What is interesting is the 120% jump in the Lexus IS, that car used to never sell, and it is crushing the ATS and A4 right now. It could be that the old C-class has dropped off a little bit and once the new C-class arrives the IS will be toast, but for now the IS looks strong and it never did before.
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These guys out sold Cadillac with a few VW badge job SUVs and 3 sedans that look the same and a funky looking A6 hatchback. The S-class is killing the A8, I am surprised people even still buy an A8, they should sell about 200 a month like the Phaeton did.
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Huge month for the Altima. Infiniti sold over 10,000, that isn't too bad. The Q50 is doing alright, it sells as well as a CTS or ATS does. The Q70 I assume is a Q60 with a V8? To me that makes no sense to have 2 model names for the same car with a different engine. And if that is true, then they can't ever give the Q50 another engine unless they give it a smaller one and make it a Q40. Their naming scheme makes no sense. I don't know what a QX50 is, but it looks like they can discontinue it, the buying public doesn't seem to know what it is either.
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That is a lot of Cruzes, for a car that has been out for a while and hasn't sold that big before it is a bit odd. And the Malibu and Sonic had a decent month so it isn't like the Cruze stole all their sales.
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VW News: Volkswagen Plans To Shorten Product Lifecycles
smk4565 replied to William Maley's topic in Volkswagen
Mercedes does a 7 year cycle with a refresh after 4. The C-class is a good example, 2008-2011 just had the minor tweaks here and there in equipment or adding some LED lights, then 2012 got the all new interior and revised fascia, a turbo 4 option and DI V6. That was able to keep it fresh another 3 years. The Lambdas all had good exterior refreshes so they look current still, but they didn't do anything with the engines. BMW also does a 7 year cycle, and they tweak the bumpers, headlights, tail lights, introduce a new engine or transmission, etc and it works for them too. The Jetta refresh will go unnoticed, it doesn't look like they did anything. So if that is the type of refresh they plan to do, they might as well replace the car every 4-5 years. -
The Escalade's closest competitors as far as size and body on frame SUV go are the Navigator at $56,000 and the Infiniti QX80 at $63,000. The Escalade is now $71,000 and outsells the other two with ease. The GL is $63,000 base and unibody but it is as long as an Escalade and has 3 rows of seats, it really serves as the Escalade's greatest competitor since the Range Rover costs more and is a smaller 5 passenger, and the Lincoln is hopeless. The Escalade is a successful produce for Cadillac, but they don't need another 3 row SUV, they need a small SUV.
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The Mercedes GL is unibody and outsold the Escalade the past couple years. I do agree that on some level there will always be a market for a big SUV like the Escalade, just like there will always be that select market for a Bentley or Ferrari regardless of how much gas costs. I think the market for mid size or slightly large SUVs could decline, that is why Cadillac is making the right move not throwing a 4th Lambda and another SUV into the mix. Look at sales of the Audi Q7, Lincoln MKT, Lexus GX, etc, they don't sell (although they are lousy vehicles too). Small crossovers are the hot thing now, that is the market to move into. Cadillac doesn't need a middle size, bigger and biggest SUV approach; they need to have small, medium and large. I wouldn't say Cadillac needs to go Encore small, but if they used Alpha they could make something ATS sized and keep the price based at $35k.
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I don't like the new front end, but I think the interior looks nice on this car. The car is still a good value, $40k gets you a lot of equipment and a 311 hp V6, $50k gets you a V8 and the Infiniti Q50, Acura RLX, Lexus GS, CTS/XTS and Lincolns have a V6. So if you compare the Genesis to those, it does still give pretty good bang for the buck. The Genesis is a big car though, it is about 5-8 inches longer than cars like the E-class and Q50, and it is a heavy car too. So you can't really say the Genesis competes directly with them it isn't a sporty car, it is more of a big luxury car. The Genesis I think on size, price and features compares more to an XTS or RLX, maybe Infiniti Q-whatever number the M37 is now. Genesis or Equus definitely not competing with the S-class. The S-class outsells the 7-series, LS460 and A8 combined and all 3 have base prices about $20k less than the S-class. Very few cars in any segment can outsell the next 3 closest competitors combined. What the S-class does would be like the Camry selling 70,000 cars per month at a $5,000 premium over the Accord, Fusion and Altima.
