
smk4565
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Toyota News: Toyota Unveils Full Global Battery Electric Line-up
smk4565 replied to G. David Felt's topic in Toyota
2030 is a long away off, you can develop a car in 3-4 years, and Toyota is big enough to develop multiple at one time. This isn't one product at a time Tesla, Toyota probably has more cash and resources than any other car company. Although they are also more cautious and slow moving than most car companies, as they hate risk. I think they are late to the party, maybe that will hurt them, maybe they can use their size and scale to catch up and it won't matter, time will tell. -
GMC News: "Shock and Awe" GMC Electric Lineup
smk4565 replied to G. David Felt's topic in GMC Trucks
The Cheapest Lucid Air (Pure), which you can reserve now, but it isn't in production until spring 2022, is $84,900 base price before tax credits. A Mercedes-AMG E53 which is the same size, has similar performance and a better interior is $75,000 base price. A Lexus LS which is a larger, more luxurious car than the Air Pure starts at $76,000. The Air has hype because the top end version has over 1,000 hp, but the middle trim has to go against E63's and M5's, the Taycan and Panamera, the lower trim against established German sedans and Lexus and this isn't a big segment. Infiniti, Cadillac, Lincoln, and Acura have all got out of mid-large luxury sedans, and Lexus killed the GS because there is no growth in this segment. The 2022 Model S starts at $94,990, and if you order today, you get it July of 2022 (estimated). That car is super fast, but it has a pretty mediocre interior. BMW, Audi and Mercedes can all undercut that price with the EQE, A6 E-Tron, and i5-series EV thing and have a better interior, better car. The market will flood with EV's, but these near $100k cars are such a tiny part of the market, no one is really even attempting a volume EV, outside of maybe Tesla with the 3/Y, but even those the global volume on that is a fraction of what a Rav4 or CR-V does globally. -
GMC News: "Shock and Awe" GMC Electric Lineup
smk4565 replied to G. David Felt's topic in GMC Trucks
Cost is what is going to matter not battery degradation. Most people aren't driving more than 50 miles a day, I think range and battery degradation are highly over rated, and probably that narrative was started by car companies wanting to sell gas cars and not really form consumers. The question is what can be done with cost, Since they are starting with the Denali, I would guess this is another $100k or close to it pickup truck, maybe it's $75k like a Rivian. But the Hummer is over $100k, the Lucid is $149k. The real winner of EV future is who can make a mid-size sedan or SUV that electric for Rav4 or Camry money. Who can make an EV pickup that costs as much as an F150 XLT, where the main build of sales are. This is where it could be Tesla, and if so, all these other guys are in big trouble. -
Cadillac News: What is Your IQ on Cadillac Electric Vehicles?
smk4565 replied to G. David Felt's topic in Cadillac
BMW i3, i8, and the coming iX and i5, and i7. In those cases the i is for electric cars. on a 328i, yes it means injected. For the short term you have to build ICE and EV side by side. Everyone is doing it, which is what will really stretch these OEM's and probably kill the small ones off that don't have enough resources. Or the ones that go too early will burn up cash too fast, the ones that go too late will be left behind. -
Cadillac News: What is Your IQ on Cadillac Electric Vehicles?
smk4565 replied to G. David Felt's topic in Cadillac
BMW has "i" and Mercedes has EQ, so obviously Cadillac would just follow in their footsteps with "IQ" Personally I hate all these EV names and putting "I" or "E" on everything, everyone does the same thing and it is pretty pointless, just name the car. Scion already made the IQ, and it sucked. It doesn't really matter though, Cadillac will have an all new naming scheme in 2027 anyway. -
U.S. Voters Supporting Full Transition to Electric Cars by 2030
smk4565 replied to G. David Felt's topic in Industry News
Dealers may move to a customer order model and not carry inventory. Carrying a lot of inventory is a pretty good use of real estate and money, they could cut all that out and probably save a lot of money, and let people just order the model, color, spec they want. And you really only need to keep 1 of each model as a demo on the lot for test drives. Also the dealership model is in question anyway. All these start ups like Tesla, Lucid, Rivian, etc aren't using dealers because obviously they are starting with a clean slate and see the dealership model as flawed. And the legacy OEM's should really treat dealers like Apple treats retailers. Apple sets a retail price on a product and that's the price whether you go to Target, Walmart, Best Buy or the Apple store. And if you don't sell it at Apple's retail price you lose the right to sell their product. So given that if Ford says the Mach-E is $42,000, then any dealer that doesn't sell that car for the exactly $42,000.00 sticker should lose their franchise rights, end of story. Then the price is the same at every dealer nationwide, no market adjustments, discounts, no price haggling, etc. OEM's give dealers too much power, cater to dealers too much. Tesla has no dealers and outsells Cadillac with 500 dealers. And in the new EV world, one way to cut price down would be a direct sales model. -
U.S. Voters Supporting Full Transition to Electric Cars by 2030
smk4565 replied to G. David Felt's topic in Industry News
We could also see Chinese electric cars come here and drastically undercut Ford and GM in price. I wouldn’t really bet on it, but it possible that the Chinese do what the Japanese did 50 years ago when they take into the American market quickly gained ground. That could accelerate the EV push. -
U.S. Voters Supporting Full Transition to Electric Cars by 2030
smk4565 replied to G. David Felt's topic in Industry News
I would be all for EV's only in 2030, but I don't think the technology will be there. Maybe in 2035. The battery tech just has to get way better and cheaper so these EV's are in another price tier. The Mach-E, Model Y, VW iD4, etc are like Toyota RAV4 size, but cost $20k more, you have to erase that gap by 2030 if you want to get rid of ICE. A lot can happen in 10 years but that is asking really a lot. -
2022 Lucid Air Grand Touring vs. 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS
smk4565 replied to ccap41's topic in Mercedes-Benz
Right, next year you can, because they are only selling the top model to start. So the EQE, A6 E-tron, BMW i5, etc will all come to market in a year or 2 against it. And the Model S is there, the Taycan and E-tron GT are there at the $100k+ price point. If Lucid can beat them all, more power to them. But it took Tesla 10 years to gain traction, if Lucid takes until 2030 to gain traction and get 4 models on the market, most of their competitors will have 2-3 times as many. This market is going to be flooded with EV sedans, and there aren't that many $75k+ sedan buyers that exist, that is why the RLX, Continental, K900, GS, CT6, CTS, MKZ all died, I think the Jaguar XJ died, and is coming back as an EV. But sedans aren't where the market is, even the E-class and 5-series are down from what they used to be, and they are sort of last men standing as most others gave up. -
2022 Lucid Air Grand Touring vs. 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS
smk4565 replied to ccap41's topic in Mercedes-Benz
The next generation S-class can look like the current S-class and be electric. No reason the 2028 S-class has to look like a jelly bean. I'm sure they will style it in a way that they think will sell best. -
2022 Lucid Air Grand Touring vs. 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS
smk4565 replied to ccap41's topic in Mercedes-Benz
Tesla was first, so they will be the hot brand, Lucid is just the next EV brand, not the original. Also if you look at just Model S sales, they aren't that strong. The great majority of Tesla's volume is Model 3 and Y. And you can get a Model S for like $75k even. It will probably be another year before Lucid has a model under $100k, and then how long before they have a full line? I know people love these EV start ups, but any big OEM could probably put out 5 electric SUVs, a pickup or two, a van, a couple sedans and a coupe and have a full line up in about 5 years time. Because they are used to overhauling a line up ever 5-7 years. There is no way Lucid has an 8-10 model line in 5 years time. I just watched Sandy Monro's video on where he thinks the market will be in 2030, with Tesla having 25% of the US market, the Chinese having about 25% and companies like GM and Ford and Toyota being under 5% market share. Which I just don't see happening, Chinese cars won't catch on that fast (unless they are like 50% the cost of an American car) and these EV brands even if they build manufacturing capacity, aren't going to get their price down to beat ICE or the legacy car maker's price. Tesla is getting outsold in the USA and the world by BMW, Mercedes and Audi right now, and Lexus in the USA. All credit to Tesla for pushing the industry to EV's and creating competition and shaking up the market, but no chance in hell is Tesla selling more cars than GM, Ford, and Toyota combined in 9 years time. -
2022 Lucid Air Grand Touring vs. 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS
smk4565 replied to ccap41's topic in Mercedes-Benz
For sure this is the last gasoline S-class. I suspect the S-class outsells the EQS with ease worldwide (baring some crazy EV credits in certain countries). So if the S-class is more successful combined with the "traditional" (read old) buyers in the big car segment that aren't looking for futuristic looks, I would think the S-class's look will be evolutionary as it always is, but just have batteries in it (which will also be more compact come 2028 when it's time for a new S-class). And this jelly bean EQS will be dead. Wouldn't be surprised if the same thing happens with the E-class, there will be another gasoline E-class for 2023-34 I'd imagine, probably run that to 2030 or so and gasoline then that will go all EV too. -
2022 Lucid Air Grand Touring vs. 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS
smk4565 replied to ccap41's topic in Mercedes-Benz
The S-class is a better car than the EQS, that is problem 1 for Mercedes. The S580 looks better inside and out and has a better interior than the EQS. I am not a fan of the jelly bean styling of the EQS. The next S-class will be an EV only product and the EQS will basically die off so that will solve that. The Lucid Air is actually the size of the EQE, so I'd be curious to see how the EQE's AMG version stacks up when it has more performance than the big soft cruiser that is the EQS. The Lucid Air looks like a really good car, I just don't know who is paying $139k at dealerships that don't exist to find them. -
Lot Trolling : 2022 Jeep Wagoneer Series III
smk4565 replied to regfootball's topic in Reader Reviews
Lamborghini Urus global sales: 2019: 4,962 2020: 4,391 Mercedes G-class sales (USA, Canada, Europe combined as I couldn't find a global total) 2019: 17,302 2020: 12,433 -
Lot Trolling : 2022 Jeep Wagoneer Series III
smk4565 replied to regfootball's topic in Reader Reviews
And the Ferrari is coming soon, the test mules look like it is close to reveal. BMW X8 is close too which should be high performance. The GLS63 I'd say is in the performance category. Plus the Mercedes electric SUV's they'll get the same set up as the AMG EQS, the BMW iX, whatever Audi E-tron SUV shows up, it is going to be pretty endless. There will probably be more performance SUVs than actual performance coupes on the market in a few years, sadly. -
Lot Trolling : 2022 Jeep Wagoneer Series III
smk4565 replied to regfootball's topic in Reader Reviews
That's right, they could have had a Urus, but got the G-wagon instead. Although although that looks like the 4x4 squared so maybe they actually go off road which the Urus isn't going to do. On the flip side they did buy an Aventator over the faster on the Nurburgring AMG GT Black series, but perhaps the Black Series wasn't on sale yet. -
Lot Trolling : 2022 Jeep Wagoneer Series III
smk4565 replied to regfootball's topic in Reader Reviews
People aren't buying posters of that to hang on the wall. That dressed up Audi Q8 has maybe half the street cred of the G-Wagon. The G-wagon is the king of the baller SUVs, that's what all the athletes and celebrities buy when they want to show off. When sales drop off in 2023, they will put a Hellcat in it. -
Lot Trolling : 2022 Jeep Wagoneer Series III
smk4565 replied to regfootball's topic in Reader Reviews
The GM 6.2 V8 is a good V8, even though it is old fashioned, they at least update it, they are pretty reliable (although maybe not as good as the Vortec 6.0 was), also thirsty but not as bad as the 6.4 Hemi. And the Escalade does have the diesel option also. I think Cadillac needs to do more with engine technology than they have, but if they are going hard into EV's and are going to be 100% EV in 5 years, then there is no point in putting any money into gas engines now, the ship kind of sailed already on that. That being said the Germans have better powertrains, as will Lexus with the new LX. The Escalade has been around over 20 years and has a following built up. the Grand Wagoneer is new, and has to conquest from these luxury brands, or hope that there are a lot of Grand Cherokee owners who suddenly got their income doubled while simultaneously needing to haul 7 people. -
Lot Trolling : 2022 Jeep Wagoneer Series III
smk4565 replied to regfootball's topic in Reader Reviews
Many would say the G-wagen is the best looking SUV on the market. Used G-wagens are selling for $150-200k right now, that's the most sought after SUV right now. And because it has no rival really, it's midsize, way smaller than any other expensive SUV, and it is way better off road than any other expensive SUV, and it has the iconic look. They essentially made the Lamborghini Countach of SUV's, it is the most head turning USV, but unlike Lamborghini who killed the Countach off (only to bring it back 30 years later), Mercedes just kept on building it. -
Lot Trolling : 2022 Jeep Wagoneer Series III
smk4565 replied to regfootball's topic in Reader Reviews
You can run the Grand Wagoneer up, it has 4 trim levels, the cheapest starting at $88k plus a $2k destination charge so really $90k is the starting price. I built one to $112k, I imagine if you try hard enough you can push an Escalade a little higher, but still, we are talking a Jeep against the top end vehicle in GM's top end brand. There will be people that pay over $100k for these I'm sure, but I don't quite get it, especially with a dinosaur engine that gets like 13 mpg. And maybe it sells well in year 1, but then I bet it fades. Audi is brining out a Q9 monster SUV soon, BMW an X8, there is a new Range Rover coming out for 2022 (although it starts at $111k for a long wheelbase 7 seater and a V8 Autobiography starts at $155k). Plus, Navigator, Escalade, GLS, the all new Lexus LX, massive competition in this segment from big time luxury brands. Also this shows Stellantis has no good luxury brand. -
Lot Trolling : 2022 Jeep Wagoneer Series III
smk4565 replied to regfootball's topic in Reader Reviews
The Wagoneer isn't the top, this is the Tahoe/Expedition competitor, the Grand Wagoneer is the Escalade/Navigator competitor. This looks more minivan than it does Jeep. But will be curious to see how it sells compared to the other big SUVs, as this is price territory that Jeep hasn't been in. The Grand Wagoneer is priced $10k above the Escalade and Navigator. I don't know if the Jeep brand is strong enough to go north of $100k, but I guess we are about to find out if this is the next Escalade, or the next Chrysler Aspen. -
They could do an E-ray with the LT1 V8, a Stingray hybrid if you will. And then also take the LT6 engine with turbos and add the hybrid system for the ZR1. Who says there is only going to be 1 hybrid, if I were them I'd be thinking 2-3 hybrid powertrains, especially if you can adapt one of those to another vehicle that isn't the Corvette like an Escalade or pick up.