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smk4565

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Everything posted by smk4565

  1. smk4565
    Mercedes does sell a dealer installed option for an illuminated grille logo, but it won't turn on while the car is in drive.
  2. smk4565
    The XTS isn't too low, it is the crazy high belt line that is the problem. Likewise with the LaCrosse, there is hardly any side window glass in those cars and it isn't due to a low overall height.
  3. smk4565
    The Livery market does not want or need a 400 hp car, they want fuel economy and low cost of operation. Hearses rarely top 30 mph, and Limos can't do sporty driving because you can't make the people in the back sick or roll out of their seat. A turbo 4 (which I know is coming) or a turbo diesel 4 with big low end torque makes more sense than a twin turbo V6. As far as the 65+ crowd buying the XTS (or Lexus ES) they don't care about speed either.
  4. smk4565
    The XTS AWD has a 58/42 weight distribution, with a heavier turbo engine and beefed up front end that will probably be 60/40. The Audi A6 has a 55/45 weight distribution. Either way, those cars aren't 50/50 and Benz and BMW outsell Audi by a large margin. The 2014 CTS on powertrains already shows promise, 25 mpg from a V6 is nothing great but buyers in this segment don't care too much about fuel economy anyway. I do think they need the turbo 4 and V6 around 30 mpg though, since all the other guys are there.
  5. smk4565
    XTS and SRX carry a lot of weight over the front axle horsepower doesn't fix bad weight distribution, it makes it worse. I did read that on the XTS it will have 370 lb-ft and a 6-speed automatic. They could do that with the SRX also, but what's the point. It is like making a 400 hp Lexus RX, the people that buy those don't want power or RWD handling, they want the feeling of driving wallpaper paste. I think the XTS is about to get really irrelevant in a hurry when this new CTS arrives. The CTS will probably have a better interior and it wouldn't surprise me if it had more interior room since the XTS wheelbase isn't very long. Combine that with RWD superiority and more potent engines, and game over XTS.
  6. smk4565
    My guess is this is the ATS-V engine. I also predict the 3.6TT CTS to be around $60,000+, sort of where the V-series is now, so that will be interesting to see how that plays out. No idea why this engine will be in a FWD barge like the XTS, didn't they notice that no one bought the MKS Ecoboost because a super power FWD car makes no sense, even with AWD.
  7. smk4565
    Now Cadillac is in the game, this is the best engine they have had since 1993 when the Northstar came out. They finally have something that can go head to head with the Germans, and the 8-speed transmission is key. The power output is plenty, 0-60 in 4.6 seconds is quite fast for a luxury sedan. On real roads with real traffic you probably won't even be able to use all that engine's power. This gets them on par with the Genesis V8, and sort of splits the difference between the European V6s and V8s. I like this move. The only complaint would be fuel economy, 17/25 isn't bad, the Jaguar Supercharged V6 is only 1 mpg more and has less power, and the E550 V8 with awd gets 26 mpg, but that is rather high for a V8. Would have been nice if they got another 1-2 mpg out of it. The turbo 4 needs to be over 30 mpg, and the N/A V6 should be 30 mpg also. The 535i and E350 have 300 hp and 30 mpg, that is sort of expected now in this class. The Germans have more diesels on the way, Cadillac needs one, especially if they want to sell cars outside the USA.
  8. smk4565
    Interior awesome, not only best in their class, but it is as good as the Ghost or Flying Spur when you take the technology advantages into account. The current S-class has a good interior, with great build quality but it is simple. This new one has more of a designer feel, it is more exciting. I love the look of the current S-class, the rear end and wheel arches especially. I like this new rear end too, it has a bit of a Bentley vibe, and a bit CLS, but I wouldn't have minded if the tail lights were a little more like the current car or more horizontal like Benz of old. My only complaint on the exterior is the LED bar with the eyebrow look, that has been done, what they should have done is make the daytime running lights circles (like BMW) but with 3-point stars. No car has daytime running lights in the shape of their logo and they could have been the first.
  9. smk4565
    It is the whole package that matters. Look at how the E350 with a 268 hp V6 for all those years dominated the sales chart. It outsold the 5-series, A6, Lexus GS, Infiniti M, Volvos, CTS, Jaguar XF, you name it. Yes Mercedes had the V8 option but most are V6 sales. The steering, suspension, build quality, NVH, etc are just as important as the engine.
  10. smk4565
    They can put a ZR-1 engine in the ATS-V, the Wreath and Crest still doesn't carry the weight of the 3-point star or a blue/white circle. That's the problem, the people in Beverly Hills that Hyper spoke of are still going to be a 3-series just because it is a 3-series.
  11. smk4565
    The Germans are still not hurting, in fact BMW, Audi and Mercedes have had record years in terms of sales and profit the past 3 years while many others have struggled. And where else are people that spend over $80k on a car going to go? Suppose you have $100k to spend on a sedan or $150k to spend on a sports car. There are the Germans or Aston Martin and that's it. The Americans and Japanese don't make cars in that price range, save for things like the ZR-1 or LS600 hybrid. Same with Jaguar, they go above $100k, but only the top trim of a car starting around $75k. The German owned brands: Rolls-Royce, BMW, Bentley, Porsche, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Audi, Mercedes, are all doing well globally, and all have more sales now than they did 10 years ago. Compared to Lexus, Infiniti, Acura, Lincoln, and Cadillac which are mostly in decline or treading water. Cadillac at least is starting to fight back in the USA, but Cadillac globally is weak. Jaguar depends on how much money Tata wants to put into them.
  12. smk4565
    Absolutely.... though I'm not sure their current 2.0 liter is up to the task. They can make a new one then. Need an 8-speed too. But this is often the problem with Cadillac, the powertrains are not up to the task or out of the corporate parts bin. GM needs to pump some money into Cadillac to get them some new engines.
  13. smk4565
    Hold on, how are the Germans hurting. The 3 most successful (mainstream) luxury brands in the world are BMW, Mercedes and Audi. The 2 ultra high luxury brands Bentley and Rolls-Royce are owned by Germans, and the 3 ultra high performance sports car brands are Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Bugatti, and 2 of those 3 are owned by Germans too. The Germans have the high end car market cornered.
  14. smk4565
    I hope Cadillac is paying attention. ATS and CTS need to get them some diesel power.
  15. smk4565
    Even at $80k, Cadillac, Lincoln, Infiniti and Acura aren't there. And the US economy and auto industry has been struggling, sales may be down but they are still #1 in the segment. Sales will pick up with the new model. Few cars define the segment, Camry/Accord share midsize sedans, 3-series has compact luxury, 5-series/E-class share mid-size luxury sedan and S-class has full size luxury. I suppose you could add F150 for pickups to that list as well. S-class is the segment benchmark and the rest have been chasing for 25 years now, few cars can hold that distinction, the 3-series is probably the only other.
  16. smk4565
    328d should be good, that should get over 40 mpg. They are considering an M8 supercar that looks similar to the M1, that could be cool too.
  17. smk4565
    How many $100,000 sedans did Cadillac sell last year? Or Lincoln or Acura or Infiniti? The S-class is king, let's see any of those 4 brands put a V12 sedan on sale or enter this class and sell 60-80,000 cars a year. Hyundai has actually gotten closer than those 4 have. S-class sets the standard, brings the technological breakthroughs and I look forward to seeing the new one.
  18. smk4565
    A lot of the German cars have free scheduled maintenance and free loaner cars for the first 50k miles, and the certified pre-owned take it to 6 year 100k miles. So the cost of maintenance isn't too much of an issue there. But my earlier point wasn't cost of scheduled maintenance, it is that German cars tend to hold up well over over time. If the Germans didn't know what they were doing they won't each be selling about 1.3 million cars a year while the rest struggle.
  19. smk4565
    S-class has been the #1 selling big luxury car in the world for a long time. Since 1951, 3.5 million S-classes have been sold, more than any other high end luxury car. So yes, the market has spoken for 60 years and 3.5 million vehicles. The base car probably won't change in price, but the convertible could be $150k, the Pullman over $200k, that is how they go up market, without losing the current demographic. The S-class has dominated this segment probably more than any other car has dominated a segment, with the 3-series being the next closest. Audi and BMW are at least in the game, Lexus has spent billions on a car that can't compete globally, and Acura, Lincoln, Cadillac and Infiniti haven't even tried. How many cars dominate the segment so much that Ford, GM, Honda and Nissan won't even make a run at it.
  20. smk4565
    It isn't just the engines it is how they hold up over time. My mom has a 136,000 mile Audi that has had hardly any mechanical problems, zero electrical problems, there are no squeaks or rattles in the interior, the trim pieces all still fit together tight and the car drives like it did when new. That car will blow by 200,000 miles easily. Compared to my GM car with 145,000 miles that has loose interior trim pieces, the carpet on the side of the footwell is loose, check engine light always on, etc. I've put about $4,000 in unscheduled maintenance into my car since 100,000 miles. It isn't perceived quality, it is reality, my car routinely has problems and isn't as durable as her German built car. Cadillac needs to build a car that holds up over time, any car looks good the first year, but how will it hold up over 10-20 years or 200,000 miles.
  21. smk4565
    The new S-class should push the price gap. But if you look at China, the LS460 sells at 68% of what the S500 sells for. Lexus sold 43,000 cars in Europe in 2011, but 17,000 of those were the CT200h. First half of 2012, Lexus sold 23,000 cars in Europe. Mercedes sells about 550,00 cars a year in Europe, I don't think Lexus is too much of a threat.
  22. smk4565
    --> What will it take to steal away present customers from BMW and not alienate the present Cadillac customers. Build quality is a good place to start. Though improved, Cadillacs just don't seem as well made as German cars.
  23. smk4565
    30,000 units out of their global total means 2.1% of Mercedes sold is an AMG. That isn't really diluting the brand too much. The 30 models will have to be counting body styles. S-class and E-class will have sedan, coupe, convertible, and the e-class has a wagon and the S-class has 2 AMG engines, so that is 10 right there. They make 17 AMG models already. I could see the CLA/A-class AMG cars selling 5-10,000 a year, that gets them to their goal. An AMG Sprinter really would sprint. Interestingly enough, Sprinters have remarkable resale value.
  24. smk4565
    Toyota should offer double the warranty to Livery customers to steal that market. Lincoln's retail sales are nearly extinct, if someone takes away their fleet sales, they'll be gone in 5 years.
  25. smk4565
    Next-gen C-class is getting a twin turbo V8 of 4.0 liters. But the 3-series wins on balance, steering, suspension, brake feel and handling. Others have put more power in cars, M3 is still the king. ATS-V can have loads of power, better bring then handling and smoke and mirrors intangibles that BMW uses to win people over.
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