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smk4565

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Everything posted by smk4565

  1. smk4565
    I suspect MB could care less what Lexus does, since Lexus is just a Toyota and primarily a US phenomenon. True that. The Lexus LS mostly only sells here, and at a $30,000 discount to the S-class. If a base V8 LS460 was $95,000 sales of that car would drop off a cliff. Lexus is no threat in Europe or most parts of Asia to Mercedes and Mercedes beats them in the USA.
  2. smk4565
    Well a fridge is an option, maybe in model year two there will be a hamburger press and grill option. I'd be happy w/ an in-dash coffee maker and bagel toaster. Maybe on the Pullman model.
  3. smk4565
    Well a fridge is an option, maybe in model year two there will be a hamburger press and grill option. I am actually disappointed on one thing though, it looks like the 7-speed transmission will carry over, I thought the 9-speed would be ready at launch. I guess time will tell. I also wish the convertible was a 4-door, that would be epic, but a 2-door is better than none at all.
  4. smk4565
    Engine choice will be interesting. We'll have to see if this can run with the M3 in the corners.
  5. smk4565
    The spy photos make it seem like the new car is very similar to the current S-class. But I like the current car's look and it keeps resale values high when they don't do radical changes. The S-class in its 7th model year is still outselling the A8, 7-series, Panamera, XJ, and LS460, those cars are in some trouble when the new one arrives. The options list on the new S-class is incredible, heated arm rests, HVAC system with filtration, ionization and 6 fragrances, hot stone massage package, magic ride control, magic vision control, all LED lights and the high beams that bend around oncoming cars are pretty slick too. I read the features list, the technology is unmatched. What other car can steer itself up to 120 mph? None of them.
  6. smk4565
    Wouldn't surprise me if we see the 3.6 liter V6 in the Corvette one day, and without turbos. GM dumped V8s out of Cadillac in a hurry in favor of a 3.6 liter V6, they took the V6s out of Buicks in favor of 2.4 liter 4-bangers. The Impala is getting a 4-cylinder for the first time ever. I can see them putting a 330 hp 3.6 liter V6 in the Corvette hard top priced at $46k looking for sales, and forcing people to pay $55k for a "Stingray." This is how the "new GM" works. The ATS got a 200 hp 4-cylinder just to advertise a low entry price and make people pony up more money for the engine you want. The biggest Buick sedan has an engine from the Chevy HHR, the biggest Cadillac has a 300 hp V6, not a V8. The next Camaro is getting a 4-cyldiner. Don't think they won't do it to the Corvette too.
  7. smk4565
    The vulchers are circling over Lincoln.
  8. smk4565
    I suspect when the new CTS comes out, CTS sales go up but at the expense of the XTS. I figured the XTS would sell about 25k units a year when new, but I think as that car gets dated, and a new CTS arrives that is priced closer to the XTS, that the XTS may drop to 10,000 or so a year. Big front drive luxury cars don't sell, GM may be able to fake it in the short term, but long term that car is a Lincoln MKS and will be a one and done. Interesting that the SUV's and pick ups are doing well since gas prices have been going up, perhaps people are accepting $4 a gallon now. The Impala outsold the new Malibu, I assume from fleet dumping the Impala, but that is scary sign that this Malibu just isn't cutting it.
  9. smk4565
    There should be a cheaper Corvette, the Corvette was always more about affordable performance, and recently the price has been going up and up. The Corvette needs to sell, and you don't survive on Z06's and ZR-1's. GM knows Corvette sales are down and their average buyer age is way up. I don't like the truck engine, but they have used one for 30 years anyway, so Corvette fans won't care. I'd rather see a turbo V6 but they probably won't go that route. Even with 350 hp, with a 6 or more speed transmission, and the Corvette's weight it should do 0-60 in 4.7 seconds, that is still pretty quick.
  10. smk4565
    I like the Focus the most out of those, but I'd take a 1-2 year old Optima over a new Focus. I like the new Fusion a lot too, that is cheaper than an Encore, although a lot more than a Sonic.
  11. smk4565
    I bet the 4-cylinder version has even less than 185 hp, but maybe it will make 185 and they can keep the sign and get Sam and Kate to do the commercials.
  12. smk4565
    Just as Jaguar dropped the 5.0 liter N/A V8 and Mercedes is dropping the E550 in favor of a bi-turbo V6 come 2015. Not sure how a bi-turbo V6 is a replacement for a bi-turbo V8, but that is what they are doing. The V8 is dying, I feel like by 2020 the V8 will only be found in high-end sports cars or Mercedes S-class or bigger sedans.
  13. smk4565
    I was most impressed with the Impala of all the GM vehicles. It looks great from the front, the interior is roomy, stylish, comfortable, the materials were good too. The back end is boring and the car a bit big for my tastes, but they hit the mark with that car. The Malibu I thought was a joke, when the driver's seat is pushed back all the way it actually touches the rear seat. The ATS is small inside, any of the 3 German rivals have more interior room, and the ATS doesn't really stand out or look all that expensive. There is nothing bad about it, but nothing really wowed me about it either. XTS Platinum is nice if it cost less. For $64k at other brands you can more car, and it isn't $25k nicer than the Impala. At Buick the Lacrosse looks a bit dated already, and the Impala is a much nicer car inside and out. The Verano is the best Buick right now, the interior on that is about the same as the other Buick sedans yet it costs way less, and the Verano has the 2.0T. I sat in the Encore, it isn't all that nice for a vehicle with a sticker of near $34k, and it has no power.
  14. smk4565
    Tonight's episode was hilarious, the car they made for old people had me laughing so hard I was in tears. There are at least 2 more weeks because they have a 2 part special to Egypt coming up.
  15. smk4565
    It's worse than the Aztek, and I think it actually hurts the Grand Cherokee.
  16. smk4565
    Worse than the Aztek. Seriously.
  17. smk4565
    From the looks of it, not a very safe car. I have never seen that interior and would guess1985-1987, and it doesn't look like a GM or Ford interior, so I'd say a Mazda or Mitsubishi/Eagle type car.
  18. smk4565
    Problem starts to become how do you put all that power to the ground on a rear drive car that isn't very heavy and it still has leaf springs too doesn't it? Unless you have all wheel drive.
  19. smk4565
    Germany is a high cost country, wages are higher there than in the USA, and the S-class is 81.1% German parts content, yet it has been the #1 selling car in that class for 30 years. High costs in the USA isn't an excuse, and we are talking a high end Cadillac, not a $8,000 compact sold in 3rd world countries. Fleetwood and Eldorado are strong names, Deville is a bad one, they trashed it, and Seville ran it's course. Eldorado would be good for a grand touring coupe if they ever did a Jag XK or Maserati Gran Turismo competitor. Fleetwood is a nice name for a flagship sedan. But you either have to do names or alphabet soup, mixing doesn't make sense, which is why Escalade doesn't fit with the current naming scheme. I think ATS-V will have a turbo V6, it is a rather small car and BMW is doing a turbo six M3, and the M3 is the gold standard.
  20. smk4565
    The bean counters are what will always hold Cadillac back. Mercedes will spend $1 billion on an S-class without thinking about it, and use windshield wipers with lasar drilled fluid holes just because they can. Cadillac looks to drop cost by $12 per vehicle with cheaper door handles. And if they cut corners on something you touch every time you get in or out of the car, you know they will cut in the places you don't touch. Sad. Cars need multiple body styles also, if the wagon doesn't sell I can see dropping that, but ATS and CTS should both have coupe and sedan versions. Or if ATS has coupe and sedan, maybe CTS gets wagon and sedan, but you can just have all sedans like Acura or Lincoln. I am not a fan of 3 letter names because most are meaningless. Audi's A4-A6-A8 names make sense and are simple, but what Acura does putting random letters together is stupid. I wouldn't mind Cadillac bringing back some word names like Eldorado or making up some new ones.
  21. smk4565
    I sat in a 2014 Impala today and have to say, I really like the interior. They did a great job on it, and the front end of that car looks sharp in person as well. The back of the Impala is sort of boring and doesn't really look like the other Chevy's but they nailed that interior and it has the best front end design of any Chevy. The Malibu interior on the other hand looks tacky and the back seat room is non existent if the driver's seat is pushed back. The Malibu has nothing I liked about it and I can see why it is the 7th or 8th best selling car in the class despite being brand new. The Impala is too big though to compete with the Fusion, Camry, etc, so they need both. The Impala and XTS have similar shapes and very similar interiors as far as how they are shaped and the size. GM does have an overlap problem, the Regal doesn't seem to fit in, and the XTS could have been a Park Avenue, and the Lacrosse maybe made a bit smaller and Regal deleted.
  22. smk4565
    I disagree that the Malibu and Impala should be one product, as Hyundai has the Sonata and Azera, Toyota the Camry and Avalon. There is room for both. I could see them making the Imapala and SS into one product though, as the Impala looks better, this gives Chevy something in line with the Charger and 300. Having 3 sedans, and them overlapping Buick is a bit too much though. A good idea may have been to make the Impala RWD so that it wasn't the same size and prize as a LaCrosse. I do agree that Chevy needs to be the value brand though, which is why a possibly $45,000 base price V8 sedan doesn't make a lot of sense.
  23. smk4565
    I sat in the new MKZ, and the interior shape is identical to the Fusion, the center stack just has different buttons and the door panels have leather and wood on them rather than the rubber/plastic stuff on the Ford. It is pathetic.
  24. smk4565
    7 different car models with a V8. C-Class, E-class, S-class (CL-Class merging with S-class in 2014), CLS, SLK, SL, SLS. Cadillac has 1, Chevy now has 3. Cadillac needs some more love in the high performance area, or even just mid-range V8 luxury sedan, Hyundai makes more V8 sedans than Cadillac. Apples and oranges, though...GM's bread and butter is cheap FWD appliances...Mercedes is all about expensive RWD models..though they are sadly getting into the appliance thing also. Well Cadillac wants to be "Standard of the World" so that means expensive RWD V8 and V12 models and 200 mph super cars. Standard of the World means going up against Mercedes, Rolls, Bentley, Lamborghini, etc. Where is Cadillac's Lexus LFA or Audi R8 rival? Where is the V12 sedan to compete with the S600, Bentley Flying Spur and Rolls Royce Ghost. Cadillac is just not there, and never will be because GM is about FWD appliances. Which is fine, Toyota has been makings billions of profit for years on appliances.
  25. smk4565
    Back to the SS though, it is just a disappointing car, and another example of wasted resources. The Malibu is a mess, yet GM loves to get distracted by cars like the SS, SSR pickup, Sky/Solstice, etc. As much as I don't like Toyota, at least they focus on what matters and sell a boat load of appliances.
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