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smk4565

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Everything posted by smk4565

  1. smk4565
    GM needs a 1.6T, that could get them up to 160 hp, rather than the 138 hp of the 1.4T. The 1.4T is okay for a base engine, but they need something else to offer. Especially with Hyundai having a 200 hp turbo 4, Civic has a 197 hp, Ford has the Ecoboost, etc. It is as if GM's small cars are only there for CAFE purposes so they can keep selling Silverados. Sort of what led them to trouble in the 90s.
  2. smk4565
    A Kia Soul even has 164 hp, I can't see people buying paying near $30k when optioned up for the Encore. It doesn't look very good because of how short and tall it is, interior looks like it is a dressed up Sonic, and a weak engine. The Encore and Verano do give Buick two sub $25k cars though to try to attract buyers to the brand, or people that in the past would have looked to Saturn or Mercury. The Verano I think is a good idea, the Encore I however I do not.
  3. smk4565
    It will still be a cheaper version of an A8, so how much cheaper and how well equipped is the question. Also with the A8 going with a V6 as the base engine, you know the Phaeton has to, and the Phaeton probably will not get a V8. Then you have to ask do people want to pay $60k for a V6 Volkswagen that looks like a Passat with LEDs, when they could otherwise buy an A6, spend more and get an A8, or get a V8 Equus etc.
  4. smk4565
    The Encalve and Acadia are hardly new, they are the same car with some slight cosmetic changes. It will be interesting what they do with the LaCrosse and Regal, if they just get a slight refresh like the Enclave or if they do more, such as move the LaCrosse up market a little, to say $35k base to make room for the Impala. GM needs a compact pickup that is fuel efficient and doesn't suck. That is a big void in their lineup right now, I am curious what they do with the Canyon to fix it.
  5. smk4565
    Verano is a better deal. If the Encore had some more motor I would say the price is worth it, but with some options you are looking at $30k for a 1.4 liter with 138 hp. If the Encore had more like 170 hp and make it not seem like you are getting a Chevy Sonic SUV with leather.
  6. smk4565
    Lame, if they are going to build a 94 mpg electric type car it should have RWD!
  7. smk4565
    It needs sophistication, but I think a strength of Cadillac styling is the angles. The Evoq concept for example was very well done, and I think the XLR had very good exterior styling, just the wrong interior and wrong price tag. I don't care much for the rounded off Cadillac style, the ATS seems too round, and that rounded off blandness killed the STS. The sophistication is more needed on the interior and under the hood though.
  8. smk4565

    Gen V Fodder

    smk4565 replied to hyperv6's topic in Powertrain

    I'd be surprised if they go 6.2 liters again. If they do, I can't see them sustaining it for very long with CAFE. Unless they keep the 6.2 liter V8 and don't offer it in many vehicles. GM still needs to find another 4-5 mpg for CAFE.
  9. smk4565
    Needs a real hybrid, the Fusion gets 47/47 mpg, makes the Malibu Eco look pretty sad. Not a fan of the back end styling, it costs too much for what you get, design of the interior is pretty good, but it could use some more in build quality. Haven't driven one to know how it feels, but the Malibu has nothing at all that wows me to make it even worth considering. The 2013 Fusion looks fantastic and gets 47 mpg, that is going to get people to the dealership to look at one.
  10. smk4565
    Yes it should be, unless they botch it. But I like that the car is being built with the purpose of being a world class luxury car in mind, rather than adding chrome and leather to an Impala or something.
  11. smk4565
    The Tesla Model S has far more practicality too and is in a way an intriguing prospect. But to get the good range and acceleration you need to option up to the really expensive model. I just don't see a big market for electric luxury cars, let alone luxury coupes. Usually people buy a coupe because it is a fast sports car, not because it is slow and can go 40 miles on electric. This is also the type of thing that keeps Mercedes and BMW on top, and the rest chasing. Cadillac, Lexus, Lincoln, Acura, whoever all default back to turning a Chevy/Toyota/Ford/Honda into a luxury car and it comes out half baked, because at the end of the day, that ES350 is still a Camry, the MKS still a Taurus, the ELR still a Volt, Escalade a Tahoe, etc. Mercedes and BMW are purpose built for the class on a clean slate, not modified from the parts bin.
  12. smk4565
    In this case I don't think I need to see the finished product, we've already seen the Volt. There is no way the ELR is going to be $20,000 better than an ATS.
  13. smk4565
    I agree, it is another compact slow Chevy turned Cadillac. The only difference is 2 door not 4 and the interior should be more of a step up than what the Cimarron had over the Cavalier. The ELR might have CTS-V price tag and Chevy Sonic performance. Perhaps the ELR is more Allante than Cimarron, a high price flop could be coming.
  14. smk4565
    Looks like the same front end as the Volt, but with vertical headlights rather than horizontal. My fear is it will have the same powertrain as the Volt, and we saw how Lexus bombed when putting the Prius powertrain into a CT200h or that HS250h thing (that was Camry hybrid system I think). And the Prius is a sales success, the Volt is not. Unless the ELR has a big performance or range improvement over the Volt I can't see people buying it. If they sell 20k Volts per year, how many $60k Cadillacs with the same performance and a less practical 2-door style will sell?
  15. smk4565
    Coupe and plug-ing hybrid are nice offerings. In this segment most have abandoned coupes, and I think only the Fusion is getting a plug-in hybrid. Honda looked pretty lifeless the past couple years, but I think they stepped it up with this new Accord. The masses will eat it up, just like they are buying the Camry in droves.
  16. smk4565
    Awesome fuel economy for a V6. This car looks a bit like the Hyundai Genesis from the back and the front has a bit of a VW vibe going on, but it still looks like a Honda. So even though it isn't very distinctive, it will probably be a strong seller because it will appeal to so many. Vanilla is the #1 seller after all.
  17. smk4565
    I'd take a Mercedes E350 Bluetec over this. The quicker automakers push diesel power over costly and heavy hybrid systems the better.
  18. smk4565
    Terrible, it is like they sat around a table and said, "how do we make the 3-series worse?" "add weight and make it uglier" "ah, good idea." This could do better than a 5-series GT though since younger people tend to buy the 3 and younger people may like versatility. But to me, the 3 and 5 should both be offered in sedan and wagon, no odd body styles. They make an X3 and X5 for people that want an SUV version of the 3 and 5-series.
  19. smk4565
    Diesel is the path to better fuel economy, not an overweight hybrid system tied to a 6 liter V8. When CAFE hits 54 mpg, which is only 40 or so EPA mpg, they will need the Silverado getting over 30 mpg. I see a 3 liter diesel, perhaps with an eAssist, and 8-9 speed automatic and tons on weight saving measures being what the Silverado gets. Or they make an electric version if batteries are good enough.
  20. smk4565
    But then the Regal has the same engine as a $50k Cadillac XTS. What GM has created by making Cadillac a V6 brand, is that Buick becomes a 4-cylinder brand. Wouldn't surprise me if even the Lacrosse loses the V6 in favor of a turbo four on the next redesign. I have a feeling GM is going to put eAssist on everything and just make people buy it. Cruze will get it, Equinox, Enclave, CTS, etc. GM's 2011 CAFE number was 32 mpg for cars and 23 mpg for light trucks. By 2025 they need to get to 54 mpg, get ready for a lot of eAssist fours, and no V8s.
  21. smk4565
    In a way, this could be a way to push Buick as the "green" brand and trying to compete with Toyota and their hybrids. I see Buick as a brand that wants to keep the base, but steal some baby boomers off Toyota and females off Mercury. Maybe this is a push to get the environmentalist buyer also, although the eAssist cars still get whipped by the full hybrids and Buick has no full hybrid to offer. I think the real reason though is CAFE prep. GM has the Silverado and other GMT900s as heavy drains, and are even pretty heavy in crossovers. Conversely, GM doesn't have a lot of 40 mpg cars to sell.
  22. smk4565
    This thing costs a lot. Especially when you compare to a Ford Fusion Hybrid starting at $27,200 that is rumored to get 47/47 mpg.
  23. smk4565
    Epsilon 2 cars are too heavy, and it is bad news when this car just went on sale a month or two ago and people are already wanting the new one, which is likely 6 years away. To me the 08-12 Malibu looked good in LTZ trim, but the other trim levels look like a boring rental sedan. Perhaps it is the narrowness and slab-sidedness of it, but couple that with cheap wheels and the black grille and the car looks cheap. Another thing I wonder is how good is Epsilon 2? The Malibu looks like it will finish at or near the bottom of the pack once all the comparison tests start, how much of that will be due to chassis, because this is the same chassis Cadillac is using for their top end car.
  24. smk4565
    Way too much money for a Sonic. $22k+ for 140 hp and an automatic in a subcompact? A Veloster Turbo is that price, and there are others, a Focus, or VW, etc.
  25. smk4565
    Or more likely, Kia is planning a rear drive competitor to the Volkswagen CC, but that could be a very good thing. A Kia 4-door coupe would probably have to be priced around $35k, they obviously can't price this at $80k like a CLS550, no one would buy it. But priced against Buick, Acura, the Maxima, CC, and other front drivers, a rear drive swoopy 4 door could be a hit.
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