smk4565

While I do think Buick needs a small SUV to capture female buyers and those jettisoned by the departure of the Mercury Mariner, this is pretty boring to me. I suppose it will be more of a compact, like CR-V size compared to Equinox/Terrain size to avoid more GM overlap.

That will cannibalize XTS sales then. The product planners got it wrong as usual. Does GM really need an Impala/LaCrosse/XTS. Wasn't the reason of fewer brands to cut down the overlap and not compete with themselves. If the Impala is $28-35k as I always thought it should be, it would line up against the Avalon/Maxima/Taurus/etc. Then put a Buick in the $35-45k range to match up against Lincoln/Acura. Then give Cadillac a RWD car in the upper price range.

I don't like the idea of the 2.5 liter, that belongs in Chevy, not a Cadillac. If they want a 3rd engine, it should be a turbo diesel 4-cylinder because they need it in foreign markets anyway. I do like the 2.0T and V6 choices. Although I think the V6 needs more torque to set itself apart from the 2.0T and compete better with the 335i. Problem is Cadillac is stuck with a 6-speed transmission while Infiniti, Mercedes and BMW have 7 or 8. So will the fuel economy and acceleration numbers be able to match up what that class has to offer. This new 2.0T has less horsepower and torque than a Hyundai Sonata Turbo, so I hope the tail pipe emissions from the ATS can cure birth defects in baby seals.

Well the Aztec is correct. The Cimarron should be top 5 worst all time. But hard to compare to such legends as the Morris Marina and Reliant Robin. The Saturn Ion though bad, is not top 10 or even top 40 bad. The Ford death trap is worse than that.

The Cimarron returns!!! This will no doubt be a sad car, but Acura was never going to compete with the Germans, so at least they realized that and have aimed low. They are better off matching up against Buick, and to some extent Volvo, VW and Chrysler. Lincoln will probably be going this route soon too.

How has Bentley "always" been a "V8 brand?" Prior to the VW purchase, Bentley had used TWO V8 engines...a Rolls-Royce engine from 1959 and a BMW engine from the late 1990s. Prior to that, they had six-cylinder and inline eight-cylinder engines (up to 8 litres). Ok... for the last half-century they have been a V8 brand... Perhaps...but not necessarily by choice. Who chooses to use only ONE engine for nearly 40 years (and its still in production)? Buick 3800???

Has a lot of CLS in it, but it looks good.

Bentley always was a V8 brand, and 500 hp and 25 mpg is nice, not that Bentley owners care about fuel prices. Although the Continental/Flying Spur always seem sort of like "fake" Bentleys to me.

GM is about due for a new batch of 4-cylinders. That 2.4 liter has been around close to 10 years it seems, with just a few modest power bumps along the way.

The interior colors aren't my style, but the interior design, materials, and fit and finish look excellent in the photos. I like the suede head liner and the stitching in the seats. I like the 480 lb-ft @1700 rpm from the twin turbo V8 as well. But why is it so freaking big??? BMW is making a lot of large, heavy cars lately.

I thought about that too. It is really a bad car, so out dated compared to others. I am actually surprised Toyota has let it go so long without an upgrade. But the people that buy it don't care about cars, they want an appliance and believe that it will run a long time without braking down (cheap to own) so they buy it. Chevy still sells 12-14k Impalas a month, that thing shouldn't sell either.

Agreed. When I drove the CTS with the 304 hp version it felt like you really had to rev the engine, especially on hills, to feel like it was doing anything. That car needs more low end grunt. The 335i makes a lot of low end torque, even an A6 has 325 lb-ft @ 2,900 rpm, better mileage than a CTS as well.

Maybe a competitor for the Smart-for-us pick up truck.

I think they need to find a way to get the price on the SL to drop a little, $104,000 base price is a bit steep. They need to cut that back to about $90k. The SL does usually go on 10+ year model runs, that one generation was sold from 1972 to 1989 or something.

I think in response to this, the Hyundai Sonata will be getting a 12 speed automatic!

The Germans aren't retreating from the V8, Mercedes just came up with 2 new V8s in the past year, the 4.6 liter bi-turbo and the 5.5 liter bi-turbo AMG. Mercedes, BMW and Audi still make V12s. Plus the Germans have diesel power to big torque where needed. BMW does have the triple turbo inline six diesel on the way, rumor is that has over 500 lb-ft of torque. E-class and up has always had V8 power, and they still do. Cadillac of the 90s had a V8 in just about everything, today it is a CTS-V and Escalade, otherwise enjoy your V6. To me, Cadillac has retreated from the V8 more than the Germans. Although the six cylinders with the technology we have now and the turbos/superchargers are almost more compelling because of the fuel economy.

Once you build a 2.0 liter inline four, why not build a 3.0 liter inline six??? Or perhaps a 4.0 liter V8 (twin turbo). Or both.

C-class outsold the 3-series this month, that is big. Although the 3-series is in transition since the new model comes out in January I think. But still, C-class was #1 and E-class was #3 selling luxury car. Strong showing my the M-class too. The SL needs an update, that thing is dying.

LoL...just a 6spd. I do wonder if Chrysler is working on an 8 speed for their FWD models..they already have one for the good stuff.. No, Marchionne said the 2013 model will have an optional ZF 9-speed. It's going to be the S-class and the Dart leading the way, haha.

Could be an Epsilon 2 Impala concept. GM loves economies of scale and the W-body doesn't give them that any more. More likely will be some lame city car concept with an electric motor and 52 horsepower. Those are popular on the auto show circuit recently. ATS is what I am looking forward to the most. The Encore is a vehicle they need, GM needs a small girly crossover because they lose sales to competitors in that segment.

It will have an optional 9-speed transmission. It is going to be like the S-class!!!!

If Hyundai can design and build a DOHC V8 from scratch, then I am sure Cadillac can also. They did it for about 90 years, I'm sure they can do it again. Hyundai is also not coming out of chapter 11 in need to revamp several divisions and with no current V8 design to put into production. At some point the bankruptcy excuse isn't going to be valid anymore.... Agreed! People keep blaming bankruptcy, that was a self inflicted wound and GM still uses some of the same thinking that got them into that mess in the first place. It's time to move on and compete, if they can't afford to fund Cadillac then maybe they still have too many models, too many brands.

What is annoying is how well the Prius and Lexus ES350 sell. I guess I can see the Prius, it has little direct competition and is the best know hybrid. But the Es350 is probably the 4th best selling luxury car and there are so many better options at that price point. Wait, they still make the FJ Cruiser?

This is about as interesting as the new Kenmore refrigerator getting the energy star sticker.

If Hyundai can design and build a DOHC V8 from scratch, then I am sure Cadillac can also. They did it for about 90 years, I'm sure they can do it again.