smk4565

I think there should be a V8 Camaro, I just think they should do turbo 4 and V6 engines in a smaller body/platform, rather than a near 4,000 lb midsize car that is rather wide. It's funny that GM will cry CAFE for the reason they killed the Ultra V8 or some rear drive cars, and will put a 1.4 liter in the Cruze, 4 cylinders in the full size Buick, V6 in a range topping Cadillac because of CAFE. Then turn around and put a 6.2 liter V8 in a $30,000 Chevy.

That is true. But what I don't want to see is the ATS with the 4-banger out of the Malibu or Regal, the XTS with the V6 out of a Traverse, and then the Camaro gets a 420 hp V8. I'm all for affordable V8 cars, I just don't want to see Cadillac get stuck with corporate turbo 4 engines, so GM can continue to make gas guzzler trucks and a muscle car. If the Camaro is lighter, then turbo 4 and V6 would give it adequate performance, the Genesis coupe has that now, the 370Z is a V6. I'd still offer a V8 for a Camaro Z28 model, but I think a 4, 6, 8 cylinder set up is best, rather than V6, V8, and supercharged V8.

I know there is a lot of sentiment for the Camaro needing a big V8, but if GM has to make CAFE choices, it is hard to give the Camaro a V8 when Cadillac isn't getting them. Cadillac is shifting to nearly all V6's aside form the CTS-V and Escalade and the 4-cylinder Cadillacs are coming. To me, Cadillac should still offer better engines than Chevys.

The problem with Camaro, Mustang, Cadillacs, or any of these performance oriented products, is that they are trying to be like the European and Japanese products, while also being like a 60s era muscle car. Some want it small so it handles like a 370Z or 3-series, others want a 6 liter V8 so it is like a 1967 GTO. You can't please everyone, and a car like the Mustang is stuck with a solid rear axle, Camaro is on a heavy full size sedan platform, as is the Challenger. So the Detroit 3 is left trying to put square pegs into round holes in their never ending chase of the imports.

I like the look of this car, especially the front which I really like. But this car is so big, I think it would be hard to drive in congested areas or to parallel park in tighter spots. The main flaw is $57k for a Taurus SHO, I don't think so. That is the problem with Lincoln, they make a nice looking car, but at the end of the day it is a glorified Ford for a lot of money. For $57k rear drive V8 cars are available. How does this car drive though, I drove an FWD MKZ and was unimpressed.

How many horsepower per liter does that make?

Agreed. GM likes to sell what they have on the shelf, even it the expiration date on it is well past due. Chevy Impala for example. They should build what people and want in the class, not some discounted model, then try to convince people why they should get it.

Buick's lineup has improved, since they aren't just making full size sedans and actually have a variety of sizes now. But really they are just putting a level up interior trim package into Opels, Chevys, and Daewoos and giving it a turbo four, rather than a naturally aspirated four. Sort of like a supercharged 3800 instead of a regular 3800 for the modern day. They improved the line-up but nothing about Buick has a wow factor or is interesting. They will get more sales since Mercury, Pontiac and Saturn aren't around, but GM seems to be putting a lot of focus on it's least important brand (well aside from GMC).

Good points, you are right it will need a diesel engine. If the ATS doesn't get 40 mpg, it is dead in Europe for sure. Lexus (evne Lincoln) is pushing hybrids, the Germans are going to bring more and more diesels, Cadillac has to do one or the other, so their car isn't at 28 mpg, while everyone else has 35-40.

I think that is the engine lineup GM will use, although I think the turbo 4 will have 230-250 hp. Especially since the Regal has 225 and many of the base German engines are in that range. I don't think they'll have the 8-speed ready at launch, but I'm sure they'll get one in there eventually. They should have it at launch, but GM likes to delay stuff until year 2 or 3 many times. But I've heard even Chrysler will have 9-speed transmissions in their front drive rental sedans by 2014. I think the V-series should have DOHC, but I know it won't, so I think the pushrod V8 will be in there.

Then Cadillac can compete with the 365 hp Ford Taurus that came out a year ago, nice!

GMT900 total volume is CAFE significant though. But GM uses the excuse of CAFE to not make a V8 Cadillac sedan, but then a V8 truck that gets 5 mpg worse than a V8 sedan is okay. We got a V6 XTS, I would guess a V6 Lambda is going to replace the Escalade at some point.

I am all for lots of standard equipment, but you don't need "Platinum" badges all over the car to make it a luxury car. Cadillac as they go up the price scale just seems to get more tacky and more outlandish, rather than getting more classy and more refined.

A gawdy, tacky, overpriced Tahoe. That is not what a Cadillac should be.

I think they got this car mostly right. The rear end is a little odd, and the interior is very similar to the Cruze, but with really fake looking wood. Those are the only problems I see, and most buyers won't even notice or care. I like that they used the 2.4 liter and didn't recycle the Cruze engines, I like features like heated seats, steering wheel, electric parking brake, etc. This car is geared toward the 50-75 year old segment, they will like that it is easy to drive and has soft, warm seats. The senior set won't care about 0-60 or that it gets 31 mpg and not 35. The direct competition to this car is very limited, the Cruze LTZ is the closest competitor, then maybe a loaded Jetta. The Lexus IS250 is like $10,000 more, so that isn't competition, the A3, Mini, Volvo, or any other small European cars are meant to be sporty and their emphasis is driving dynamics over creature comforts. I think the American market has long needed a luxury geared small car, since there are a dozen sports oriented small cars, but hardly any luxury oriented ones.

I find it interesting that of the top 10 selling SUVs, only the Traverse and Pilot are close to full size, and the Pilot is probably closer to a midsize than a full size. The SUV market really shifted from bigger SUVs and even the Explorer/Trailblazer size SUVs down to the small guys.

The 2.8 Turbo sure didn't last long, but isn't very fuel efficient given it's displacement or power output. And that engine was already sort of dated when the SRX came out. So now if you get it optioned up, it is $50k for a Cadillac Vue with a platform/engine/transmission of a Malibu and Equinox. Sign me up.

No one will ever compete with the British Top Gear, it is so far and away better than any car show, because it is indeed about entertainment. Not like Motorweek which is a monotone voice over of a car being put though some basic tests and seat adjustments. Matt is right about the Camaro, good styling but you can't see out of it, and the interior is all plastic and just looks retro cheesey.

Tucker Torpedo and Cadillac Cien

I think a V12 in the 5.5-6.0 liter range (like Merc's) would be better. And add two turbos to it. You want massive low end torque out of this engine. The V8 could be in the 4.0-4.5 liter range.

Big Lincolns don't sell though. The MKS is already huge, they don't need to go bigger than that. MKZ does need a real name, Zephyr perhaps. Take the Mustang 5.0, give it an independent rear suspension and MKS-dash, and there is new Mark VIII, make a 4 door version and that's the Continental.

XLR was my original pick, I'd stick with that, even though many of those are good choices. I do believe Lincoln needs a rear drive car. The LS/Continental/Mark VIII replacement could all be meshed into 1 rear drive car with coupe and sedan body styles, possibly off a tweaked Mustang platform. Problem could be where to slot it into Lincoln's lineup, maybe MKZ size, but $40-55k range. If you put MKS-like luxury and technology with a Mustang chassis and 5.0 V8, you've got something good brewing.

I think the 3.6 V6 could use some refinement, that would help Cadillac and the other brands as well. I don't see a problem with lower end Cadillac's sharing engines, especially when in a Cadillac it makes 304 hp and in a Buick 280. As you go up the price ladder though, you do have to offer more than what's in a Chevy. If Cadillac doesn't make their own unique engine (like when they had the Northstar) I'd rather see Cadillac buy engines off AMG than use Corvette engines. I'd like to see a V12, why stop at V8. And to appease the greenies, a 300 hp/50 mpg hybrid-diesel drivetrain.

The way to beat the 3-series is not with horsepower, it is with steering and suspension. Any one can put 300 hp in a car, but no one has been able to beat BMW's ride and handling. IS350 for example.

The 535i gets 20/30 mpg. No GM 6-cylinder hits 20 city or 30 highway. Even the 2.4 liter (184 hp) Regal is 19/30 mpg. And according to former GM management, RWD got bad fuel economy. So why is a 300 hp rear driver edging a 184 hp front driver in fuel economy? It isn't weight, the 535i is heavier, it's the ZF transmission. I see 300 hp and 30 mpg as the minimum for the ATS and next-gen CTS. Hyundai has a 270 hp, 34 mpg car now, Cadillac has to one-up all these cars. Maybe 300 hp and 35 mpg is their target, no one has done that yet, but Ford already did 310 hp/31 mpg with the Mustang. Cadillac in 2013 should be better than a 2010 Mustang.